PHONE SCRIPT EXAMPLE for Calling Dropshipping Suppliers

Dropshipping is all the rage these days. More and more entrepreneurs are leveraging dropshipping suppliers to launch their own online stores without major upfront inventory costs.

But simply finding a supplier is only step one if you want to build a successful partnership.

The real make-or-break moment? That initial phone call to pitch yourself and your business.

I won’t sugarcoat it – getting suppliers to approve you can be tricky. Most established brands carefully vet any new retail partners before allowing them to sell their products.

But, I’ve secured partnerships with dozens of fantastic suppliers over the years, so I know exactly what it takes to craft an effective phone script to win them over.

In this article, I’ll walk you through my proven process for researching suppliers, identifying key contacts, drafting compelling scripts, overcoming objections, proposing mutually beneficial partnerships, and following up effectively.

I’ve packed in plenty of real-world examples and sample phone pitches used by successful dropshippers.

By the end, you’ll have all the tools you need to start lining up those supplier partnerships as you build out your budding online business. Ready to get started? 

Let’s dive in.

Key Takeaways: Phone Script Example for Calling Dropshipping Suppliers

If you only remember a few things from this entire guide to crafting a phone script for dropshipping suppliers, take these key lessons to heart:

• Research suppliers thoroughly before reaching out to tailor your scripted pitch specifically for them. Identify key contacts when possible.
• Perfect a compelling opening pitch that quickly establishes credibility. Lead with unique value propositions over generic dropshipping pitches.
• Anticipate potential objections that suppliers may have and directly address their concerns upfront through counterarguments.
• Provide concrete assurances you will responsibly represent their brand to protect reputation and drive incremental sales in profitable niches.
• Expect common questions about capabilities, experience, and business models. Prepare clear, detailed responses.
• Close calls with clear next steps, trial order requests and committed follow-up contact plans for stalled leads.
• Continuously refine scripts over time while practicing relentlessly to gain confidence and natural rhythm when pitching.
• Remember calls are conversations. Balance professionalism with an authentic personal touch as relationships anchor partnerships.

Following this repeatable framework for scripting and placing calls gives you the best shot at overcoming that initial supplier hurdle with stellar partners supporting your e-commerce ambitions.

Do Your Research on the Supplier

Before you even think about crafting your phone script, you need to spend time researching potential suppliers. Get to know them.

Familiarize yourself with their product catalogs, company history, vision, and values. This will allow you to better tailor your pitch.

• What types of products do they offer? How do they position their brand? Knowing details about their specific product lines shows sincere interest.
• Look for any press releases on new product launches, charitable initiatives, or company growth. Reference things that appeal to you and their target demographic.
• Check out their website and social media. What keywords or messaging do they emphasize? Lean into that in your script.

Pro Tip: Search their name on Google along with keywords like “reviews” or “complaints. This can surface potential issues to address upfront in your call. But also note raving fans – that customer enthusiasm is contagious.

The bottom line, your script should speak directly to what matters most to that supplier. Research puts you in the best position to do that effectively.

You may also like to read:

• How to Evaluate and Purchase an Established Dropshipping Business
• E-commerce Terminologies for Beginners

Identify the Decision-Maker 

Hopefully, your supplier research uncovered some key contacts. But more often than not, your first call will be fielded by a receptionist or office admin. Don’t let that discourage you.

• Make it clear you are hoping to speak with someone who handles evaluating new wholesale partnerships.
• If no decision maker is available, graciously ask if you may get their direct contact info to follow up.
• Before ending the call, lock in a date to check back if you don’t hear from them first.

Pro Tip: Jot down the name of anyone you spoke to. Using their name when you follow up adds legitimacy and rapport.

Getting in direct contact with an empowered decision-maker is pivotal. Speaking to the wrong person risks getting immediately rejected or winding up in customer service purgatory.

So be politely persistent here – but never be annoying.

Understand the Objections of the Supplier 

Before you ever pick up the phone, you need to anticipate why a supplier may be hesitant to partner with a new online retailer.

