144 | Coaching with Katie Hunt: When should I launch to wholesale?

We’re going to be switching things up a little for today’s episode. I’m going to start airing some live coaching session with one of my coaching clients or a Paper Camp alumni on the podcast. It’ll be a short, hot seat format coaching session where the guest will talk about what they’re working on and what they need help with. I’ll be giving them my candid off the cuff advice, recommendations and even some homework because we’re all about taking action!

For our first live coaching episode, I was joined by Paper Camp alumni, Shirlee Fisher of Quiet Lines Design. She has a few questions about the timing of her launch and the wholesale market. We work through the three things she needs to prepare and make ready before the launch so she can launch her products confidently.

In this episode, we chat about lining up your launch with the release cycles of the stationery industry, why having 40+ SKUs will help you get more customers and why sometimes you have to wait until things are ready.

If you need help launching or scaling your wholesale program, be sure to check out our Paper Camp program. Our alumni sell to stores like Target, Container Store, Paper Source and independent boutiques around the world. They not only look polished and professional, but they are confident in their products, sales tools and marketing outreach.

ON TODAY’S EPISODE:

How Shirlee got started in her business, Quiet Lines Design
What she’s currently working on in her business and what she needs help with
Planning to launch to coordinate with certain events and cycles
Why you need to feel confident in what you’re creating
Why the PTP team recommends having 48 skews during Paper Camp
How sometimes it’s necessary to wait until things are ready
The biggest fears that Shirlee has about product launches
Katie’s homework for Shirlee and listeners
Getting strategic with a tiered outreach approach to building relationships

Download These Quotables to Save and Share

KEY TAKE AWAYS

“I sell stationery with original haikus, and my intention behind that is just really to bring about encouragement and lift up others through my words.” - Shirlee Fisher

“I would much rather that you feel ready and feel confident and know who you're talking to when you send this out and you have a good strong strategy of how you're going to reach them before you just start kind of haphazardly doing things.” - Katie Hunt

“My thing is I want to really hit the ground running with this, and I think sometimes I get a little bit eager like, okay, should I just send my line sheet with only my 20 cards to shops right now to try and make some revenue? Or do I just hold up and wait?” - Shirlee Fisher

“I would rather you'd build this puzzle piece by piece, little by little.” - Katie Hunt

“Those release schedules that we give you guys at Paper Camp are really tied to when the majority of buyers are spending money or looking for new things for their shop.” - Katie Hunt

“We are our biggest critics sometimes.” - Katie Hunt

“You've got to scaffold the communication so that they understand what you're selling and why they would want to have it in their shop .” - Katie Hunt

RESOURCES:

Quiet Lines Design
Paper Camp E-Course
Friends of Proof to Product

CONNECT WITH SHIRLEE FISHER:

Website: www.quietlinesdesign.com | Facebook: @quietlinesdesign | Instagram: @quietlinesdesign

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