Yesterday I was at a sales meeting for one of my clients. The sales rep and I discussed increasing sales for this brand. The brand sold great stores and were doing well, but, not well enough. I felt strongly that sales should be more vibrant. Of course the sales team was contacting new possible stores to sell, that was a given. What I absolutely wanted to do was increase sales with the stores the line was already selling. That is where my super power comes into play. I am really good at this. I can take a store from zero business to a multi million dollar account. I know this because I have done this my whole career.
This is how I do it. I make sure the stores I sell to are incredibly successful with my product. Because that is truly how you build a business. If the stores make money with your line then they will give you more of their open to buy. I do this in the many ways. The following are my tips:
- I make sure my line is great! It fits well, stylish, trend right, and good value. At the beginning of designing any new season my design team and I review the previous season to analyze what sold and what didn’t. Then we move away from the unsuccessful styles and expand on the successes.
- I work closely with my accounts speaking to them and getting selling reports. Finding out what is selling well in order to get reorders and looking at strategies to move through the failing ones will increase the stores success.
- I visit the stores during the season doing either doing trunk shows or personal appearances. I learn so much about my accounts businesses and their customers doing this. While, additionally selling more product while I am on the floor.
- I look for ways to promote my line in their stores. It can be through social media, ads, or promotions. I also find ways to give them some of their products with extra margins to increase profitability.
- Finally I am always studying the market. Knowing what my competition is doing plus what is trending in the industry keeps me up to date and able to anticipate the challenges that may lie ahead.
This is my super power. How can you make it yours?
