A line sheet is an important element in your wholesale business. In the wholesale business, you might have created it for someone. But for those who are new to the business and don’t know what exactly a line sheet is, this article is worth reading. Every business, irrespective of its size, starts with the aim of earning profits. If you are planning to wholesale your products, you need all the information in one place. Potential buyers will ask you if you have a line sheet.
What is a line sheet?
Starting a business is not an easy task as there are numerous factors you need to consider. To earn profits, you need to bring more and more customers, which can be a daunting task. If you are planning to wholesale your products, you need to know what a line sheet is and how it helps you bring more customers to the business. Bear in mind that you only get one chance to make a great first impression and a line sheet is a document that helps you exactly do that.
A line sheet is a valuable tool that contains all the information about the product mix to make the buying process easier. It helps potential buyers make choices and place orders. A line sheet is often confused with a designer’s look book, but both are not the same. The line sheet contains the key information about the products, photos, prices and contact details, etc.
In short, a line sheet is a simple document that makes the buying process easy. It is handy when you are heading to trade shows and brick and mortar stores etc. Hence before landing into the wholesale business, create a great line sheet that actually impresses clients and makes them place an order.
Create a great line sheet:
It is highly important to make a line sheet as clear as possible. You should not include any irrelevant information in the sheet as buyers do not have time to read long paragraphs. So, make sure you create a line sheet as precise as possible. Here comes the most important part, how to create a line sheet to help you sell your products at first glance. Let’ have a look!
- General information:
Creating a line sheet is not that difficult if you know what information to include and what not. Since you have to make it clear and precise, do not add irrelevant information. Make sure that your brand and contact details are easily identifiable at the top of the sheet.
The buyers do not have time to go through all the information to find your contact details, so make sure they appear at the top of the line sheet; otherwise, it can cost you a sale. Add the following information in the line sheet:
- Business name
- Business logo
- Phone number
- Email address
- Brand bio
Again the line sheet is a simple document, and there is no place for long paragraphs, so make sure that you write a few sentences about your brand in the bio.
- Product information:
You want to convince buyers to make a purchase but how you are gonna do that. It is practically impossible to show him all the products you offer to sell. A line sheet contains all the information about each product that is available for wholesale. The buyers will take a look at the line sheet and decide whether or not to make purchases.
You need to include the following information about the products:
- Product images:
The first thing the buyer will see is the product images. You should include clear and straightforward shots of products in the sheet. There is no need to click fancy photos of the products you are offering to sell.
Make sure that the images you use in the line sheet have a neutral background. Colorful backgrounds divert attention. It is highly essential to use quality images as low-quality photos do not leave a good impression.
Product line information:
This is another important part of the line sheet where you need to include product line information. Include information about the item ID, style number, and material used in manufacturing. Tell the potential customers if any colors and sizes are available. Don’t forget to add the wholesale price and retail price of the products. Remember, you want to earn a profit, so set the prices carefully.
Under the product line information, you have to include wholesale information. In this section, you include payment information, shipping policy and lead time, etc. The purpose of making a line sheet is to make the buying process easier, so make everything crystal clear in the line sheet.
Wholesale information:
Under the product line information, you have to tell customers about shipping policy, payment policy and lead time, etc. When everything is stated clearly in the line sheet, the buying process will become easier for both the buyer and the seller.
- Payment information:
In order to avoid any trouble in the future, make sure you state your payment policy clearly in the line sheet. Tell your potential customers what payment methods you accept. Do you accept payments through credit card/PayPal? Tell them any requirements upon order such as payment upfront/deposits etc.
- Shipping policy:
How will you deliver the goods? Who will pay the shipping cost? Detail the charges for the delivery and make everything clear.
- Lead times:
What your average lead times are? How much time do you take to fulfill orders? State everything in the line sheet to avoid any hassle but make sure you do not boast or brag about the lead times in the line sheet. It is advisable to be realistic with this information.
- Returns:
Do you accept returns? Highlight your policy in the line sheet about the client’s returning products. Tell them the reasons for which you accept returns.
