Buyers across the country and around the world get introduced to new products nearly every day and as a result, can be overwhelmed with the decisions of what to buy and what to pass on. Favoring products they know will sell when it comes to what to bring into their stores often works in their advantage, however most smart buyers also know that introducing new products to their store assortment can also be to their advantage. Luckily, this brings you into the picture. Now the challenge is to stay on their radar so that when decision time comes, it’s you who gets the sale.

A few things to help leverage your product and brand from the enormous amount of competition that is also trying to gain the eyes of retail buyers includes the following:

1. Present your product professionally and with confidence. Make sure that you are prepared to present a polished buyer’s packet to all perspective buyers. It should include your product information, company details, designer details if applicable, retail and wholesale price points, opening order terms, delivery expectations and re-order details. Including photos that are professionally presented within this packet is essential. Color and sizing information as well as case packs are also critical depending on the product you are selling. Many new wholesalers speak up too soon when it comes to reaching out to buyers and as a result, their product is dismissed from the interest of buyers. Don’t let this mistake be your fatal failing.

2. Communicate effectively with buyers without wasting their time. Remember that buyers are very busy people between attending trade shows, shopping their competition, placing orders and re-orders, managing budgets and so much more. It’s extremely important that you respect this so that you can value the time you do have with them, whether it’s face to face, on the phone or via email. In doing this, many buyers will respect your attention to their time and as a result, you just may have an edge in their attraction to your product, as well.

3. Be in the right places at the right time. Attending trade shows is a great way to get introduced to retailers who would not know of you otherwise while also giving you an outlet of communication that may be hard to obtain through phone calls and email. But don’t jump onto the trade show bandwagon too late in the game. If you want to be in retailers for Holiday 2009, you are already late. Become familiar with the trade show calendars of your particular industry and make sure you plan to attend both national and regional shows to help launch your product. In addition to trade shows, scheduling in store appointments is an ideal way to get a buyer’s attention. Not all buyers will give new wholesalers this time, though, so make sure to stay confident and keep on trying despite a lot of no’s to your appointment requests. Sending your buyer’s packets via email (PDF files work best) or via snail mail is also a great way to get attention. Just make sure you are on time with the buying calendar. It never hurts to give your product some cushion time, too, since your product is new to the market. Following up on all outlets is essential, as well.

4. Network with everybody and anybody that will listen. You never know where your next account will come from. Be professional and always stay focused on your brand identity, direction and goals so that you don’t get lost in networks that aren’t leading you to your intended purpose. But do take the time and the chance to reach out and meet new people. Chamber of commerce groups are a great way to meet retail owners and buyers as well as national and global organizations, such as the Fashion Group International, that are directly dedicated to your industry. While this takes a lot of time, the amount of people you will meet can greatly impact your brand recognition and interest.

5. Stay focused on your long term plans despite short term temptations. As a new wholesaler trying to position yourself in the marketplace, it can get tempting to set your expectations lower or settle on something just to feel like you are making progress. While compromise and change should be expected, it’s important you don’t lose sight of your brand’s vision along the way. Sometimes saying no, passing on certain retailers or having to change your plans is the best thing you can do in an effort to get the right buyer’s attention. Remember that where you position your product will be important for buyers to know, so make sure you only put it where you think the buyers you want will approve of.

It can be a long and bumpy ride for new wholesalers emerging in the marketplace, but the ride is worth it if you see it through and continue to believe in your product. Be patient, be professional and be prepared in an effort to let buyers know you are ready for business!

Retail Minded Founder Nicole Leinbach Reyhle originally contributed this article to www.Nolcha.com. For additional support with your business needs, contact Retail Minded at nicole@retailminded.com.

How Much?

There are a variety of ways to secure orders. Choose what is best for your business.

1. Set your opening order according to total value of wholesale cost. For example, you may say that opening orders starts at a minimum of $500.

