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who is your ideal dream customer?


Hey there!
Who is your ideal customer? If you don’t know yet, it is time to craft your ideal store customer profile. At the end of the day, you are not going to get very far trying to please everyone or be in every single store across America. In fact, you will end up pleasing no one. By figuring out who your ideal customer is you can cater more to their needs and only approach the ones with win win-win potential. It is not about the quantity of stores but about the quality of stores that fits your brand. Only then will you be in a reorder business, and not have a one-time wonder order.

Here is a fun assignment to craft your ideal store partner:

1. Think of 3-5 ideal dream stores that you would like to be in. What do these stores have in common and call that store a name? Speak to that store (figuratively of course ;)
2. What kind of merchandise and brands do they carry?
3. How do they select their merchandise?
4. Do they feature a theme, such as eco-friendly, handmade or local products?
5. How will your product help solve a problem that the store faces each day?

Step into the mindset of a store owner or buyer. Really dig deep down and figure out how your product will enhance and complement what they already carry, not duplicate it.

This exercise may be easy for some but hard for others. It’s okay! Once you become clear on your ideal customer, you can start putting together a retail distribution strategy that makes sense and sell with ease. I can’t wait to hear some of your findings. Please post your comments here! :)

xoxo,

Grace Kang
Your Retail Product Mentor

p.s. A BIG, warm welcome to all of the new readers who joined our community! You are going to love the resources you will find here to help you make your product retail-ready… Enjoy!

Comments

  1. This is a fun exercise. The most important thing to me and my products has always been to make products I would buy and to design a store I would shop in. By doing that, I’ve naturally drawn customers who love the same things and stores with the same vision so that without really trying, we’re all in step.

    You’re so right in that trying to please anyone else ends up pleasing no one. Even though I do everything for myself first (because I can’t sell what I don’t believe in personally), I have over the years tailored those beliefs a bit to fall a little closer to my customers. A lot of my products have come about because a retail or wholesale customer specifically requested it, or something like it.

    • congrats natalie! i think you are very clear on who your customer is and have been able to draw them in, instead of the other way around. my next challenge to you is to share your brownies with your ideal customers in a bigger way! :)

  2. Love the information and did this exercise when I first started my business, however it included local boutique business with emphasis on handmade eco friendly. I have recently moved due to hubby work relocation and our current community doesn’t have that focus. What now??/ I’m a couple hours from San Fran but just don’t know where to start.

    Christina
    ViVO

  3. The idea of product enhancement not duplication really hit home with me. It makes such perfect sense that I’m embarassed it never dawned on me to use this frame of reference before. Figuring out which stores my product line will complement is going to take some work but I will have a much stronger sales pitch as a result. Thank you, Grace for this insight!

    Do you think storeowners would be more willing to take a chance on an item that fits aesthetically with their shop but is a new product category for them if it were sold on consignment at first?

    • hey dana,
      you’re welcome! i’m glad that you found this post helpful. :)

      doing consignment definitely reduces some risk when testing a new item. however, it still need to fit into the criteria of enhancing the store assortment. hope that makes sense!

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