Success only runs one direction....
If you weren’t there, you can’t fully appreciate the living hell Sunday morning brought to the west side of Manhattan. Thanks to an oversight on the part of the local police precinct near the Javits, no one with GLM or the convention center knew about the marathon scheduled to run that morning… [click here to continue…]
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Now that the boxes are loading and the booths are disappearing, how was NYIGF received by buyers and vendors? Well, if you’re to believe the buzz on the floor, pretty good. More or less. Depending on who you talk to and what their goals were. [click here to continue…]
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Just a reminder that I’m doing a seminar about The 3/50 Project in New York this Sunday, during the New York International Gift Fair. Here’s the scoop:
Title: The 3/50 Project: Turning the Tide for Brick and Mortars
Date: Sunday, August 16,2009
Time: 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Location: Javits Convention Center, Room 1A02-03 (lower level, south end)
Hosted by: George Little Management, New York International Gift Fair
Open to: NYIGF attendees -and- area business owners*
Admission: Free
RSVP: Click here to respond online
To those of you in the New York area or planning to attend the show, you have big shoes to fill. The crowd in Chicago was standing room only, and wildly enthusiastic. Now, tell me…are you going to let this session slip by quietly?
I think not.
I’ll be sharing ideas for how to promote your business using The 3/50 Project as the centerpiece, so bring the other business owners in your neighborhood along, then head out for a brainstorming lunch afterward. As one Chicago attendee, Cindy Crawford (owner, Saraboo Creek) put it:
“I enjoyed your presentation and came away from the weekend re-charged and ready to take on what remains of this recession.”
* If you’re interested in walking the gift show but don’t have a badge, please visit nyigf.com for qualification requirements. Apply for your badge ahead of the show for free or apply on site for $50.00.
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Planning to attend NYIGF in January? Then keep Sunday, January 25th open, because there’s a heck of a great party on the horizon…the annual Gift for Life bash, this year under the new moniker “The Stakes are High.” This year’s a big one, partly because of our new affiliation with DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids); partly because it’s our 17th anniversary…
…and partly because we’ve never had a casino night before, and if you’ve been to one lately, you know how nuts those are. (Word of warning: I am not, nor will I ever, be a professional gambler, as many who attended Casino Night at the GHTA conference will attest. The house, however, loves me.)
For more info, click here. The party starts at 6:00, runs ‘til 10:00, and promises to be a lively, rip roarin’ time.
This is one gamble that’s well worth taking. See you at the tables.
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Of the numerous companies making drop-in organizers for briefcases and bags, this one makes the most sense. Pouchees have more structure than the simple wrap around strips, are equally light weight, and have more functional pockets/slots that actually fit things-—when it comes to cell phones, pens, lipstick, tissue, credit cards, etc., one size certainly does not fit all.
Each Pouchee has light weight hoop handles that make pulling one out of your bag a snap, unlike the wrap around styles that require two hands; also, the squared shape tucks nicely into the corners of totes and briefcases, using every inch of usable space. I can easily see women swapping these from bag to desk drawer then back to bag on a daily basis.
If you order,go for the lighter weight fabric styles; the leather Pouchees weigh more and, frankly, don’t have the color intensity I’d prefer. Bright colors will be easiest to find in the dark depths of even the deepest tote.
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It might sound nuts, but Tod Young has figured out how to turn color into fragrance. Seriously. This works, folks.
With a background in interior design, he’s created the Palettes Collection, a series of six “aromatic tones” that tie to color groupings found in beautiful home environments. They’re not simple one-noters; these are complex, rich combinations that ring true to their namesakes.
I told you this would sound nuts. You’re going to have to trust me. This works. In fact, it works so well, there’s a patent pending on the concept.
Nuts and bolts:
Soy based candles, 80-hour burn time…room sprays that tie in, with elegance. Great packaging, great story. The company V.P. is from the advertising and marketing world, so Palettes will be a solid partner for stores into product promotion. Word of warning, though-—the buy-in is significant, so this isn’t for the faint of heart.
I want one of the Gray suites (candle and room spray) the way I “want” dark chocolate on a regular basis, so someone please pick up the line and call me. Soon.
RetailSpeaks members, keep your eyes out for an in-depth interview with Todd this autumn as part of our new Profiles series.
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Admittedly, there’s a sense of relief that comes with the last major gift show of the season. If there’s a line I haven’t seen yet, God only knows what it would be.
Those of you who keep up with these postings know that the (absurd, ridiculous, over-the-top, unsubstantiated) rumors about Atlanta got under my skin pretty good. Sure, the economy stinks, and sure, we’re all feeling it, but is blowing the thing into Chicken Little proportions really the best way to turn things around?
Sorry. You’ve already seen my original rant and follow up. Back to New York…
Lo and behold, retailers haven’t checked out as reported by the naysayers. They attended NYIGF in solid, order-writing numbers, oblivious to the nonsense floating around in uninformed circles. The world is not ending. Storefronts have not vaporized. Retailers are not cowards, curled into little fetal position balls under their desks.
And they aren’t numbskulls. They still planned shorter trips to save on expenses and get back to work-—just like in Atlanta. Vendors I spoke to (and there were a lot of them) felt positive about things, and were a whole lot more realistic about translating foot traffic into turnout.
Atlanta was great. New York was great. Dallas held their own, and Chicago was The Little Engine That Could, as evidenced by their strong seminar attendance. I’m calling this summer show season a winner folks.
Don’t even think about arguing this, or I’ll have to get the soapbox out again.
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