How PR can help wholesalers build trust and win stockists

Wholesale can best be described as the business of selling goods in bulk to retailers, stockists or other businesses rather than direct to consumers. A wholesaler will sell product to a stockist who then sells on to a consumer or trade customers. 

Putting a value on the sector is difficult but in 2025 the convenience and wholesale market was valued at £48.8bn with the grocery wholesaling industry being valued at £44.2bn in the same year.

Wholesale can cover a wide range of sectors but the one thing they all have in common is the need to form long-term connections with stockists and partner brands who they can work with for decades. 

But in a competitive market, the ability to relate to stockists and remain relevant is a challenge many wholesalers need to face. 

In this blog we’ll explore how making use of PR will allow wholesalers to build trust and credibility in their brand with the ultimate goal of attracting new stockists.

What’s in this article:

• How PR builds credibility and trust
• Making a brand relatable to the target audience
• PR tactics for wholesalers
• Digital PR and AI overviews
• Managing a crisis
• Key takeaways

How PR builds credibility and trust

PR is an essential tool for wholesalers when it comes to building trust and credibility in a brand. 

Trust and credibility are the foundations of any successful brand. Customers and partners are more likely to choose a brand they believe in than one they have never heard of or have very little faith in. 

This confidence in a brand builds loyalty and for wholesalers, this loyalty can translate into long-term stockist partnerships and repeat orders from customers, both essential for long term growth. The loyalty fostered will enable a brand to weather challenges because customers and partners are more understanding. 

The role PR plays is central in building brand loyalty and ultimately trust and credibility. Sharing good news and new product development, submitting to features, attending trade events, entering awards and having relatable figures within the business will all put the brand in front of the customers and journalists that matter.

Having a brand presence at the right events and in the right publications to build reputation will filter to the stockist and brand partners essential to your business. 

Making a brand relatable to the target audience

Making a brand relatable is all about making real connections with the target audience. For a wholesaler that will be the retailers who stock their products, the tradespeople who use them or the other businesses that can’t survive without the products they offer.

Making the brand relatable will build trust and loyalty and create those all-important long term relationships.

There are various different ways to make a brand relatable and a solid integrated PR and marketing strategy will enable an organisation to achieve it.

Key ways to achieve this include telling authentic stories about a brand’s origin in a way that feels human and not corporate. Understanding the world your target audience operates in is vital. Market research and customer insights will both help understand an audience's challenges and goals. Marketing content can reflect these as well as their priorities.

Engaging in two way communication with your audience is vital. Whether this is being present on social platforms they use or being in discussions where your insight may help them, it shows you care and are supporting them.

PR tactics for wholesalers

Trade PR plays an important part in building trust and winning new stockists. There are various PR techniques wholesalers can utilise to achieve success.

Press releases

Press releases pitched to sector specific trade publications are a good way to get news about the business out to its target audience. The content of press releases can vary. It could be news on a new product launch or news from within the business. A new product or improvement to an existing one is always worth sharing. It shows that the wholesaler is innovative, looking for solutions to an issue and has listened to customer feedback. It shows a company always willing to move forward. These are positive signals for trust and credibility. 

News from within the business can form part of your press release strategy. This could include senior appointments, new brands being stocked, partnerships with big suppliers or opening a new depot. It can also cover professional standards the business has achieved. Again, getting these positive messages out to the target audience will build both trust and credibility. 

In 2022, the UKs leading confectionery wholesaler Hancocks, asked us to support its 60th birthday celebrations at its depots across the county. We ran a campaign across its core trade press and regional publications to support  the 14 depots. The campaign won coverage across trade media, broadcast slots on local radio and television and extensive regional coverage. Details on that campaign can be found here.

Thought leadership and opinion pieces

Well placed thought leadership and opinion pieces help build authority and will establish a company as experts in their sector. It’s a chance to get senior personnel known and recognisable - another solid signal of trust - sharing valuable industry insights and trends. Thought leadership is about informing the target audience and providing them with relevant and useful information. These pieces can have multiple uses too. As part of a good PR strategy they can be drafted for and placed in relevant publications. Once published they can be utilised on a company blog, shared on social media sites including LinkedIn and used for podcasts. 

A PR opinion piece positions a business, brand or a senior member of staff as a credible voice of authority within their industry. It will share analysis or commentary on relevant issues that will matter to the target audience. For a wholesaler, this could mean discussing retail trends, challenges within the supply chain, sustainability or changing consumer demand. 

