We are back with another compilation episode with our Paper Camp coaches. If you missed last week’s episode, you can check it out by going to episode 362.  In this episode, I'm taking a different approach and asking a different set of questions. These questions are directly aimed at our coaches who are wholesale buyers that run retail storefronts. Today's questions focus on tips for pitching products to buyers and building wholesale relationships between stores and brands. Last week we wrapped up the 44th round of Paper Camp, and I am so grateful to these coaches for providing so much personalized feedback to our students. Myself and our coaches were in our community group every day answering questions, sharing solutions, and connecting with our students. So many of our students have already updated their pricing and their terms and conditions. They've created catalogs. They're sending out their first wholesale pitches.  Some have completely revamped their retention strategies and how they're reaching out to existing accounts too. It has been so fun to see the transformations in such a short amount of time.  The coaches featured in this episode are Theresa Delaney of Creative Kind and Jen Palacio of Tiny Turns Paperie. Both have retail storefronts and purchase products from members of our community. Questions I asked these Paper Camp coaches: What is the best way that you like to be pitched by a brand?  How do you not want to be pitched by a brand?  What is something that you see brands worrying about that doesn't really affect your buying decisions? Today's episode is brought to you by our Paper Camp program. Paper Camp is our wholesale coaching program where we teach you everything you need to know to build strong wholesale foundations. Over the course of 4 weeks, we tackle your product line, sales tools, and marketing plan, and we even talk about how to exhibit at trade shows if that's what you want to do. We start with your product line and go into everything from how often you should be releasing new products to ensuring that your numbers are sustainable for the wholesale market and their price for profit. Then we move into sales tools you must have for selling wholesale so you make a strong first impression with buyers like catalogs and your terms and conditions. Then, we cover marketing strategies and ways to reach various store owners.  Each week's teachings build on the previous week, and we host weekly live engaging coaching calls to answer all of your questions.  We won’t be offering another round of Paper Camp until 2025 so if you are listening to this episode and you missed this round, be sure to get on the waitlist by clicking the link below. SIGN UP FOR THE WAITLIST You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/363  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

We are in the final week of our signature program, Paper Camp. In Paper Camp, we teach product-based business owners how to get their products on the shelves of their favorite stores, big and small. Paper Camp is an insanely comprehensive coaching program focusing on foundational and growth strategies for selling wholesale.  During Paper Camp, we answer hundreds of business owners' questions about product development, sales, marketing, and more. If it correlates to selling wholesale, we cover it in this program.  This week on the podcast, we thought it would be fun to ask a few of our Paper Camp coaches questions that we could share with all of you here and give you an inside look at what it's like being inside a Paper Camp and asking very personal questions about your brands.  The coaches featured in this episode are Theresa Delaney of Creative Kind, Kiwi Schloffel of Your Gal Kiwi, and Jen Palacio of Tiny Turns Paperie. Questions I asked these Paper Camp coaches: What is something you struggled with when you started selling wholesale that you also see our Paper Camp students struggling with? We had a lot of great questions during the first week of Paper Camp, which was focused on product development. What advice do you have for brands that are working on refining and strengthening their product line? What is a missed opportunity for wholesale brands when it comes to how they are presenting their work to stores? What is something you wish more brands would celebrate when growing their wholesale sales? Today's episode is brought to you by our Paper Camp program. Paper Camp is our wholesale coaching program where we teach you everything you need to know to build strong wholesale foundations. Over the course of 4 weeks, we tackle your product line, sales tools, and marketing plan, and we even talk about how to exhibit at trade shows if that's what you want to do. We start with your product line and go into everything from how often you should be releasing new products to ensuring that your numbers are sustainable for the wholesale market and their price for profit. Then we move into sales tools you must have for selling wholesale so you make a strong first impression with buyers like catalogs and your terms and conditions. Then, we cover marketing strategies and ways to reach various store owners.    Each week's teachings build on the previous week, and we host weekly live engaging coaching calls to answer all of your questions.  We won’t be offering another round of Paper Camp until 2025 so if you are listening to this episode and you missed this round, be sure to get on the waitlist by clicking the link below. SIGN UP FOR THE WAITLIST You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/362  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

In this engaging discussion, Biff Ulm, owner of Nice Enough Stickers and a retail sensation with products in over 3,000 stores, delivers valuable insights on product development. He highlights the significance of patience and iteration while leveraging customer feedback. Biff shares his experiences from the Las Vegas gift show, touching on networking's role in adapting strategies to evolving consumer trends. He emphasizes building genuine connections and understanding buying behaviors, offering vital advice for aspiring product makers.

Brigida Swanson, a multiracial Chamorro watercolor artist and the creative mind behind Yardia, shares her journey of thriving without social media. She reveals how abandoning the constant scroll has led to increased business success and personal happiness. Brigida discusses the power of email marketing and meaningful outreach that contributed to her growth. With newfound mental clarity, she emphasizes the joy of genuine connections and the importance of balancing contentment with creativity, inspiring others to reconsider their social media habits.

