BY THE INDESIGN TEAMSelling Designs
Sally Furrer

Published in the July/August 2013 issue

TEACH YOUR CLIENTS ABOUT DESIGNERS

One of the key
reasons consumers
purchase designer
products is because
they feel that they
share an aesthetic
with the designer. In
other words, they fall
in love with a line or
product.

I know, for instance,
that I can find
the shoes I want from
Via Spiga, and it keeps
me coming back again
and again. And, I am
willing to pay more
knowing that I’ll be
saving time and buying
a quality product
that will last. This is
a powerful dynamic
that can also apply to
your store.

This connection
can be even stronger
if your clients are
introduced to the
designer. The more
vividly we paint the
picture, the more our
clients feel as if they
know the person.

Shopping is
still one of the top
forms of recreation.
And, we like to talk
about our purchases,
especially is there is
an interesting story
to tell. Oftentimes
retailers know quite
a bit about our lines
— the country it was
manufactured in, the
specific manufacturing
techniques, the
design inspiration,
the unique materials
or gemstones. But,
we fail to effectively
communicate this to
our clients.

Here are six tips:

Don’t just rely on
marketing materials
given to you. Call the
designer to see what
other information
you can glean.

Display a framed
image of the designer
with a short bio/design
philosophy.

Put together a features/
benefits, design
inspiration, designer
bio and facts sheet for
each sales associate.

Role-play sales
presentations in a
team meeting until
every associate is well
versed in the line.

When marketing
the brand, include the
aspects that differentiate
the brand, not
just the product.

Have “Meet the Designer”
events in your
store. Always have a
staff breakfast training
with the designer
prior to the event.

THIS MONTH’S EXPERT: SALLY FURRER
Sally Furrer is a merchandising
consultant
with 20-plus years of
jewelry industry experience.
(sallyfurrerconsulting.com)