Put yourself in their shoes. If some random person called asking to sell your products, you’d have some reasonable concerns too.

• Do they have the capabilities and resources to properly represent my brand?
• Can they drive significant new sales volume for my business?
• Will it create hassles for my staff or operations?

Pro Tip: Write down the toughest objections you may face. Having those concrete concerns in front of your mind allows you to directly tackle them in your script and talking points.

When you receive pushback, don’t get defensive. Thank them for their completely fair questions, then reassure them about key areas like:

• Your combined industry expertise and online marketing savvy
• The turnkey, hassle-free nature of dropshipping partnerships
• Your willingness to start slowly with a trial period

The more well-reasoned counterarguments you have prepared, the more confident you will sound addressing natural supplier hesitations.

It also demonstrates self-awareness and respect for their position when you say “Great question.” instead of “No, you’ve got this all wrong”.

Remember, establishing trust and rapport is critical in that first call. Anticipating concerns upfront helps accelerate the relationship while portraying your preparedness.

Craft Your Opening Pitch

You’ll likely only have a brief window on that initial call before the person on the other end needs to jump to their next meeting or task. So perfecting a compelling opening pitch is key.

Must-Have Elements

Hit these key points in your first 60 seconds:

• Your name and company
• Reason for your call
• A memorable tagline for your business
• Key details about your customer base
• Mutual benefit opportunity

Pro Tip: Write out your pitch and time it with a stopwatch. Can you clearly hit all points in under 1 minute? Shoot for an elevator pitch with impact.

Examples by Industry

Your pitch should sound drastically different depending on the supplier’s products and target demographic.

Pet Supplies

“Hi, I’m Vanessa from Pawsitive Partnerships calling to discuss a dropshipping opportunity for premium pet products. We cater to eco-conscious millennial pet owners under our tagline ‘Pampered Pets, Protected Planet’. I see huge synergy with your organic toy and treat lines. My vision? Harnessing social media to position your sustainable materials and carbon-neutral manufacturing as real differentiators in the market. Mutually benefitting pets, people, and the planet.”

Jewellery

“Hi Karen, my name is Michael and I own Sparkle Stop – ‘Gifts that shine as bright as your BFF’. We are a fast-growing online retailer focused exclusively on jewelry for teens and young women. Our customers crave affordable luxury friendship bracelets, rings, necklaces, and more to exchange with their closest circle. I would love to explore how your trendy chic designs could provide exactly what this discerning demographic obsesses over. I know we could create a very profitable partnership catering to their superior tastes and high expectations.”

See the difference. Your opening pitch sets the tone and must grab their attention quickly while establishing credibility around your knowledge of their niche. Put thought and polish into crafting this critical introduction.

Beauty Products

“Hi Amanda, I’m Sarah from Glossy Gal – ‘Beauty Made Better’. We provide cruelty-free, eco-conscious makeup and skincare to savvy customers who demand quality while doing good. From biodegradable glitter eyeshadow to reef-safe sunscreen, we curate the most innovative products on the market. Your mineral makeup line embodies that same ethos through your sustainable sourcing and charitable initiatives. I’d love to explore showcasing your products to our growing base of conscious consumers.”

Home Goods

“Hello, I’m Tyler from Cozy Corner, an online one-stop shop for family-friendly home products with our motto ‘Everyone’s Welcome’. As young parents ourselves, we hand-pick durable, eco-friendly items tailored to babies and kids from responsible brands. Your focus on non-toxic materials and clever convertible furniture pieces caught our eye as an ideal match for our demographic. I think pairing your modular toy storage solutions and convertible toddler beds with our customers would mutually benefit families creating their dream family-friendly home.”

Sporting Goods

“Hi there, my name’s Alex calling from Active Advantage – ‘Powering Athletic Passion’. As former college athletes and fitness gurus, we serve the underserved niche of eco-conscious performance gear for the growing base of values-driven competitors. Our motto says it all: ‘Win Green or Go Home.’ We provide gear to better support demanding training needs while respecting Mother Earth. I believe your business aligns perfectly with providing our customers the environmentally innovative equipment to gain that critical edge over the competition in their athletic pursuits.”

