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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

We need each other

This week's post is a long one, but, I think, a good one....

Over the past week, my team and I have been working on solidifying our sales strategy for the Fall 2010 Collection, and now we’ve finally started to implement the first stages. Even with this year’s strategy in its infancy, I am already thinking five steps ahead.  For example, once our dresses hit the stores, then what?  Do we leave it up to the store owners to do the selling – in other words, do we leave it up to the retailers to make sure the collection gets into the hands of consumers? Welllll, something about that idea does not sit very well with me.  Control freak that I am, I need to be involved in every aspect of the selling process, which includes all the various stages until our dresses reach the end consumer.    

Come on, we all know what an important role “shelf space” plays at retail level – where and how a product is placed in a store can make or break its sell-through. In fashion, shelf space is even more important because fashion purchases are emotional purchases. Very few women need another dress; they are, instead, shopping for the experience, and if a dress speaks to them, they will buy it. So, my question is: how do you make a dress speak to a woman when she walks into a store? To find an answer, I went straight to the source…store owners.  I made some calls and even dropped by local stores that carry our brand. And to my surprise, the majority of these store owners did not have a clear or concise answer...and some didn’t even fully understand exactly what I was talking about, which made me quite concerned. Of course (and thankfully), there were few stores who did have merchandising skills, and they were eager to share their strategies. It just so happened that these were also among the more successful stores carrying my line...coincidence? I doubt it. With so many stores not understanding the importance of proper merchandising – i.e. creating an emotional appeal to the clothing being sold – I was inspired to write this post.  Hey, if I can help retailers sell more (especially in this economy), it’s a win-win, no?

I went through my mental notes and started jotting down what some of the stores that have impressed me were doing well, and, equally important, I jotted down what were some of the practices that did not impress me. 

So, here are some of the Do’s and Don’t that many retailers – not just fashion retailers – can follow to improve the emotional appeal of their products.

Do’s
a)      Project a clear vision.  Make sure your store has a clear vision and point of view.  To help with this, know what sort of customers you are looking to attract. Being a jack-of-all-trades is risky, and will hinder you from branding your establishment; I know branding is an over-used marketing term, but it is a very important marketing practice. Women’s fashion retailers (the market I know best) must know their customers. Are you dressing women in their 20s or corporate executives? Girl going dancing or women attending galas? Unemployed college students or “the trust fund brigade”?  Identifying the traits of your target customers will allow you to better merchandise the brands you carry, as well as allow you to market yourself better to such a customer base...and it will force you to start thinking like your customers, to better understand their needs.  For example, ask yourself: where do these women go at night? If you know the answer to that question, you can tailor your inventory, your displays, and even your sales pitches much more effectively. Do these ladies work, and if so, what sort of jobs do they hold? Are they in suit-wearing positions? What do they do on weekends?  Do they live in apartments, penthouses, suburban homes, or country estates?  You get the point.

b)      Quality vs. Quantity.  I can’t stress this enough: with a limited shopping budget, most woman would rather buy one quality item than three pieces of junk.  Why? Well first, one item takes less room in a closet than three items…and we all know a woman’s closet space is a great example of a limited resource…there is just never enough. Second, women want value for every dollar spent. Quality vs. quantity does not mean you stock up on expensive brands, though. Quite the contrary, actually – there are plenty of fashion labels that provide great quality for the dollars spent, so be on the look-out for these. Okay, readers be aware – here’s some shameless self-promotion:  if you are looking for quality merchandise, check out my Fall 2010 Collection--talk about getting the most for your money J!

c)      Hire the best.  In any business, especially in small business, we are only as good as the team backing us. So, hire the best talent. Having one great salesperson on the floor will move much more product than two mediocre salespeople – so once again, quality over quantity.

d)     Offer incentives. Nothing motivates people more than monetary rewards. Giving your sales staff a mere hourly or weekly salary is not enough to get the best out of them – you need to incentivize good performance. Set sales goals for each week and month, and reward them accordingly…you will see how quickly the cream rises to the top. 

