Key insights
Marketing your wholesale business helps you reach retailers who will carry your products, but it differs from selling directly to consumers. In this guide, you'll learn how to target business buyers, use Faire Direct to streamline sales, choose the right marketing channels, and build a wholesale strategy without breaking the bank.
- Wholesale marketing targets retailers, not consumers: Brands promote to retailers who prioritize profit margins, payment terms, and resale potential rather than emotional appeal.
- Faire Direct multiplies wholesale sales by connecting brands directly to retailers: The personalized link offers eligible retailers 60-day payment terms, free returns on first orders, and waives brand commission on a retailer's first order — all covered by Faire.
- Email, social media, and print collateral each serve as distinct wholesale marketing channels: Every format works best with a clear call to action and a Faire Direct link pointing retailers straight to your catalog.
- Effective wholesale marketing runs on low or no budget: Free tools, including Faire's CMS, let brands build retailer relationships without hiring designers to scale your promotions.
Wholesale brands all have one thing in common: they want to grow their business. That's where wholesale marketing comes into play. With the tools available on Faire, you can make the most of your wholesale marketing efforts and increase sales with retailers you might not be able to connect with otherwise. Faire helps wholesale businesses grow by enabling artists, brands, and makers to connect with hundreds of thousands of independent retailers around the world to market their brand and increase business-to-business (B2B) sales. Sign up to shop
Why wholesale brands need marketing
Wholesale marketing is the process of promoting your products to retailers and other businesses rather than directly to consumers. Simply put, wholesalers need marketing so retailers can find them. If you have a wholesale business or are trying to get one started, you need to sell enough products to retail businesses in bulk for your business to be profitable. You also need to sell your products at a price that allows retailers to make a profit when they resell to consumers. B2B marketing is different from marketing directly to consumers, and it's important to think like a buyer as you promote your wholesale products to fellow business owners.
How to build a wholesale marketing strategy
If you're trying to grow a wholesale business from the ground up or transition from a business-to-consumer (B2C) model to B2B, it helps to first understand the wholesale basics and then focus on two areas: forming new retailer relationships and maximizing existing ones.
Many brands start by attending trade shows to network and find new buyers. Small and growing businesses often find that traditional, in-person trade shows are prohibitively expensive, but Faire markets offer an opportunity for wholesalers and retailers across the globe looking to connect online based on great merchandise, deals, and shared values. Whether you opt for in-person or virtual trade shows, we've gathered some tips to help brands like yours nurture the customer relationships you make there.
You can also tap existing customers for positive reviews to convince potential customers who are on the fence to make a purchase. Try asking for feedback through surveys and questions to your social media communities, then sharing the best quotes on your website or additional social media posts. It might even be worthwhile to offer an incentive such as a free gift or small, one-time discount for any wholesale customers who refer your brand to other buyers.
4 wholesale marketing methods made easier with Faire
Often, growth in wholesale comes down to reaching the right retailers through the right channels and increasing your brand's visibility on the platform. Here are four ways you can use Faire's wholesale marketing tools to market your business, resonate with retailers, and ultimately increase sales.
1. Invite retail buyers to shop your line
As a wholesale entrepreneur, your number one goal is to get your products into stores. Making sales is all about building relationships, so it's important to consistently engage with existing and potential customers to demonstrate how your brand can add value to their store while keeping risk and costs low.
One way to engage with current and prospective buyers is by reaching out to your dream retailers and directly inviting them to shop your line. When you invite retailers to order from your line on Faire, you can even offer incentives to encourage retailers to buy from you through our program called Faire Direct, a personalized link that helps you grow sales on Faire. With Faire Direct, you can offer benefits like extended payment terms for eligible retailers at no cost to you. The following Faire Direct incentives are covered entirely by Faire:
- Eligible retailers receive 60-day payment terms through Faire Direct so they can place larger, more frequent orders with confidence.
- Retailers who are new to Faire get a sign-up offer of 50% off their first order (up to $150) and one year of free shipping on your brand.
- You can eliminate retailers' hesitation about trying your brand with free returns on first orders.
- You won't pay commission when a retailer places their first order through your Faire Direct link.
Pro tip: On average, brands that use Faire Direct get over 4x more sales on Faire than those that don't.
*Based on a survey of brands with at least 1 order from 2/7/25 - 5/8/25*
2. Market your wholesale products through email
It's important to continue building relationships with buyers after offering great incentives that encourage them to make a purchase. Using Faire's customer relationship management (CRM) tools and features, you can develop thoughtful marketing emails that both educate customers about your line and help them feel connected to your business. This might mean explaining what makes your products unique or sharing your brand story and values.
Make sure that every email you send has a clear call to action. In other words, what should a buyer do after reading your email? In most cases, you'll want the retailer to make a purchase.
You can also include your Faire Direct link, a simple URL that's unique to your brand and allows retailers to access all the benefits of Faire Direct when they shop your line.
3. Promote your wholesale brand on social media
Social media is an important aspect of your brand's wholesale marketing strategy. Remember to think about your audience: where are retailers most likely to follow your brand? You can choose to focus on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or a combination. Some brands also use LinkedIn to network with retail businesses. Once you've identified a social media platform with a captive audience of retailers, you can promote your brand's story, products, and Faire Direct link on those social channels. If you sell directly to consumers through the same channels, just be sure to clarify which of your posts are for wholesale customers only.
4. Engage retail customers through print collateral
Print collateral is another great way to market your brand. Whether you make postcards, flyers, or catalogs, remember that calls to action are just as important in print as they are online. Let retailers know how they can shop or reach you and give them a reason to keep visiting.
There are plenty of free tools to help you refine your brand's designs before making hard copies. For example, you might consider using HubSpot's brand kit generator to refresh your logo and color palette.
These printed materials are another perfect place to include your Faire Direct link that takes potential customers right to your Faire catalog, where they can easily access all the benefits of the platform. You can include print collateral with your shipped orders and bring it along to hand out at trade shows or other in-person events.
Frequently asked questions about wholesale marketing
What is wholesale marketing?
Wholesale marketing is how brands promote their products to retailers and other businesses rather than selling directly to consumers. The goal is to get your products onto store shelves by building relationships with buyers who will purchase in bulk and resell to their customers.
How is wholesale marketing different from selling directly to consumers?
When you market to retailers, you're speaking to business owners who care about profit margins, payment terms, and whether your products will sell in their stores. Consumer marketing focuses on emotional appeal and individual purchases, while wholesale marketing emphasizes reliability, reorder potential, and the business case for carrying your line.
How do I find retail buyers for my wholesale brand?
Start by listing your products on a wholesale marketplace like Faire, where retailers are actively searching for new brands. You can also attend trade shows (in-person or events like Faire Markets), reach out directly to stores that fit your brand, and ask your existing retail customers for referrals to other buyers they know.
What should I include in a wholesale marketing email?
Focus on what makes your products valuable to a retailer's business, not just what makes them great products. Include a clear call to action, your Faire Direct link, and any current promotions or new product launches. Keep it brief and make it easy for busy buyers to take the next step.
Do I need a big budget for wholesale marketing?
Not at all. Many effective wholesale marketing tactics are free or low-cost, including social media, email outreach, and listing on marketplaces. Tools like Faire Direct let you offer incentives to retailers, and free resources like Faire's CMS can help you create professional marketing materials without hiring a designer.
