A guide to vendor outreach

Find out all you need to know about retailer outreach here.

Offering your members deals and exclusive offers, and sharing local retailer blogs is a great way to connect them with the local community whilst also supporting small businesses, but how do you encourage retailers to get involved? Read below for our tips on reaching out and engaging with retailers in your area.

Using Google Maps
Google Maps can act as a valuable resource for identifying and researching local retailers in your area. Open Google Maps and search for businesses in the area surrounding your site, view the profiles of potential retailers you'd like to contact, viewing their websites and reviews to decide whether they're a good fit for your platform community. Determine whether you want to contact the retailer by phone, email, or in-person visit. Consider the best approach based on your goals and the availability of each retailer.

Emailing Retailers
Reaching out by email is a great way to introduce yourself and provide information on your platform community. We've created some email templates to help you with your retailer outreach, you can find them here. If you are hoping for retailers to sign up to your Marketplace where they can provide deals and offers, as well as transact, we recommend using our Introduction Template to reach out initially. This template is a great introduction to your platform and explains the different options available to retailers. Amend this email template to be specific to your site and be sure to attach the relevant vendor handout to provide further information. If you are looking for retailers to take part in a retailer spotlight or to provide a prize or pop-up, use our second or third outreach template.

Keep track of your outreach efforts by maintaining a record of the retailers you've contacted and any outcomes or next steps. This will help you stay organised and ensure that you follow up as needed.

Visiting Retailers
If possible, we recommend visiting retailers in person to establish personal connections. Make sure to choose a time when the retailer is likely to be available to talk to you or arrange a meeting ahead of time over email. Discuss how your platform can help to promote their business through exposure to your platform community and showcase your platform and the Marketplace in person. After your visit, send a follow-up email to thank them for their time and to provide further details.

Don’t forget, vendors have access to a dedicated vendor guide on our Help Center.