No matter you are already in the business or a newcomer, you have heard about something called a line sheet. Somebody has told you that you need a line sheet in the wholesale business. But what exactly it is, and why certain industries such as fashion cannot interact with their potential and current customers without a product line sheet sample.
In today’s article, we are not going to make a line sheet for you. In fact, we will share some tips and tricks that will help you make an effective line sheet. So, without further ado, let’s start!
Introduction:
Without getting into the details of how a line sheet can help brands stand out, you need to know the basics. A line sheet is a simple document that provides necessary information about the products to make the buying process seamless and easier. Think of a line sheet as a shorthand catalog.
If you get confused between a catalog and a line sheet, then bear in mind that a line sheet is a more bare-bones document. It contains practical information about the products. In a line sheet, you cannot include long paragraphs to describe your products or tell your brand story. It does not contain any lifestyle imagery or any flowery language.
The line sheet should be one or two-page documents containing necessary information a buyer needs to make purchases. In simple words, limit your text to details pertinent to the ordering process.
In a line sheet, you add a product description next to your images. You have to use fewer words to describe your products. Then give titles or styles number to the products for the ease of the buyer. All you have to do is make sure that you do not add any irrelevant information to the sheet, and it looks professional.
The process of making an effective line sheet:
Guess what? You do not have to reinvent the wheel. When it comes to making a great line sheet, online tools are helpful. You can use these tools to create a variety of line sheets to target your customers. All you have to do is to download a template according to your business requirements and add information to it. That’s it. You have a great looking line sheet ready to send to the potential as well as current buyers.
It is a smart decision to make a line sheet available on your website. You can send your line sheets through email too. Make sure that you add quality images in the line sheet. The first the potential buyer would see in your sheet is the product images. When they are bad, or of low quality, the buyer does not bother to read it further. So, make sure you use quality images in the line sheet.
Also, choose a layout that better suits your brand. Add the relevant information under the product images. You want to impress your buyers, but it does not mean that you can do the marketing of your products in the line sheet. You should keep your text purely informational. Do not forget to add your SKU number so that the buyer can easily identify a particular item on the sheet. Also, mention your wholesale price and suggested retail price in the line sheet
What else can you do to make a great line sheet?
When it comes to making a line sheet, there is little room for creativity. Just be as simple as possible. There is no need to use any flowery language, as already discussed earlier. The primary purpose of making a line sheet is to make the buying process easier for both the seller and the buyer so make sure you make it clear and concise.
The layout of the line sheet should be easy to understand. You should always put your top-selling items at the top of the sheet. Use the words like “top-selling,” “best-selling,” or “top items” as these words grab the attention quickly. Let suppose you have added your top-selling items at the end of the sheet, and the buyer has found nothing interesting or unique in the beginning; he will stop reading it. And your top products would get ignored, and you will lose a client.
It is also a great idea to customize your line sheets. It does not mean that you have to make it from scratch. Just make a few changes in the line sheet and reposition your products in a way that caters to the needs of that particular customer. Customization always works as every retailer is different, and so are his requirements.
Put some extra effort into and organize your products. Categorize your products to make it easy for the buyer and yourself to recognize each item. Do not forget to update your line sheet from time to time. Prices change frequently, and if you have not updated the prices in the line sheet, it can cause trouble in the transaction. It is important to keep the buyer updated. If you have excluded some of your products from the line sheet, you have to tell it your potential customers.
What details are important in the wholesale line sheet?
No matter you are using a template or making a line sheet from scratch, you have to provide all the information that a buyer needs to make a buying decision. You have included quality product images and illuminating descriptions but what next. Is it enough? You need to tell your potential buyers about your payment terms. Do you give your customers 30 days to pay? Or you offer them Net 60 terms. Do they have to pay upfront before you dispatch goods to them?
What is your preferred shipping method and company? How much time do you take to dispatch gods? Do you cover the shipping cost or the buyer have to pay it? Tell the customer about your shipping policy clearly.