2. Set your opening order according to total case packs. Case packs refer to a certain number of specific goods sold at one price for all the units within the case. If you sell apparel t-shirts, for example, you may have a case pack of one extra-small, two smalls, one medium and two large shirts. This totals six units which equals one case pack. Make sure you are very clear as to what each of your case packs consist of. Try and keep the quantities within your case packs consistent to avoid confusion with your clients.

3. Set your opening order according to total quantity of units, such as four pieces. This is a good strategy for products with higher price points, such as art or furniture.

4. Set your opening order according to nothing. That’s right – nothing! By setting no terms, you are allowing complete flexibility in the ordering process. However, for most companies this is not an effective way to manage their time, inventory or investments. This typically only works for custom work or higher priced items and should be carefully considered before setting into place.

Who Is Qualified?

While the below points are all something to consider for your business, you should also consider which are valid for your business to put into effect.

1. Check company credit prior to producing orders for them. It is legal to check for secure credit by processing a business credit check as a vendor. Speak with your preferred credit company to secure more details on this process.

2. Confirm there is no immediate competition with your other clients that sell your product for new accounts.You may want to set in place a 1 mile rule or something of sort to keep your retail clients happy by not over-saturating their neighborhood with your product in different retailers. Depending on your product, this will vary.

3. Set trial periods for retailers who sell your product according to sell through success. If your product is in demand and you want to only be in the best retailers, it’s fair to tell your retailers that there is an expected re-order rate based on sales for them to continue selling your product if they are exclusive to that specific area. Retailers may have the best intentions to sell your product, but if they aren’t, it’s fair for you to stop shipping to them, also. Make sure you make them aware of this in advance, of course!

What About Re-Orders?

Re-orders are what keep businesses alive. It’s important for you to gain re-orders, so as a result you want to give your retailers the opportunity to get more of your product more comfortably than the first time around.

1. One out, one in. You can set your clients up with the opportunity to automatically have new product sent to them once one of their current product in their inventory is sold. Typically this works well for hard goods, such as picture frames, rugs, high chairs and other products that are not based on a specific size (such as apparel or footwear).

2. Set in place a quantity of total units or total case packs allowed for re-orders. For example, you may say you need at least two products in order to place a re-order or two case packs.

3. Set in place a monetary number for re-orders to be placed. Maybe $200 is your magic number. Whatever your number is, make sure it is less than opening orders so that retailers are more inclined to make this purchase.

4. No minimums at all! This is great if you can afford to process single unit orders (and expect this if you set this in place) and invest the time it will take just to deal with the re-order communication. Remember that it does take time, so consider this when setting up all your terms.

Extra, Extra

If you plan to charge for shipping, let your retailers know – and tell them how much as well as who is shipping your product (UPS, Fed Ex, etc). If certian colors are off limits for production reasons or re-order purposes, let them know. Anything that adds to the order terms, LET THEM KNOW! Nothing is worse than surprising your retailer with additional information that may result in lack of trust or respect and possibly severed business. Be clear on all your terms with a clean, professional document that is included in your Buyer’s Packet. Make sure to have your retailers sign a partnership contract, as well.

Finally, be open to your own unique needs. Each wholesaler is different and deserves to respect their brand and product respectively. Learn about what your competition is doing and try and be flexible with the economy, as well. One way of doing this is offering show specials to your clients (if they attend a trade show, they may get a discount, for example) or offer other incentives that can help make the sale for you. Free shipping on opening orders is always a good one.

Still not sure which direction to go for your business? Let Retail Minded help you! Contact Retail Minded at nicole@retailminded.com for customized support.

Who Is Your Competition?

Competition surrounds us in our own communities as well as online. Let’s not forget about mail order catalogs, television shopping networks and house parties selling similar products to what you sell and who you sell to, as well.  Take the time to know all of the outlets that may be competitive to your business, but don’t just don’t this once and think you have it all understood. The reality is that new competition is always entering the marketplace. As a store owner or manager, it’s your job to stay on top of current businesses and new businesses that are competitive to your business. In doing this, you will be better prepared to make your business stand out from the rest.