e)      Offer value-added services: Offer such services as on-premise alterations, and if this is not possible, have the phone number of a good-yet-affordable alteration place handy that you can refer your customers to.  It helps to cut a deal with this alterations place...for example, giving special prices to customers you send them.  As all we ladies know, if we find a great alterations person, we tend to go back to them over and over...so the promise of references from you should be enough to entice some sort of deal.

f)       Create strategic alliances with local businesses.  Seek out businesses in the area that have the same customer demographics as you do, such as high-end salons, and work with them on promoting both of your businesses together. For example, run store promotions for holidays and events together – say, on Valentine’s Day give away free manicure coupons if someone buys $200 of merchandise or more in your store, and, on the flip side, have the salon give away discount coupons for your store to customers who get their hair or nails done. Not only do alliances like this generate revenue for both businesses, but they also build good will, increase visibility, and leave lasting impressions on customers.

Don’ts
a)      Don’t clutter the store:  Too much merchandise in a store gives off a bad vibe.  It makes a shopper think no one shops in your store, and it makes it hard to find things.  Clutter make it difficult, if not impossible, to create a store vision. Instead of keeping old items, out, put items that aren’t selling on sale. In fashion, the sale rack is VERY important; we are not selling mundane commodities, we are selling images and emotions that are constantly changing, so you always need to bring in fresh merchandise and move out the old. You must reduce the clutter in the store so you and the customer can both see the store vision clearly.

b)      Don’t wait for the customer to walk in. Often, you have to draw them in.  One way of doing this is by having monthly events in the store. Events can range from designer trunk shows (I have participated in many) to a book reading/signing, or just simply a “girls night out” cocktail hour after work.  Regardless of the cause or event, make it into a celebration.  For some thoughts on throwing a fun event to attract customers, check out my Feb 12th blog post, “Thank you, Mom”.

c)      Keep the window display dynamic.  Every two weeks (at least), change your store’s window displays.  Studies show that the human mind works in such a way that people almost view a new window display as a new store. So, the same potential customer that walks by every day may pay no attention to your store until the window display changes. Of course, I recommend this with the assumption that you do a great job with creating interesting and engagingwindow displays.

Everyone knows Bergdorf Goodman in NYC is known for its lavish and over-the-top window displays, especially around Christmas time.  People come from all over the United States to see BG windows, crazy as it may sound. I have spent quite sometime in front of these windows – what can I say, I appreciate them as works of art. Now, I’m not saying that you should go all crazy and spend a fortune on windows display, as does Bergdorf, but you should look at such incredible displays for inspiration. If you have a creative eye, you can easily find one or two details that can be replicated in your store window on a budget.

d)     Don’t leave customers unattended.  There is nothing more annoying than when you are trying on clothes and need another size, but your friends aren’t around to help you. If a salesperson is nowhere in sight, you will have to get dressed and get it yourself – or, even worse (for the store), you may not even bother, and just leave without trying on the other size. A good salesperson always hangs around the dressing room if women are trying on clothes, every so often asking if they need help with sizes, etc. Of course, they don’t overdo it; it is equally annoying to be constantly pestered.  Find the fine line and walk it. 

Well I hope these tips are helpful.  As part of my business, I make a promise to all the retailers that carry our brand: if they need my help in any way, shape, or form, I am available to them, as is my team.  For me, retailers are not just my vendors, they are my partners.

We need each other.

Aysha 

To get you started, here are some of my favorite window displays!




Monday, February 15, 2010

Things are just getting started!

I feel like a million tons has been lifted off my shoulders…because the Fall 2010 Collection is complete!!!!!!!!!!!!  Wow, what a relief.  At the risk of sounding overly confident, I think it’s my best work as of yet. I love every piece, and from the reactions I am getting from buyers so far, I think you will too. 


Now that the collection is finished, I can take off my designer hat and put on my business hat.  Starting next week, I will be working with my team to create and implement a sales and marketing strategy.  Actually, after wearing my creative hat for quite some months, I am happy to switch gear.  It’s almost like taking on another challenge…and challenges are what I love most.  Show me what needs to be done and I will find a way to get it done.

This coming Saturday will be a big day for my team and I; our agenda is below. So much to do, but I’m happy to do all of it – I love my work! 