We have all heard that we need to showcase our authentic selves for our businesses, but what does that actually mean? What does that look like in our business?  This week's podcast episode features a recent portion of a coffee chat hosted by Kiwi Schloffel held inside of our private LABS program. LABS is our membership for product-based business owners where we talk about how to work smarter, not harder within our businesses, including how we show up as a leader.  In this coffee chat, Kiwi touches on a variety of topics, such as the importance of staying true to your brand's identity, how to use personal interest to inject authenticity into your business, and more.  This week's podcast episode is brought to you by Kodi Collective, who is also a sponsor of our Paper Camp program. Kodi Collective is a leading omnichannel marketing company that supports B2C and B2B brands and publications. They offer a wide range of print, procurement, and creative production solutions, including digital and offset printing, sourcing, and logistics. They are focused on helping you achieve an integrated marketing mix to reach your audience in meaningful ways. You can learn more about Kodi's services by going to their website.  All of our Paper Camp and LABS students get access to a private Proof to Product portal with Kodi, where they get discounted rates on print services and a dedicated sales rep to help us with all of our project management.  They provide support throughout the process of getting your project off the ground. So if you are looking for a new print partner, our community has had great experiences working with Kodi Collective. And if you missed our latest round of Paper Camp, click here to get on the waitlist for our next round. You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/359  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

We are gearing up for our next round of Paper Camp and we are so excited!  This is our wholesale intensive program, and I wanted to do something fun for this week's podcast episode to celebrate this milestone and the fact that enrollment for Paper Camp is currently open.  I asked our past Paper Camp students to answer 1 question: How have you and your business grown since participating in Paper Camp?  The responses we received were incredible. In this episode, you're gonna hear from 9 women who represent a small sampling of our community. They sell a wide range of home decor, jewelry, embroidery, stationery, and consumer gift products. They sell their products to stores big and small across the world. Some came through Paper Camp several years ago while a couple just attended our latest round, and yet each of them took advantage of everything that Paper Camp had to offer: the coaching, the community, and the coursework.  They implemented what they learned, and now they are seeing incredible results. Check out the links of everyone featured below and be sure to head to this link to enroll in our next round of Paper Camp.  Businesses featured in this episode Chelsea Ward, Sketchy Notions: Follow on Instagram Christy Asper, Paper Baristas: Follow on Instagram Riki Inge, Rikrack Embroidery: Follow on Instagram Sandra Alcorn, Petals & Pins: Follow on Instagram Shelley Schmidt, Sunny Day Designs: Follow on Instagram Kate Murray, Quick Brown Fox Letterpress: Follow on Instagram Nellys Siria, Cocoa Loves Grey: Follow on Instagram Keli Change, PärdēPress: Follow on Instagram Ashley Sutton, Hustle and Hope: Follow on Instagram You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/358  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp

Discover the crucial role of a wholesale catalog in elevating your sales and building relationships with buyers. Learn five essential tips for crafting an effective catalog that focuses on accessibility and detailed product descriptions. Explore the importance of quality imagery and functional design to create lasting impressions. Also, get insights into optimizing your product line and implementing effective marketing strategies for wholesalers. It's all about making a great first impression!

Selling physical products demands grit and resilience, especially during slow sales seasons. The discussion highlights two crucial metrics that can help strengthen relationships with current accounts. Listeners will discover strategies to identify reorder opportunities and streamline purchasing processes. Small yet impactful changes can enhance cash flow and boost wholesale revenue. This insightful conversation is perfect for those looking to reignite their sales and build confidence in their wholesale journey.

Sally Diguette, a seasoned home and lifestyle buyer for Anthropologie, shares her insights from over 14 years in retail. She discusses the intricate buying process, emphasizing the importance of relationship building and creative strategies. Sally delves into the unique challenges emerging brands face when pitching to large retailers. She provides valuable advice on presenting products effectively, including the significance of samples and timing. Additionally, she highlights how her unconventional journey has informed her approach, fostering innovation in product development.

When we have our eyes set on a specific business goal, something like selling wholesale, it is incredibly beneficial to hear from people who are a few steps ahead of us in the process, which is why we close out every round of our Paper Camp program with an alumni panel. I want our students to hear from their peers. In today's podcast episode, we're sharing a portion of our alumni roundtable with all of you.  This alumni panel features Janine Kwoh from Kwohtations, Jesse Regis from Virgins on Fire Candle Company, and Lucia Saisse Morris from Lucy Loves Paper.  Each of these Paper Camp alumni shares details about their brand, how many stores they're working with, what has been challenging about growing wholesale, and more.  Today's episode is brought to you by our Paper Camp program. Paper Camp is our wholesale coaching program where we teach you everything you need to know to build strong wholesale foundations. Over the course of 4 weeks, we tackle your product line, sales tools, and marketing plan, and we even talk about how to exhibit at trade shows if that's what you want to do. We start with your product line and go into everything from how often you should be releasing new products to ensuring that your numbers are sustainable for the wholesale market and their price for profit. Then we move into sales tools you must have for selling wholesale so you make a strong first impression with buyers like catalogs and your terms and conditions. Then, we cover marketing strategies and ways to reach various store owners.  Each week's teachings build on the previous week, and we host weekly live engaging coaching calls to answer all of your questions. We will open enrollment for the next round of Paper Camp soon, and we sell this program out every time we run it. Join the wait list and you’ll get early access to enroll. SIGN UP FOR THE WAITLIST Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp