Introducing Your Retailers To Your Brand

As a business that sells a physical product, there are certain tricks of the trade that can be done to ensure that you’re being represented as well as you should be when it comes to your retail market. Selling to retailers can be nerve wracking the first time you branch out to do so. When you allow your product to leave your hands & be represented by someone else, it can feel out of your control, but the truth is that it is not. When small businesses start, you are generally doing it all in house, but with growth comes the ability to reach more people and have more hands and eyes on your product. That is truly an awesome thing! The best thing you can do as the owner is to make sure that you are educating the retailers on exactly how you want to be showcased. 

Over the years, I have traveled all over the US and beyond – meeting with retailers – to train and educate them on my various products. One in particular is OMEALS, self heating fully cooked outdoor meals. One of our top retail locations is REI and we are passionate about the relationship that we have formed with them. When we sold to REI, we didn’t just step back and allow them to take it from there. As the owner and brand manager, it is my responsibility to uphold our company, even when they are within the 4 walls of another business.

So just how can you be sure that you are being taken care of by your retailers correctly? Well, here are a few ways in which I have done so: 

• Have as much information possible for them to learn about your product and company.
  Information will be your best friend (and theirs!) Brocures, videos, and cards can be of assistance to allow the corporate executives to get to know you before ever seeing you but also can be valuable when it’s time for the employees in the store to learn about who you are. Giving them engaging information will get them excited about the brand. When an employee knows and loves the product, that will show itself and manifest on the store floor!
  
• Do in person trainings and demos.
  Traveling to locations is one of our favorite ways to get to know the stores & for them to see our product up close and personal. This time is great to be able to get questions and hear from the store employees and owners one on one! 

See more about our time & experience with REI in this episode: