From boosting sales to expanding your clientele, trunk shows can create momentum for your brand
(image via pehub.com)
For established brands and designers, trunk shows are integral to business growth. Not only are they fun, but they also deliver benefits for you, your retail partners and your customers. Here are a few reasons to pack up your merchandise and host one:
1. Generate sales
A trunk show means profits for you and the store. It can supplement your current sales channel and add to your bottom line in the midst of a seasonal downtime.
For retailers, trunk shows are an opportunity to gain additional sales without buying new inventory. They could even attract new customers from the traffic generated by your special event. Plus, your merchandise adds to their product mix, and stores like being able to offer customers something new.
Trunk shows are an affordable way to generate excitement around your label and your host's store
2. Build your brand
Another huge benefit of trunk shows is getting face time with — along with direct feedback from — the very people buying your collection, especially if they have never met you. Use this opportunity to talk about your current line, as well as to find out what clients would like to see from you in the future.
3. Test drive your new collection
By offering a sneak preview of your next collection, you could use the event to gauge potential interest in new merchandise you are still finalizing.
To get the most out of a trunk show, network to expand the pool of your potential stockists
4. Strengthen retail partnerships
At a trunk show, retailers get to audition you for a possible part in their store by testing your merchandise with shoppers. If customers are excited about your offerings, the boutique will be more likely to place an order.
5. Expand your reach and attract new clientele
By partnering with a store you may not have worked with, you gain exposure to their customers, thus expanding your client base.
Now that you know why putting on a trunk show is a good idea, stay tuned for tips on how to stage a successful event.
About The Author: BridgeShowroom
Ken Nachbar is a co-founder and partner in Bridge Showroom. Ken loves working with designers, helping them open new doors, find new customers, and grow their businesses. With bachelor's degree in economics and an MBA from the University of Michigan, Ken combines 25 years of management skill and experience with his passion for fashion.
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