What Is Your Competition Up To?

Recognizing the competition that is directly competitive to your business will allow you to analyze why customers are purchasing from them versus you, how they are communicating in the marketplace and what their strengths are that you may be able to learn from. You may also find out along the way that you are stronger than them in many ways, including marketing, press and merchandising, however staying on track with their growth should help you strive to stand out from your competitors. You can also learn from their failures, as well. The key is to know what they are up to so that you can better support your retail or wholesale business.

Why Your Competition Matters

While a store similiar to yours two states away may not make a difference to your direct sell thru, it’s still possible to learn from their successes and failures. However, a store two towns over with similiar product assortment and the same target market definitely should be on your radar. As wholesalers, it’s very important to be aware of the national or international marketplace since your brand is more likely to be sold on a larger scale - even if not now, it may be a goal for eventually. Either way, the point is to want to know what your competition is up to so you can ultimatley learn from them. Take their success in stride, not jealousy, and learn from them however you can. Even if just through observation versus chit chat with the owner, the time you take to care will impact decisions you make for your own company. These decisions will be the determining factor in your success or failure, so everything you can lean on to help make the right decisions matter.

In addition to learning from your competition, this is a great way to get inspired. Sometimes seeing new ways of merchandising, different marketing executions and more are just what you need to recharge your business energy. So take the time to competitive shop so that your business can gain from your competition -  after all, isn’t using your competition for your own growth rewarding in some way?

When you are preparing to talk to a retailer for the first time and your product is still new to the marketplace, there a few key things to do in an effort to ensure you are both professional and respectful to busy retailers. Assuming your pitch is angled towards small, independent retailers, the below points can help guide you in your retail communication outreach.

1. Have your product information well organized and professionally presented. You should have a buyer’s packet prepared for the retailers that will outline your company information, product information, wholesale and retail price points, case packs if necessary, opening order details and contact information. Don’t forget to include an order form, as well, or at least directions as to how to order. And pictures are a must. Crisp, clear photos that have a clean background allow the retailers to see your product and packaging. Don’t ignore this valuable step!

2. Introduce yourself to retailers before sending them your information. This may be as simple as tweeting them a message via Twitter that you would like to send them details about your product or calling them and quickly yet professionally telling them they can expect something in the mail. Some retailers will appreciate the heads up, others could care less. And yet some will be annoyed you took some of their precious time away if you take to long to get to your point (which is you are sending them product details). Either way, this step cannot hurt you unless you abuse their time. Remember to be short and sweet and respect that retailers are very busy, so keep your details brief yet clear so they understand who you are and what you are sending them.

3. Have your “pitch” vocally and written prepared so that you are clear, professional and accurate with your pitch details.Nerves can get to the best of us and sometimes it just takes a few “ummms” or “not sures” that can leave retailers thinking you aren’t ready for their business. Make sure to clearly describe your product, price points and why your product is right for their store.

4. Make sure to know who the retailer’s customer is before pitching their store. Your product can be amazing, but if you are pitching it to the wrong store, then it doesn’t matter how great it is. Make sure to do your homework and take the time to educate yourself as to which stores are right for your product. The retailer will appreciate you knowing their current inventory and for taking the time to understand who their customer is.

5. Give the retailers space. If you hear “no” or “not interested”, it’s your call as to how you follow up. But many retailers who say it mean it, so respect this and put your energy elsewhere. If you want to keep trying to pitch a store, try pitching it in a new way. Send them samples, offer consignment selling or just wait some time and follow up to see if they will reconsider your product. Showing them success of sales and press is always a great way to entice them to buy. But no matter how right you think your product is for a store and no matter how hard you try to pitch it, it’s possible some retailers just don’t want it. You may need to take no for an answer sometimes.

Each store, each product and each buyer is different. There is no sure proof plan when pitching retailers, but the best thing you can do as a small business wholesaler is have your product details well organized and professionally presented. Make sure to have confidence in your communication and answer all questions accurately to gain trust and respect, as well.

