A good promotional activity for a shoe and apparel specialty store is not simply about offering discounts or putting up posters. More importantly, before launching the promotion, it's necessary to conduct research on the local market environment, consumer habits, competitor situations, and the influence of your own product brand. Based on this foundation and premise, corresponding objectives, themes, detailed implementation strategies, and specific execution contents should be set, ensuring that every step is closely connected.
As market channel operations become increasingly refined, the importance of specialty stores has become self-evident, especially in the shoe and apparel industry where specialty stores have taken the lead. However, with the rapid development of the specialty store channel, market competition has also become very intense, most notably in the means of promotional activities.
So, how exactly should promotional activities for shoe and apparel specialty stores be carried out? Common promotional methods include offering discounts and giving away gifts, but these often fail to produce results. Where does the problem lie?
Regarding this issue, I have discussed with many sales personnel. Why do we need promotions? The answers received were: 1) We did a promotion around this time last year; 2) Promotions are necessary during holidays; 3) There is too much inventory of best-selling items; 4) The company has a batch of overstocked goods that need to be dealt with; 5) The company headquarters has requested a promotion. These various scenarios indicate that business managers are merely following established habits without truly understanding or realizing why they need to carry out promotions. As a result, there is a situation where promotions are carried out without knowing their purpose, leading to various promotional methods being blindly imitated and misused without considering the actual needs of the regional market. This approach lacks targeted effectiveness.
Narrowly speaking, conducting a promotion involves increasing the sales of your brand within a defined regional market or artificially boosting sales based on existing conditions. However, promotional content tends to be highly homogenized: either large discounts or giveaways. And the competitive nature only intensifies— if one offers an 80% discount, another will offer 70%; if one gives $60 for every $100 spent, another will give $100. Display methods typically involve placing an easel at store entrances or posting a poster in the window, stating something like "70% off" or "Buy $100, get *.*". Some people even equate promotions with just offering discounts or giving away gifts.
For a successful shoe and apparel specialty store promotion, there must first be clear objectives—why are you doing the promotion? Is it to build the brand, increase sales, deal with old inventory, or enhance reputation? Different objectives require different operational methods and presentation styles.
In general, the three most common objectives for promotional activities in the shoe and apparel industry are: 1) Brand building; 2) Developing and stabilizing the customer base; 3) Managing inventory.
1. Developing and stabilizing the customer base. In today’s fiercely competitive market, many promotions focus solely on sales returns without clearly identifying the target customer group to implement targeted strategies. This often leads to wasted resources and poor promotional effects. Customer rewards come in various forms, and it's important to identify who the beneficiaries are: 1) Existing customers of the brand; 2) Potential new customers yet to be developed.
Common ways to stabilize existing customer groups include holiday phone calls or text messages, VIP card privileges for various events, and member discounts. For potential new customers, as markets become increasingly segmented, target customer groups are becoming more distinct, expanding market capacity and gaining attention from manufacturers. This not only represents a new growth point but also a completely new consumer market, presenting us with new challenges in our promotional efforts.
For example, during the SARS outbreak in 2003, Kangnai launched a promotional campaign targeting nurses on International Nurses Day (May 12) in Hangzhou. Any consumer with a nurse ID could receive a 75% discount when purchasing shoes at Kangnai specialty stores. Within just two or three days, sales reached nearly 500,000 yuan, achieving both economic benefits and positive social impact. Similarly, sending gold cards or VIP cards to specific social groups on occasions like Teachers' Day or Journalists' Day can yield excellent results.
2. Brand Building. Promotional activities aimed primarily at building the brand are usually planned uniformly by the company or regional (large area) divisions, focusing mainly on major holidays such as Labor Day, National Day, New Year's Eve, and Spring Festival. Conducting promotions during these holidays helps attract a broader target customer base, enhancing brand awareness and influence.
For instance, Hong Caomao Footwear launched a nationwide series of promotional activities featuring the couple Fu Disheng and Ren Jing. Besides decorating the stores festively, the shopping bag design alone was well thought out—a red background with New Year greetings from the spokespersons. Many consumers, initially planning to buy just one pair, ended up buying several pairs to gift to friends and family due to the festive atmosphere.
Another example is the “Red Red Hot Aokang Year” series of promotional activities launched by Aokang during the Spring Festival of 2005. From large billboards at airports to smaller roadside signs, logistics vehicles, store posters, X-type display stands, and unique advertising formats, everything was designed to create a cohesive theme of red, passion, and warmth. This not only captured everyone's attention and reaped significant market returns but also further strengthened consumer loyalty to the Aokang brand.
3. Inventory Management. For branded shoe and apparel specialty stores, this can be a double-edged sword. If inventory clearance promotions are carried out, they may directly affect the brand image. Over recent years, brands have employed various methods for inventory management. Some open brand discount stores and clearance counters in relatively better-performing outlets and malls, redirecting hard-to-sell products from the main market to these discount stores and clearance counters. For example, women's sandals are officially launched in mid-April each year, and if they don't sell well by May, they should be redirected to brand discount stores and clearance counters to prevent inventory buildup.
Additionally, some lower-end brands use trade fairs and rural markets to manage inventory. Others sell large quantities of accumulated inventory at discounted prices domestically, which might result in slight losses but saves time, effort, and hassle. A creative example is the “Hongqingtian Shoe Culture Roadshow” square event organized by Hongqingtian Group to assist its national specialty stores. Not only does it showcase corporate culture and strengthen the brand, but it also helps sell thousands of pairs of leather shoes from inventory daily, achieving dual goals.
