Following approximately $1 million in spring sales

CHARLOTTETOWN – July 16, 2020 – When all their negotiations are completed and all their seriously anticipated contracts are signed, the nine Island businesses that participated in RDÉE Prince Edward Island’s virtual sales mission last spring estimate that they will reach combined sales of approximately $1 million.

Lobster PEI, Mama B’s Spice Blends, Solutions Eurêka, Glow Juicery, Double Hill Cidery, Distinct Magic Décor, Forty-Six North/Yoyo Cookies, Kaneshii Vinyl Press and Atlantic Safety Wear all say they are very pleased with the results of their participation in this mission.

« This spring’s sales will bring the total direct sales of the nine sales missions we have organized over the past six years to $5 million, » says Robert Maddix, the RDÉE business development officer who coordinates the missions. « And these figures only represent sales made during and immediately after the missions and do not take into account sales that have occurred since. »

Other benefits for the Island include: the hiring of new employees; the modernization of equipment; new sub-contracts for translators, printers and packagers; new markets, suppliers, distributors and importers for Island products; the enhancement of the Island’s reputation; etc.

Due to the pandemic, the last two missions were done virtually, which created some challenges but did not seem to affect sales. Vendors were able to promote and attempt to sell their products to potential buyers in Quebec (Montreal, Quebec City, Sherbrooke and elsewhere) and Ontario (Ottawa and Toronto).

FALL MISSION

The next sales mission to Quebec, scheduled for the fall of 2021, will be a hybrid mission; that means Island vendors will have the option to participate either virtually or in person. « We will be able to accommodate eight to 10 Island vendors. We will schedule a total of 120 meetings for them with potential buyers in advance of the mission, » explains Maddix.

The mission will take place over three weeks. The weeks of Oct. 25- 29 and Nov. 8-12 will be devoted to virtual meetings via a video conferencing system. Those who wish to participate in person will be able to attend the week of Nov. 1-5.

All participants will receive personalized and individual training to give them suggestions on the best ways to sell and present their products or services.

To participate virtually, there is no real cost, except for preparation time and samples that salespeople would like to send to Quebec. As for in-person participants, they will first have to pay for their travel, hotel and meal expenses, but 40% of these costs will be reimbursed.

« A good proportion of the Quebec buyers we are targeting are French-speaking, so participants in our mission should be able to communicate effectively in French. And it’s not necessary to send the owner of the company on the mission; if a company has a good bilingual salesperson, it makes more sense to send that person, » explains Maddix.

However, Island participants should be prepared to work with the Quebec consultants who will match Island companies with potential Quebec buyers and do some follow-up with likely buyers after the mission.

All interested parties are asked to contact Robert Maddix at robert@rdeeipe.org or 902-367-8413 as soon as possible.

These missions are funded by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Innovation PEI.

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PHOTO: Melanie Dufour of Glow Juicery in Summerside is very pleased with her participation in RDÉE PEI’s virtual sales mission to Quebec last spring. The mission opened many important doors for her.

 

For more information:
Robert Maddix
Sales Mission Coordinator
RDÉE Prince Edward Island
902 367-8413
robert@rdeeipe.org