Shopping Secrets of the Pros

Sorry I  have been amiss with keeping up. This was an article and comments I found that might be of interest to all of you.

How to Promote and Sell Forever New Products

Forever New customers are a very loyal group of people. To build a good customer base for the product it is necessary to get them to try the product by buying a bottle or giving them samples. (We manufacture the little .33 oz packets so you can use them to build your business, they really are not travel packs.)

This is not a product that jumps into the hands of the customer. We are not well known as we do not advertise and, as we are selective where we put our products. We are considered a premium luxury product.

You and your staff need to build the clientele:

Chat it up!

Endorse the product by using it yourself.

Know why the product is different and effective. (Train your staff.)

Consistently present the product and literature with every purchase.

Give the product importance by making it visible.

• Incorporate the bottles in your displays or in one large prominent display.
• Put small signs in the dressing rooms.
• Suggest it when you have resistance to the price of garments, as a $100 bra. This will prolong the life of the bra.
• Give a sample to add value to the purchase and say “thank you”.
• Use the little stickers we provide for hang tags and packages that say you recommend the Forever New to prolong the life of the garment.

Forever New products can make you money.

• An online store purchased $26,000+ last year and is past that already this year and it is only June. She consistently put a sample in every order for several years.
• A Chicago area customer, who started in March, has already purchased over $4000.00. The store owner does not want any customer to leave without a bottle!
• The small and medium retailers outsell the “big” stores in their area.

There are many more examples I could give you!

How to save money to apply to your bottom line.

• Take advantage of our twice a year sales to get discounts.
• Take advantage of our discounted shipping rates by ordering in quantity.
• Pay by credit card to get an extra 2% off the purchase total.
• Take advantage of our co op advertising program. Earn 5% of your purchased total for the previous 12 months, with proof of ad. This amount can be applied to your balance.
• Encourage your staff to use our Sales Incentive Rewards program to earn a bit of cash.

Customer Support and Literature

Sorry I have been gone for so long, but the Spring Sale took over my extra time. I finally think I have figured out how to post documents and literature for you to see and use from this site. To the right are links to the free literature etc. for you. Just add them to your order!

What Will They Think of Next

Maybe some of you do not realize what takes up alot of my day.... I hunt for new customers and check on existing ones too. There are a number of directories I use and try to find the store's website or facebook page, so I can qualify them before calling. I am not to call the more racey and adult stores, but that is ok by me, besides their customers are not interested in buying a $15 bottle of fabric wash, when the lingerie is not much more.
So now you know how I come up with what I share on this blog.
I am in my early 60's and have been around the block a time or two, so not alot shocks or surprises me, but recently I have had a few jaw dropping moments, which I want to share.

This is one of the stranger novelties I have come across. A Brazilian company offers a "Find me if you can" lingerie line, Lucia Lorio says the set includes a lacy bodice, faux pearl collar, and a bikini bottom. Now that is not really so unusual, but read on. I do hope they also make a nice set for our male counterparts.

Another one that really gave me a giggle has been out a few years now, but I have not noticed anyone selling it. The comments about these bra gadgets were pretty good too.

What do you think of this ladies??? Have you been selling them in your shops?

Retirement after 73 years?

This is a great article on loyalty and dedication of Cleo Cummings , a 73 year veteran of Macy's.

Do you suppose they gave this gal a gold watch? It always amazes me how long some people stay with one company. Personally I would love to meet this gal. I give her a standing ovation!

What do you all think?

How does your fitting room rate?

Having a pleasant fitting room is essential, but I had not thought about it in regards to increasing your sales. This is an interesting article from the WSJ. How would you rate your fitting room? Would you agree with this article? Love to hear your feedback.

Samples Ideas and Info

I think I have previously discussed how important samples can be to promote a product and add value to a sale. It is simple if you and your staff gets into the habit of consistently making it part of closing the sale. (Don’t forget we offer Sales Incentive Rewards to your sales staff with no cost or work for you. The more they sell, the more they can earn.)

My opinion is the biggest return is when it is offered with a few words at time of sale, rather than in a gift bag at an event, etc. because the customer is in a buying mood already. It is just good ol’ power of suggestion!

The samples should be kept by the register, as the best time to offer is when you are going to ring up a sale.

• A good sales person will close a sale with affirmation the customer has made a good choice and will enjoy the garment.
• They can ask the customer if they have ever tried Forever New and suggest a bottle. If the customer declines, then offer them a sample.
• In a few simple sentences as, “Here is a little gift for you which will prolong the life of your ______. We highly recommend Forever New and we all use it.” This will plant the idea and importance of the “gift”. (We also have small stickers (3/4” W x 1”H) that you can put on a hang tag that says: “For the care of this fine garment, we recommend Forever New.)
• This is also a great time to mention how to wash the item and the importance of using a premium quality wash to prolong the life of the garment. (In a later post I will talk about “soap”.) Sales associates can show the customer they care and have product knowledge by educating them on how to wash the garment.  If price is an issue remember a bottle of our product is highly concentrated and will go a long way!

