Tuesday, May 26, 2009

TOP FOUR QUESTIONS

(Note, if you have not read the entry, "Who is Tea Connexions", click here)

Over the years, we have received many questions about the tea business. We refer to our customers as "members" or "family" because our business is not just about importing and selling tea at wholesale or below wholesale rates, but developing long term business relationships in which we provide training, advice, and expertise to our customers. Every customer is considered a member of our overall buying group and therefore part of our ever expanding family of wholesale customers and distributors that market our teas.

Here are the top four questions and answers.

I. How Do I Market Your Products?

This is probably the most common question we receive. Tea Connexions has been in the tea business since 1999 and has been marketing teas successfully since then.

Presently, the majority of our members are promoting our products through tea and gift channels. Preferred promotion methods include the Internet, Direct Mail, Newspapers, Magazines, and Trade Shows. It is also interesting to note that many members are pursuing other avenues of promotion such as sales through their own gift or tea store, marketing to Real Estate companies as a corporate or thank you gift, tea parties, person to person sales, craft fairs, and referrals through friends and family. One of the unique aspects of this program is the flexibility it offers to members. How our members market the products is up to them. Clearly, our members have chosen many marketing channels and methods.

The most important point I want to make is this:

*****Next to water, tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world.*****

This means the market for tea is enormous.

The US market is perhaps one of the biggest markets for tea because it is playing catch up with the rest of the world. The US has gone through the coffee and cigar trend. It is time for tea, literally. The health benefits of tea are generating market demand for tea.

As an independent distributor of tea, your job is simple:

*****To market the teas to this growing market.*****

The marketing approach you take will depend on your experience and comfort level with business. These are the top six marketing methods our members are using:

1. Online Retail Marketing. This is a simple concept. These members promote their websites online and offline, sending potential consumers to their websites.

2. Home Party and Direct Sales. Some members invite friends and family to tea tasting events. It is the *****try before you buy***** method of sales. Guests try different types of teas and then decide on what they like. A variation of this is the handing out of 5 gram samples and then following up with the recipients to find out which teas they liked the most.

3. Mail Order. Through Tea Connexions you can get our most popular catalog which you can use for mail order sales. The key to the success of this strategy is the quality of the list. Our training shows you how you can create a pre-qualified list, therefore creating better sales results.

4. Consumer Trade Shows and Flea Markets. This is a retail sales scenario where you display your product and sell directly to consumers that stop by your booth.

5. Wholesale. This is another very productive sales approach. Using the wholesale training we provide, which includes a downloadable wholesale information package, all you have to do is contact local or regional gift shops, tea shops, health food stores, specialty kitchen shops, etc. and present this information either in person or through mail. One of our Members set up 10 wholesale accounts in less than 30 days. This is truly a success story because this individual worked full time and was on a plane most of the time with their job.

6. Corporate Gift. In a chance meeting with her mortgage broker one of our members sold 200 pieces for more than $3,000 and earned a profit of more than $2,000. All this member did was give her broker our catalog and show her some samples. The broker placed an order, and the rest is history. Real Estate Agents, Mortgage Brokers, Financial Planners, Insurance Agents, Lawyers, Accountants, and any business owner are all potential purchasers of these items because of their uniqueness and high perceived value. Our products are a unique alternative to chocolates and flowers as gifts.

The strategic advantage you have with Tea Connexions is the diversity of our product line. Our product line expands your market opportunities because you can target gift, health, and tea distribution channels.

The most important strategic advantage you gain from Tea Connexions is through our online training which has grown to more than 500 html pages since 2001. Bottom line, our goal is to help you succeed because our success is directly based upon your success. We are with you every step of the way and pride ourselves on the level of training and support we provide.

II. What Are The Primary Reasons Your Members Joined The Tea Connexions Family by purchasing one of your wholesale packages?

1. Unique packaging and high quality products is the top reason our members chose to invest in this opportunity. A great business revolves around unique, high quality products. Our members understand that to build a great business, they need unique, high quality products.

2. The turn key e-commerce solution we offer. E-commerce has become so important because the Internet is such an effective method to promote a business. Tea Connexions has been building websites since 2001. Since we want our members' websites to succeed, we guarantee top-notch service and answers to their website related questions within one to two business days.

3. Long Term Residual Income and Attractive Markup Opportunity. One of the most important keys to successful business is residual income through repeat business. Since our members are able to purchase products at below wholesale, they realize substantial profits through the markups.

4. Marketing Solutions. Through Tea Connexions our members gain access to professional marketing tools to help them grow their business.

5. Training and Support. Mentoring, online training, and periodic conference calls enables our members to gain expert knowledge, education, and get their questions answered so that they can focus on building their tea businesses.

III. What Are The Top Selling Tea Connexions Products?

Gift items tend to be very popular sellers because of their uniqueness and also because of the high markup potential. The unique containers not only make our tea a great gift, but remain a constant fixture in consumers' homes, reminding them to order tea again and again. Overall, however, our full range sells well, particularly the loose teas because they are such a high quality. Our new customers tend to order the 5 gram samplers and tea bags to get started. Because tea is a consumable, you will not only enjoy profits from customers on the first sale, but have the potential for ongoing income through refills.

IV. How Much Money and Profits Can I Earn?

This is a very good question.

Obviously, the income you generate and subsequent profits, will depend on two key factors:

1. Customers.
2. Your Cost of Goods.

With respect to "customers" and getting customers, this is your responsibility. However, unlike most suppliers, Tea Connexions is not just interested in selling you tea. We view all of our customers as part of our family and therefore help you succeed and prosper by providing you with access to training and marketing tools. Our training is designed to help you lay the foundations of a strong business. We provide you with knowledge, all you have to do is use the training and take action to get customers. To help you even further, we also provide marketing tools and other business solutions so that all you have to do is focus all your efforts on sales and marketing.

With respect to "cost of goods", the key to your success is determined by your buying cost. Traditionally, the more you buy, the less your cost. Many of our competitors operate on this premise. Tea Connexions, however, has structured our wholesale program so that you can lock in discounts ranging from 5% to 36.25% below wholesale, simply by making a one time purchase of one of our wholesale packages. Once you purchase one of our packages, your discount is locked in. This is the reason we view all of our customers as part of a buying group. As a group, we have greater purchasing power. Tea Connexions imports by the container load and passes on continual discounts below wholesale to our loyal members/wholesale customers.

If you have further questions, feel free to call me directly, toll free: 1-877-532-3832 ext. 111.

Drink Tea and Prosper!

Best Regards,

Sanjay Gupta
President/CEO

No comments: