February 13, 2009 in Blog by Coach Mark Davis

What I learned about Sales at the Shoe Fair

I taught a few new ideas at my workshops at the Shoe fair. But the most interesting thing is seeing what real vendors are doing in real life. In this fair, we tried on a hat.

The sales representatives, who had spent about $10,000 on a stand, on their display, their flights, accomodation and more… were sitting in chairs looking tired!

They didn’t want to help fit the hat, didn’t ask exploratory questions, didn’t want to do anything!

This is the difference between retail fairs I think, and Car shows.

At car shows, they put bikini models in front of $20,000 cars to get people to get close to the product. They have good looking people making the products look even better. And they put their best, in front of the new releases, the $250,000 concept cars, the Hummers, the Limousines, the F1 beasts…

Most retailers could benefit from this concept. Even though its a trade show, where most buyers are store owners, franchise group buyers and online vendors… you need to sell some sizzle with your product.

The best display for me at this show was the Levis Jeans/Shoes concept. They did something that had everyone talking about the show, and their stand in particular.

1. They put in a pool table, a bar, and made fruit juice cocktails for everyone walking around the show. Whats the natural thing to ask? Where did you get that??? And people spread the word.

2. They had music like you would expect in a home pool/rumpus room, it was a happening place. So you could place yourself in the environment of the product, and see how it would look. A long way from a white wall with samples.

3. They had young people marketing the product, looking beautiful, healthy, vibrant and full of energy. That energy is transmitted to everyone who came to the display, and they carried it around the rest of the show.

Now I love this hat, and Adri did look good. But if I was going to order 100 of them I’d want a bit more from the sales people/manufacturers marketing it.

Something for the future maybe.

Mark