The addition of new products to a company's line is sometimes done when a new vendor, representing different items, is brought on board. Rolling out new products to both staff and customers is accomplished through an introduction to the vendor and an assurance that its products are a good fit with the company overall.

Things You Will Need

  • Current marketing materials

  • Current line card or listing of all products and vendors

  • Marketing materials and information about the new vendor

Finalize all contract negotiations with the new vendor to ensure an acceptable agreement is reached. Meet with the new vendor to determine a date for its representative to come in and talk to your staff about the new products. Ask them to supply enough marketing materials, product information sheets and samples to demonstrate the products and, if possible, distribute them to employees. Give the vendor a total number of items needed for the meeting, based on how many employees will be attending.

Draft an internal email or memo to all staff members announcing the new relationship. Give an overview of the vendor including the name of the representative working with your company and the date the new products will be made available. Explain each new product in one paragraph. Include a link to the vendor's website or attach product marketing materials.

Send a separate email or memo to request all staff be present at the unveiling and introduction meeting scheduled with the vendor. Give the date, time and location of the meeting. Include the product information again, and remind employees to contact you or management with any questions or concerns.

Organize the vendor meeting by working with the representative. Schedule enough time for you or a member of your company's upper management to speak first, to introduce the new vendor. Then have the vendor speak about the partnership and the new products. Distribute additional product literature and samples, if available. Allot time for employees to ask questions and for the vendor representative to meet with upper management, if time allows.

Schedule separate meetings for both product sales team members and accounting office personnel. Have the vendor meet with the sales team responsible for selling the items, and organize additional meetings to get all sales members trained and educated. Have a representative of the vendor's accounts receivable department meet with your accounting department to discuss payment and billing processes.

Promote the new products. Include information on your website, social media page and other marketing materials. Craft and distribute a press release. Make sure to note the vendor's name in all material.

Tip

Use internal communications such as email and intranets to promote the upcoming announcement. This is a way to let staff members generate excitement over the anticipation of the new items made available via the new vendor.

Warning

Do not sign an agreement with a new vendor until all due diligence has been executed, and the vendor has been deemed to be solvent and able to satisfy all shipments and business agreements.