A line sheet is a sales tool created to help retail buyers place an order. It is a to-the-point document that helps the buyers to make purchases. For fashion brands, it is crucial to have a line sheet in order to impress the potential clients at a glance. The clothing line sheet template available online is the right option if you do not want to make a line sheet from scratch. All you have to do is include the information in the given space and send it to potential buyers.
Introduction:
Have you ever heard the term line sheet or ever made it? Maybe you have made a line sheet in your wholesale career. But still, you are interested to know how to make an effective line sheet that could make a great first impression on the clients.
A line sheet is an essential sales tool used by fashion and apparel brands to present their mix to potential buyers. Now every product based brand understands the importance of a line sheet and the role it can play to boost sales. So, every wholesale and product-based brand is making line sheets to represent their brand in the best manner.
Though you can use catalogs too to boost your sales, it is a lengthy document, and retailers are busy bunnies. They do not have time to read long texts. In a catalog, you can sue lifestyle imagery and long descriptions.
But a line sheet is a short document that contains the information needed by a buyer to make purchases. A line sheet does not contain any long descriptions or lifestyle imagery. It contains the images of the products only.
In simple words, a catalog helps you tell the buyers why they should invest in your product, and a line sheet tells them how they can do so. You should use a combination of both to make a great impression on your potential buyers.
What to include a line sheet?
You understand the importance of a line sheet and are ready to make a great line sheet. But what information you should include in it. It is highly important to understand that you cannot include irrelevant information in your line sheet. As a matter of fact, including irrelevant information can ruin the whole purpose of the line sheet.
You should include the following information in your line sheet:
- Business name:
First of all, you should add the business name in theline sheet.
- Business logo:
The next thing you should add is the business logo. It is highly important to understand the importance of a brand logo. It is the identity of your brand, and it helps you get recognition. So, place it at the top of theline sheet so that the buyers can recognize your brand. You should use the most clean, colored, and easy to understand version of your brand logo.
- Brand’s bio:
You are not allowed to use long text in the line sheet. But it is necessary to describe who your brand is. Craft a precise but illuminating bio. It is possible to describe who you are in using minimum text.
- Product images:
You are heading to another most important section of your line sheet where you are going to present your mix. Add the product images in the sheet. But these images should not be low quality or blurred. Use high-quality colored images so that they can drive the attention of potential buyers.
Some people use images with a colorful background. Bear in mind that it is easy to get carried away with colored backgrounds. You want the buyer to focus on the products only, so use the images with a white or neutral background.
- Product description:
Under the product images, you can add the product description. It should not be long. Use fewer words to describe your products in detail.
- Style Name:
Style name can be reflective of the theme of your collection. Gove style number to each product so that the buyer can recall them during conversations with you.
- Style Number:
You can give style numbers to your products. It depends on you.
- Range available:
The buyer wants to know if there are nay colors available in the product. If yes, then add the details in theline sheet. Also, tell the customers about the range of sizes available such as S, M, L, and XL.
- Wholesale prices:
It is highly important to set the prices carefully. Add the wholes price of the product in the buyer’s currency so that he can do the math.
- Retail price:
You should mention the recommended retail price on the line sheet.
- Order minimum:
It can be in the dollar amount of the number of items per sale.
- Lead time:
The buyer wants to know how much time you take to make products. Tell him in the line sheet.
- Payment options:
What are the payment options available to potential buyers? Detail the payment options you accept so that the buyer can decide.
- Shipping policy:
Detail the shipping policy in your line sheet. The buyer is interested in knowing who will pay the shipping cost. Do you cover the shipping cost, or the buyer has to pay it? Tell him about your preferred shipping company? How long it takes to ship the order? You need to answer all these questions in theline sheet to avoid any trouble in the future.
- Refund policy:
Do you accept returns? What if good, get damaged during transit? Do you accept refunds for a reason other than damage? The buyer wants to get answers to all these questions in the line sheet.
- Expiry date:
Everything in the world has an expiry date, so is the line sheet. The prices and products may change frequently. You will add new products in the line and exclude the items that are not doing well in the market. It is important to tell the buyer when the information given in the line sheet will expire.
