Moda, Magic, Coterie, Project, so many shows and so expensive to do. There was a time when you just showed up and you could book business. That is no longer the case. As business at retail gets tougher the shows are not as successful for manufacturers as they used to be. That requires you to pull out all the stops to insure you do well.
I still find brands doing little or nothing to market their booths. Yes, many make them pretty. They have line sheets and swatch cards and maybe a look book too. However without the sales and marketing component in place you basically are crossing your fingers and hoping for the best. And that never works. So here are the 5 steps I suggest.
- Make sure your sample line looks amazing, not just good but great. You should have correct fabrics and colors in good quality. They should coordinate and make a strong presentation. If your line is not well put together or the samples aren’t correct it is a red flag to a buyer and will cause her to move on.
- Have all the collateral materials you need. Being organized and making it easy to buy is important. So have business cards, swatches, correct line sheets, order forms, and a press book if you have one.
- Teach your staff how to sell. I once was at a show looking through the rack of a line and the salesperson didn’t even stand up. She told me the delivery and not much else. That was a missed opportunity for the line.
- Contact your accounts before market to try to set up an appointments. They won’t always give you one but you want to be on their radar. That doesn’t mean one email announcing the opening. It means a series of emails over several weeks, along with something you mail, as well as calling them on the phone until you get to speak to your buyer.
- Finally do not forget the follow up. Call after the show to get orders from people who saw the line but didn’t place their paper. It is also nice to send a thank you note to the ones who did.
