How to Pitch Your Brand to Retail Buyers The Right Way To Grow Your Wholesale Business

Getting your products in stores is one of the biggest milestones for an independent brand — but it’s also one of the most competitive.

Retail buyers receive hundreds of emails and samples each week. Many are unopened, others forgotten. What makes the difference isn’t just great product — it’s how you pitch it.

A strong retail pitch tells a story, shows proof of demand, and makes a buyer’s job easier. And now, with The Folklore’s Retailer Connect, brands can do all of that faster, smarter, and with verified reach.

Do Your Homework Before You Pitch

Before you send a single email, research is your best investment.

Buyers want to know you understand their store, their customer, the brands they already carry, and their aesthetic. Visit their physical stores or browse their online shop. Look for price ranges, themes, and categories that align with your line.

According to Shopify’s 2024 Wholesale Benchmark Report, brands that tailor their pitch to a retailer’s assortment are three times more likely to secure a meeting.

Pro tip:
Compile a “buyer snapshot” — a quick doc summarizing the retailer’s audience, similar brands, and seasonal assortment. It’ll help you personalize your message later.

Build Pitch Materials That Tell a Story

Your materials should feel cohesive, visual, and easy to navigate. They’re not just documents — they’re your silent sales team.

Every effective pitch includes:

• A line sheet or link to wholesale storefront (pricing, materials, dimensions, and ordering info)

• Links to recommended products (clean, well-lit, and on-brand)

• Social proof (press mentions, existing stockists, testimonials, or case studies)

On average, retail buyers spend less than 4 minutes reviewing new brand materials before deciding whether to proceed.

With Retailer Connect, brands can upload all these materials in one place  and let AI create a personalized email message to the retailer in under 15 seconds, saving you time researching and adding this content yourself. Transforming a manual, fragmented process into a seamless, professional experience.

Personalize Every Email Pitch

Mass emails don’t work — personalization does.

Address buyers by name, reference their store specifically, and show how your brand fills a gap in their current mix.

Research from RangeMe’s 2025 Buyer Behavior Study shows that personalized pitches convert 60% faster than generic submissions.

When you reach out, skip the jargon. Lead with your product’s value to their customer, not just your origin story. Buyers care less about when you started and more about how you’ll perform on their shelves.

Prepare For Sales Call: Know Your Numbers and Speak Their Language

Once you secure a call or meeting with a retailer, make sure you are prepared with the data they care about the most. Buyers think in data, not adjectives.

Come prepared with:

• Wholesale and retail pricing

• Cost of goods sold (COGS)

• Profit margins and minimum order quantities

• Sell-through rate or DTC conversion metrics

Most buyers make an initial decision within 3–5 minutes, so keep your answers clear and concise.

Retailers want partners who understand performance. Proving you know your margins instantly builds trust.

Follow Up Fast Post Sales Call (and Professionally)

Your follow-up is part of your pitch.

Send a thank-you and recap email within 24 hours. Summarize what you discussed, include links to your line sheet and press kit, and outline next steps.

Brands that follow up within a day are twice as likely to receive a response, according to Mixmax’s 2024 Meeting Engagement Data Report.

If you don’t hear back within a week, send a short follow-up with something new — like updated sales data, press coverage, or a testimonial. Persistence matters, but professionalism matters more.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even strong brands can lose a buyer’s interest with small missteps. Avoid these:

• Over Sxplaining: Keep your story short; lead with results.

• Unpolished visuals: Packaging matters — even in PDF form.

• Ignoring objections: Instead, acknowledge and offer a collaborative solution.

• Lack of follow-through: Buyers remember consistency more than charisma.

Professionalism builds long-term relationships.

How The Folklore’s Retailer Connect Helps You Do It Faster

Pitching to retailers used to mean endless email threads, manual follow-ups, and disconnected tools.

Now, with Retailer Connect, The Folklore gives independent brands a streamlined, professional way to reach the right buyers — with everything organized in one place.

Here’s what you can do inside Retailer Connect:

1. Share Professional Line Sheets in Seconds

Upload product images, pricing, and details once — and generate a polished, branded line sheet instantly.

Brands using digital line sheets report 65% faster buyer response times compared to manual attachments.

2. Connect with Verified Retail Buyers

Access a curated database of 5K verified buyers contacts across fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. Each buyer profile includes store details, region, and category interests.

3. Track and Manage Your Outreach

Forget scattered spreadsheets. Retailer Connect centralizes outreach tracking — making it easy to follow up strategically.

4. Pitch Anywhere, Anytime

Whether you’re at a trade show or on the go, Retailer Connect lets you send your pitch directly from your dashboard in minutes to a retailers inbox directly (and it appears in your gmail sent inbox as well).

Brands report cutting their pitching time by 70% using automated sharing features.

5. Look More Professional

Every document you share through Retailer Connect is branded, consistent, and trackable — so you’re always putting your best foot forward.

Buyers receive a cohesive presentation of your brand instead of scattered files or outdated PDFs.

Build Partnerships That Last

A successful retail pitch blends storytelling, strategy, and speed. While great preparation wins attention, the right tools win efficiency.

With Retailer Connect, The Folklore empowers brands to pitch with confidence — sending verified, data-backed, and beautifully designed materials to the right buyers in minutes.

Because when your pitch looks as good as your product, doors open faster.

To learn how The Folklore can support your brand, sign up for a free trial today or book a demo call.