When trying to market a product or get press placement, I have found that it is helpful if the product is familiar to the editors, and doesn't need a lot of explaining so they know where to place it in stories they are currently planning, or they think of the product when deciding upcoming articles or features. Perhaps you see where I am going with this. Chicken or the egg comes to mind. Getting traction and familiarity takes a tremendous amount of time and persistence. Every once in awhile someone will take a chance on me or nomie baby, and that will open doors ever so slightly, which makes the next go around just that much easier.
There are a couple of accounts and press I have been trying to get for the nomie baby, which I have always thought were perfect matches, and others have mentioned them as well. Now I have been able to go back to them and say, "CBS Early Show" and "Pregnancy & Newborn" magazine both featured the nomie baby car seat cover as a "MUST" baby product, and now those accounts are interested! So it seems you need PR to get accounts, and the press wants to know where their viewer or readers can buy the great new product before running a story on it. And so it goes, slowly building until it reaches the "tipping point." It feels as if it's getting getting there. I hope we're tipsy!
From my experience, it is PR first, PR is an amazing driver of sales & interest. After a certain amount of PR, the retailer can no longer deny. Katie, you are such a great story and you have such an amazing product, just waiting for that big, brand breakthrough.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree, PR definitely does help persuade a buyer's decision when ordering, although I am seeing a lot of the stores not taking on anything new right now, even with good press. For me, the bulk of my orders are from my In Style features. Although just recently I got a few orders saying online...so I am trying to find out where I am online that they are just now seeing it... Now, on the otherhand if a celebrity wears your product, I think it is more of a sure thing for the buyer's to want to take you on. So finding a celebrity is my mission!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you will get your big break soon:) Hang in there!
Katie,
ReplyDeleteI definitely feel the paradox. One thing that might create buzz, a tax credit and feel good is a charity campaign of some sort. We got some press for RightTime KiDS by offering 2 free hours of drop-in childcare to parents who were going to job interviews. I wonder if there are organizations in the area offering new mom/new baby education and product sampling. Or perhaps a partnership with the maternity wings of some of the area hospitals? Maybe you could provide "car seat checks" where people can have the installation of their car seats checked out by someone who knows what they are doing (that overwhelmed me!)...they do this in the suburbs at malls and other venues. And maybe Nomie Baby could raffle off X number of seat covers to attendees. That should get some PR.
Good luck. You know it's going to happen. And we'll say "I knew her when..."
Lori Klein
CEO
RightTime KiDS
PR I suppose to. And I've seen the people hunt out the product online that was featured. Stores I have to say - I'm shy, so I stick to the pixels. :) Plus, for me, my product line doesn't have high volume, so my struggle is with making enough inventory.
ReplyDeleteOttilie & Lulu
ReplyDeleteI just came from meeting with publicist yesterday where we discussed this very issue. They have interest from editors, but the editors want to know a "bricks and mortar" location for purchase--not just web site. There is evidence that there is a generally "thin" market out there,e.g, retailers are not taking any risks. I am following Beth's recommendation and focusing on PR with the goal of getting a respected retailer to take Ottilie Lulu. Frustration runs high until that day, so I agree with you, Katie.