The mission of The Cole Bros is to breathe new life into local economies.
For decades international commerce, strict regulations, and large competitors have eroded the markets and supply chains for small-scale suppliers and local goods.
Alongside this, social media saturation, limited local clientele, and AI marketing have all hurt local producers’ ability to sell online.
We aim to fix that.
Challenges of local commerce
Globalized Trade
Global free trade has resulted in cheaper prices for everyone, but has also made it difficult for local makers to match dramatically reduced prices of goods retailed from international sources. Local quality and freshness are the keys to standing out.
Big Box Retailers
The economies of scale of large retailers means that small producers and custom crafters can’t compete with their prices. While quality remains important to consumers, getting well-made goods into their hands is a different story.
Consumer Habits
We all have our buying habits. Many look for cheaper prices. Others check for higher quality. Some even search for high prices assuming they mean quality. Each customer is searching for something different. We connect your goods to the right buyer.
Regulations
Reasonable laws put in place to protect consumers have made it challenging for local producers to reach beyond their own communities leaving potential customers just outside of their reach.
Weak Infrastructure
Roadside stands and social media marketing are solid sales avenues, but rely on passersby to generate profits. With expanded infrastructure, local producers can reach beyond the scrollers and strollers and open up new sales opportunities.
Consumer Habits
We all have our buying habits. Many look for cheaper prices. Others check for higher quality. Some even search for high prices assuming they mean quality. Each customer is searching for something different. We connect your goods to the right buyer.
How we solve local
A two-fold problem: cost & logistics
Solving cost
By providing centralized logistics and distribution we are able to achieve economies of scale that are impossible to gain for an individual producer. Additionally, our fixed rates and pricing tiers allow costs to remain low for producers and their customers alike.
Solving logistics
Individual producers may struggle to fill orders at demanding intervals. Maintaining and developing a supply chain for multiple retailers is also an enormous challenge for a single supplier. By centralizing distribution we remedy these problems for all of our clients.
Challenges of digital marketing
Saturated Social Media
It seems like everyone today has a side hustle. The natural place to promote those side hustles is social media. This has led to the saturation of content on every platform and made it incredibly challenging to be unique and stand out.
Difficult to Find Sites
The majority of people who browse the web discover sites from a few limited sources. And marketers often use the same bag of tricks to get people to check out their pages. Without solid design and SEO, getting found is nearly impossible.
Brand Consistency
Maintaining consistency across every social media platform, catalogue, and website can be an enormous chore. Without coherent branding, however, you risk looking amateurish, or worse, untrustworthy.
Decentralized Listings
Yelp, Google, Bing, and many more. Managing reviews and listings across the entire internet is a hassle few have time for. Misunderstandings or mishaps can lead to bad reviews that last for years if left unchecked. And that can be very damaging.
Flood of AI Slop
The onset of AI has made everyone a designer. Poorly made AI graphics and copy litter the web landscape making being discovered even more challenging. A human touch is often the difference between a cheap AI vibe and a solid brand.
How we solve digital
A Human Approach
AI can be a useful tool. It can streamline copy, spark inspiration, or create quick mockups. Despite its uses, however, its overuse has led to a deluge of poorly made graphics, bland copy, and generic vibes. While we’re not opposed to it entirely, we rarely utilize it because we believe in the human touch and its power to reinvigorate brands and captivate our clients own clientele.
Managing Client Engagement
Keeping up with posting, commenting, tagging, and replying can be a major drain on a small business owner’s time and mental resources. We can do all of that for you and more. By posting regularly and engaging with your clients in a thoughtful and professional way, we ensure that you are not only on the fore of your audience’s mind, but that your digital brand remains highly esteemed as well.
Brand & Activity Consistency
By consistently posting and always keeping every client’s unique look and feel in mind, we are able to drive engagement and increase customer trust for everyone we represent. Being tasteful and mindful of each business’ audience is key. And we work incredibly hard to make sure that all of our represented companies stand out and shine their brightest.
FAQs
How much does it cost to become a retail partner?
Absolutely nothing! We work with you to identify products that fit your retail space and clientele. From there, you simply put the products in a conspicuous location (like a cashier’s counter) and sell them with a markup that provides you a profit on each sale. That easy!
How much do sales & logistics services cost? What about digital marketing services?
Our sales and logistics starts at $150/mo. Social media, listing management, and website design/management each start at $100/mo. A more detailed breakdown can be found on our services page.
How do I get paid as a producer?
With each sell that we make with our digital catalog or through our retail partners we collect your product markup and you get paid within 7 days of the collection date.
How often do The Cole Bros deliver products to their retail partners?
Different products require different delivery/pickup intervals, but we’ll work with each retail/production partner individually to identify the best times to pickup/drop off products from each destination.
Do you work with clients beyond the state of Oklahoma?
Yes! While we are still focusing on regional growth, we are working to expand our service more and more beyond Oklahoma. Particularly into the surrounding states.
What is in your email newsletter and how do I receive it?
We have a weekly newsletter for producers and retailers that details what items are selling best and market trends that are relevant to our network of partners. All you have to do to receive it is share a good email with us and we’ll add you to the mailing list. And we won’t flood your inbox. You’ll only receive one or two newsletter emails a month from us.
How do we pay you?
We take all forms of payment including credit/debit cards, as well as, digital methods like PayPal, Venmo, or CashApp.
Cancellations and refunds?
While we don’t offer refunds for services rendered, cancellation can be done anytime at all with no fee or additional cost. Simply reach out to us through any conventional contact method and request a termination of service.
Pay your way