Saturday—Feb 20th  9am – 3pm   Lookbook photo shoot. The lookbook photo shoot is a very simple shoot that will allow us to catalog various looks for each dress, so that marketing materials can be created to send out to buyers and PR people. To make it happen on a small budget, I called up my friends to help out, including but not limited to a photographer, hair and make up artist, model, etc.

The lookbook also serves a 2nd purpose, in that it gets me thinking about the editorial shoot, which we will do late March or April. While the lookbook photos are simple and to the point, editorial photos are a whole different approach to marketing our brand.  It’s like telling the Aysha Saeed Fall 2010 Collection story through pictures.  However, if you were to ask me what is my direction for the editorial shoot for Fall 2010, honestly, I don’t know yet.  I need to live with this Collection for a while before I have a vision.  Believe me, when I know what I want, I will start driving my staff crazy with a million requests and push everyones limits to make it happen.  Like I told you, I love challenges – and they do too (that’s why I hired them!).

Saturday—Feb 20th   4pm – 7pm  Sales strategy meeting with my team.  I will give a Fall 2010 Collection overview, discuss our company sales target for the season, disseminate sales data collected thus far, and, most importantly, take in everyone’s feedback as to how we can achieve our goal.  A very important rule I have in my company is that I alone can’t and don’t do everything - we as a team get the job done.    

So, it will be one very long Saturday, but we will be able to reach two major milestones to kick of our Fall 2010 selling season.  I must say, this season will be the first season I will be implementing such an organized and strategic approach to sales and marketing.  I am very excited and looking forward to getting the ball rolling, and so is everyone else. 

Stay tuned for more….things are just getting started!

Aysha 



Friday, February 12, 2010

Thank you, Mom.



Give me an excuse to throw a party and I’m all over it - so with Valentine’s Day approaching, I wanted to do something special for my girlfriends, and what better way to show my appreation for their support than by hosting a pre-Valentines Day party at my showroom? Yes, it was for ladies only, although few guy friends tried to finagle an invite…without any success.  Sorry boys, maybe next time.

It’s amazing how quickly we can transform our work space, which is usually filled with fabric, patterns, buttons, and beads, into a romantic setting.  With the help of my team, we dressed our mannequins in red, dimmed the lights, and put tons of scented candles everywhere, along with out signature yellow flowers.  The air filled with perfumes and, with a Cielo CD playing the background, in few short hours our showroom went from a designer’s workshop to a romantic and inviting hangout. Of course, even if a party is girls-only, creating an atmosphere that touches all your senses is the key to your guests having a great time.

What to serve was the big question for me…mind you, we don’t have a full kitchen in the showroom, so what to serve always presents a bit of a challenge. But I made it work.  Drinks are always easy to take care of, as I do have a fully stocked wine bar in our showroom – an antique Horchow mirrored wine cabinet, my favorite piece of furniture.  My buyers and guests always comment on how I don’t have a water cooler, yet I do have a fully stocked wine bar…what can I say, I have my priorities straight!  J  

But, for my pre-Valentine’s Day Party, I opted to serve only champagne, which is more feminine and refreshing, don’t you think?

The main table was covered with gourmet delights, such as Zebar’s famous foie gras served on sesame seed crackers and a fresh French baguette cut into perfect, bite-size pieces.  I ordered a selection of cheeses from Citarella downtown….Israeli feta, something to die for.  For those who liked a hint of spice, there was a bowl of red pepper and cheese spread that you needed to hover over and have few helpings of in order to figure out it’s ingredients.  And, of course, there were the ever-faithful sushi rolls.  All the hors d’oeuvres were garnished with fresh fruit and vegetables. However, even in company of these heavenly delights, one dish stole the show: Shami (sp?) kebabs, served with yogurt mint sauce, made by yours truly the night before. The platter was cleared as soon as it was served, and all the ladies wanted to know what was in these mouth-watering creations. Well, it’s my mother’s old recipe, which was way too complicated to explain over cocktails. 

Aside from being very tasty, the kebabs prove a point: the exotic always stands out in a crowded room (and even on a crowded dinner table). So, my unsolicited advice to you, regardless of what endeavor you take on, is to always bring a bit of yourself to the table – in other words, something unique and different from the norm, because that is what will attract people to you and your business.  For my pre-Valentine Party, it was my mother’s recipe.  Thank you, Mom. 

