Accounts to call on first
- New openings. A place that just opened is still picking suppliers, and the chef or owner is often open to a first meeting.
- New owners or management. Supplier lists get reviewed when someone new takes over.
- Full bars and cocktail programs for spirits, mixers and garnish; wine and beer lists for those reps.
- Busy kitchens and caterers, which order often and in bulk.
- Shops with shelves and coolers to fill, like convenience stores, markets and delis.
Work a tight route
Restaurant sales are won with frequent visits, and frequent visits only work if your accounts are close together. Build your territory around a few neighborhoods or strips you can cover in a day, and plan stops in a loop. A new account down the street from three you already serve is worth more than one across the county.
Build your list
- Liquor license applications and notices, which many states and cities publish, are an early sign of a new bar or restaurant.
- Building permits, “coming soon” signs and local food news.
- Google Maps, searched by cuisine and town.
- A prospecting map like Canvas Scout, which maps every independent restaurant, bar and shop and flags new places, new owners, full bars, wine and beer lists and busy kitchens.
When to walk in and what to say
Never during service. Mid-afternoon, between lunch and dinner, is usually best for chefs and bar managers. Ask who does the ordering for the kitchen or the bar.
“Hi, I’m Tony with Riverbend Provisions. I take care of a few places on this block. I know you’re set up already, so I’m not here to change anything today. I brought a couple of things I think would work on your menu. Can I leave them with you and come back Thursday to hear what you thought?”
Know their menu before you walk in, and bring something relevant to it. A sample that fits their food says more than a catalog.
Follow the alcohol rules
If you sell beer, wine or spirits, the law shapes how you sell. Most states use a three-tier system that separates producers, distributors and retailers, and some states control the sale of spirits themselves. Federal and state rules limit what a supplier or distributor can give a retailer, so don’t offer free product, equipment, cash or anything else that could count as an inducement unless your company’s compliance team says it is allowed. Sell only to properly licensed accounts, and follow your state’s rules on samples, tastings and credit terms. Never promise anything the law doesn’t let you deliver.
Follow up on a rhythm
Most places already have suppliers, so the first visit is rarely the order. Accounts open when a delivery is late, an item runs out, a price goes up or the menu changes. Visit on a steady schedule, at the same quiet hour, and write down who you talked to, what they buy and what they complained about. When something slips, you are the rep who was there last week.
Where Canvas Scout fits
Canvas Scout maps every independent restaurant, bar and shop in your territory and flags new openings, new owners, full bars, wine and beer lists, busy kitchens and shelves to fill. See Canvas Scout for food and beverage sales reps, or look up how many businesses are in your territory.