Food and Beverages

“Hello, this is Stephanie from The Snack Hub. We are riding the explosive growth in premium niche snacks under our motto ‘United by Good Taste’. Pickle popcorn. Bacon jerky. Lobster chips. You name it, we curate the most crave-worthy munchies on the planet for adventurous palates. I discovered your incredible line of gourmet-flavored honey straws last week and my mouth is still watering. Our customers are always seeking exciting new flavors, like your strawberry balsamic basil honey straws. I’d love to chat about a potential partnership to add your drool-worthy products into The Snack Hub lineup.”

Provide Assurances

Once you’ve grabbed their attention with your opening pitch, suppliers will want assurances that working with you will be a positive experience that protects and promotes their brand.

Reinforce that you aim to establish a long-term, symbiotic partnership where both parties prosper.

• Highlight your credentials and savvy in operating an e-commerce store. Provide examples of other successful partnerships if possible.
• Share how your website and marketing content will properly showcase your products to the right demographics. Offer to provide mockups or examples.
• Explain how transactions are seamlessly facilitated through your site for a smooth customer experience.
• Describe your commitment to top-notch customer service and support throughout the ordering, shipping, returns, and refund processes.
• Emphasize how you oversee issue resolution to prevent product problems from ever damaging their brand reputation.

Pro Tip: If permitted, offering to start with a limited test order or trial period can further alleviate supplier concerns over large unknown commitments.

The more you can educate on your win-win proposition, demonstrate your capabilities, and share resources, and open communication channels, the more assurances you provide during a call.

Suppliers evaluating partners must gauge if you grasp their needs while possessing skills to deliver an exceptional representation of their products.

Concretely addressing their potential anxieties accelerates the development of trust on that all-important first call.

Be Ready for Common Questions

Every supplier will have their unique questions, but expect to field some common inquiries around your capabilities and vision for selling their products:

• What experience do you have running an online store? Be ready to share your e-commerce credentials, both past and present. While exaggeration hurts credibility long-term, don’t undersell your savvy either.
• How will you market and advertise our products? Suppliers will want confidence you can drive sales volume. Share specifics around your multi-channel digital marketing strategy, including SEO, paid ads, email campaigns, and leveraging social media influencers.
• Why should we work with you versus other retailers? Stress that you fill a very specific niche that perfectly aligns with their products. Your passionate commitment to that niche builds lasting partnerships versus fly-by-night operators.
• How can we trust you to properly represent our brand? Emphasize your vested interest in maintaining their reputation. Highlight your customer service prowess and discuss how you carefully resolve any product issues. You are partners in delighting customers.

Prepare detailed responses that instill confidence in your capabilities and vision. Ask clarifying questions to better address their unique needs and concerns.

Close by Proposing Next Steps

Before wrapping a call, propose immediate next actions to keep the momentum going:

• Offer to email a formal overview of your business model and marketing strategy so they can evaluate fit. Include product images showing how you would showcase their brand.
• Suggest a follow-up call or video meeting to continue the conversation. Lock in the date and time.
• Request contact info for anyone else who should be looped in for making an ultimate decision.
• Thank them sincerely for their time and consideration. Express enthusiasm for the partnership potential.

Closing with clear and concrete next steps demonstrates confidence along with helping advance the relationship more rapidly towards an approved partnership.

Seek a Trial Period

While pushing for an all-out approval, also float starting slowly with a trial order or test phase. Offer to purchase a limited product sample to showcase in your store and marketing.

• Highlight that a trial period comes with very little risk or commitment from them.
• In a short timeframe, you can demonstrate your capabilities through sales volumes, customer feedback, and marketing metrics.
• A trial order can help build trust that you’ll represent them properly over the long haul.

