337 | Exclusivity and Ethics in Retail with Kimberley Yurkiewicz, Measure Twice

One of the things that sets Proof to Product apart from other people teaching about wholesale is the breadth and depth of not only my personal knowledge but also the fact that we bring in a variety of other perspectives from buyers to sales reps to consultants and manufacturers.  This wide lens allows us to share best practices and current trends that we're seeing in the market currently. We're not sharing one narrow viewpoint about how to sell wholesale. We have amassed decades of knowledge through the collaborations and inclusivity that we foster in our community, supporting thousands of product-based industry leaders.  This week’s episode is an example of that. Our guest today is Kimberley Yurkiewicz, a 25-year veteran in the stationery industry. She has expertise from a variety of perspectives as a retailer and buyer, as a sales rep, as a manufacturer, and as a Paper Camp speaker. She's also been a previous guest on this podcast. She was on episode 9 of Proof to Product way back in 2017, and that is still one of our most popular episodes to date. You can go back and listen if you want to hear why wholesale catalogs are an important sales tool.  Kimberley and her husband, Zach currently own Measure Twice, a paper and gift shop in Brooklyn, which was highlighted as one of New York City's best in New York Magazine last year. Kimberley has long been a proponent of an old-school approach to small business, cheerleading for brick and mortar, and making the effort to steer clear of Amazon. She also thinks it's okay, even essential, to include politics in your business plan.  On today's episode, Kimberley is sharing the challenges she faced having owned and operated 3 brick and mortar retail shops through challenging times, why she chooses not to use fair when making wholesale purchases, and her preferences for how she likes to be pitched by wholesale brands. Today’s episode is sponsored by our Unlock Buyer Secrets Interview series. To make a strong first impression with wholesale buyers, we need to do a few things really well: We need to make it easy for stores to purchase from us We need to have clear pricing and terms & conditions We need to clearly communicate and add value at each touchpoint We need to focus on building strong relationships with our customers. And all of this becomes infinitely easier when we actively listen to our customers. This on-demand interview series will give you a competitive edge by providing an exclusive window into what buyers want and need from you. And, the best part, its only $27 bucks.  Get Access to the Unlock Buyer Secrets Interview Series You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/337  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

Om Podcasten

Ranked in the top 1% of ALL podcasts, the Proof to Product podcast is your trusted resource for sustainable business growth - especially if you make and sell physical products! Join Katie Hunt, each week as she shares strategies & solutions to enhance your sales & marketing so that you’re building a business that supports your best life. If you’ve ever asked yourself can I make money selling physical products? Am I ready to sell my products wholesale to stores like Target, Anthropologie, Nordstrom or Barnes & Noble? When should I consider hiring a sales team or sales reps? Can I really turn my passion into profits? Whether you’re a just starting out on your business journey or you’ve been at it a while growing an empire, this show is for you. Proof to Product is like on-demand business school for product sellers spanning a wide range of industries. Whether you’re in home decor, apparel, beauty, food & beverage, hand-made items, jewelry, consumer gifts or the stationery world, you’ll gather new ideas each week to help you grow your profit, build your team and lead with integrity. Host Katie Hunt and her guests bring you actionable ways to expand your product line, manufacturing overseas, optimize your e-commrce websites on Shopify, Faire, Etsy, Abound, Tundra, Squarespace or in brick & mortar locations. How to start or scale wholesale sales including pitching stores, wholesale outreach, trade show exhibition, working with sales reps, managing inventory, warehousing product, sales systems, wholesale follow-up strategies and working with key accounts. Marketing strategies for small businesses including content creation, leveraging tik tok and instagram tactics without feeling burned out, why you can’t rely solely on social media for sales and why email marketing systems on platforms like Klaviyo, Flodesk and Active Campaign are so powerful. Listen in as Katie and our guest experts help you strategize and tackle your biggest business goals. Host Katie Hunt brings a unique perspective to entrepreneurship. Since 2011, she’s helped thousands of product brands get their products on the shelves of their favorite retail stores through her Paper Camp program (www.prooftoproduct.com/papercamp). Prior to that she worked in the corporate world for over a decade leading business development and marketing teams. She has two MBAs - one in finance and one in marketing. And, she owned & operated her own product based business for over 8 years, selling her products to stores throughout the world from her garage. Katie knows the struggles you face as a product based business and she’s here to pull back the curtain and share her best kept secrets so that you don’t have to learn things the hard way. Find our free trainings & resources for product based business owners at www.prooftoproduct.com/resources