Posts filed under 'Sales & Marketing'
Anybody remember me saying I was going to make 10 sales contacts a day? Oh my gosh -that is SO hard to do. I’m still keeping it as a lofty goal because it pushes me to make more and more contacts, but I’m no where near 10 contacts a day. More like 2 or 3, but I’m trying. I’m also starting to focus on how we’re going to bring sales people on board. How I can move beyond just myself for sales. I have a girl to get in touch with, I owe her an apology because I thought we were ready for a sales rep a few months ago, but we just weren’t anywhere near ready. Now, we’re getting a lot closer.
I have a good friend who loves our stuff and wants to start working on pr and getting us into boutiques. She’s in a completely different part of the country from me, so that’s an added “new territory” bonus. I’ll work on getting her a sales kit and then she’ll be the first one I train in sales. ha that’s funny, me training in sales. But I have learned a lot, so I can at least help with scripts and how to answer questions, how to make the cold calls, how to book appointments, and blah blah blah.
I need “closing the sale” training. Last night, we ended up with two life insurance salesmen at our door (long story). I could pick out each of the standard sales techniques as they used it - and no they didn’t work. What I did notice is that they sounded too practiced. This pointed out to me the importance of putting potential clients at ease. We’re all just people, just have a conversation. But it’s so hard to remember when my nerves are wracked up walking into a boutique and my brain is running through the upcoming presentation. Just chill out, I need to remember to just chill out.
June 20th, 2007
I work with a variety of contractors to get my products produced. I haven’t worked with an all-in-one job shop, where they do everything from pattern making to final production. My contractors are spread around town, and each runs their own business. My pattern maker is in the north part of our county, sample maker / sewing contractor in the middle part of our county and the cutter is in the south part of the county. The blankets are produced by yet another contractor.
I’m not sure which model is best, but this one works for me for now. I definitely have more control over each phase of the process, because I have checks between each phase. I also definitely have more logistics to deal with this way. I could ship my stuff around, but I generally pick stuff up myself. Especially patterns and samples.
I also like talking face-to-face with each contractor at the drop-off point. Whether it’s a quick clarification of my technical sketch or a question about a missing input for the sample (such as fringe that hasn’t come in yet), there are always things to talk about and to clarify.
But, this model also creates sourcing problems at times. Like right now, when one grader / cutter went out of business. I found a replacement grader a few months ago, but now I need to find a replacement cutter. Luckily, my sewing contractor had someone to recommend who he thinks takes small jobs. So that’s where I’ll start.
So, nothing is ever settled or completely “in place”, and this should be seen as a good thing. It means you’re growing and still going.
June 19th, 2007
Yesterday was actually a good show for us -even though the show was slow. It didn’t occur to me that it was Memorial Weekend until about a day before the show. So I actually expected it would be slow, not necessarily the biggest shopping day of the year. But it was a good bet for us, to be the only baby company there. I’m going to target more of those shows - aiming for the gift crowd. It was a high-end show, the women’s and men’s lines were designer lines; so this helps. We are trend-setting, so trend-setters are our target audience right now. The ones that want to be the cool aunt more than the parents themselves. Almost everyone that bought from us yesterday bought a gift.
It took me three hours of stop-n-go traffic to get home. The show was way up in Studio City, about 20 minutes north of downtown LA. It was a long day. I’m so thankful that it is Sunday and I’m actually taking it easy. The down day after a trade show is always good to get your head back on.
Which is different than slowing your head down. Always going a hundred miles an hour in my head. I’m doing better about meditating, and taking some breathers in the day. But I’m always planning, what to do next, what to do better. This week, I’m going boutiqueing. Focus on sales. Keep my sales cycle in full swing.
Anyhow, people just ate our stuff up. We even did well amongst the other vendors. We sold a little of everything too. This is also encouraging - to have people like most of our stuff. Sold some samples I had manufactured about three years ago, and they were still hot & sold well. So, I want to locate a number of these cheap, quick, one-day shows and see how that works out.
