Showrooms: Why Even?

​The Showroom's Role in Fashion
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​Since my start at Agent Red a question lingered in my head; "are showrooms necassary in the fashion industry?" To answer this question I feel that it's important to first define the role showrooms play. They serve to establish relationships between designers and buyers. In a showroom, merchandise is available to purchase at a whole sale price in order for retailers to sell in their stores. Sales and marketing to emerging designers is an area that may be frightening and time consuming.  "We all know that products don't drive sales, people do" Jarrod Kintz. A good showroom team not only focuses on sales but provides a roadmap for designers on effective marketing skills, the sales process and feed back from buyers. 
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 "We all know that products don't drive sales, people do" Jarrod Kintz.

Coterie Trade Show

​Importance of Trade Shows and Their Relation to Showrooms

As a showroom trade shows are a crucial part to success. After all showrooms are a living extension of the brands they represent and everything down to the way team members stand and talk will correlate either positive or negative responses from clients. So what exactly makes or breaks a trade show? 
1. Positive Body Language 
To welcome engagement and build long lasting relationships you must play the part. Smiling and standing up straight (not with your arms crossed) makes you seem approachable, if you don't practice the right body language you will scare clients away before they even hear what you have to offer. Make sure to always appear to be moving with purpose and most importantly refraining from conversation with co-workers. 
2. Keep Composure 
Now i know this may seem broad but i'll break it down a bit further. Trade shows are hard work to begin with and prepping yourself behind the scenes may seem like common sense but will go along way. Make sure you stay on top of hygiene, come well rested and ready for a long weekend of talking to clients and being on your feet. It's important to be interactive and alert at all times, if you feel yourself slacking off take some time away from your booth, always  making sure someone fills your spot. 
3.  Seem 3 Dimensional  
Spitting out redundant phrases such as "How are you?" and "How may i help you" can make you seem bland and boring. Speak to people walking by with enthusiasm asking open ended questions that will tell you more about who they are and what they are looking for. If you come across as an honest person with some depth clients will be more than happy to engage in conversation with you. If you know yourself to be someone who often uses these phrases then take the time out to practice conversations that make you seem authentic, not only like you're scouting out prospects. 
 

​Closing the Deal

Promote Your Brands
Actively promoting your showroom and brands you offer before a trade show is an important element in generating sales. According to an article on Inc.com How to Boost Traffic at Your Trade Show Booth  70 percent of people who attend trade shows make a list of who they will visit even before they enter the doors. Using calls and emails, a showroom can reconnect with previous clients and gain insight on whether they're attending the show and update them on what will be in the booths. Trade shows can be overwhelming and connection before the show will ease the tension and direct people in the right direction. This is also a chance to create some traffic in your booth, which will make your showroom seem important and draw more attention

Practice Your Pitch 
Successful showrooms understand the importance of emphasizing what makes each brand special, having extensive brand knowledge will be helpful but remember that these calls and emails must be brief, everyone is busy and being concise is most effective. Make sure to take down contact information and follow up with clients, remembering to cite something specific about your meeting when speaking with them. Buyers are spending hours going from booth to booth seeing product after product which makes it easy for them to lose track of what you're offering. To avoid this, go the extra mile so you can be remembered! For more information on the showroom process be on the lookout for upcoming blog posts.