Aysha 

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Love Your Monday Mornings

Hey Everyone,

I’ve been trying to fill a senior sales position in my company for months now, and after having interviewed over a dozen applicants, I’m no closer to finding my killer sales rep…yes, I did say killer, because that’s what’s needed to do what I’m looking to achieve.  I must say, I am not impressed by who I am meeting...or perhaps I am being overly picky? I think not – it’s my business, and I want to hire the best people possible!

Well, after having hired and fired few sales people, I’ve become very jaded when it comes to sales reps. They all like to sell themselves during the interview process…you can’t blame them – after all, it’s their job to sell. Now, however, I know how to read between the lines of their resumes, only paying attention to them if something amazing jumps out (which is rare). Here’s a simple tip: put in some quantifiable data. Put down numbers for how much you sold at your last company, or the size of your bigger deals. Show your potential employer what you have brought and can bring to the table. I mean, really, if you’re in sales, why wouldn’t you back up your claims of success with some quantifiable data? In this digital day and age, where companies are tracking almost everything they do, businesspeople expect to see numbers, not just qualitative claims.  I also focus on one-on-one conversations and Q & A sessions. It’s important for me to see a person’s integrity, understand their aspirations and get a feel for their industry knowledge. I ask probing questions and I don’t hold anything back – after all, I’m looking for a killer sales rep who can propel my brand to next level….not an easy task by any means.

I’m sad to say that after months of searching, I still have not found him/her. What I find truly amazing is how unprepared some of these candidates are when they come in for an interview. For example, some of them have not even looked up my company. Right away, I’m turned off by these individuals who did not even take the time to research my brand.  How in the world can I expected them to search for new leads?

I’ve also interviewed candidates who, rather than telling me what they bring to the table, would simply give the answers they thought I was looking for. Hey guys, guess what? I’m not looking for “right” answers! I’m looking for honest answers that make sense to me, so I can take the interview further.

The economy is bad, and tons of people are searching for work. Job applicants need to up their game. Simple things make all the difference...for example, come to an interview prepared (duh, right? Apparently not...). Here are some of my tips to all of you seeking jobs; regardless of whether you are starting out in your career or you are an industry veteran, right now, each company has plenty of people applying for that one opening, so be ready for severe competition.

a)      Read the ad carefully and make sure you are qualified for the job.  Nothing turns an employer more off more than when applications come in and have nothing to do with the job description and/or experience needed….I don’t get it, do people really think that if I see their resume, I may ask them to come in even if they are not qualified? That’s silly.
 
b)      If you do get called for an interview, research, research, research the company.  Look at its peer group, to understand the competition. Read up on industry trends, so you can hold an intelligent conversation about the industry as a whole, not just about the job you are seeking. 

c)      Yes, monetary compensation is very important, but don’t just look at the $$ that is being offered. Remember, if an offer sounds too good to be true, it most likely is, meaning if you don’t perform according to expectations, this high-paying job will come to an end very quickly. These days, there is zero tolerance for under-performing employees, so make sure compensation is in line with what you truly can do for the company...or you won’t last long.

d)     Understand the company’s growth potential, as well as your ability to grow with it.  Do you feel that there is plenty of room for YOU to grow? What is its corporate culture like? Does it foster new ideas and innovative ways of thinking?  However, if you are the type who is not looking for such challenges and just want a simple 9-5 job…well, I don’t know what advice to give you! Perhaps read another blog post (or blog).  J  

e)      Last, but not least, pay attention to how you look when you go for an interview.  I know we don’t want to be judged by the way we look, but let me tell you, you are being judged whether you like it or not. You know what they say: if two equally qualified people come in for the same position, the one who is well-groomed and well put together will leave a lasting impression (and most likely will get the job!).  

On that note, check out my plaid suit from Fall 2009 below – it’s the perfect interview suit. Take the jacket off, and you’ll be ready to go out for drinks when you land the job.   

Whatever you chose to do, do something you love.  I can’t stress that enough.  In my opinion, the only way you can secure success and fortune is if you love your Monday mornings!

Aysha