Have a good weekend!
May 27th, 2007
Well, here we go, we just picked up another event for this weekend. Should just be a simple cash ‘n carry show for us. It’s amazing how far you come in three trade shows. Far enough that I feel like I can pick up a show this weekend and be fine because I’ve got the display all set. Sample blankets, hanging chains and hooks, tables and table cloths, and signage!!! This booth size is different, but smaller, not bigger, so we’ll work it. It’s just a one day show up in LA. Zip up and then back down again by that night.
We’re going to be the only baby brand there. As far as I know at least. This is a calculated risk. But I think it’s wise. Our customers are just as often the aunt or friend as the mom or grandma. The target of this event is the high-fashion crowd between the ages of 25-45. If they’re not pregnant, they know someone who is or someone who has been recently.
The other thing that makes me feel good about this is that both my partner and I feel it’s a good idea. Which, in business, is a rarer occurance than you might think. Plus, it’s super cheap. So, I’m going to go up and see what it’s all about. See if the risk pays off. In San Diego, there is a similar fashion / cash n’ carry show that is growing in popularity. I’ve been wanting to be the first baby brand at the San Diego one for awhile, so this will tell me if it’s wise.
This is part of the extra nuttiness that we’ve poured on top of our apparel manufacturing business by running a direct sales, or retail, side to our business. Maybe it’s too much craziness. Time will tell. For now, it’s working. For now, we like targeting both wholesale customers and retail customers, so we’re going to keep it going.
I owe some of you out there some info and I’ll get it to you in the next couple of days!
Three days to showtime! And I’m excited about it.
May 23rd, 2007
Wow, what a novel concept, a consistent sales cycle actually pays off. We picked up a new account yesterday, and it’s a great boutique, so it’ll be great. I’m holding myself to all the “pseudo appointments” I make - by which I mean those appointments where a sales rep has told me when the owner will be in the store next. That’s how I landed the account yesterday. And here’s a little tidbit of information that might speak to why persistence pays off: I had been to that boutique two times before, and I had left my catalog both times. When I met the owner yesterday, she said she hadn’t seen either of them.
I’ve learned that the owners / buyers will rarely, if ever, actually “get back to you”. You have to call back, you have to keep trying. But it’ll work, eventually you’ll get in, and if nothing else, your company name will start to ring in their ears. I know this from companies that won’t stop calling us to carry their lines in our boutique - even if I’m not ready to buy, I know the name of those few companies over all the other competitors out there.
Now, I have to see if I can stay persistent. Today starts my catalog follow-up calls. I’m trying to track the whole darn process. For all the catalogs that got mailed out last Friday, I have follow-up calls today. Catalogs have really, really gone out every day, at a steady pace of three a day, since last Friday. And we’ve got a new account rolling - so I’m going to keep going with it.
I also met an owner yesterday who didn’t buy anything. I have to say that they both loved the reversible baby poncho we have - the same one people were willing to wait for at Baby Celebration - but both said they couldn’t take it in until winter. When I was at KIDShow, a lot of the vendors were telling me the market is changing - that buyers want to buy for the current season. This would alter a lot of things about the manufacturing process.Worthy of a seperate post.
Yesterday was an especially good day because the package which got lost so long ago has finally been replaced. Never found the old one, but I created two brand new custom-designed blankets and they have been delivered. Talk about blowing away a black cloud - that was hanging over my head for two months with all the drama. But it’s over, and they were beautiful blankets in the perfect colors this time - so in the end it was better to get a “do-over”. I’m just happy it’s over. YES!!!!
