The retail trade show season is well and truly upon us
and over this weekend and the coming week many retailers will be heading off to
the NEC Birmingham for the Spring Fair, the biggest giftware trade show in the
UK, a pilgrimage many retailers will endeavour to make!
On arrival you can sense the excitement of this huge
event as the continuous stream of coaches delivers thousands of buyers to this massive
exhibition centre. By the time you reach the afternoon point that sense of
excitement starts to wear a bit thin as the dehydration sets in, the legs and
back start to ache and the shoulders carry the weight of masses of product
catalogues and samples.
Love it or hate it, and I think the majority of retailers
love it, the Spring Fair is a great showcase of what’s on offer across the
world, from big brand companies to new up and coming start ups. There’s always
something to inspire and excite and there’s an ever flowing stream of new ideas
to take back to your own shop.
As with any big event like this if you’re going to get the
most out of it you need to go with a plan.
It’s a bit like Christmas shopping; you have a list of family and
friends to buy for, a rough idea of the type of things they like or want, and
of course most importantly, a budget to work to!
It’s very easy at these events to get caught up in the
euphoria and before you know it your own enthusiasm and those savvy sales agents
will get the better of you. By the time you get back to your shop and the
excitement has worn off you’ll have spent twice as much as you intended on a
product range that really doesn’t sit comfortably in your retail offer, I know,
I’m speaking from experience! Make a
plan and stick to it, first and foremost remember who your customers are and
what they like, have a budget (and some sales targets) and think about how and where
these products will reside once they reach your show floor. If you’re really on the ball think about how you’ll
be merchandising and marketing these new products too! One final thing, be careful of the impulse
buy, I know it’s what we want our customers to do but it’s not such a good
thing for buyers. Try to gather as much
information as you can, take it away, review the options and don’t place those
orders until your satisfied with your final edit.
So along with all the renewed acquaintances, kisses and a
few hugs (hopefully) and the aches and pains that add something extra to the
event just remember to embrace the experience and if you see me around say
hello…
All the best
Peter
#visualcommunicator #retailconsultant
#designer
tel 07907 691711
email info@artysmith2.com
No comments:
Post a Comment