Making contacts with clients and suppliers

[Nissenel]

All,
Please give me some ideas about below
I'm working full time but remotely as an IT support. It requires to be online from 8 am till 4 pm, but except my job to do I have time to talk with people by a phone or send e-mails to them in total 2 hours per day I think.
Last month I had opportunity to buy 10 000 kilograms of frozen vegetables from my friend and I put an advertisement into the internet (local stock market), clients applied and bought all of it, it didn't take a lot of time, no travelling, just couple phone calls, pictures and e-mails, nothing special. I have own company anyway (I work B2B) and time (2 hours per days), I'm thinking to expand with buying/selling vegetables and fruits like I did last time. Since last couple weeks I'm trying to get vendors and clients by a phone or e-mails from all over Europe, I'm calling to vegetables/fruits producers and ask what I can buy from them and how much it costs, but it seems they do not know myself and ask to send an e-mail with questions, never answering, they simply ignore myself all thought I'm trying to become their client. The same is with potential customers, they have already suppliers and ask to send an e-mail with an offer, I have nothing specific to offer because lack of relationship and offers from vendors.
I cannot get into my car and visit local producers or potential clients because I need to be online every single day, so this small trading business needs to be online as well.
Do you have any advice how to get contacts and start trading goods? Is it even possible to do this?
Please notice it seems I have no value proposition for both clients and vendors, the only idea in my head is to buy cheaper than I can sell. Please suggest what I can put into their businesses in order to close some deals

 

[Mr D]

Perhaps the sellers want a relationship with your business. Many companies these days pick and choose who they sell to.
So you register with them and they may well ask a bunch of questions. Then decide whether to sell to you or not.

Start with websites - if the seller has one. Check for trade login on the website.
If none then try calling them up and explain you want to buy some of this or that. Again they may want details about your business before deciding whether to sell to you or not.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

try Patricks Peas in Belgium

 

[Nissenel]

Perhaps the sellers want a relationship with your business. Many companies these days pick and choose who they sell to.
So you register with them and they may well ask a bunch of questions. Then decide whether to sell to you or not.

Start with websites - if the seller has one. Check for trade login on the website.
If none then try calling them up and explain you want to buy some of this or that. Again they may want details about your business before deciding whether to sell to you or not.

Mr D exactly, they choose who to sell their products and here in my question, how and what to do in order to increase possibilities to buy products I can sell with my margin? What qualify myself to become a better company to sell to?

This is what I do, but they seem to receive hundreds of calls like this, always asking to send an e-mai regarding my questions, what I do, it stays without respond usually so I follow up, they tell sorry but they are already sold out, try somewhere else. I'm aware they do have their trusted clients and want to keep business with them but I would like to jump as well.

The same is with the potential customers. Let's say, I googled vegetable producer X and salad producer Y, I want to buy from X, add my margin and sell to Y.
X says he is sold out or wants to sell me tomatoes by 5 €
Y says he has already trusted supplier and can alternatively buy tomatoes cheaper than now, but now he is paying 4.5 € and want 4.3 € which obviously I cannot do

I'm new in trading so these questions might see stupid and show I do not know nothing about trading but there must be point to start from and please help to do my point here.

Please notice I cannot go myself and do some presentation, talk with people and build relationship. It needs to be online by phone calls and e-mails.

If there is any book or video in youtube recommended about how to buy cheaper than sell please share

 

[Mr D]

Some places ask for business references - places you buy from in that field of goods.
Some places want to know your website address / bricks and mortar address.

Whatever criteria they use they don't need to share with you. Either accepted or rejected.

 

[Nissenel]

I have done only 1 deal so references do not work yet, I have no contacts to ask to share
Yes they ask for details and many of them tell they do not work with middleman cause they prefer to work with customers directly. I'm thinking what value I can bring into the business for them in order to show them why using a trader is useful and what benefits they can get

 

[Mr D]

I have done only 1 deal so references do not work yet, I have no contacts to ask to share
Yes they ask for details and many of them tell they do not work with middleman cause they prefer to work with customers directly. I'm thinking what value I can bring into the business for them in order to show them why using a trader is useful and what benefits they can get

Normally I'd say you bring in additional customers. But you aren't following that business model so won't work for you.

 

[QPLAST]

You Have to find your USPs.

You have to find what can you pass on to customer s
1. Quality
2. Price benefits
3. Flexible Credit or payment terms
4. Products of their choice

Customer service will be key to your success. If you can't go, can you hire someone to visit your customers and suppliers? You may need to provide samples to your customers.

As you are looking for fruits and vegetables, the self life will be a point to consider.

You need to understand, why "someone will give you margin" ? What is the value addition for the customer who pays the margin.

Good luck
Deepak