When I had my handbag line I dreamed of being in stores like Henri Bendel’s, Sak’s 5th Ave, Bloomingdales, Fred Segal and many other “Superstar” stores.
But while I was still making a name for myself they seemed totally out of reach until a friend suggested that I try to do trunk shows to prove that their customers would like my bags.
So I sent letters to the various buyers suggesting that I do a trunk show in their store……the wonderful thing about trunk shows is that they don’t cost the store a dime…..you bring your products with you, and stand there and sell it. They get the retail mark up on it, and you get your normal wholesale price so everyone wins. Usually they’ll do some email marketing and let their mailing list subscribers know you will be there….
Remember: Buyers are always looking for the next “hot thing” {a.k.a the next bread slicer} and if they are on the fence about buying your product, a trunk show can be the best way to prove that their customers will buy your stuff.
They all eventually said YES, and I was off and running…… I loved selling directly to customers as it gave me a chance to see their response to my line, talk to them, get feedback and because I was good at it, I could usually get them to buy one or two bags.
Don’t slack off: The most important thing about doing trunk shows is to market the heck out of it. NEVER rely on the store to do that for you. Yes, like I mentioned, they will usually email their subscribers about it. Some may even have a postcard out by the register for a couple weeks……. but if you are going to be in a major city like New York, it’s up to you to let the world know.
I did massive email marketing to my list about it…….sometimes 2-3 times a week to remind them that I was going to be there. I encouraged them to come visit me even if it was just to say hello…. because I knew I could get them to buy something if they made the effort to come meet me. Once a young woman sent her parents to meet me and buy her a bag as they were on vacation in NYC when I did my second trunk show at Henri Bendel’s……They called her so I could say “hello”, and suggest which bag she should get…….. not kidding!
The important thing to remember here is that most of the subscribers on your list will be impressed that you are doing the trunk show at a prestigious store and won’t mind all the reminders…….. It will elevate you in their minds and they’ll wish they could go.
Last tip: I usually offered a coupon code to those who couldn’t make it…… I’d say something like this: ” If you couldn’t make it to my trunk show at XYZ store yesterday, which was a huge success, I want to offer you 25% off any of the items below”. {Add images of the items you want to offer for a discount}. This is really just another way to offer a sale that is related to something other than a holiday…..and you can make some quick cash!
Go ahead and send a letter to your dream store and let me know what happens!
Learn more of my secrets here……its free!
Want to express your opinion?
Leave a reply!
I wanted to say thank you again to you for helping me connect with the Notanonymous showroom in NYC.…
With Sarah’s help and guidance I was able to get my product into the hands of 5 hot TV set dressers …
Working with Sarah has been an amazing experience. Her knowledge about everything is mind-blowing a…
I’ve been getting Sarah’s Instantly Famous notes for years. I’ve been listening to her, reading her …
When I first started working with Sarah I had a garage full of my Bathroom Bagonia’s and didn’t know…
“I came to Sarah with just the seed of an idea, a pile of sketches, and a bundle of nerves. I left w…
“In just one hour on the phone, Sarah gave me clarity in my pricing and bottom line… Our new product…
Sarah Shaw is like Google, the entire How To section of Barnes and Nobles, Consumer Report and Yoda …
“With just one little tweak of Sarah’s expertise, I amplified the results of this new launch by 60…
“If you have dreamed of hitting it big, and your product has any kind of ‘it’ factor, as Sarah often…
3 days ago
I’m going to teach you my trick to avoid Tradeshows.
Do you wonder when your buyers are buying?
I can pretty much guarantee (99% at least) that most of your buyers are following Tradeshow dates, and attending when possible, and that they buy on the same cycles as the Tradeshows.
And the good news is that they want to see what you have to offer too, even if you are NOT GOING to a Tradeshow.
.
.
#sarahshawconsulting #entreprenette #tradeshows #marketing #fashion #getastreetsmartmba ... See MoreSee Less
How to Avoid Tradeshows - Sarah Shaw Consulting
sarahshawconsulting.com
I’m going to teach you my trick to avoid Tradeshows. Do you wonder when your buyers are buying? I can pretty much guarantee (99% at least) that most of your buyers are following Tradeshow dates, and attending when possible, and that they buy on the same cycles as the Tradeshows. And the good news ...1 week ago
“Where there is great love there are always miracles." - Willa Cather.
Happy Valentine's Day ... See MoreSee Less
2 weeks ago
Excited to be on Product Launch Hazzard's Podcast today. Thank you Tracy Leigh Hazzard for having me on.
.
.
#sarahshawconsulting #hazzdesign #celebritygifting #entreprenette ... See MoreSee Less
Celebrity Product Placement Process That Actually Works with Sarah Shaw
productlaunchhazzards.com
Sarah Shaw talks about the Celebrity Product Placement Process which crafted this trend of endorsement and marketing into a new mold.2 weeks ago
Designing Fall now? The new Pantone colors are out for Fall 2019. Don't get behind on your new collection.
.
.
#sarahshawconsulting #entreprenette #pantone ... See MoreSee Less
2 weeks ago
Exciting news!
What are you waiting for? Time to JUMP and get on this bandwagon and make as much money as possible with your product this year.
.
.
#sarahshawconsulting #entreprenette #getastreetsmartMBA #fashion #marketing #sales ... See MoreSee Less
US Retail Sales Expected to Top $3.8 Trillion in 2019
businessoffashion.com
A healthy economy and rising wages in 2018 gave consumers the confidence to shop and splash out on retailers' annual holiday season bargains.© 2009-2019 Entreprenette LLC. Entreprenette® is a registered Trademark of Sarah Shaw