How to Sell a Product to Target Stores

Imagine selling your product to nearly 1,500 different Target stores around the country. If you know your winning product would fly off Target's shelves, you need a plan to get a buyer interested. Start by identifying your market, attending trade shows, launching a marketing campaign and learning where to catch a buyer's attention.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Instructions

1. Attend trade shows and showcase your products to vendors around the country. Contact venues in your area or visit tsnn.com to find upcoming shows in your area. Narrow your search by looking for events that relate to your product. If you sell pet products, visit globalpetexpo.org for information on the Global Pet Expo. You can also contact targetintellect.com for training programs about exhibiting at trade shows.

2. Hire a sales rep with a track record for placing products in Target stores. Look for a list of reps at replocate.com or RepHunter.net. Work together on developing a polished presentation, appropriate product samples and packaging, and price points.

3. Promote yourself in newspapers, blogs, trade events and news channels. But instead of blindly drumming up publicity in random markets, hit up the media outlets in Minneapolis, such as the "Minneapolis Star Tribune," WCCO-TV and myfoxtwincities.com. Target and its product buyers are headquartered in Minneapolis and are more likely to see your publicity in their own hometown.

4. Read relevant trade magazines that relate to your product. If you want to sell your pet products, read "Pet Age" magazine or "Pet Business" magazine. Pitch your ideas and your expertise, and offer product samples for exposure in the publication. Target buyers stay current on industry trends and are likely to see your product in trade publications.

5. Think like a buyer. Professional buyers scour the Internet and even shopping channels like HSN for new products. Develop an online store to sell your product and work on promoting it through your own blog, newspapers, magazines and trade shows.

6. Get creative. Launch a viral campaign called "Get My Product Into Target" and offer incentives and discounts to customers who will help promote your product. This could mean an email letter-writing campaign, blogging about your product, using Twitter, starting a Facebook page for your product fans and calling local Target stores.

7. Expect to sell at Target.com first. Target buyers usually order a small quantity of a new product to see how well it sells online before shipping it to their store shelves. Start a Google AdWords campaign by signing up at adwords.google.com, choose relevant keywords relating to your product and set an advertising budget. You can ask friends and family to buy your product, but make sure they represent a wide demographic. Successfully selling in your hometown will not entice Target to sell your product nationwide.

Tips & Warnings

• Stay motivated and brainstorm on new ideas daily. It could take months or years to get your product sold at Target.
• Hire a lawyer or experienced sales rep to assist you with contracts and other legal matters. Be prepared to supply large quantities of product inventory once Target picks up your product.

Resources

• Getting Your Product on the Shelves at Target