Still not sure what your next steps are? Let Retail Minded help you! Retail Minded offers Buyer Packet preparation, general consultations and much more! Contact nicole@retailminded.com to learn more.

This week’s featured baby and toddler wholesaler is Nomie Baby.    

To “nomie” is to love me – that’s what Nomie Baby says. And to know their product is to love their product – that’s what Retail Minded says! Nomie Baby offers a carseat cover that lets parents slip it on and off carseats in three easy steps, offering a leak proof and super soft seat for their little ones. Spilled milk? No problem. Spit up? No big deal. Nomie Baby makes the life of carseats last much longer since you can’t wash the majority of car seat pads that come with the seat – allowing you to instead use Nomie Baby as a great, green way to expand the life of carseats! Plus, this will save families dollars since the life of a carseat can now last much longer!

Founded by mom of three Katie Danziger, Nomie Baby was invented after baby number three of Danziger’s made a mess that couldn’t be cleaned off a normal carseat cover since in the care instructions it clearly said “Do not wash”. This Yale grad decided there had to be something easier than buying a whole new car seat, which is why Nomie Baby was born.

Nomie Baby is machine washable with a quilted fabric that prevents bunching up and has elastic sides for an easy fit. In addition, it’s two convienent sizes – infant and toddler – fit most standard carseats and convertible/toddler car seats, respectively. Another great atribute is that you don’t even have to take out your carseat if it’s already strapped into your car! Another great feature? Being able to easily wash your car seat covers allows you to get rid of the nasty germs and bacteria that linger around… And with kids, who wouldn’t want this?

Nomie Baby is available to retailers via dropship (specifics to be discussed and agreed upon per store) or in case packs of 12 with a combination of infant and toddler covers in colors that include light pink, light blue, green, navy and more. Wholesale is $18 and suggested retail begins at $34, making a case pack $216. Specific case pack distributions and more information is available by contacting Nomie Baby at katie@nomiebaby.com, as well as you can visit www.nomiebaby.com. If the product alone doesn’t wow you (although it will), be wowed that Nomie Baby also donates a perentage of all sales to various children charities. Not only are they practical, but they are charitable. Love that!

Through our IN THE SPOTLIGHT section, we offer retailers and wholesalers the opportunity to link together by being introduced to each other as well as general consumers. If you would like to be considered for IN THE SPOTLIGHT, please email Retail Minded at nicole@retailminded.com.

PET SCRIBBLES – Greeting Cards Celebrating Pets

Before my little girl came along, my only “child” was our weimaraner dog, Jazzy. Moms include more than just those with babies and kids – animal owners are moms, too! Featuring vintage illustrations of pets, Pet Scribbles speak the words that pets can’t say. Whether it’s Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, a birthday or offering sympathy, Pet Scribbles is a great way to speak to friends and family for a pet or because of a pet! And retailers, listen up… There is no minimum order for you! It’s not too late to get orders in for this Mother’s Day, either. Contact founder Laura Kuhlmann at lulu@petscribbles.com or visit www.petscribbles.com to shop her great assortment of cards!

VINTAGE BODY SPA – Bath and Body

All natural, all relaxing, all must haves. Vintage Body Spa is a mother’s dream come true… At home luxury that feels like being at a luxury spa. Need I say anything else? Indulge your favorite moms with body scrubs, facial masques, eye pillows and more. It’s not too late to get orders in for this Mother’s Day! Visit www.vintagebodyspa.com to view the full collection or contact founder Alyssa Middleton today at alyssa@vintagebodyspa.com.

ARTIST JEFF CANE’S ANGELS – Candles, prints, plagues and more

What better way to reward your mother than with an Angel. Let her know how much you care with the work of artist Jeff Cane, an English man living in LA who brings to life the simplicity, honor and warmth of Angels through a variety of affordable decorative peices. His work has been seen in Ballard Designs and Horchow, as well as he is currently working on an exhibit for the Museum of Contemporary Art in LA. Don’t let his impressive background intimidate you, though. He offers beautiful work at obtainable prices! Visit www.AnEnglishManInLA.com to learn more or email Jeff directly at thecurator@greatforgeries.com.

