009 | Wholesale sales tools & sales reps with Kimberley Yurkiewicz, Crow & Canary

Kimberley is the New York sales representative for Crow + Canary. During her 15+ year career in the stationery industry, Kimberley has worked at Crane & Co., Kate’s Paperie, as well as two of her own independent boutiques. She got her start running a letterpress studio, and has since worked all sides of the business – manufacturing, wholesaling, custom printing, multi-unit retail, buying, merchandising, and now repping. Kimberley’s vast experience in the industry provides a unique and valuable perspective. On today’s episode Kimberley talks about the role of sales reps, why you need a printed catalog for wholesale and the importance of giving back.

ON TODAY’S EPISODE:

Kimberley’s rich background in the stationery industry
Meeting Carina Muray, her now boss, through Twitter
Overview of a sales rep’s role
Tips for reaching out to retailers
Keep track of contacts you meet & jot down details you can use in follow up
What to end to retailers you’re woo-ing
Refining your line & honing in on your unique aesthetic
Why catalogs are important if you’re selling wholesale
Line sheets vs catalogs
Releasing your products when buyers are buying
The importance of giving back to our industry
Kimberley is a champion for independent shops, only shops local
How our experiences and interests shape us in our work
Too much ‘busy’ in our lives

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KEY TAKE-AWAYS

“We look at ourselves as sort of a seamless, internal sales mechanism for the lines.”-Kimberley Yurkiewicz on her role as sales rep.

“I asked myself what do I want to be doing, what elements of this am I good at, what are my strengths, what am I not interested in pursuing anymore, or what am I too junior for, what am I too senior for, all of those things.” – Kimberley Yurkiewicz

“My buyers love to get things in the mail, they love to be able to see things and touch them as if they were having an appointment with you.” – Kimberley Yurkiewicz

“My buyers want to see things that are not the same as every other thing on Etsy or Instagram” – Kimberley Yurkiewicz

“Catalogs are your best friend because they take the place of you when you’re not there” -Kimberley Yurkiewicz

CONNECT WITH KIMBERLEY YURKIEWICZ

Website: Crow & Canary | Instagram: @kimberleycanary | Twitter: @kimberleycanary

Connect with Katie Hunt

Katie Hunt is a business strategist, podcaster, mentor and mama to four. She helps product based businesses build profitable, sustainable companies through her conferences, courses and coaching programs.

Website: prooftoproduct.com | Instagram: @prooftoproduct