Direct Marketing - How to Get Major Supplement Retailers or Distributors to Carry My Product
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Getting a retailer or distributor to handle your produce is a lot like auditioning for a play. Wholesale distributors and retail stores will only offer what they believe they can sell, so it's your job to convince them that your product is saleable. Putting together a presentation package that shows the benefits of your product as well as the sales figures for the work you have already done is key to getting your product to a larger market.
1
Develop your brand. It is important that your product and brand are solid and presentable before you start approaching retailers and distributors. Make sure your message is clear and your marketing materials, such as your labels, shipping containers, even your price tags are consistently branded and attracting business.
2
Develop your website. You need to have your website, blog and social media sites up-to-date and consistently evolving in order to attract retailers and a distributor. The web is where customers look for information about your company. It's important that these be current in order to present your products and brand accurately and attractively.
3
Locate distributors by finding out who the distributors for your competition are. Contact each distributor that has products similar to yours and ask them what they require to consider representing a new product. You may have to provide sales figures, samples and other marketing materials.
4
Approach supplement retailers by first visiting their stores and making sure that your product will fit in with the products they currently offer. Talk with the manager or owner of the store and find out how the products in your product category are doing. Talk a little about your product and its benefits, and ask whether the retailers would consider offering samples or a discounted offer to their customers.
5
Purchase a copy of the Chain Store Guide (see Resources), or another similar guide detailing distributors for different stores, for your area of expertise. This guide, and others like it, list different retailers in different industries. For example, the Chain Store Guide lists more than 1,200 retailers in the drug, health and beauty industry including their growth percentage, distribution company, products sold, departments, franchise affiliation and other important information.
Tags:
Direct Marketing, Marketing
1
Develop your brand. It is important that your product and brand are solid and presentable before you start approaching retailers and distributors. Make sure your message is clear and your marketing materials, such as your labels, shipping containers, even your price tags are consistently branded and attracting business.
2
Develop your website. You need to have your website, blog and social media sites up-to-date and consistently evolving in order to attract retailers and a distributor. The web is where customers look for information about your company. It's important that these be current in order to present your products and brand accurately and attractively.
3
Locate distributors by finding out who the distributors for your competition are. Contact each distributor that has products similar to yours and ask them what they require to consider representing a new product. You may have to provide sales figures, samples and other marketing materials.
4
Approach supplement retailers by first visiting their stores and making sure that your product will fit in with the products they currently offer. Talk with the manager or owner of the store and find out how the products in your product category are doing. Talk a little about your product and its benefits, and ask whether the retailers would consider offering samples or a discounted offer to their customers.
5
Purchase a copy of the Chain Store Guide (see Resources), or another similar guide detailing distributors for different stores, for your area of expertise. This guide, and others like it, list different retailers in different industries. For example, the Chain Store Guide lists more than 1,200 retailers in the drug, health and beauty industry including their growth percentage, distribution company, products sold, departments, franchise affiliation and other important information.
