How to Sell Products to Pottery Barn
- 1). Know your audience. Pottery Barn is one of six divisions of Williams-Sonoma Inc. On top of retail outlets, they also have a catalogue and a web sales unit. They specialize in home decor and furnishings. Jackie Larson, author of "Landing a Spot in the Retail Big Leagues," suggests visiting the retail stores to see what's currently in stock and the kinds of products that are being sold.
- 2). Contact the retailer. Pottery Barn has a special "product submissions hotline": 415-421-7900 X3333. A recording announces when the company is ready to view unsolicited products. You can call that number at any time for a recording of the address of where to send your business plan, which should include a cover letter, a photo of your product and a pricing sheet.
- 3). Decide who'll put together the product submission package. Writing a cover letter, taking photographs of your product and producing a pricing sheet that is professional can be challenging. You could do it on your own or you could hire a local marketing agency. Should you decide to try this yourself, websites such as score.org are great places to find marketing information and education.
- 4). Submit your proposal and wait. Pottery Barn's recorded message is explicit: Do not try to contact Pottery Barn buyers directly.
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