The Secrets of Retail Distribution Deals..Part I

So you've got a great product that should be in the hands of everyone.  You've set up a website, market your product, and even have your product in the hands of a few local retailers.  But how do you score a deal with a mass retailer such as Target or Walmart?  While these steps are not all inclusive, this checklist should set you on the right path to success.

1. Know thy retailer.
Knowledge is power.  Study the inventory and customer profile of the potential retailer to get a better understanding of what will appeal to buyers. Every retailer has developed a brand, study the brand of the retailer to know how your product fits into that story.

2.  Don't pitch to deaf ears.
Implementing a pitch strategy that is broad and wide is not going to yield very positive results.  If you've done the research already, you'll have a narrowed list of target retailers. Now, comes a little more research. From the list of retailers, track down the buyers.  Intuit recommends leveraging Linkedin or ZoomInfo to get their contact details.

3. Don't forget your Trade shows.
Yet another really helpful way to gain the attention of Mass retailers is to have a presence at an industry trade show.  Although trade shows can be tedious and expensive, the pay-off of having a captive audience for your product is priceless.

Steps 1-3 are great ways to set you on the path to major retailer distribution success.  In Part II, we'll explore some of the lesser known or considered, yet success tactics to landing your retail distribution deal.