Wednesday, July 21, 2010

How to choose your display items.


After a new catalog comes out, if you are like me you have a difficult time figuring out what display items to buy for your parties.  I mean...if I carried everything that I wanted to carry I would throw my back out and talk way too long!

I have a few rules that I live by when choosing display items for my parties...and they go a little something like this...

1. Is the piece already pictured in the catalog? If it is already shown in a full color photo, I won't use it.  I think that our photography is SO good that bringing something that is shown isn't necessary.  You might as well use the accessory that you love but put something different on it.

2. Do I love it? I firmly believe that you will talk about the things that you are drawn to with more passion than you would about something that you are not.  Case in point...I am not Italian, so having something that said "beinvienue" wouldn't be something that I would be passionate about...I mean quite frankly...I can't prounounce it much less spell it!

3. Will it fit in 1 container?  I only carry one tote.  For a few reasons...the first one and most important one...I am lazy!  The second one...I want everyone to see that what I carry isn't difficult so that if they wanted to sell UL they wouldn't think that they needed to carry multiple totes.  Truth be told...we can fit quite a bit of our product in one tote.

4. Does it work for a large group of people?  Holiday items are great.  Holiday items on one side of the punched mini or large tile with an everyday expression on the other side...even better!  You can sell that idea...even when its HOT outside!  Same idea with our awesome acrylic blocks. 

5. Would you give it as a gift?  I taylor at least two of my display items to be highlighted as gift items.  Maybe a set of monogrammed coasters for a lower price point and a personalized metal embossed board for a larger item.  They are great again, because your customer can see them in their own home AND can use them for gifts!  What bride wouldn't want a set of monogrammed coasters with a nice card.  They are more meaningful because the bride knows that the gift giver took the time to think of a font/color/etc.

Those are my rules.  As I think of what I want to bring to my parties this is the list that I am pretty sure will make it to the tote-

1. Coaster set with FALL(14258) mirrored in 9092 and 9002(I know that it is a one color expression.  I will show it with two colors and market it as something for them to buy for themselves and a friend if they want two colors)

2. Acrylic block with PEACE(14234) in 9092 on one side and A PERFECT TEN(17135) on the other with the LED insert.

3. White frameworks frame with seasonal AND general inserts.

4. Punched metal tile with childrens miracle network expression on one side and GET YOUR MERRY ON(18502) on the other.

5. Vintage Embossed Metal Board with CAREY/this family established 2000 in custom lettering.  (carey is in Trajan and the other lettering is in liorah)

6. Display board with color swatches labelled on one side and a sample of dry erase/chalkwall/decorative print on the other side. 

*This is my list as of this moment...I am kicking around the idea of doing a hook board.

**IF things that you are showing aren't selling, I highly suggest changing them out.  I change up my display pieces every other month because I get bored with them.  I think that adding things from the mini catalog will help your display stay fresh and exciting!




2 comments:

  1. Good ideas Erin. :)

    Just an aside - Bienvenue is French. Bienvenuto (I believe) is Italian. :)

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