PARTNERING WITH A VENDOR FOR AN IN-STORE EVENT
Illustration adapted from : @ Shutterstock . com / Vector Draco like Vistaprint ® , that can make quick work of a post card campaign . Using services like Constant Contact ® or iContact ® allow you to do effective email blasts . Social media can also be very effective . Running targeted adds on Facebook ® may cost only $ 25 but may get you thousands of views by potential customers . Before considering a direct mail , email or social media campaign , you first need to make sure you have a solid contact list and have a social media presence . It is important to collect contact information of every one of your customers so that you have the ability to tell them about your special events , like trunk shows featuring their favorite brand ! Collect names , addresses and email information . In the digital landscape , make sure your Facebook ® page is set up ( and you are active on it ) and you are listed on Google ® . Your most interested customers for a trunk show will be your existing customers . These also are the ones most likely to be your brand advocates and will tell others of your event , so keeping good contact information is vital to have a successful day . When reaching out , don ’ t forget your referring doctors and other practices . Often they and their staff like to know what you are doing and may find a trunk show interesting .
Good advice is to partner with one of your more popular brands and , when dealing with footwear lines , to time it when new product is being released . Offering your customers the opportunity to get early access to their favorite styles may be a great incentive to brand-loyal shoppers . Your rep will bring in samples of all their styles and colors , not just the ones you carry , giving you the ability to special order product and build sales .
Besides strengthening brand association and hopefully driving sales , an in-store event gives the sales representative the chance to spend time with your staff . This is perfect training time and your crew can learn more about the features and benefits of the brand .
Partnering with a vendor on a trunk show will demonstrate your commitment to the brand while also being a signal of the brand ’ s commitment to you . For a few hundred dollars you can create an event that helps to keep you top-of-mind while also driving home additional sales .
-end
" Before considering a direct mail , email or social media campaign , you first need to make sure you have a solid contact list and have a social media presence ."
Current Pedorthics March / April 2017 33