Offering insights and opinions can demonstrate expertise and build trust. This will reassure existing and new stockists and customers and signals to potential partners that you are knowledgeable and reliable. Consistent contributions can strengthen a wholesaler’s reputation, making them the go-to choice for stockists seeking dependable supply partners.

Profiles and interviews

Profiles and interview pieces are highly effective PR tools. They’re a chance to put a face to the business and make it relatable and approachable. They’re also an opportunity to showcase expertise and thought leadership. Speaking openly about company goals, challenges, or growth strategies within these interviews demonstrate honesty and reliability, which will build confidence.

Forward features

Trade publications often run features a brand can contribute to. These may focus around new product development, they can be advice led and offer insights into a sector. Forward features are another good tool for building trust and credibility, showing expertise in the sector and being seen in the publications existing and potential customers will be reading.

Award entries

Entering and being shortlisted for and winning awards will build trust and credibility in a brand. There are many awards a business can enter, the key is identifying the ones that will have the most impact and providing the most relevant information within a detailed submission. We are on message for the brand and will help achieve its end goal. We worked with our client Kybotech to secure entrepreneurial and business awards for their founder Charles Walton to raise his profile. The business was shortlisted and was a finalist in five awards, winning two of those. Read more here.

Trade shows

Trade shows are an effective way for wholesalers to build trust and credibility with potential stockists. They’re an opportunity for face-to-face interaction and showcase new product ranges. Taking a stand at a respected trade show also signals credibility. By exhibiting alongside other established names in the industry, wholesalers position themselves as serious players who are invested in long-term growth. Stockists take this as a sign of stability and reliability. Trade shows also attract industry press, offering opportunities for valuable PR coverage. 

Digital PR and AI Overviews

Digital PR should be part of any PR mix and is essential for building trust and credibility with stockists and potential partners. It ensures wholesalers are visible where stockists are already looking, which is often online. Coverage could include inclusion in forward features, new product press releases or an interview with one of the senior leaders within the business. Strong online coverage will position a wholesaler as credible and professional. It also boosts SEO, meaning potential stockists are more likely to discover the business through search. 

AI overviews can be powerful for wholesalers, particularly when it comes to strengthening trust and credibility in their relationships with existing and potential customers. They’re also a good indicator of the sentiment around a brand. 

AI tools scan online mentions, reviews, and media sentiment - this is how wholesalers will appear in AI overviews on the major search engines. PR coverage plays a central role in online mentions and media sentiment. Being in relevant publications and being read by the right audience will send signals of trust. All vital in building credibility within the marketplace and attracting new stockists and customers.   

Managing a crisis

Every brand faces challenges whether that’s a full product recall or delays within the supply chain. It’s how you communicate these to customers and manage the challenges that will determine whether your brand retains the trust and credibility it's built with key partners and stockists. 

Addressing a problem openly, rather than ignoring or concealing it, reassures stakeholders that the brand takes responsibility and values transparency. This kind of honesty often strengthens, rather than weakens, relationships.

Managing a crisis proactively also reduces the risk of rumours and misinformation spreading. Silence can damage a brand far more than the issue itself so timely communication ensures the right narrative is heard, protecting credibility.

Crises also provide an opportunity to demonstrate professionalism. A brand with open communication, and practical solutions shows resilience and foresight, all important in building long term relationships. 

Handled well, a crisis can actually become a trust-building moment, proving that the brand is not only reliable in good times, but also dependable when challenges arise.

Key takeaways

1. PR is essential in building trust and credibility. Wholesalers rely on strong relationships and PR will give them visibility and the confidence stockists need to commit.
2. Relatable brands build strong connections. By telling authentic stories brands can build strong connections with their target audience. 
3. PR boosts credibility. Press releases, thought leadership, interviews, awards and trade shows all highlight expertise and innovation within the sector, solid indicators of trust and credibility.
4. Digital PR and AI strengthen online reputation. This will make it easier for stockists to trust and find the right partner for them, 
5. Crisis management can strengthen trust. Timely and proactive communications during challenges help to protect the reputation of a brand, 
6. Consistency is key to support long term growth. Visibility in the right trade media and industry events reinforce a wholesalers position as a trusted and credible partner. 

Want to find out more about building trust in your brand and winning new stockists? Get in touch today to find out how we can help.

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