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Tomorrow, I am going to a great, new local boutique for a "showing." As I prepare for this meeting, I wanted to share a few tips with fellow emerging designers on how to properly prepare and present yourself (and your product) to a new potential client.
I consider a showing to be an interview, plain and simple. In order to be adequately prepared, I always make sure that I first scout the location to see what kind of additional jewelry lines they may carry; I look at the overall aesthetic of the boutique (are they high-end, french provencal themed, more small tangibles and home goods, etc.); I look to see if they carry familiar, popular brands, or if they focus on "hard-to-find labels." All of these factors help me determine how to best present my line.
As I've focused on in previous blog entries, I always (almost without exception) email the store with photos of my line first, and direct them to my website to garner more interest. I present a professional, succinct email that contains product information, photos, pricepoints, and an offer to provide proof of consistent sales and professionalism from existing boutique "clients." If the boutique or gallery has a similar business sensibility, often they'll email back appreciatively and schedule an in-person showing. If they operate a little differetly than how I operate my business, I may never hear back from them.
If I do, I tailor my showing by choosing to feature specific products in my production line (for example, I may focus on more chunky necklaces than I do small rings; I may show more "avant-garde" products in one store, and more conservative, refind products in another). This not only allows me to be more prepared in a showing, it also tells the boutique owner that I have prepared myself with their store, specifically, in mind.
Additionally, I always go in with more product to show than I need. At the Beehive, I've seen potential designers walk in with two pieces of product to show, and walk away without a contract as a featured designer. In order for a store to see what you do and who you are as a designer, you must be prepared to show samples of your entire body of work, including pieces you're working on for upcoming seasons.
When preparing your products for the meeting, be sure package each piece individually; necklaces and bracelets thrown into a box with no attention or care may not show you in the best possible light. Also, be sure to have marketing materials prepared to show, including business cards, labels, print-outs of media or press coverages you've received, etc. Finally, be prepared to show you're organized: It's important to have an inventory sheet ready to hand to the store if product has already been discussed; if not, have an empty one on hand in the event the store wants to keep products right away.
Finally, never, never, never leave the store without having a consignment agreement in-hand. If you leave your product in a store without a contract, your product may not be appropriately covered by the store's insurance in the event of loss or theft. This is an important factor that has hit most designers hard when dealing with stores on a consignment basis.
With all of these steps, you should be well on your way to having an excellent showing, and a new boutique on your roster. Happy pavement-pounding, all!
Until next time, Creative People....
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As you all have probably read in previous posts from other Bee Blog contributors, the approach many boutiques are taking toward selecting and purchasing the product lines for their stores has dramatically changed in the recent months. In recent months, many boutiques and galleries that previously purchased their products wholesale from designers are now asking for consignment agreements with their vendors, instead.
It's always a thrill to be contacted and chosen by a boutique to sell your products. However, how do you work with boutique and gallery owners under consignment arrangements, and still protect your own product?
I'm a rare designer that likes consignment. In addition to doing monthly festivals and having wholesale accounts with several boutique clients, I also have many store clients with whom I have consignment agreements. Bottom line? I like consignment because I like receiving a monthly check that supplements my income in between wholesale orders.
So, how do you deal with a consignment boutique/gallery client without getting "burned?" You have a choice to be selective in how you choose in what kind of stores you'll allow to sell your wares.
Before contacting a store, I always do sufficient research to see how much I could learn about the store, their reputation, and the owner's relationship the vendors. Reputation is everything, and when you read or hear something bad from several sources, there may be some edifice to that information.
So, here's a small checklist you can follow in order to determine whether or not a store is right for you:
- Look up the boutique's website. Do they have one? If so, is it updated and current? Does it list participating designers?
- See how many years the store has been open. Is it brand new? If the boutique has been open more than 3 years, it most likely has stable ownership/management (although exceptions always exist).
- Contact the store with a professional sounding email. Do they answer you expeditiously? Does the owner seem to falter at your professionalism? If so, it may not be the right place for you.
- Did the owner/buyer keep his or her appointment with you, or were they tardy or cancel the appointment altogether? If so, it may not be the right place for you.
- See a list of existing designers in the store. Remember, you want to be in "good company" and want to make sure the store doesn't carry brands that directly compete with your product.
- Will the owner allow you to provide a consignment contract? Does the store have its own for you? If so, then things look pretty good.
- Is the owner bent out of shape about you dropping in to see how your product is displayed? Do they like your interest in protecting your product? Both of these questions are pertinent in determining whether the boutique is right for you.
- Check websites like www.yelp.com and your local city guide reviews to see what people are saying about the boutique. After all, what the customer thinks is important and directly reflects what future buyers may think about the store.
All in all, these steps will help you make the right determination as to whether or not a boutique is right to sell your wares. Every boutique and boutique owner is not made equal, and it's important for you to create long-lasting relationships with other successful ventures by where you both can grow your businesses and earn money. Making your own checklist is the first step toward that goal.
until next time, Creative People......
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