You Don’t Need to Manufacture Product to Create Content—You Just Need to Be the Most Helpful
Most master distributors sell thousands of SKUs across dozens of manufacturers. Your competitive edge isn’t what you make—it’s what you know and how well you deliver it.
The challenge? That knowledge still lives in tribal conversations. Phone calls. Inbox threads. Field notes.
And meanwhile, your buyer is Googling.
They’re not looking for spec sheets. They’re looking for confidence. For clarity. For someone who’s already answered the question they haven’t even fully formed yet.
You can be that someone.
The best distributors aren’t winning because of price alone. They’re winning because they help their customers make faster, smarter decisions—with content that guides, not sells.
Here are five high-impact articles any master distributor can publish to do exactly that.
1. “What Impacts the Price of [Industrial Product] and How to Buy Smarter”
This isn’t a pricing list. It’s a trust builder.
Whether you’re selling bulk wire, ball valves, or blast-resistant lighting, every buyer wants to know: What should I expect to pay—and what makes that price go up or down?
Instead of ducking the question, answer it. Transparently.
- What impacts cost? (Raw materials, copper/aluminum/steel indexes, volume brackets, freight, tariffs)
- What are common cost-saving levers? (Bundling, scheduled orders, substitutions)
- What does buying smarter look like for your most experienced customers?
This kind of article filters out bad-fit leads, shortens quoting cycles, and positions your company as the kind of partner who tells it straight.
2. “The Most Common Ordering Mistakes—and How to Avoid Them”
If you want to create trust and reduce support load in one shot, publish the truth.
What do customers mess up when they order from you?
- Wrong part number suffixes?
- Ordering without checking voltage or size?
- Missing required accessories?
- Failing to verify freight delivery windows?
Most of these are completely avoidable. And most buyers would love to avoid them.
Write this piece as if you’re handing your best customer a checklist. Not to shame them—but to help them buy like a pro.
Pro tip: this doubles as a killer sales enablement asset for onboarding new customers or inside reps.
3. “[Product Line] vs. [Product Line]: Which Is Right for Your Application?”
Comparisons are one of the most powerful content types for distributors—because buyers are rarely 100% sure what they need.
An engineer might be choosing between flexible conduit and EMT.
A buyer might be comparing brand-name PPE with private label.
A contractor might not know if they should go with MC cable or Romex.
Don’t expect them to figure it out by skimming 14 spec sheets.
Lay it out for them:
- What are the use cases?
- Where does one outperform the other?
- What matters most at decision time: price, performance, or spec compliance?
When you help buyers choose with confidence, you don’t just win the sale—you become their go-to for future decisions.
4. “How to Spec, Source, and Receive Your Material with Zero Surprises”
This is the “What’s it like to work with us?” article—disguised as a buyer guide.
It doesn’t talk about your mission statement or your legacy. It talks about their process and how to make it easier.
Explain:
- How you help with spec confirmation or alternatives
- How quoting and lead time communication works
- What they should expect on delivery day (liftgate, MRO lockers, kitted packaging?)
- What happens if something goes wrong
This is the article that helps the sourcing manager breathe easier and say:
“Okay. These guys have done this before.”
5. “What Makes a Great Distribution Partner? 7 Questions to Ask Before You Place Your Next Order”
This is your “why us” article—but written for the buyer.
Don’t pitch. Teach.
Frame it like you’re giving them a checklist to evaluate any distributor—not just you. That shows confidence, expertise, and honesty.
Example questions:
- Do they help you avoid overbuying—or push volume for margin?
- Do they stock what you need—or drop-ship and hope?
- Do they offer application guidance—or just move boxes?
This piece works great as a hand-raiser, a sales follow-up, and a credibility builder. It's also a subtle way to expose your competitors’ weak spots—without naming names.
Final Word
Distributors don’t need more product pages. They need better buyer guidance.
You already know what slows down the sale. You already know what your customers get wrong. And you already know what your top reps say over and over again.
Put that into writing. Into videos. Into searchable, shareable, trust-building content.
That’s how you stop being just a source. And start becoming the source.
👉 Want help building these articles and a full content strategy around your product lines?
View Packages & Pricing – The Right Horse helps master distributors create real content that answers customer questions and drives real revenue.
