3. Vendor Rep Visits

Allen McBroom, Backstage Music Company, Starkville, Miss.

According to McBroom, the best employees you’ll ever have are your reps—they’re just as vested in selling products as you are. “You can’t hire him, but you can get him to work for you,” McBroom said.

McBroom suggested that you ask vendor reps to visit your store to host product demos. Tell them you’d also like to give away a product as part of the event. In return, you’d like to take the rep to lunch someplace nice.

McBroom outlined the steps for a successful vendor demo event in your store:

1. Arrange with one of your reps to do a four-hour afternoon event showing off new or cool gear.

2. Ask your rep to donate a giveaway product—something that will draw real interest.

3. Get the word out. Start pushing the event on social media, and use photos of the giveaway item. McBroom said that 3,700 people saw one of his company’s Facebook posts about a rep visit, and he spent very little to boost the post the week before the event.

4. Get the rep to come early on the day of the event. This way, he or she can get your staff to speed on how the products work.

5. At the event:
• Take lots of clear photos.

• Film the demos and your customers playing the item.

• Offer a giveaway drawing, and make sure customers give you their email addresses in order to be eligible.

6. Thank your rep. Buy him or her lunch.

7. Write an article for the trade publications, and include several photos. Send a different photo to each magazine, and make sure the rep is included in the photo.

8. Create short product demo videos, and post them on YouTube.

McBroom reported that he spent $128 for the whole event. His store got free coverage and PR in three industry magazines and the local newspaper, as well as through customers’ Facebook posts.