How to Become a Supplier for Top Brands: 6 Steps You Must Take

If you’ve ever dreamed of selling your products to companies like Amazon, Walmart, or Kroger and reaching their audiences, you’re in the right place. Becoming a supplier to top brands can open up profitable opportunities for your business. It also exposes your brand to new customers and expands your network as a result. But there are some challenges that many suppliers face when trying to get on the radar of major brands. If you want to know how to become a supplier for top brands, keep reading.

This guide will give you the insider knowledge on how brands vet potential suppliers and what you need to do if you want to become one of those suppliers. Keep reading for details about becoming a supplier for top brands.

Know the Process of Becoming a Supplier to Top Brands

Let’s first dive into the process of becoming a supplier for top brands. It’s important to know what the brands expect from you and your business to ensure that you have a shot of making it through. There are two ways brands vet suppliers – unaided and aided. Unaided is when brands choose suppliers on their own and aided is when they use a third party to do so. Becoming a supplier via the unaided method is the most difficult. In the unaided method, brands choose suppliers based on their own knowledge and research. It’s important to note that brands who use this method most likely have their own in-house production and don’t outsource to third parties.

Once you understand how brands vet potential suppliers, it’s important to understand the process companies like Kroger take to select suppliers. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the process of becoming a supplier to top brands can vary significantly depending on the industry and the specific brands in question. However, there are some general steps that suppliers can take to increase their chances of being selected by leading brands.

First, focus on developing high-quality products that meet the needs and expectations of consumers. Amazon accomplishes this with its Prime Membership Program and 3-day free delivery and Walmart does this with its “Save Money. Live Better” promise. Both companies exceed customer expectations by saving customers time and money.

Second, focus on marketing products to the right customers. Apple is a prime example of a company that concentrates on marketing products to the right customers. By targeting its advertising and marketing efforts towards trendsetters and early adopters, Apple is able to differentiate itself from the competition. By positioning themselves as a premium product, Apple is also able to command higher prices.

Build Your Brand’s Credibility and Recognition

Becoming a supplier to major brands is a great way to expand your business in several ways. But how do you get there? One of the most important things you can do to get your foot in the door with brands is to build your company’s credibility. This is often done through a strong social media presence and word-of-mouth marketing.

One way to do this is by working with influencers. If you have a strong social following, you can reach out to influencers in your niche to work together on influencer marketing campaigns. Brands often contact influencers about product collaborations too. Walmart recently launched “Walmart Creator” and “Walmart Creator Collective” to provide platforms for its suppliers and third-party sellers to use influencers to promote their products in Walmart stores.

Another option is to get involved in the open-source community. Open-source projects like open-source software and open-source hardware are low-cost. They can be used by anyone. But they can also be improved. You can use your skills to help improve these projects and then promote them through your social media channels.

Google is one of the most well-known companies involved in the open-source community. By contributing to open-source projects, they are able to improve their products for all users. Amazon is also well-known for its use of open-source solutions, particularly through its Amazon Web Services (AWS) suite of products.

Ensure Your Products are Compliant and of High Quality

Brands often choose suppliers based on quality standards and compliance. Take note of the brands you admire and use those standards as a guideline for your own products. This goes for materials, design, usability, and even the packaging your products come in. If you plan to sell your products internationally, make sure they’re compliant with the rules and regulations of each country. This way, you can avoid having your products seized by customs.

Some examples of companies that require high quality products and strict compliance are companies in the automotive industry, including Ford and General Motors, and aerospace industry like Boeing and Lockheed Martin. These companies often have very strict requirements for the quality of their products and for compliance with regulatory standards. In order to meet these requirements, they need to work with suppliers who can provide high quality products and who are willing to comply with their strict standards.

Be Ready to Meet Short Deadlines

If you want to work with major brands, you need to be ready to meet their short deadlines. In some cases, you need to be ready to produce a certain amount of products within just a few weeks. Keep this in mind as you develop your brand and begin selling products to your customers.

Retail stores like Macy’s, Marshalls, Nordstrom, Target, Walmart, and T.J. Maxx are well-known for having short supplier deadlines, especially during the Christmas holiday season.

When you’re just starting out, you may not be able to produce large quantities of products as quickly as major brands need. But as your business grows, you may be able to scale up your production quickly.

Commit to Short-Term Contracts with Major Brands

While you can expect short deadlines from brands, you likely won’t be asked to sign long-term contracts. This is because brands often have short-term projects and campaigns that last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. And sometimes, they may not know what products or services they’ll need for an upcoming project until it comes up. For this reason, brands often sign one-off or short-term contracts with suppliers instead of long-term deals. This allows them to pick and choose the suppliers they work with on a per-project basis.

Conclusion

Becoming a supplier for top brands is not an easy process, but it is possible. It requires dedication, hard work, and a bit of luck. However, if you follow these six steps, you will be on your way to becoming a supplier for your favorite brands.