After years of working with food and drink businesses at every stage, I’ve noticed something. When founders ask me what separates the brands that break through from those that stall, they’re often expecting me to talk about product innovation, packaging design or maybe social media strategy. Yes, all those things matter, but there’s something else that matters just as much, if not more.
Following up.
It sounds almost too obvious to be the difference between a brand that gets traction and one that stalls. However, here’s what I see happen time and again: A founder has a brilliant product. They’ve nailed their branding. They’ve identified the perfect retail partner or the ideal collaboration opportunity. They send that first email, make that initial call or have a great meeting. And then… silence.
So they move on.
They tell themselves the buyer wasn’t interested. That the timing wasn’t right, that maybe their product isn’t quite ready for that particular opportunity. The truth, however, is that the buyer was probably just busy. Overwhelmed, even. Perhaps your email arrived on a day when they were experiencing a supplier crisis, a meeting that ran over, or a family emergency. It wasn’t personal. It likely wasn’t even a conscious decision not to respond.
Everyone’s busy
We’re all busy. The people you’re reaching out to – the buyers, the journalists, the potential collaborators – they’re busy too. And that’s precisely why persistence matters so much.
The brands I’ve seen succeed aren’t necessarily the ones with the best product (though that helps massively). They’re the ones who understand that “no response” doesn’t mean “no”. That a second email isn’t pushy, it’s professional. Following up three, four, or even five times over several weeks isn’t harassment when done thoughtfully and tactfully. It’s good business, and potentially the difference between being visible and being overlooked.
The System You’re Missing
Here’s where most food and drink founders fall short: they don’t have a system. They rely on memory, good intentions or a sprawling list in a notes app that gets checked once in a blue moon.
You don’t need sophisticated CRM software or a complex sales funnel. What you need is a simple, consistent process. Something that ensures you’re not just sending one email and hoping for the best when reaching out to a potential stockist or partner.
Maybe it’s a spreadsheet with follow-up dates. Perhaps it’s calendar reminders. Maybe it’s a task management app that won’t let you forget. Perhaps it’s just a list to start with. The tool doesn’t matter nearly as much as the commitment to use it.
Because here’s the uncomfortable truth: your product won’t sell itself, no matter how good it is. And opportunities are unlikely to chase you down, no matter how much potential you have.
Persistence With Purpose
Now, let me be clear: I’m not advocating for pestering people. There’s a world of difference between being persistent and being that person who sends the same email every other day (“just wanted to pop this to the top of your inbox”) until someone blocks you.
Thoughtfully following up means:
- Giving people a reasonable time to respond (usually a week or so)
- Add value in each message rather than just asking again. Is there some news you can include? Have you landed an award, won a listing, hit a sales milestone or got a new flavour ready to launch?
- Taking the hint – if someone explicitly says they’re not interested, respect that
Why This Matters More in Food and Drink
The food and drink sector has its own particular rhythms. Buyers have ranging cycles. Journalists have editorial calendars. Retailers have seasonal resets. If your first outreach doesn’t land at precisely the right moment, a well-timed follow-up might hit perfectly. Then again, maybe the third or fourth email will. So keep persisting and start now.
List every outstanding conversation, enquiry or opportunity you’re waiting to hear back on. Set reminders. Draft follow-up messages. Then commit to the process.
Success isn’t usually about that one big break; it’s about dozens of smaller moments where your persistence kept you in the conversation long enough for the right opportunity to emerge.
If you need some ideas, help, or support, I can be your coach, mentor, taskmaster or even do it for you. Book a discovery call now.
