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Rawlins’ Tip: The Road Map to Maximizing Your Market Experience

Posted by Dallas Market Center on June 15, 2017

Retail guru, Rawlins Gilliland, will share his vast expertise during Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, September 7-9. His legendary guided walking tours are retailer-focused, providing tips and trends to help store owners make sales and gain loyal customers. Check out Rawlins’ tips below for how to have a fun and successful market experience! 

Contributed post from Rawlins Gilliland:

There are many more efficient and productive ways to maximize our time and better focus on potential profits. Besides, of course, spending an hour with me on one of my Discovery Tours that takes you to see things I spent two days finding. 

Here are a baker’s dozen Rawlins’s Tips accordingly. In no particular order: 

  1. TRY not to be burdened with the following:
    *Shoes that look good but feel terrible after 45 minutes.
    *Dragging a travel cart larger than an overnight carry-on.
    *A handbag larger than the average suburban condo. 
    *You will want to be free to take photos, write notes, or text details unencumbered.
  2. MAKE yourself go into showrooms you are thinking would have nothing that is right for you.
  3. GO to the BACK of a showroom and work your way to the front rather than vice versa.
  4. ASK up front what the minimum order is and if there are multiple lines vs. one minimum per showroom.
  5. BE polite but businesslike as you avoid conversations eating your time.
  6. DO not drink those margaritas at 10AM. Happy Hour is after you have been productive.
  7. HAVE light snacks with you so pre-meal hunger isn’t an issue.
  8. DON’T pack everything you are offered. Unless you really want a catalog, don’t load up ‘to be nice’.
  9. HAVE an open mind about newer product. Buying the same lines for the same customers is the surest way to see diminishing returns.
  10. EDIT with your eyes. Being distracted by the totality of offerings makes one feel overwhelmed. ZERO in on things that catch your laser focus rather than being cluttered by your panoramic vision.
  11. MAKE decisions. Indecision is the enemy. If you are timid about making decisions, you are in the wrong business.
  12. BEGIN re-learning to not only buy things that speak to your personal taste rather than broadening your professional eye to attract disparate customers.
  13. Join me on my fast-paced Discovery Tours to allow me to jump start your merchandise assortment profit margin. I find good stuff that will make you serene, rich & happy. Would I lie?

Make sure to register for September Market and don't miss these anticipated tours hosted by Rawlins Gilliland. 

Discovery Tour with Rawlins: Affordable Last-Minute Holiday Gift Items
September 8 | 11AM | TM 1 Front Entry Escalators

Discovery Tour with Rawlins: Gift & Decor Items to Maximize Holiday Sales
September 8 | 3PM | WTC 1 Atrium Fountain

 

Topics: Design, Lighting, Home & Gift