# How did you start marketing to retailers?



## hayatiggs (May 8, 2014)

Trying to get my plans in place before I make any moves and I was just wondering.. For those of you who market your products to retail businesses, both local and not, how did you go about it? Cold calling? Sending "catalogs?" (If so, care to share more info about your catalog?) Email?


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## 20vK (Jul 9, 2011)

I just went into the shop and showed them my stuff. I own a surfwear brand, so went into surfwear shops. I already knew it was a good fit.

You need to know your wholesale pricing and the retail price needs to be inline with their current product offering. My retail shops get a 100% markup off my shirts.


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## akar (Jul 1, 2011)

Cold calling works. Also, you'll want a catalog and order forms so that they can do counts and re-order easily. Think ahead - retailers follow seasons so you'll need to have a spring line ready in February, a summer line in May, etc. New designs are important to keeping the business growing and the brand HOT!


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## Printavo (Oct 7, 2007)

Yeah we got friendly with a few local shops and let it grow from there naturally. Constantly emailing them your new lookbooks helps every season to show consistency. Be prepared to fail but move on quickly.


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## Willuknight (Mar 3, 2013)

We did some of this recently.

2 of us went in to a bunch of gift stores across the company. We told them about our business, what we do and about the benefits of our products / sale figures / sucess stories.

We left them with a catalog and a sample.


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## hayatiggs (May 8, 2014)

Cool, thanks. Anyone with advice as to how you do your catalogs and/or lookbooks?


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## Willuknight (Mar 3, 2013)

I use indesign and illustrator, unfortunately not everyone has a background in graphic design. I believe that everything that represents your business should be stylish, consistent and professional. 

Here's a design tip - less is more. If you don't know how to make things look professional, just use lots of white space and it will make it look like you do. Templates are also a great place to start and steal ideas from.

Here is my wholesale catalog. There are a few things I've got to fix and I need to massively figure out how to revamp my pricing structure to being simpler but in the interest of helping others, here it is.

FlipSnack | Retail Whole Sale Catalog by willuknight


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## JustFizs (May 24, 2014)

Send them an email containing your story and product catalog. Ask them that you would like to have a meeting with them.

If they do not reply after a week, give them a call with the excuse of the email you previously sent them.


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## kimura-mma (Jul 26, 2008)

Agree with akar. Learn their buying seasons and buying habits. Most retail stores have their "core brands." Most of their buying dollars will be spent with those brands. Buyers often go to trade shows to see what other brands are offering. If you can exhibit at a show, you should look into it. Buyers spend a good portion of their seasonal budget at shows. Whatever money is left after core brands and tradeshows are known as "open-to-buy." There won't be much left and it's very competitive to get a piece of that business. Even if you get some of that share, don't expect to get prime real estate in the store. It's a tough business out there. Sorry to sound negative, just trying to give some perspective of what to expect when supplying retail stores.


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## hayatiggs (May 8, 2014)

kimura-mma said:


> Agree with akar. Learn their buying seasons and buying habits. Most retail stores have their "core brands." Most of their buying dollars will be spent with those brands. Buyers often go to trade shows to see what other brands are offering. If you can exhibit at a show, you should look into it. Buyers spend a good portion of their seasonal budget at shows. Whatever money is left after core brands and tradeshows are known as "open-to-buy." There won't be much left and it's very competitive to get a piece of that business. Even if you get some of that share, don't expect to get prime real estate in the store. It's a tough business out there. Sorry to sound negative, just trying to give some perspective of what to expect when supplying retail stores.




I welcome the negative with the positive. Makes for fewer surprises along the way  Thanks 

I'm hoping to do some trade shows, but will probably be next year, as I don't even know all of the shows around (I've been trying to search for as much info on them as I can, not coming up with much except Atlanta and out in Cali) and also I don't have the $800+ for a booth just yet. But hopefully next year.


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## Ice Titan (May 10, 2013)

This has been a very helpful thread. I'm in the same boat and the questions along with answers have helped, thanks all.


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