If you decide to contact the retail buyer yourself, then you should do by telephone. Unless you’re approaching a small retailer, it’s unlikely that a retail buyer will answer directly; the first contact will probably be with the retail buyer’s assistant or the department’s receptionist. The assistant retail buyer or the receptionist can direct your inquiry to the retail buyer of the particular product category that you are interested in pitching.By the way, use your landline telephone to contact the retail buyer, not your cell phone. I recently had a prospective vendor call me on her cell phone, and it was very irritating when the call went in and out due to the strength of the signal. I couldn’t make out the conversation of this prospective vendor and finally hung up on her.

Be aware that a screening procedure may be in place to prevent immediate contact with the retail buyer, but it’s usually possible to make an appointment if you take my advice. It is important that the appointment be made with the actual retail buyer and not the assistant retail buyer, who does not usually have the authority to buy. Do not try to discuss any aspect of the product over the telephone. Remember that the purpose of the call is to get an appointment to see the retail buyer. Examples of appointment-making phrases are:

• “I have an interesting product opportunity that I would like to discuss with you.”
• “I have a product opportunity that will increase traffic into your stores and would like to show it to you.”
• “I have a unique product ideally suited to [store name] and would like an appointment to discuss it with you.”