Information you should not include in the line sheet:
Now you know what information you should include in your line sheet. It is time to take a look at the information you should not discuss in the line sheet.
Since a line sheet is a short document, you should not include any information other than the product mix. You cannot describe your brand’s story in the line sheet. As a matter of fact, a line sheet is not the right document to discuss how your brand started and what hardships it faced.
You cannot add background stories in the line sheet. Do not use lifestyle imagery in your line sheet, as already stated above. Keep it safe for your catalog. There is no room for flowery language in the line sheet. The key to making a great line sheet is to be precise.
Is a line sheet a vital tool for your business?
No matter you are in the jewelry business or fashion how you are going to present your collection to retailers. You cannot show them every item you have in your collection. Practically it is not possible. You need all the product information in one place and what can be better than making a line sheet.
A line sheet consists of all the important details about the product mix that a buyer needs to place an order.
The retailers are busy people, and they do not have time to read lengthy documents. Also, they receive many line sheets every day, so make sure that you make an effective line sheet that grabs their attention and does not burry in the pile of papers.
You cannot discuss everything in person, as you may have multiple clients. So, a line sheet helps you answer all the buyer’s questions in the best possible manner. Your line sheet must be clean and precise.
Tips for making an effective line sheet:
Well, making an effective line sheet is a time-consuming task as you have to take care of many things.
- The first thing you need to care about is the visual appearance of the line sheet. A cluttered and disorganized line sheet does not wonder. As a matter of fact, it can cost you sales and relations. Your line sheet must be visually harmonious and attractive enough to drive the attention of potential buyers.
- Make sure that everything is aligned in the line sheet. Use the same size of images on every page. Choose a layout that suits your brand. In fact, you should determine first that whether you need a line sheet for a single product or a collection then choose the layout accordingly.
- You should choose the font size and color according to the images you have used in the sheet.
- Details matter, and you should never skip important details in the line sheet. You should include information about payment policy, refund policy, and shipping policy. Include details about the range of sizes and colors available.
- You are making a line sheet to leave a lasting impression on potential buyers. Try to make an effective line sheet. Add the best-selling products at the top of the sheet so that the buyer can check them at a glance.
Customization can actually help:
Making a line sheet from scratch can be a daunting task for many. But if you have a client to impress, then you can make a customized line sheet catering to his needs. Guess what the best part is? You do not need to reinvent the wheel. Just make a few changes in your line sheet and add information that caters to that particular buyer’s needs.
Using the same line sheet for every wholesale strategy is the biggest mistake most brands make. You should keep the audience in mind while making a line sheet.
Line sheets make selling easy:
Most people do not pay much attention to theline sheets thinking that they only make things easier for the buyer. But the line sheets actually make the selling easy. In fact, both the buyer and seller get benefited from a line sheet. You do not need to call the buyer to discuss things as you have already answered the buyer’s all question in the line sheet.
Similarly, the buyer will not be calling you, again and again, to know about the order minimums, wholesale price, and the retail price, etc. Everything is clearly stated in the line sheet. The buyer will just take a look and decide whether or not to make purchases.
A line sheet is indeed an essential selling tool:
It is not easy for the brands to leave a lasting impression on potential buyers. In today’s fierce competition, businesses need to come up with the winning strategies to stay ahead of the competition. They need to make a line sheet so that they can present their brand efficiently.
Do not think that the line sheet is all about stuffing information. It is, in fact, all about presenting your mix in the best possible manner.
Your line sheet is the first introduction to your brand so, make sure it leaves makes a great impression on the potential buyers.
If you are in the wholesale business and have not made a line sheet, yet then this is the right time to take a step towards success. A line sheet actually helps brands boost sales and get recognition. Do not listen to those who say they are successful even without making a great line sheet. Create a compelling line sheet, and you will see the difference. Keep it as short as possible. Do not include irrelevant information. Include important details only, no-nonsense. The buyers do not have time to read stories. All they are interested in are your products and how they can buy them. So, stay focused and do not be confused. Your confusion can make the buyer confused, which is not good for your business. A great line sheet can really make a difference, and you will see it.