How to Talk To Co-Packers
La Onda is a newsletter by Sandra Velasquez, founder of Nopalera, with actionable insights around brand building, selling, and a recap of the most asked questions during Mentor Mondays.
Co-Packers (manufacturers) receive a lot of inquires from founders who do not understand the business, can't afford their minimums, and don't have a clear roadmap.
It takes as much energy to produce 1000 units for a small brand as it does 10,000 units for a midsize brand.
Put yourself in their shoes. Who likes their time to be wasted? Nobody.
TIP: Use their language to instill confidence you will be a good partner. Think of it like a partnership, because it is.
HERE ARE SOME TIPS ON HOW TO TALK TO CO-PACKERS
Personalize your subject line. It sounds simple and mundane, but the first step is to get them to open your email. Example: Hi John: Nopalera x Copacker name - New Client Inquiry
Introduce yourself + your brand + power statement in the first sentence.
Example: Hello John, This is Sandra from Nopalera, a Mexican Botanical Bath and Body brand currently sold in Nordstrom, Credo, Free People, and over 300 independent retailers nationwide.
* If you are just starting out, no worries! Still introduce yourself and brand and say what your mission is.Ask the following questions to show them you understand how this works.
"I'd like to speak to someone regarding your capabilities, MOQ's, and lead times for new products. I am happy to send over a product brief in the interest of time."Have a product brief ready! What is a product brief? It is a pdf document that outlines what the product is. Ingredient must-haves. Ingredient No-no's. Size, dimensions, packaging. I make all my product briefs in Canva.
NOTE: If you are looking to have them use your formula, you need to send over an NDA first.
Once the conversation is rolling then you want to ask more questions about line trials (these may cost), micro testing, case packs, payment terms etc...
If you have any doubts about COGS, Margins, or pricing, I'm hosting the Margin Magic Masterclass again on Sunday April 3rd at 1p est. You can register below.
p.s. reminder that Mentor Mondays will be going away soon as the Nopalera podcast will be launching in April!
ICYMI
Here is a recap of topics covered in previous posts.
You can always visit my page and scroll down to see all posts.
If you haven't yet read them all, do so. Lots of gems in each post.
How to find suppliers and co-packers in beauty: here
My short list of BIPOC bookkeepers/CPAs: here
Building your email list and outsourcing shipping: here
Trademarking your name: here
Building a team and Paid Ads: here