It is up to you how you want to give out samples:

• Set a minimum amount of purchase
• Give with every sale
• Offer them for a small cost

Because samples are not used until later, the connection to your store will be forgotten if you do not have your name on it.

These are some ideas I have heard from customers:

• Staple your business card to the top of the sample or add a sticker, like a return address label.
• Punch a hole in the top of the sample, add our Wash it Right card/your business card, then tie together with a small ribbon or you could use a tag gun.  (This is a good activity between customers or something that can be done while standing and visiting.)
• Tie a few packages with a ribbon or insert into a small organza bag to give importance to the gift. (Rolls of ribbon can be purchased at a dollar store for a very little cost.) I have bridal shops that put a few samples in an organza bag to give to the bride to take on the honeymoon.
• Hand out during town or store events. One customer told me she uses them for Halloween treats for her customers and of course there’s always event gift bags.
• If your staff writes personal “Thank You!” notes, or if you encourage your staff to write down customer info as birthdays or anniversaries, send a sample with a card.
• If you have someone who is going on a trip the sample packets are great for travel.
• Use as a gift in an ad or promo as a little plus; as a gift for the 1^st 50 people who purchase, etc.
• It is not difficult to print out coupons with a small amount off on the first purchase of a full size bottle. One store owner prints her own small wash cards with a coupon form.

++++ Some very upscale stores give the 4 oz. bottles with purchase.

Shared From Email

These are from emails I have recently received .

I want to thank Geraldine Nuval-Weibull at My Boudoir Lingerie in San Francisco for sending me her utube video. More and more I am seeing retailers making these helpful videos to showcase their products, store and educate their customers. Geraldine made 9 videos and Forever New is featured in How to Wash Lingerie. Thanks Geraldine!

Susan at SurprizePossessions.com emailed me because she wanted to be sure I knew that one of the men who purchased the product said that he used it as a bicyclist because your legs do not chafe when you use Forever New and wondered why we did not use it as part of our advertisements.

If you have info to share please leave it as a comment or email me at gayle@forevernew.com.

Display and Design Ideas

The world of display and design facinates me as it is really an illusionist world at times. A good "display artist" is also a magician!
Today I happened upon DDI.com, which makes me think I really need to get out more and see what is happening. If you want your creative juices flowing this site! I particularly enjoyed the Project Gallery and Diva Blog.

Website Description of DDI:
"Keep up with retail design ideas with DDI. Display and Design Magazine is #1 retail market resource to designing a successful store. From architectural lighting to unique store displays, DDI highlights the retail design ideas that other retailers are utilizing to create a profitable retail store environment. Month after month, DDI showcases different retail store designs that reflect a variety of industries from fashion to food, necessities to accessories and everything in between."

As a redesigner I would repurpose what the client owned to give the area a fresh new look. As a merchandiser I sometimes took pictures before I was nearly done with the display because it was like having a fresh eye. It was easier to see what worked and what did not work. Does that make sense? As small and medium business owners it is essential to reuse and make do many times.
What are some tricks and tips you would like to share? Just hit the comments button at the end of this post to reply!

What exactly are you selling?

Unleashing The Power of Invisible Selling is a very short and to the point article, but has a new slant on what you are selling.

Samples and Increasing Revenue

Yes, we have had samples packs for alot of years because we know if you can get a person to try it, they will get hooked.

New customers always ask me for suggestions for the first order. My reply is they buy 1 case of product and at least 200 sample packs and stress the importance of handing out samples and chatting up the product.

Our most successful customers are those who:

• Use the product themselves .
• Are educated in the product and garment care.
• Give out samples to encourage purchase and add value to the sale. (Many stores give or sell a sample with every purchase.)
• Suggest product at point of sale.

I work with only the small and medium retailers, not the department stores. My largest customer is an online only retailer, who said it took her 3 years to get people hooked on the product, and now she is purchasing over $23000.00 of product from us. There are good margins and a small footprint in all of our products.

There are brick and mortar stores doing the same thing, but it due to the dedication and persistance of the sales staff. In this economy we can not be lazy about getting those add on sales and providing top notch customer service to build a loyal customer base.

Below is a list of articles about sampling and how effective it can be.
Make more Money by Giving away Free Samples
Free samples: give and you shall receive

How to Make Money Giving Away Free Samples

Free Samples and Giveaways Attract New Business

Quick Link

Just happened upon this 21 Marketing Secrets and thought it has great quick marketing points as a reminder for all of us.

Do you want fries with that?

Now that the holidays are over we have time to regroup and fine tune our sales skills. I am sure I am not telling you anything new....so think of this as a reminder.

One really has to work hard to get new customers and it is wonderful when we do, but it is less expensive and time consuming to increase revenue by increasing the sales to your existing customers.

We are in the era of the add-on or plus-sale.  

Not long ago I asked a sales person how the product was selling and, she replied, not very well. I asked if they had samples to give out or did they suggested it as an ad on sale. Her rely was, “Oh no, I don’t want to be pushy and we don’t have samples, it is just sits on the shelf.”

