Do you want your line sheets to win more and more customers? If you are in the wholesale business, then you would be aware of the line sheet. But if you are new to the industry and do not know what exactly it is, this article would be helpful for you to understand what is a line sheet and how you can use it to promote your business. A line sheet is one of the most important tools used by the product-based business to increase sales.
Line Sheet for your brand:
Every wholesale business needs to present its collection to the potential customer, and a line sheet helps the brand do that. Well, that makes sense as you cannot show each item you have in store to your potential buyers.
A line sheet is a sales tool business use to bring more and more customers. A line sheet is the first introduction of your brand, so make sure you create a great line sheet. For wholesale businesses, it is highly essential to have all the information about their products mix in one place. The first thing the potential buyers ask is where your line sheet is.
Many businesses do not understand the importance of a line sheet until the buyers ask them for it. Imagine you start a wholesale business and do not have a line sheet. What would you do when potential buyers will ask for it? It creates a wrong impression, and your bran looks unprofessional. So, make a great line sheet to win more and more customers.
What if you are a novice?
A wholesale line sheet is indeed an essential sales tool for every brand. It really helps them create a great first impression on potential buyers. It is highly important to understand that a line sheet contains essential information only, no-nonsense. So, creating a great line sheet for a new brand may not be easy. It would be difficult to provide all the needed information in fewer words.
You can wholesale line sheet software if you are making a line sheet for the first time. There are free templates available online, and all you have to do is add information in the given fields. You can also hire a graphic designer for the job, but it can be costly, especially for a new brand. Do not worry! In the next section of the guide, we will discuss what information a line sheet contains and how you can create a great line sheet. So, here we go!
How to create a great line sheet?
Making a line sheet is easy, but if you are making it for the first time, then it can a daunting task. You would be confused about what information you should include in it. The simple solution to the problem is to think from a buyer’s perspective. A line sheet is a document that contains information about the product line. It contains information a buyer needs to make a purchase. So, think from his perspective, and it would become easy to create a great line sheet.
Here is how you can make a line sheet that can create a great first impression on potential clients:
- Brief brand introduction:
Start your pack with a cover sheet. Give a brief introduction of your brand to potential buyers. A cover sheet is a one-page document that contains information about your brand. It helps new potential buyers to know what your brand is all about. It reminds your existing customers of who your brand is.
Start by inserting an image that represents your brand. We are talking about the brand logo. Then add a paragraph describing your brand. Bear in mind; you need to be as precise as possible. You cannot use long paragraphs in the line sheet.
- General information:
Then in the next step, you have to include general information of your brand. Add the brand name and logo. Do not forget to add contact information in this section. Include the name of the contact person. Provide your email address, phone number, and company address, etc.
Make sure that you include correct contact information as the buyer will contact you through the numbers you provide in the line sheet. Include the logo at the top of the page so that the buyer can know who your brand is. Then add the contact details below your company logo. Do not make potential buyers search for anything.
- Wholesale information:
In this section, you include the following information:
- Accepting payments:
You have to tell the customers about the payment methods you accept. Include details if you accept payments through credit card or PayPal etc. It is necessary to tell customers how you accept payments as it can save both parties from any dispute in the future.
- Lead times:
How quickly can you c0omplete the order? How much time do you take to ship the order? It is important to state everything clearly in the line sheet. You need to be realistic here. Do not provide wrong information just to impress the customers as it can affect your relationship with your potential buyers.
- Shipping policy:
Is the buyer responsible for shipping costs, or will you cover it? What is your preferred shipping company? You need to tell everything to the potential buyers. Since a line sheet is made to ease the buying process include everything a buyer needs to make purchases.
- Return policy:
Now, tell the buyer if you accept returns for the reason other than damage? How much time do you give to the buyers for returning goods? Tell him about your return policy to avoid any problem in the future.
- Expiry date:
When will the information you have provided in the line sheet expire? It is highly important to include an expiry date so that the buyer can know when the information will become invalid.
- Product information:
This is another important section of the line sheet in which you introduce your product line to the potential buyer. You should be as precise as possible, but it does not mean you can crush the important details.
