If you’re an entrepreneur wondering how to get your product into stores, here are 5 tips for you.
Entrepreneurs and small business owners always have the question of how to get your product into stores. Here’s five tips to help answer the question.
Tip 1: Have online marketing assets.
Build up your online marketing assets. Stores look at a company’s ability to support the marketing efforts for the products you’re carrying. If you have the ability to drive customers to the store, the store will be that much more interested in carrying your product.
Action item: get started developing a Facebook fan base and a Twitter following.
Tip 2: Have an existing customer base that loves your product.
Before approaching a store, your product should have some momentum. There should be pre-existing revenue and orders coming in the door. When you can show a store that your product is selling to an existing customer base, that greatly increases your chances of being carried in a store.
Action item: Build a revenue stream, whether that’s online, in a local market, or on your local street corner.
Tip 3: Start a campaign that has customers calling the store for your product.
Crowdfunding is a great way to raise the profile for your product. If you go on Kickstarter, you’ll be able to find products raising money for prototypes, packaging, and other funds that are getting them ready for a large retailer. When you have customers invested in your product, they’ll work to help get your product in the store.
Action item: Go on Kickstarter and research some product driven campaigns. If you think your product would fit well on Kickstarter, start a campaign for yourself.
Tip 4: Have your record speak for itself
Entrepreneurs need to decrease the risk a store takes when they carry your product. You need to show that you’ve got a successful track record, even if this is your first time. Create a Linkedin profile that discusses your experience. Seek out testimonials that support your expertise. Make your online presence fit accordingly with your expertise. When a retailer Googles you, what shows up?
Action item: Google yourself. Write blog posts that position you as an expert. Spruce up your Linkedin profile to position yourself as an expert.
Tip 5: Sell the brand, not the product
Retailers like brands that connect with customers. No matter how good your product, if your brand doesn’t peak a customer’s curiosity, then it does the retailer no good to carry your product.
Action item: Ask yourself, does my packaging represent my product? Does my website? Does my Facebook page? Does my copy? Does every customer touchpoint stay consistent with what I want this product to stand for?
Do you have other advice you’d give someone looking to get a physical product into a retail store? Contact us, and we’ll add to the list.
Markitors is spelled with an “i/o” for input output. We’re an analytical digital marketing agency in Phoenix that blends marketing and auditing to help retail companies improve their online presence. Contact us to see how Markitors can help create an social media strategy for your organization.