DAISY PETALS – Jewelry

What mom doesn’t love jewelry? Daisy Petals is a handcrafted jewelry line made by Deanna Graves from Illinois. Her beautiful peices are bright and colorful and make the perfect addition your mom’s spring wardrobe! To add to this beauty, Daisy Petal prices are super affordable! Choose from necklaces, earrings, bracelets and more. Check out the entire collection yourself at www.daisyspetals.etsy.com.

The “3 Wrongs” below can help you evaluate if your product is ready to launch or may need some support still before your big kick off.

1. Wrong Product. Right or wrong, if your product isn’t on track with what consumers want or if your competition outshines you, then your product is wrong. Period. Consumers have access to many product reviews and many product choices. Don’t launch yours until it can keep up with this reality.

2. Wrong Time. It’s no secret the economy is tough with a capital “T”. Don’t let that steer you away from launching a product. But plan your timing on whatever it is you are launching. For example, if you are launching a seasonal item too late in the buy season, you could be effecting your overall brand launch. Want to introduce a new swimwear line? Stores are buying this as early as August and September for the holiday season and by October for the resort and early Spring season the following year. Be prepared.

3. Wrong Market. Trying to launch a baby’s luxury blanket collection to any baby store retailer? Whoops, try again! Make sure you know who your audience is so that you don’t waste your time or their time with communication. Know where your product would be best suited and target those markets when reaching out to potential clients. Way too many new wholesalers and designers think their product should be everywhere, but really it will only be wasted somewhere if it is not in the right space. Understand who your target market is, then decide which retailers sell to this same target market and reach out to these stores. Your success will be returned more easily this way and your initial time investment will be rewarded, as well.

Finally, preparing to launch a product takes time, investment, dedication and strategy. There are many, many layers involved in preparing a successful product launch. Getting your website up and ready (and looking sharp) as well as having a buyer’s packet ready for retail communication is key. But these are just a few steps in a million so if nothing else, make sure to slow down and be prepared before launching too soon. An early launch is like a buzz kill – it may be great at first, but it can quickly become miserable if you can’t handle it!

1. Offer a unique product. Even better, offer a unique story to go with your product. Tell retailers how the product came to life. Make sure you do this FAST though – you only have a few seconds to capture someone’s attention, so your communication needs to be quick, effective and concise.

2. Share interesting facts that help support your product. This may include your dedication to leaving a smaller carbon footprint than your competition or possibly that you manufacture in the USA. Whatever your unique and important information is, let retailers know.

3. Remind retailers why customers want or need your product. Helping them understand this will make them want to see you for an appointment much more easily than if they don’t think customers need or want your product. But be realistic here, too. Retailers know their customers so if they tell you it won’t  work for them, don’t push it. No one likes pushy vendors – period. Do offer to send them more information, though. This can’t hurt – and possibly it may change their mind.

4. Be honest about the time it will take to meet with you. Don’t tell a busy retail store owner that you need 5 minutes of their time when really it takes you 5 minutes to set up your sales presentation and then another ten just to pitch your product. Be honest and they’ll appreciate this. If you are flexible with your availability, even better. And always, always, always understand that their customers come first. If you are at a retail store during store hours, you come second to all customers in the store at all times. Give them this respect and never act like they are doing you a favor for being there. Trust me, they are doing you a favor considering all the competition out there these days!

5. Make appointments to meet with retailers. Don’t show up unexpected and expect quality attention or interest. Respect their time and plan in advance to meet with them. Suggested route – email with PDF file of product information, follow up as necessary with phone call, then schedule appointment as appropriate. Some retailers prefer hard copies of line sheets and product information via snail mail, but I tend to lean on PDF files to save expenses and be more eco friendly when possible. Of course, provide them these tools if requested, though, and always have on hand during appointments.

