A successful wholesaling relationship is a thing of beauty. It is easy, enjoyable and profitable. It allows for creativity from both the designer and the retailer and flexibility for their brides. But how do you get to this point? How do you forge a relationship that works well and feels easy? Here are our tips for getting that wholesaler’s glow.
Be honest
It is so important to be honest with your designer from the very beginning. It can be tempting to play it cool but honesty will help you in the long term. If you have a budget, then tell them. If you adore their designs but think their retail prices may be too high for your brides then be honest. If they really want to work with you they may be able to adapt things or offer payment plans for you. If you disclose important details it is likely that sales will suffer for you both.
Tell them about your brides
When deciding on whether to invest in a new brand it is important to discuss who your brides are with the designer before you invest. Have a conversation about what sells, what brides are asking for and their average spend. Letting your designer understand their client (both your brides and you) will help them support you better and in turn help you both sell more dresses.
Support them online
If you love a designer, let them know by talking about them on your social media and website. Share their pictures, include their designs in your reels and add a little about them on your website. It will make them feel appreciated and part of your business. What’s more, fans of their work who are looking for a local stockist will buy through you too.
WONDERING HOW TO FIND THE PERFECT BRIDAL DESIGNER FOR YOUR BOUTIQUE? FIND OUT HOW HERE.
Feedback is key
Once your samples are hanging in your store and brides are seeing them, please do feedback to your designer on what clients are saying. Your designer will love the positive words and repeat orders, but will also appreciate hearing about the things that could be better. Most creatives would rather you tell them as there is a lot that they can do to make changes. If a sample isn’t working, they could remove a frill, add a sleeve or design a top that could transform the dress for not a lot of money. This will help you both. After all, hard-working samples get more sales.
Keep the conversation going
By keeping in contact with your designer you will both get better results. If you need to have a difficult conversation it can be tempting to ignore emails and calls, just ghosting never fixes a problem. Be honest and pick up the phone if there is an issue. Let them have the opportunity to fix things that go wrong. Similarly, if everything is fantastic and you are happy, please take the time to tell them. By talking you will get to know each other better and that can only be good for your business.
Invite them to an event
Could you invite your designer to a trunk show, designer day or bespoke event? By having them in your shop and letting them meet your brides they can get a better understanding of what they can do to support you and create pieces that will sell really well. Plus you will get to know each other better.
Design together
We love a collab and designing an exclusive piece or collection between you and your designer can be a fantastic way to strengthen your relationship and build sales. It will show your designer how seriously you value their brand and allow you something no one else has.
SEE OUR BRIDAL DESIGNERS HERE. YOU CAN ALSO SIGN UP TO HEAR NEWS ON LAUNCHES HERE
