Items tagged “Juvenile Stores”

Just a few long weeks ago, I found myself seemingly “without a job!” Was I suddenly one of those people I hear about every day? Visions of bread lines danced in my head. The news clobbered me (“not due to performance!”) on a Tuesday, just before April Fool’s. So, no one was joking. The very next day I got up and went to work on my new job - finding my next great opportunity! I pushed the negativity down that nagged, “What are you going to DO!?” And went to work on selling me and expecting the best.

Several years ago, I attended a retail association’s meeting prior to the start of a national trade show. The leaders had gotten the names of every first-time exhibitor at the event. Each buyer picked one name out of a hat. They were asked to go to that exhibitor first thing and thank them for attending the show. The idea that retailers thanked a manufacturer for supporting a trade show struck me as a practice that truly recognizes the time, money and effort that manufacturers expend when they participate in a trade show.

Too bad there’s not a GPS system that gives you easy directions on exactly where to advertise to reach your buyers. Or is there? Like in the old days when you had to pull over and ask someone for directions, just ask any children’s retailer! “What trade source do you read or use?.” Ask buyers at shows and make some random calls. Ask your reps and suppliers. Search the Internet. Their first answer is a good indication of where you should put your advertising dollars. Take their direction and get more mileage out of your budget!

“The man who stops advertising to save money is like the man who stops the clock to save time”
I was amazed to learn that this is a quote from Thomas Jefferson! Every ad salesman knows of an account that has stopped advertising, due to the economy. With daylight savings here once again, it is good to ponder the penny-wise wisdom of how we can really save both time and money.