What to put in your first email to a store buyer

The first email to a store buyer should do one job: make it easy for them to say "send samples" or "send a price sheet." Keep it under 150 words, name one product, give the wholesale price and case size, and ask one question.

What should the subject line say?

The subject line should name your product type and the store, so the buyer knows it is not a mass email. Something like "Vitamin C serum for [Store Name]" is enough. Avoid hype words and all caps, and do not write "Partnership opportunity," which reads like every other pitch in the inbox.

Who should you write to?

Write to the owner or buyer by name. In a small independent store the owner often does the buying. Look at the store's website, its About page or its social accounts to find the name. If you cannot find one, call the store and ask who orders new products. A named email gets read more reliably than one sent to a generic address, though a general address is better than nothing.

What goes in the body?

The body needs five facts, in this order:

1. One sentence on what the product is and who buys it
2. One sentence on why it fits that store, referring to something the store already sells
3. Wholesale price, suggested retail price and case pack
4. Minimum first order and your payment terms
5. One question, such as "Can I send a sample kit?"

Buyers decide quickly, so put the price and case pack in the email itself. Do not make them open an attachment to find out whether the deal could work.

What should you leave out?

Leave out your founding story, a list of ingredients, awards you cannot document, and any claim about results that you cannot back up. If you have sales history, one specific line helps, such as "Customers have reordered on our own site," but only if it is true and you can show it when asked.

For health and wellness products, keep claims to what your label says. Do not promise that a product treats or cures anything in a sales email.

What does a plain template look like?

Here is a template to adapt:

Subject: [Product] for [Store Name]

Hi [First name],

I make [product], a [short description] for [type of customer]. I noticed [Store Name] carries [similar product or brand], so I think it could fit next to it.

Wholesale is $[price] per unit, case of [number]. Suggested retail is $[price]. Minimum first order is [number] cases, net [terms].

Can I send you a sample kit?

[Name], [Brand], [phone], [website]

When should you follow up?

Send one follow-up about a week later, and a second a week after that. Reply on the same thread so the buyer sees the original message. If you hear nothing after the second follow-up, stop and try again in a few months with something new, such as a new product or a change in price. Keep a simple sheet that records each store, the date sent and the reply, so you do not email the same person twice by mistake.

What to do this week

• Pick ten independent stores that already sell products similar to yours, and find the owner or buyer's name for each.
• Write one email from the template, using your real wholesale price and case pack.
• Send it to the first three stores, then change anything that draws questions before you send the rest.