Lessons
Introduction to Workshop
05:21 2Hear First Hand From a Retailer w/ Julie O'Brien
26:22 3Where To Start With Your Mailing List
05:55 4How to Capture And Organize Your Contacts
09:53 5Mailing List Resources
06:18 6How to Reach Retailers
06:33 7When to Reach Retailers
12:58 8Make it Easy For a Buyer to Buy
08:23Lesson Info
Make it Easy For a Buyer to Buy
Like we talked about what the catalogs you always want to do, everything you can to save them time. So if you are sending an email, include links to your catalog, including include links to your order for or attach images so that they have easy access to this information there's there's different ways to tailor this and and so utilize your email in different ways. Also, the footer, like we talked about using that footer, it's, kind of like a passive subtle way to kind of pitch some of your products to buy, including something like your best sellers or mentioning that you're going to be in a show or we have a new catalog and include that lincoln, you're footer, you know, people are going to see that when it goes out and it's not a hard sell, that you're making it, it makes it easy for them. Okay, so I want to ask all of you let's, brainstorm this before I show you some examples. What information do you think you should include in an introductory email, too? A wholesale contact? Um, you ...
know, given all these things, we've talked about keeping it easy and adding value in all, what would you want to include kristie, a comment um what your brand is about and what you stand for and kind of just what you while you started your company, I guess just like a very brief absolutely they want to hear the story behind the brand laura, what do you think do you make? I was thinking maybe what such like what makes you different along the lines of what she was saying? And then I guess the obvious stuff, but I was actually wondering how far do you go in this intro email and what I was going to ask you if you're going to send an intro mailer, would you and your follow up email? Would you send all the same kind of information just in case they didn't get the miller? Yeah, you can absolutely rework your messaging for the different formats and and reiterating the same thing people need to hear things over and over again and is julie mentioned you know, sometimes we want to hear from a company several times before we place that order. I know it may feel redundant to you to include the same information in a printed piece as well as an email campaign, but you have to remember not everybody's going to see each thing they might get the miller, but they might read it, you know, they might miss the email or that you know they may miss certain pieces so you kind of gotta hit him over the head with this stuff until you get a response, so that follow up email could be the intro email as long as the men the mailer to absolutely yeah, yeah, um, I learned this and, of course, that business camp in the powder pitch press in a pr course, but I used it and inter emails and simply just embedding images that, you know, I provided a link to my catalog, but then three or four images that are just right there readily available and kept the message fairly short just, you know, understanding that people have really limited time, exactly embedding the images is a great way to do it instead of attaching them to because that the difference is when they open the email there, they're already they can see them without having to download them and take a look at him. That's great tip thanks. And you know what you said about this being very similar to how you'd want to pitch the press it's true, when you're pitching anyone when you're pitching the press when you're pitching sales reps when you're pitching these retailers there's a similar method to the man dennis, you know, you you want to make sure that you're following up, that you're being professional, that you're providing value and really giving them keep messaging that is going to help them make the decisions that you hopefully you want them to make right buying from you, working with you, whatever it's going to be. Well, great daisy chain oddities says that she would include an elevator pitch, why your products are useful for their customers and something about yourself, like contact information. Also, product photos. Yeah, and kenny from paris says I'd be tempted to say shortly how my products would fit in their store by pointing out our similarities. Absolutely, I think that's incredibly important, especially when you're picking smaller boutiques, it says, you've done your homework, too. Did you have more that's? Ok, no worries, okay? So introductory email, all of your suggestions were great suggestions, and so here is just kind of ah, you know, quick list of questions you should think about and ask yourself, what are you selling? How are your products unique? I think laura talked about that very briefly, like what sets you apart from your competition, and how are you different if you have a unique manufacturing process or if you're using interesting materials that not many people are using, like mentioned that it's it makes you stand out what is your wholesale price? I usually like to include that just because it gives him a benchmark of what they'd be able to mark it up that it gives them a benchmark of of the amount of money they'll make on the products how can the order again you want to keep this is simple as possible so you know make it very direct if you have an online ordering system include that length there if you have just they need to order from your catalog in order for him you know attached that stuff but keep it a cz clean and simple as possible on dh then again attaching or embedding images, embedding images or touching them and also attaching your catalog is key or including a link to your digital is good too and actually the link lee could talked about has the benefits of the analytics more so than sending a pdf so ok, so in your bonus materials we have a sample email that I want to turn through um but I'm bringing back awesome candle company we've talked about them a couple of things so you know here's an example she in the first paragraph here, you know my name is whatever it is on dh I'm the owner of this company specializing in handmade soy based candles and sent to gift sets right off the bat you know exactly what they're selling you know what the materials that she's using she's using soy based materials her products featured my products feature light fragrances, their therapeutic and uplifting right there she's bringing in some of the journal of it that some of the things that she can tell her customer to help them buy. It's, therapeutic and uplifting. I think they would complement the product lines you currently carrying your shop. Now you could be a little more specific there, you know, I know you carry these types of products or, you know you could hone in on that a little bit more if you wanted to, but my candle utilizes the finest soy based ink, sturdy wooden wicks and thick glass enclosures that air etched with gold illustrations. That's pretty descriptive. You can envision that product you can kind of think about. I mean, obviously, pictures also help go a long way, but the imagery of that is pretty strong. My twelve ants, allen's candles burned for up to seventy five hours and wholesale for eighteen dollars each. That one sentence contained the wholesale price the size of the product and the burn time for the candles in like, ten words. Maybe you know that right there is pretty concise and good. I take great care to ensure that our materials are of high quality from americans suppliers and our candles airport in my studio in los angeles that talks about the community, it talks about where they're made. If somebody is really big on positioning, their brand is american made or handmade or something that's going to reflect, you know, that's going to talk about the unique this there I've attached to pdf copy and my whole soul catalog and a couple of product photos for your consideration again covering the bases are opening order amount is one eighty please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. So again you're letting him know look, it's not that much money to take a bet on me and to order from my, you know, order from my lines, so if you're willing to make the investment, we're ready to ship it. I look forward to hearing back from you thank you for your time, I always say, you know, I look forward to hearing back from you, but it's still my job to follow up, so that just shows that you still want to continue the conversations it's assumed, but it's also good to do as well. So a couple things I wanted to point out I mean, we went through this email, but it's not that long, it's not that long and it's pretty descriptive mean it's three paragraphs it's. Pretty descriptive. It hits the high notes. It gives them some attachments to look at. It really gives them a sense of who your company is, what you're selling, and you know how they'll benefit from buying in.
Class Materials
Bonus Materials with RSVP
Bonus Materials with Purchase
Ratings and Reviews
Tracy Clarke
Before watching this class, I had been trying to compose emails to reach out to some retailers. I'm glad I held off and watched this first. It was so great to hear the inside scoop on how retailers want to be approached, seeing a sample letter and learning the etiquette on following up after the initial reach out. Now I feel confident about taking my business into this next stage.
Samantha Venator
This was such an awesome course, I watched the whole thing in one sitting. Katie answered all the questions I had and even answered some I didn't know I had when I started the course. It's super affordable and definitely worth the money. Plus the little workbook you get sums everything up nicely.
Katy Casey
This class was amazing and Katie shares so many great insights and actionable, specific tips. It was great to also get to hear directly from a retailer as well!