Expiry date:
You have created a great line sheet, but it will not be forever. Prices and products change frequently. You may exclude some of the products from your mix and add some new ones. So, do not forget to add an expiry date for the information in the line sheet to avoid miscommunication. Tell your customers when the information written in the line sheet would become invalid.
Should I hire a graphic designer?
Now you know what information you should include in the line sheet. But if you are making it for the first time, you may get confused. Making a line sheet is not difficult at all when you understand the purpose of creating it. Whether you are reaching out to a store or heading to a trade show, your line sheet will attract customers and compel them to make purchases.
Now you may be thinking that why to take a burden on your shoulders when a graphic designer can better do the job. It is true that a graphics designer is an expert, and he can create a compelling line sheet. But the cost of hiring a graphics designer is high, and most businesses cannot afford to pay him every time they need to make changes in the line sheet.
So, do it yourself and make an effective line sheet that actually has the potential to bring more and more customers to the business. However, if you can afford to pay for a graphics designer’s services, then go ahead? It will help you save time, and you will be able to pay attention to other stuff.
Why should line sheets be simple and precise?
A question may arise in the mind that why you need to make a line sheet simple and precise. Well, a line sheet is a document that helps wholesale businesses present their mix to potential buyers. It helps them make a great first impression.
Buyers are busy folks and have no time to go through all the information you provide in the line sheet. Retailers receive many line sheets every day, so it is not possible for them to read every line sheet they receive. So, you include all the relevant information only, which is required to place an order.
A line sheet that consists of more than two pages will not get the buyer’s attention and will be buried under the mountain of papers. So, make sure your line sheet is simple and precise. There is no need to use flowery language in the sheet. It does not mean you can skip the necessary information. State everything clearly to avoid trouble in the future.
Does your business really need a line sheet?
If you are already in the wholesale business, then probably you know how important it is to have a line sheet ready. But in case you are now entering the wholesale industry, you may be thinking, do I really need a line sheet.
Well, you have to show your product mix to potential buyers? How are you gonna do this? What’s your plan? You cannot present each and every product in front of potential customers. You need to have all the information such as product images, descriptions, wholesale information, shipping policy, etc. in one place, and here comes the line sheet to help you out. Having a line sheet ready means, you are ready to showcase your products to potential buyers at any time.
You can create a customize line sheet as well if you want to target a particular customer. Make sure you include information that caters to the needs of the customer. Make a few changes, and your line sheet is ready to be sent to the buyer.
A line sheet is an important tool that helps you enhance your brand recognition. Having a line sheet means you are a professional, and retailers love to work with professionals. So, what are you waiting for? Create a compelling line sheet and take your wholesale business to another level.
Can I use software to make line sheets?
Making a line sheet is a time-consuming task as you have to be careful at every step. If you want to save time, then you can make a line sheet using the software. These are specifically designed for making line sheets, so you do not have to put a lot of effort.
All you have to do is choose a template, insert information in the given fields, and there you go. Since these are specifically designed, they guide you to the next steps. It is quite easy to make a line sheet using the software. There are free templates available online, but they don’t seem that professional. So, spend a few bucks and purchase paid templates to make a professional-looking line sheet.
Final verdict:
A line sheet is a simple document that can help you bring more and more customers to the business. The key to making an effective line sheet is to avoid flowery language. There is no need to add lengthy paragraphs as potential buyers do not have enough time to read long paragraphs. If you are confused about what to include in the sheet and whatnot, then hire a graphics designer.
Use clean and quality images in the line sheet if you want to make a great line sheet. There is no need to get fancy when it comes to product images, but you should use quality images. Do not add photos with colorful background. Also, make sure that you include the correct information in the sheets about products and your contact details.
Review your line sheet before sending it to potential customers. The last thing you want to know is that you have sent a line sheet to your customers with the wrong contact details. Line sheets that make selling easy are the sheets that make buying easy.
Don’t get confused between a line sheet and a catalog. In a catalog, you can include long paragraphs and your brand story, but in a line sheet, you need to be precise. Now you know how to make a line sheet so let’s take your business to a new level by making a wholesale line sheet for a business.
