Tips for Trunk Shows
With the many holiday festivities, come the exciting shopping opportunities. Celebrated as a shopping tradition, the trunk show has become a mainstay for many shoppers. Traditionally understood as a travelling trunk of products, trunk shows are where designers, artisans or vendors bring their merchandise directly to a boutique or other unique location for a special in-shop showing for store personnel and customers. So why should you hold a trunk show and what makes for a successful one?
For all emerging designers and smaller artist-designer lines, trunk shows can be a great opportunity to fuel your fashion business. It is a chance to introduce your brand and products to customers and new clientele. As such, you’ll be able to interact and sell your brand, ultimately receiving valuable insight and feedback. As a bonus, by partnering with other retailers or vendors your brand becomes known and potentially gains credibility. For success, these are 5 top tips for a noteworthy trunk show.
Partner with the right vendors and boutiques
Since one of the aims of the trunk show is to show your products to potential customers, choose vendors that complement your work and understand your businesses end. Same goes to boutiques, you’ll want to work with a retailer whose lines attract customers to ensure a steady flow of traffic. Ideally, you’ll want to work with a boutique whose clientele fits with your brand’s lifestyle and what it has to offer.
Plan the time
Similar to other events, trunk shows require a calendar. While timing is dependent on merchandise, there are key shopping periods throughout the year that can guarantee a high or low profitability. For instance, the holiday season is an ideal ‘selling period’ where customers are fixated in shopping eagerness. However, you’ll want to avoid sale periods, typically January, a month associated with shopping coma, the post-shock of holiday shopping.
Promote Yourself
To ensure a high probability of traffic, you’ll want strong promotion. Connect with your online social networks, and use your savvy social media skills. To promote your trunk show, you’ll need to send timely and key messages and attention filled imagery through your social channels and associated websites. For your committed clientele, send personalized email invitations, these customers are special so make the invitations seem that way too.
Have an inviting display
Plan on having an intriguing display for the trunk show, nothing that seems typical. To attract and encourage customers to visit use noticeable colour, neat arrangement of merchandise and a section that highlights the trunk show. If your section looks special and well put together, it will translate into your brand and products.
Know your story
One of the special qualities of a trunk show is the interaction you have with your customers. As such, communicate the story and inspiration behind your work, people are interested in the uniqueness and novelty of your products. If the vendor or designer is not available throughout the whole show, make sure all parties can speak accurately and knowledgeable about the products and brand.
Article written by Raylin Grace aka the Red Curl Owl with Luevo. You can follow Raylin at @raylingm