Pro Tip: Suggest keeping the volume low initially, but negotiate wholesale pricing. Paying their standard channel retail price leaves little margin for profit.

Seeking an incremental trial order often alleviates supplier reservations over large, rushed commitments. You’re also able to evaluate fit before diving into a full partnership. Low risk, high reward.

Refine and Practice Your Script

Like a sales pitch or stand-up routine, your phone script will evolve as you continually refine and practice it. Use each call to build your confidence while identifying phrases that hook suppliers versus flat lines that fall flat.

• Listen to recordings of your calls to improve tone, cadence, filler words, etc. First impressions count.
• Time your script to avoid long awkward pauses or feeling rushed. Hit all key points concisely under 60 seconds.
• Role-play your script relentlessly with other entrepreneurs until the conversation flows naturally. Internalize it through repetition.
• Personalize it over time with better anecdotes, responses, and objection handling based on real call experiences.
• Track results of calls to double down on what works. If several suppliers ask the same question – strengthen that part of your script.

Pro Tip: Resist sounding overly scripted or robotic. The relationship starts the moment they answer your call, so be friendly and conversational even as you pitch.

Refinement is a continuous process as you build up your call comfort through experience. But diligently practicing a script you refine over time remains invaluable.

Leverage Follow-Up Calls

Following up demonstrates persistence along with allowing you to send requested info or clarify any outstanding questions. Use follow-up contacts to continue building rapport.

• Reiterate your core value proposition tailored to that supplier by citing their priorities and past objections.
• Ask if they had a chance to review the overview documents/mock-ups you provided and offer to walk through the details.
• Share any major milestones you’ve achieved since the last call, such as launching your website, securing partnerships with other vendors, hitting sales targets, etc.
• See if decision-makers have any remaining hesitations you can address head-on to nudge them toward approval.

Pro Tip: Spacing out calls every 10-14 days comes across as persistent but not pesky.

Set reminders to continue contacting promising prospects if deals stall out. The longer you nurture a relationship, the better the odds of converting initial reluctance into happy long-term partners.

Conclusion

Securing dropshipping suppliers is pivotal to running a profitable e-commerce business. While intimidating at first, perfecting a phone pitch script and calling process can set you up for repeat success as you expand your vendor network.

Remember to thoroughly research each supplier before reaching out. Craft a compelling introductory pitch that grabs their attention fast.

Anticipate potential objections and address them upfront. Provide assurances about protecting their brand while demonstrating your capabilities.

Be prepared for common questions about your experience and vision. Close calls with clear next steps and seek trial orders to build trust incrementally. Refine your script continuously while diligently following up.

Even the most apprehensive supplier prospects can become great partners over time by methodically working through the areas covered today.

FAQs on Phone Script Example for Calling Dropshipping Suppliers

Q: How long should my phone script be?

A: Strive to keep your opening pitch under 60 seconds. You want it to be impactful yet concise before the dialogue begins. The entire call may last 5-15 minutes on average depending on rapport.

Q: When should I mention pricing and margins?

A: Don’t discuss pricing specifics too early when pitching the partnership opportunity. Securing the ability to sell their products comes first. But before sealing the deal, clarify margins and pricing to ensure profitability.

Q: What if English isn’t my first language?

A: Don’t let language concerns deter you. Focus on slowing down your speech, minimizing filler words, and articulating clearly. Consider script tweaks to play to your strengths while improving any vocabulary shortcomings over time.

Q: What if I’m really nervous about calling?

A: Practice relentlessly to breed confidence and accept nervousness as normal when developing new skills. Start by observing others’ calls or role-playing with friends. Consider scripts to guide early interactions.

Q: Should I change my script frequently?

A: Core elements should remain consistent, but always tailor details to each supplier. Tweak phrases yielding positive responses while phasing out flat lines. Add flair and anecdotes to scripts over time once the basics feel natural.

Wrapping up the article Phone Script Example for Calling Dropshipping Suppliers. I hope it was to your liking. Thanks for spending time with us.