Hi, I'm Robyn, and I'm new here.
I have a small shop called Tin Cottage Gallery. It's mostly books (new and used) and some art/vintage pieces, etc. I have some trinkets around the edges. BUT, I am not getting discovered fast enough where I am and will need to do some very assertive marketing if I'm to survive.
I'm thinking about starting to do trunk shows (home parties or announced events) featuring gifts & accessories, books/stationery & scrapbooking, or other "themed events".
I'm very close to giving up...but that's the TIRED side of me (which is about 90 %, probably!
) But, I really don't want to. I want to find a way to maximize my use of time and increase my visibility.
My shop is in a low rent "old" downtown in a fast growing area, but it is not where the big traffic is. I like the actual building and cannot afford to pay triple the rent, which is what the more visible places are going for.
I think I'm going to restructure my shop to be mainly a "clearing house" and events venue and spend more time "outside" drumming up business, and maybe eBaying.
The shop beside me is a salon. The owner has noticed we have LOADS of salons in our county, but no beauty supply stores. We're brainstorming a way to reach the salon owners with local beauty supply and accessories they can sell in their shops. The trunk show method might work here, too, or deliveries and on-site stock when they run out of something. I'm wondering if I could find a dropshipper for the delivery idea. We don't have any real money to invest, so we have to work bit by bit...just keep progressing.
I wonder if anyone here has tried the "trunk sale" method and what kind of luck you've had... how you promoted... who you marketed to, etc.
I do have one fairly stable "clientele" (homeschool families buying books) but that is not enough to keep me going all year (textbooks, etc.) Still, I do have access to this market via e-mail loops, etc. However, I MUST broaden my outreach.
I'm open to marketing ideas, good wholesale sources (small lots), etc. I've learned LOTS in my 2 years in business, but that only shows me how much I still need to learn.
Thanks!
Robyn
www.mytincottage.com/SHOPPE.htm