Local Selling Opportunities > Trend Global & Sell Local

22nd Dec 2011

Co-op selling with independent retailers and local social communities not only multiplies sales opportunities. It's a great way to bring national trends and styles home.

Here are tips to discover like-minded local businesses and groups through social media. Use themes to tap into Customer Loyalty Events. Boost your sunglasses and accessories sales, while adding value to a local retailer's brand.

What's an MIB without Classic Raybans? What's Valentine lingerie without Lolita or Rhinestone sunglasses?

Answer: Incomplete!!

From film Men In Black (sequel #3 releases May 2012) MIBs without Raybans get "neuralized."

Lolita, from the Nabokov book and film of same name, wore heart-shaped sunglasses, Valentine's Day or not. For example:

o Offering community and entertainment to loyal customers, specialty lingerie store Seventh Goddess in New Mexico held a "Sex and the City" party and fashion show. Seventh Goddess publicized the event on its local Facebook page.

Rhinestone Sunglasses

Diamond Eyewear Rhinestone Sunglasses are

(1) perfect accessories for a fashion lingerie show,

(2) a direct-selling hot item with a specialty retailer like Seventh Goddess,

(3) a tie-in sales opportunity for many Valentine's Day promotions.

o Independent Bookstores get creative to survive among competing super chain stores and online "amazons." Local indie bookstores tend to take care of their customers by offering film screenings, book readings and special events, all promoted through web invitations and emails to their loyal customers. They create their own buzz through city social networks, Facebook pages and Twitter alerts.

For example, the Seattle Mystery Bookshop grew its basic 12-year old web site into e-Newsletters and blog postings on Favorite Staff Picks, for mystery lovers only. This niche-targeted specialty bookstore also uses its web presence to make special announcements of Author Signing Parties and other in-store special events.

Reading Glasses

These Reading Glasses - in assorted lens power levels and frame colors - are a natural tie-in with independent local booksellers, who offer more personalized customer services and events.

Find Local Special-Interest Sales Opportunities In Social Networks

o Set up Social Media accounts with Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, MySpace. Be sure to register with the online divisions of local TV network affiliates, cable TV stations, and a regional newspaper's online edition . . . which include "City" or "Local Community" services (search, posting forums, local classifieds).

o Search social media sites using keywords (Twitter hash tags #) that include a geographic narrowing term (city, region, locale) + a special interest group.

Examples: Use localized keyword searches to find events sponsored by specialty retailers, niche fan groups and independent bookstores (tip above), as potential sales channels for MIB Raybans, Diamond Rhinestone Sunglasses or Reading Glasses:

o SciFi Fans; B Film Group; MIB Fan Group; Matrix Fans o Womens Clothing Exchange; Gifts; Valentines Gift; Rhinestones; Lingerie; Fashion Accessories o Bookstores; Independent Booksellers; Specialty Bookstores; Neighborhood Booksellers

Or, find local retailers and special interest groups for tie-in sales:

Xsportz Sunglasses with Flames