Finally, after all the work it takes to secure an appointment with a retailer, make sure you are prepared and organized for your face to face meeting. This means having order forms ready to go, samples available, line sheets printed, and all other details polished and perfect for your face to face. Remember, retailers are short on time as it is, so give them the respect of being super organized and well polished in your presentation. The benefit for you? More likely that you will close the sale!

Retailers – we want to hear from you! What do you like wholesalers / vendors to do when pitching their products to you? Wholesalers - have some other suggestions? Please comment below. Thanks!

This week’s featured jewelry wholesaler is Three’s Company.  

Fashionable. Affordable. Available to you! Three’s Company Jewelry and Accessories is a Canadian based company that offers style at an accessible price. Already making their footprint in Canada, Three’s Company is looking to grow their retail business in the US market. Founded by two sisters who wanted to have trendy accessories to complement their wardrobes, Three’s Company is emerging into the US market with exciting designs that stand out on retail shelves.

Do your customers shop for style? This lines for you. How about on a budget? Still for you. What about for fresh designs with classic appeal? For you! Three’s Company has a range of accessories that include jewelry, keychains, purses and more. The majority, however, is their jewelry collection. With choices ranging from beads to stones to glass to semi-precious gems, Three’s Company is a refreshing collection of designs that are worth getting to know better – from earrings to bracelets to necklaces and more.

Wholesale prices begin at only $4 and top out at about $55, however the majority of their product ranges between $7.50 and $20. These prices and these styles are definitely a great match!

Please visit www.threescompanyaccessories.com to view the entire collection of Three’s Company, as well as email info@threescompany.ca to find a sales rep in your territory.

Through our IN THE SPOTLIGHT section, we offer retailers and wholesalers the opportunity to link together by being introduced to each other as well as general consumers. If you would like to be considered for IN THE SPOTLIGHT, please email Retail Minded at nicole@retailminded.com.

CSPIA stands for the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act and is intended for business owners, resellers, crafters, and charities. The purpose of this law is to enfore the safety of our children, however many people are arguing that the guidelines are too strict and too off base to really allow for small business owners to meet the laws demands. To make the details of this law even more complicated, they vary according to each specific product. But the one thing that is consistent is that ALL products sold for children are affected by this - whether it is a book, toy, shirt, cup or crib mattress.

Who is Effected

If you make, produce or assemble products that can be used by children, you are affected by this law. Even if you craft hair barrettes in your basement and then donate them to your church’s holiday fair, you are affected by this law.

The law identifies that products intended for children under 12 must obey to the details of this law, including in production and packaging, and that products not specifically intended for children under 12 do not necessarialy need to follow the details of this law. For example, if you produced and marketed a DVD for age 16 and up but a parent decides their 12 year old can view this, you are not held responsible for this. However, if your packaging or marketing suggested that children ages 12 and under are considered in your target market, then you would be responsible for following the laws of the CSPIA.

Necessary Tests

As part of this new law, many tests are required to be completed by third party accredited testing labs. These tests were designed to ensure safety standards that the CSPIA outlines, including if the product contains lead paint or other potentially hazardous materials. Whether or not you need to test a single item or multiple items will depend on the variations in the items you offer. A change in material, colors or packaging may mean you need to have more than one item tested. As a result, many businesses are tightening up their product assortment to keep testing requirements down.

Packaging According to the CSPIA

Generally speaking, the CSPIA recognizes that packaging of a product is not intended for play by children. However, some packaging is meant to be used again and for various purposes, such as a bag or storage item. If your packaging provides a multiple purpose other than packaging that wil be tossed out, then your packaging must be tested for the same potentially hazardous materials that your product will be tested for.

There are many, many, many more details of the CSPIA and more is yet to come according to recent reports in the press. For an overview that will help answer even more of your questions, the United States Government has released this easy to read Q&A guide – http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/smbus/cpsiasbguide.pdf.

If you have thoughts, comments, news or anything else you’d like to share about this, please include your comments below!