- Product photos:
First of all, include the product images so that the buyer can see how the product looks like. Make sure that you use quality images as it makes a great impression on clients. Bear in mind you do not need to get fancy here. Just make sure the product looks great in the picture. Do not use the colorful background in the images. Use a white or neutral background. Colorful background diverts the attention, and the buyer may not focus on the product.
- Style Number:
How you recognize the products? Give them a style number or item number. It will make it easy for you to remember the products. Also, the buyer will be able to remember the products by the item number you assign to your products.
- Ranges of colors and sizes available:
You should tell the customers about the range of sizes and colors if available.
- Wholesale prices:
Then include the wholesale prices of your products in the line sheet.
- Retail price:
Then include the recommended retail price in the line sheet.
Now your line sheet is ready to send it to the potential buyers. They are interested in your products, so make sure that you create a great line sheet. If your line sheet creates a great impression, they might become your regular customers.
Using software to make a line sheet:
Making a line sheet is not easy for those who are making it for the first time. For those, there are online templates available that make things a lot easier. You have to pay some money to get these templates and create a line sheet. There are some free templates available too. However, these templates do not look professional, so if you want to make a great first impression on potential clients, you should spend some money.
Since line sheet creation is a time-consuming task, you can use software to make it. It saves time and money. Instead of hiring the services of a graphic designer using software is the better option. Here us how you can use software to make a line sheet:
- Choose your plan:
The first thing you need to do is to choose your plan. You have to pay some money for getting the line sheet templates, but when you do the math, you come to know that it is way better than hiring a graphic designer who will charge a fee every time you ask him to make changes in the line sheet. So, choose your monthly or yearly plan according to the budget you have.
- Choose the template:
The layout of a line sheet matters a lot. It leaves the first impression on potential buyers, so make sure that you choose the layout that suits your brand. Ask yourself, do you need a line sheet for a single product or a collection. Then select the template accordingly.
- Add information:
The next thing you have to do is to add information in the given space. You cannot be creative here as this software is designed specifically, so they guide you about what you have to add next. But be precise as you cannot include irrelevant information in the line sheet.
- Review it:
You should never send a line sheet before reviewing it as there might be grammar mistakes and typos in the sheet, which can leave a bad impression on your potential clients. These mistakes and errors make your brand look novice and non-professional. Trust me, retailers receive many line sheets every day, so they might have other options to consider. So, never lose the opportunity and review and edit your line sheet to make sure that there are no errors or mistakes in the line sheet.
- Download:
Once you have reviewed the line sheet and made necessary changes now, your line sheet is ready to send to potential buyers. You can directly send them through email. Also, you can download and print it out to send it to the store owners.
Common mistakes the brands make:
Line sheets are great as they provide you’re an opportunity to present your mix to the buyers who are interested in your products. But some mistakes in the line sheet cost you sales. Following are a few mistakes the brands should not make:
Overlooking the design is a common mistake most brands make while creating a line sheet. They believe they have included the text that is enough. Well, your line sheet’s appearance matters a lot. If the visual appearance of your line sheet is pleasant, the buyer will pay attention to your sheet and take a look at your product collection.
Most brands fail at making a great line sheet due to the fact they do not think from a buyer’s perspective. Put yourself in his shoes so that you can understand what you need to place an order.
You are using the same line sheet for every wholesale strategy; this is the reason you are not getting any sales. You should make a line sheet keeping the purpose and the audience in your mind.
You want to save some money by using low-quality images. It will cost you sales. Spend some money on professional photo editing and use high-quality colorful images with a white or neutral background. Trust me, the images in the line sheet make a huge impact.
Final verdict:
Line sheet creating is an overwhelming task, especially when you are new to the industry. Make a line sheet that makes the buying process easy. You should include no-nonsense in the sheet. Just stay focused and be as precise as possible. It is a short document, so avoid using flowery descriptions in it. Bear in mind that first impression leave lasting impressions, so your line sheet must be effective enough to impress your potential buyers. It can take your business to another level and increase your sales dramatically.