What about the return policy? Do you accept returns? If yes, then in what case? What is your cancellation policy? The buyers are interested in knowing everything about your return policy. To make your brand stand out, you need to be unique. You can offer incentives and discounts to grab the attention of the buyers. In fact, it is a great idea to increase sales. But by offering discounts does not mean that by one get one free. Remember, you are selling a pizza.
Congratulations! You are ready to hand over your line sheet to potential buyers but make sure you have rechecked it. Check that you have included all the necessary details to make a stellar first impression. Mistakes in a line sheet can destroy the whole image of the brand, so make it error-free.
Making a line sheet from scratch vs. using templates:
There is no denying that without a great line sheet, you cannot survive as a wholesale business. The competition has increased, and you need to make a killer line sheet to grab the attention of potential buyers and convince them to place an order. But making an effective line sheet is not a child’s play. You need to know everything about a line sheet. If you are making it for the first time, then use templates available online. Using these online templates is pretty easy. Just choose a layout, download the template, and include all the information, and there you go.
If you do not have enough budget to buy templates, then using free online templates is fine. But if you can afford to buy paid samples, then do not compromise at all as they look more professional.
There is also another way to make an effective line sheet. Hire the services of a graphics designer, but it can be costly. Whenever you need to make changes, you have to pay him.
Mistakes you should not make:
Making a line sheet is not that easy. You need to be very careful about what you write in it. Try your best to avoid any mistakes in the line sheet. Review it before sending it to the clients and make changes if necessary.
The following are some of the mistakes you should avoid while making a line sheet.
You have created a line sheet, and you send it to every customer. This is not the right approach as every business is different, and so is the purpose of making a line sheet. You should make a line sheet keeping the target customer in mind. If you are making it for a store owner, your line sheet must bear the responsibility of selling. But if you are making it to be in the trade show, it does not bear the responsibility of selling.
You make line sheets for three purposes:
- To sell
- Remind
- Convince
Make sure you know why you are making a line sheet before sending it to potential customers.
Another mistake most businesses made is not telling their story. It is true that you cannot use long paragraphs in the line sheet, but it does not mean that you can’t tell your brand story. You can write an illuminating bio using fewer words to tell your buyers who your brand is.
You should think from a buyer’s perspective to better understand what information can make the buying process easy. Do not forget to add how buyers can place an order. Also, make the line sheet clear and consider. Avoid adding unnecessary detail in your line sheet. Pay attention to your product images. The product images must be of high quality if you want to make a stellar impression on potential buyers.
Is it fine to make a boring line sheet?
You have created a line sheet, but when you take a look at it, it seems boring. Now you may be thinking, is it still going to impress potential clients. Well, yes! It is fine to make a boring line sheet as boring means simple. You do not need to be fancy or creative while making a line sheet. Just be simple and clear. You can be creative while making a catalog.
Since you have to use minimal text to describe everything in the line sheet, you can’t be creative. When there are no stories to tell on the sheet, it will be boring. If you make a line sheet that consists of more than two pages, then forget about working with that retailer as they do not like to read lengthy documents. You cannot tell stories in the sheet or make store owners laugh. The purpose of making a line sheet is to inform the retailer about how he can buy your products.
Final verdict:
No matter it is the first time you are making a line sheet, or you have made it a hundred times, it contains all the information needed to place an order. The retailers are buys folks and have no time to read those long paragraphs with flowery language. You should make sure that you only state relevant information.
Line sheets give you a chance to present your mix in front of potential buyers in the best possible way. All you have to do is to make sure that nothing irrelevant is included in the line sheet. So, take a look at the following checklist to make sure that all the important points are included in the sheet:
- Logo is visible
- Contact details are easily identifiable
- Text is minimal
- Font is consistent
- Images are of the same size
- Policy and shipping policies are included
Do not make your line sheet unnecessarily wrong. You just need to focus on the important details. Forget about telling stories in the line sheet as you will get enough chance in your catalog. Make your line sheet horribly simple so that the buyer can read it without wasting your time. In case of a long line sheet, forget he would respond to you back. He will look for another lined sheet from another brand. For More”https://techmarketbusiness.com