Do you or your sales people regularly suggest add on items to enhance the value of the purchase? This helps build trust and loyalty that results in increased/repeat sales.

Be it… “Wow! That dress looks really great on you and I have the perfect necklace to go with that neckline.” or “You are going to love your new bra and panties! You really should consider purchasing Forever New to keep it looking like new for years to come.  We all swear by it and use it ourselves.”

Forever New samples are a great add on or reward for purchase.

Next post more about samples.

Helpful Sites Retail News Sites

Until I started this job, I had never heard of the National Retail Federation, although I have worked retail in the past. (I am just guessing it will be new to some of you too.) The daily newsletter is an outstanding resource to keep up with what is happening in the retail industry. The articles are from a wide variety of sources: American Express, WSJ, Reuters, USA Today, etc.  Numerous links take you to other topics of interest pertaining to marketing, sales, accounting and a wide swath of topics.

As I run across articles I will post links.

Free Online Biz Directory Listings

Let’s talk about free business directory sites that can be helpful with getting your name out there.

Most of these sites are where you can list your business for free. Some of them allow your customers to post reviews of their visits and your products. You can put in descriptions of your services and products, also your email address and website and even photos of your store.

This will give people who are looking for clothing, lingerie, bra fittings etc. a good idea who you are. If anyone has a favorite site to add, please let me know. 

www.hotfrog.com	Free to put in your profile, many free services for small businesses. Anyone can list their business in HotFrog for FREE, along with contact details, and products and services.
www.yelp.com	Free to list your business, photos etc. Every local business can set up a FREE Business Owner's Account to publicly post a description of the business, announce special offers, message customers, add photos, track traffic on their Yelp page and more.
http://www.magicyellow.com/	Free and one of the top online directories
http://www.merchantcircle.com/	To give local businesses more online exposure, we’ve developed local business social network where business owners can upload pictures, create blogs, create coupons and newsletters, and connect with other merchants, all for free.
http://www.manta/	More B@B oriented, but a lot of individuals use it too.
www.uscity.net	Fairly new and free to list

If you type your business name into your search engine, what comes up with your listing? Then type a key word as lingerie or intimate apparel, and your city and state. Try other search engines too.

Does your city have publications that like to feature local stores or is there a local site who reviews stores, have you been  mentioned in them? Many times this will come up with someone is looking for your store.

Go to one of the directories and type in a key word and state, see what comes up. Look at the listings for your area, and decide if you should list there too. Maybe you might want to list under several categories, as bra fitters, lingerie, intimate apparel etc.

Encourage your customers to post their reviews after shopping in your store.

Some of these sites will even let you blog, announce events and reply to comments!

If anyone has a favorite site to add, please let me know. 

Newsletters

Being the new kid on the block is not easy. Forever New has been around since 1975 and has always had the "luxury" fabric care wash image, as you will never see FN in Wal-Mart or Target stores. You will find us in Macy's, Sak's, NM and upper end stores only. From the beginning I was told that my customer base was all the smaller and medium size retailers. After giving this alot of thought, I realized the way "my retailers" do business and their concerns are certainly different than the big department stores.

After digging through years of newsletters sent out via USPS, I decided there was no way I was going to rearrange the same old copy on a clean sheet of paper, fold it, put a stamp on it and send it as they have the last 35 years.

My roll as sales person is not unlike yours, as we have the same goals in mind. Let's discuss some of the issues of doing business in today's economy.

Some of the areas I have been delving into are: how to attract new customers, how to keep current customers, how to display products and keep a trim advertising budget, teach your staff to up sell, laundry tips and the list goes on.
There have been a few websites, which I really are meant to help small and medium retails, so I will share them with you. My intent is a place we can get to know each other and share information and solutions to problems, not just hear about Forever New.  If you have any ideas, please leave me a comment.

Out with the old and In with the New....Forever New!

The last 5 - 6 mos. have gone really fast at my new job with Forever New International. My positon is: sales, customer service, marketing, graphics arts and toilet paper roll changer. As with many small companies, employees wear alot of hats. I love it all and most of all I want to see my customers prosper.

We sell a high end, luxury, fabric care products. I like to joke, gezzz it is only soap, but soap is not just soap. The 4 products are absolutely amazing and if you actually try them out over a period of time you will see.

As with any cleaning product, once may not be enough and sometimes it is good to soak overnight instead of whishy washy 3-5 minutes. You really need to give any product time to work. My new bras only need 5 minutes, but my old bras need a few soakings to get all the "gunk" from the old products out. It took a few washing before I believed Forever New had rejuvenation properties.

The purpose of this blog is to share info that is pertinent to the small and medium size retailers, who I have the honor to work with in my position. I really believe there are alot issues that can be addressed and we can learn alot by sharing our ideas and stories. I love sales and helping people, so do alot of reading and have found a wealth of sites that you might be able to use to improve business.