Building a wholesale customer list one sector at a time
A wholesaler sells to many kinds of business. Build the customer list sector by sector and region by region, and always know which part you have covered.
- No credits, no data tax
- You own your data
- Map included
- GDPR-first
Why one sector at a time
A wholesale customer list is rarely one list. A supplier of packaging sells to bakeries, butchers, caterers and shops; a supplier of tools sells to builders, installers and workshops. Each sector buys for its own reasons and wants to hear about different products.
Trying to build the whole list at once usually ends in a big file nobody can work through. Building it one sector at a time keeps it manageable: you collect one type of business, write one message for it and finish that part before you start the next.
Work through a market sector by sector and region by region, and always know which part you have already covered. A tag per sector and a field per region on each record do that for you. See how this works for wholesale suppliers.
Planning the list, sector by sector
Exhibitor and member lists are a good source for one sector at a time; see turn an exhibitor list into a lead list.
| Step | What you do | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Choose the sector | Pick the sector that already buys most from you, or the one you want to grow | A clear first part of the list |
| Find the businesses | Collect them from public sources: directories, map listings and exhibitor or member lists | Companies with a name, place and website |
| Import and tag | Import the files, let duplicates be flagged and tag every record with its sector and region | One list where you can see what is covered |
| Write for the sector | Write one message about the products that sector buys | A first email that fits the reader |
| Mark it done | When a sector and region are mailed, note it and pick the next one | No region mailed twice, none forgotten |
What makes a wholesale list work
Customers and prospects apart
Keep existing customers on the list with their own status, so a new campaign does not send them a first introduction.
Every record keeps its source
Each record keeps the import, the source file and the date, so you can see later which directory or fair a customer came from.
Regions you can see
A region field on every record lets you filter on one area and see which towns are still open.
One file in, one file out
You import CSV or Excel from any source and export to CSV again, for example for your sales reps or your order system.
Before you mail the next sector
- Check that the previous sector is marked as done.
- Filter out existing customers.
- Choose one region to start in.
- Name the products this sector buys most.
- Send in small batches and read the replies.
Frequently asked questions
How do I build a wholesale customer list?
Pick one sector, collect the businesses in it from public sources, import them with a tag for the sector and a field for the region, and write one message for that sector. Then move on to the next sector or region.
Where do wholesalers find new business customers?
In public sources: business directories, map listings, and the exhibitor and member lists of trade fairs and associations in the sector you sell to.
How do I avoid mailing a region twice?
Give every record a region and a status. Before a campaign, filter on the region and leave out every company that was already contacted.
Should existing customers be on the same list?
Yes, with their own status. Then you can see the whole market in one place and leave customers out of campaigns meant for new companies.
Do I need credits?
No. There are no credits and no data tax: enrichment runs automatically without a per-row meter.
What is Riftjaw?
Riftjaw is a self-hosted B2B lead pipeline: collect companies from any public list, enrich them for free, put them on the map and reach them - from one dashboard you host yourself.
Start with your first sector
Import the businesses of one sector, tag them by region and send a first small campaign. Start free, without a credit card.
Start free