Next is the theme of the promotional activity. Regardless of whether the promotion aims to build the brand, increase sales, or manage inventory, the creativity of the promotional theme must be emphasized. For instance, the “Hongqingtian Shoe Culture Roadshow” has evolved beyond just a promotional activity into a unique integrated model combining publicity, promotion, and public relations for the Hongqingtian Group. The effect is such that seeing the “Shoe Culture Roadshow” immediately brings to mind Hongqingtian, and seeing Hongqingtian evokes thoughts of shoe culture.
Another typical creative example is the promotional activity conducted by Aokang Group in all its specialty stores in Zhejiang Province from April 29 to May 1, 2000, celebrating Labor Day. Bills ending in “51” could be used at double their face value in Aokang specialty stores. Within just three days, from April 29 to May 1, people lined up to purchase, resulting in approximately 18 million yuan in sales for Aokang shoes across Zhejiang Province. Many Aokang specialty stores in Zhejiang were left with only shelves and sales staff. Competitors in the footwear industry lamented that Aokang had taken all the holiday business.
Finally, execution is key. Even though it is the final step, it is the most critical aspect of the entire promotional activity. If a good promotional idea is not well executed, the results will be significantly diminished, or worse, "lose both wife and soldiers." Especially in the shoe and apparel industry, it is often said that 30% depends on planning and 70% on execution.
How can we achieve good promotional results? According to the characteristics of shoe and apparel specialty stores, the following four essential tasks must be completed: 1) Prepare promotional materials; 2) Train terminal sales personnel; 3) Ensure proper supervision at the promotional site; 4) Evaluate the promotional activity.
Prepare promotional materials. Since the promotional theme needs a medium to communicate with the target consumer group, preparing promotional materials includes two steps: production and broadcasting/display. 1) Production of promotional materials. Common types produced include images, soft articles, colors, etc., required for TV, radio, and publications/newspapers. For comprehensive advertising, emphasis should be placed on visual impact, with color and font emphasizing cool tones in summer and warm tones in winter. Soft articles should explain the theme of the promotional activity so that target customers understand it at a glance. 2) Broadcasting and displaying promotional materials. Due to the variety of promotional materials, some require advance coordination with relevant units. First, sign relevant contracts for media such as TV, radio, publications/newspapers, banners, etc., specifying exact implementation times, locations, and content. Second, distribute and place posters, roll-up banners, flyers, etc., before the start of the promotional activity.
For example, in August 2002, Aokang’s distributor in Ma’anshan, Anhui, held an anniversary store celebration with a "buy $100, get $100" promotion. Adequate publicity was done through local newspapers, TV, and streets beforehand. After the activity began, sales shocked the entire city, creating an unprecedented sales atmosphere. The "urgent rear supply" continued non-stop, reaching a total of over 5,000 pairs sold in six days.
Train terminal sales personnel. Terminal sales personnel represent the manufacturer's direct interface with consumers. Therefore, every promotional plan must be distilled into a consistent script, and all terminal sales personnel must be trained comprehensively to ensure each understands the content of the current promotional activity and speaks with a unified voice. Training content mainly includes three parts: the promotional activity theme and corresponding execution content, POP (posters, banners, flyers, etc.) placement, product packaging displays, and gift inspections. Specific content includes: 1) Placement of POP (posters, banners, flyers, etc.) visual information—whether facing open areas or at key entrances where customers can easily see all or most of the important information. 2) Closely monitor competitors' reactions. 3) Inspect the appearance and quality of displayed products for any damage or quality issues. 4) Ensure the cleanliness of the store, shelves, and windows. 5) Check the completeness of store hardware such as lights, TVs, sound systems, VCD players, air conditioners, etc. 6) Understand the promotional activity theme and corresponding content. 7) Simple training on guiding services, product knowledge, and precautions. 8) Task assignments and related responsibilities during the event.
Ensure proper supervision at the promotional site. Supervision involves controlling the placement of promotional materials, on-site work status, sufficiency of products and gifts, adequacy of manpower, and making corresponding adjustments based on actual circumstances to ensure smooth execution of the promotional activity.
Evaluate the promotional activity. The success or failure of a promotional activity can genuinely reflect the influence of the specialty store's brand in the local area and directly assess the operational strengths and weaknesses of the terminal specialty store. For example, if the activity has started but few customers enter the store, it indicates that the promotion may not have been adequately advertised or that the brand's fame and influence in the local area need urgent improvement. If many customers enter the store but few transactions occur, it suggests that the store's product structure is inappropriate and needs adjustment.
In summary, a good promotional activity is not simply about offering discounts or putting up posters. More importantly, before launching the promotion, it is necessary to conduct research on the local market environment, consumer habits, competitor situations, and the influence of your own product brand. Based on this foundation and premise, corresponding objectives, themes, detailed implementation strategies, and specific execution contents should be set, ensuring that every step is closely connected.
Besides the promotional activity itself affecting the results, it is also closely related to brand recognition, whether the products are suitable, and the service provided by sales personnel. We must avoid the "grabbing everything" approach. Ultimately, proper execution is the solid and crucial guarantee for the success of the entire promotional activity.