There are Cinderella stories of brands cold calling their favorite retail stores, landing the accounts, and living happily ever after. If only it were always that easy!
In the name of compiling best practices for brands that are interested in approaching retailers, we reached out to numerous buyers and the results are telling. For instance, of the many retailers we spoke with, we only learned of one Cinderella story. We won’t tell you the name of the company, but we will tell you it’s a small women’s shoe brand. This brand knew the retailer, knew where they most wanted to be sold, and made some phone calls. They found out the shoe buyer’s size and sent her a complimentary pair of shoes. She wore them, received tons of compliments, and boom — they landed the account! Still, while this makes for a great story, it's just not the reality for most companies. Cinderella stories are called that for a reason: they’re the stuff of fairytales. The real-world formula often requires brains, technology, and grit.
Here’s what we uncovered…
1. Strengthen your brand story
Reflect on your brand's past, present, and future to give retailers a deeper understanding of your values and mission. This unique context is key if you want to stand out in today's extremely competitive wholesale environment. Since retailers are getting a lot more pitches from brands than they used to, it's harder to compete on product quality alone. Buyers are now looking for inspiration on how best to sell your product, or an interesting story they can pass on to their customers — this is vital for building brand loyalty, especially since product trends change so quickly.
2. Do your research
If your goal is to build lasting and profitable relationships with retail stores, then some upfront work is necessary to ensure you’re contacting stores that fit well with your brand. This is key, as a mismatched retailer can do a lot of damage to your brand's reputation. You'll want to look into things like their reputation (what are customers saying about them?), how their store is merchandised (is the layout thoughtful and attractive?), their financial standing (are there any signs or recent stories of them struggling to stay afloat?).
Partner with retailers that understand your target audience and that align with your brand values. If both sets of your values are aligned, and they understand your target shoppers’ behavior, they’ll be more likely to continue to support your brand through inevitable market shifts.
3. Find the right buyers
A robust digital wholesale platform with a marketplace feature can be great for finding contacts and other retail store details. A great alternative would be making a direct call to the store.
Wondering when to call? Most of the retailers we spoke with said the best time to call is in the morning before they get too busy. They’ll have time to actually speak with you without taking time away from customers, meaning they’ll be more interested in what you have to say.
Wondering what to ask? Ask for the name and email of your buyer, plus the best times to contact them. This information is important to connect with today's merchants, as more buyers are leaning heavily on rep-driven email campaigns as their main form of communication, as opposed to traditional means, such as trade shows. As one retailer said, “I prefer a genuine email with a linesheet."
4. Pitch smaller stores
Find out which retailers would be a great fit for your brand. As much as everyone would love to see their product on the shelf at the best global retailers, you might see more success if you target smaller stores first as the competition would be smaller. Pitching smaller retailers also makes it more likely that you’ll be able to quickly develop a personal relationship with the owner or manager.
5. Get personal
Make the most of those emails. Use your initial research to send highly personalized email pitches. Don't skimp on the details here. Think custom linesheets and a brief message outlining why you believe your product is relevant to each specific buyer. As one buyer said, “I find it rude when I get a message that’s just a catalog without a greeting and isn’t personalized in any way.”
However, while it's good to sweat the details, be mindful of buyers’ time. Less is more.
- Consider using your wholesale platform to send a targeted email drip campaign.
- Break up your presentation over a few emails, making it clear you understand why they would be interested.
- Make it convenient. Embed shopping functionality directly into your emails so buyers can see your catalogs and make purchases in one click from their inboxes.
6. Follow up
Set your wholesale platform to alert you when a buyer has opened and viewed your linesheet.
Follow up quickly after viewing to maximize your odds of connecting with the buyer. Ask what they liked in your linesheet, what they’d want to see more of, and what products and styles are trending well at their stores.
7. Have grit
Rejection is just a part of the process. It generally takes between one and five calls to capture someone’s attention. Don’t be afraid to diversify your marketing strategies to attract buyers’ interest. It’s also a great idea to refine your social media presence, create syndicated content, and update your email signatures.
8. Go to trade shows
Retailers everywhere are looking for new products and new brands (or brands that are simply new to their customers). While many might attend trade shows less frequently, buyers still understand they can be great opportunities to source the newness they seek.
To get the most out of each show, research great-fit, attending buyers prior to each event. Trade shows can be expensive — it’s important to find the ones that will attract the best buyers for your brand.
- Identify the best shows for your brand
- Create an attractive, on-brand presence
- Send thoughtful, personalized follow-ups after each show
We hope every brand gets a Cinderella story of its own, but remember, the real glass slipper calls for business savvy, the right tools, and resilience. Happy selling!