May 10th, 2007
So, today I started using Business Contact Manager in Outlook. I’m finally starting to monitor and standardize my sales process. From first email pitch to getting the close. So, I’m starting to use MS Outlook Business Contact Manager and it isn’t as great as I thought it was. Just the other day, I came across an article on great free software that would help any and every business owner. Now, I hope I can find that article again, because it had a link to a free sales management tool. Just want something that tracks the sales cycle for me and gives me reminders of what the heck I’m supposed to be doing on any given day.
I’m trying to implement a method to the madness. Catalog goes out - follow up x amount of days later - and these follow-ups are actually schedule on my calendar. I never wanted to be a sales person. Here I am, making it my number one priority because it is just where we’re at in our business. Unless we get some miraculous financing, it’s me doing the sales. I know that we should get a sales person, but I need to build up enough of a business that I’m able to handle (financially) the amount of orders a dedicated salesperson would bring in.
But, this is not far in the future, and we already have a cool lady who is on board and ready to start when we are. This is where goals comes into play. I should make that my next task - to sit down and set some concrete goals for sales. I need to learn sales forecasting, and how would I know what sort of quotas to set for a sales associate if I did have one?
I have confidence in myself, I can do this. (This is part of the daily pep talk I give myself to keep going). A consistent pattern will increase our sales greatly - everyday requested catalogs are going out, pitch emails and pitch postcards are going out, follow-up phone calls are being made, and boutique appointments are happening. I can do this, I believe in myself. I’ll keep you posted as to how it’s going - but my number of hits and contacts is already increasing tenfold, so there’s no way it won’t help. Talking up the business; we’re in the “talking up the business” phase.
Congrats to my husband who just coached his team to league champions - and he deserves a BIG congrats. It was a great game, and I also owe my kids a big thanks for hanging in there and being really good, which meant I actually got to watch most of the game!
May 8th, 2007
We spent this past weekend at a big cash-n-carry show. We learned so much I can’t believe it. I highly recommend this experience to everyone who is launching their own line. I can’t tell you how invaluable it was to have so much direct contact with retail buyers - the end users of our products. We got a lot of feedback, we have a better idea of what will sell, and we learned more about pitching our line to customers - so we know our selling points a little better.
The biggest lesson we learned at this past show was how much sales depend on the booth display and the product presentation. We were leaps and bounds above where we’ve been in the past, because we had some awesome banners and graphic signs this time. But we were surprised by different wall heights than we expected and then we, well, basically had a lot to learn.
The first day, we didn’t have enough product out. I can’t say enough about selection, selection, selection. Show the buyers that you have a lot of choices. My husband describes it as “have more than they take in with a simply walk-by”. You need teasers to grab their attention, and then you enough choices to pull them in.
We even switched up our display for the last three hours of the show, and our sales increased dramatically during those three hours. We moved both tables to the front, filled them with nicely-organized product, and added a couple of signs.
We are now eagerly planning for the next show, we feel like we’re slowly coming into our own, now that we’re getting past the initial first-few-shows shock. By all counts, the ABC show is supposed to BIG this year, so we’re setting our eyes on standing out there and merchandising our product well.
The signs helped. Now we’ll work on extra shelving and display options for the rest of the booth. All in the name of pulling the buyer into our booth to look for more.
The worst this weekend was the booth next to us had this HUGE easel that completely blocked the view of our booth for people coming down the aisle. It was completely beyond regulation and it took us almost the whole two days of the show to fight with that one and get her to lower it so it wasn’t blocking us and unfairly trapping attention. I’ve decided there’ll be all types at every show. I would never dream of doing that to a neighbor, but I guess if you’re desperate…
May 2nd, 2007
Here we are again, just barely over two weeks out from a major event and I don’t feel prepared at all. The next two weeks will be a big crunch. As usual. It seems there is something “new” about each event. This is a retail & wholesale event, so we’ll have to be prepared for the cash ‘n carry aspect of the show.
Not to mention guestimating the right amount of product to have on-hand. Tomorrow we’ll have a status check meeting. I feel like I’m getting a lot more serious about running this business, by which I mean the admin aspects of it. Which are gruesome to me, but would be less-so if I just got it together. This is always the case though.
