405 | I Just Got On Faire. Am I Supposed to be Pitching My Products? with Katie Hunt

·14 min·1 clip

Katie Hunt reveals why 'if you build it, they will come' is a dangerous myth for brands on FAIR.

This episode of Proof to Product addresses a listener's question about proactive sales strategies after joining the wholesale marketplace Faire. Host Katie Hunt, a wholesale expert with 17 years of experience coaching product-based brands, provides a detailed response. She emphasizes that a Faire storefront is just one component of a broader wholesale strategy. Hunt directly answers the listener, Lindsay, confirming that brands should actively pitch their products to stores rather than passively waiting for orders. She explains that Faire is a crowded marketplace where new brands can easily get buried without proactive outreach. Hunt compares building a wholesale business to tending a garden, requiring consistent nurturing and year-round effort rather than sporadic activity. She notes that buyers now purchase throughout the year, not just during traditional market seasons. Hunt acknowledges Faire's benefits, like net terms and easy reordering, but stresses it should be a support tool, not the core strategy. Successful brands use Faire as a point-of-sale platform while driving traffic to it through direct marketing. Hunt outlines specific proactive actions, including sending regular emails to wholesale lists highlighting product categories, promotions, and bestsellers. She recommends following up with buyers after events like Faire Market Week to recapture lost leads. Social media, while stronger for direct consumer sales, is also a tool for visibility with buyers. Hunt strongly advocates for direct mail, like postcards and samples, to get a brand's physical products in front of retailers. She reveals that 49% of customers want to hear from brands via email, countering the fear of being annoying. A key insight is that Faire works best for brands that already have strong wholesale foundations and systems in place. The episode's tone is educational and motivational, blending direct advice with strategic coaching. Hunt uses analogies and clear examples to make her points accessible, speaking directly to the listener as a mentor. This episode is ideal for product-based business owners new to wholesale or those feeling stuck on platforms like Faire. It would also benefit entrepreneurs seeking a structured, year-round approach to wholesale sales. Listeners looking for a technical deep-dive into Faire's algorithm or a debate on its merits might find the discussion too foundational.

As heard by us

Faire works best as part of a broader wholesale strategy, not as the strategy itself.

Katie frames Faire as a useful wholesale lever, but not a substitute for the rest of the sales stack. The strongest point is the practical one: brands get more out of the platform when they treat it as one part of a broader approach, using it alongside direct outreach, traffic…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Need to know what to do after opening a Faire account?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Proof to Product