Shelf Talks
Shelf Talks is the podcast for female founders, CPG entrepreneurs, and product-based business owners who want to get their products into retail stores and build brands that thrive once they're on the shelf.
Hosted by Roberta Townes, a retail buyer with more than 15 years of experience discovering and launching products at national retailers, each weekly episode features honest conversations with female founders who have successfully landed on retail shelves. Together, they pull back the curtain on how they pitched buyers, built wholesale partnerships, scaled distribution, increased brand awareness, and overcame the challenges of growing a product-based business.
Whether you're preparing for your first retail pitch or looking to expand into more stores, you'll gain practical strategies for retail readiness, wholesale growth, buyer expectations, merchandising, and increasing sell-through once your product hits the shelf.
If you're ready to turn your product into a retail success story, you're in the right place.
New episodes drop every week. Subscribe to Shelf Talks and learn what it really takes to get your brand retail-ready and winning in stores.
Looking for even more retail guidance? Roberta's book, Shelf Talk: A Step by Step Guide to Getting Your Product in Retail Stores, is available on Amazon.
Shelf Talks
How to Follow Up With Retail Buyers After a Trade Show
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Trade shows like Expo West are exciting for product founders. You spend months preparing your booth, sampling your product, and finally getting the chance to meet retail buyers face-to-face.
But here’s what many founders don’t realize:
Getting your product into retail stores rarely happens at the trade show itself. It happens in the follow-up.
In this solo episode of Shelf Talks, I’m breaking down 5 strategic ways to follow up with retail buyers after a trade show so your brand stays memorable and moves closer to landing on retail shelves.
If you're a product-based founder trying to get your products into retail stores, your post–trade show strategy can be the difference between being forgotten and building a long-term retail partnership.
Inside this episode, you’ll learn:
• How to send a personalized follow-up email that retail buyers actually remember
• The retail-ready assets buyers need to evaluate your brand
• How to reinforce your retail story and product differentiation
• Why sending a post-trade-show product sample can move conversations forward
• How to use LinkedIn to stay visible with retail buyers and build relationships
Whether you just exhibited at Expo West, walked a regional trade show, or are preparing for your first event, these strategies will help you turn those booth conversations into real retail opportunities.
If you’re serious about getting your product on retail shelves, pitching retail buyers with confidence, and growing your product-based business, this episode is for you.
🎧 Follow Shelf Talks so you never miss an episode packed with insights to help you grow your brand, develop your retail strategy, and land more retail accounts.
Event Partner: Nourish Summit & Expo (Oct. 5-7, 2027 | Baltimore) - Use code SHELFTALKS10 for 10% off full registration https://bit.ly/4sx0Zba
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Contact us via email: Hello@shelftalks.com
Reach out if you know of a female founder with an impactful brand and retail story and leave a review if you found value in this episode! Hello@shelftalks.com
Purchase the book Shelf Talk: A step by step guide to launching your product in Retail Stores by Roberta Townes Buy Book