There is a lot of admin stuff to focus on for this event. Coupons and brochures, order forms and ready-receipts. I somehow need to figure out how much and exactly what we’ll bring for product. Our signature product, our personalized blankets, are easy. We just need the few display blankets, order brochures and gift certificates. It’s the headbands and graphic tees that we need to estimate.
There is really a lot of buzz around this event. Customers and acquaintances are asking us if we’ll be there, so that’s a good sign for advertising of the event. I need to get more excited about it. We have to figure out how we’ll get the kids covered for the weekend again. One of the issues of being in business with your life partner, the balance is usually awesome, but when an event like this comes up, the logistics are difficult.
I’m going to be a lot more consistent about posting too. I have so many aspects of the business that I need to get a grip on, from the advertising plan to the book keeping, so posting about it all as I go along will help me to keep it moving too.
April 11th, 2007
I disappeared last week due to being completely overwhelmed and completely dedicated to staying on course. I failed in ways, but made great leaps and bounds in others. I’ve been on a consistent, steady stream of sales appointments, my next of which I leave for in an hour. And it’s not even really with the buyer, and I can’t really get myself in the mood for it. So, I’m dedicating my next half-hour to getting myself grounded and getting myself “in it”. The most amazing hummingbird is hovering outside the window, and the over-grown milk-weeds have brought a bright yellow-breasted bird to perch.
Am I ready? I need a price list and a quick catalog. Get them printed up. Get them printed up. Plus, I have to get myself ready Which means I have no time to sit here dawdling about the birds and their colors. But its for precisely that which I’m yearning. A few moments that aren’t take up, gobbled in schedules and needs. I have to find those few moments for me.
They just aren’t these moments. Now it’s about going out and getting another sale; landing another location. Creating a new relationship.
April 2nd, 2007
So, my new goal is 10 sales contacts a day. All in the name of momentmum. I didn’t get anywhere near the 10 calls yesterday, but I got out and made a great sales call. Cold call. Had business in an area of the county that we don’t have our products in yet, so I looked up baby boutiques in the area, got directions, and walked on in.
Getting ahold of the owner / buyer
On Monday, I did make 10 sales phone calls and got ahold of no owners or buyers. Left a lot of messages, but I also know I’ll have to leave a lot of messages with those people and still keep my fingers crossed that someone might return the call me back.
Which is why those boutiques will get postcards before the next round of calls. So they can see a picture and understand that when I say “Amazing hand-appliqued personalized blankets” I mean it. Also so they have a frame of reference when they hear my name and company on the next message.
On the other hand, 7 out of 10 times that I’ve waltzed into a boutique to “drop off a catalog”, I’ve run into either the owner or buyer. So, while I’ve been told to do a lot of the contacts before making the actual sales call, I’ve had better luck just going for it.
It seems that in the children’s industry, a lot of the baby boutiques are run by the owner, or at least the owners are very involved and often on-site. The cold call method wouldn’t work as well in areas that are far from me, but if I’m on the road anyways, I try to stop by boutiques that are on my way to my destination.
The see / touch / feel difference
Even when I’ve run into the owner I often get “I’m really busy can you just leave a catalog?”. I say sure, I have one blanket to show while I’m getting out the catalog and price list for you. This is usually all it takes to evoke a conversation. Once I’ve got the blanket out of my sample bag and in their hands, they can see and feel the difference and unique qualities of our products; they can see the potential for their store. I start talking - I start with the sales pitch. The value they get “Invest in one display blanket and sell endless blankets.”
Make sure that your sales pitch is intrigueing and that you know the value of your product to them. You’ll largely learn this value by getting out and listening to what the owners / buyers have to say about your stuff, what kind of questions they ask. And each sales call you complete will build your confidence; your boosted confidence will help in the next sales call.
March 21st, 2007
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