FEATURE

Trunk Show Do's and Don'ts

By Janice Ferguson
GPA Fashion Correspondent

It's trunk show time. Spring is a very popular time of year for golf clubs to host their annual trunk shows. New shipments of soft goods are arriving and trunk shows are a perfect venue for showing members the latest golf fashion, as well as, in some cases, a sneak preview at next season's collections.

Trunk shows accomplish three main goals:

    1. Provide a service and shopping experience to members above and beyond regular pro shop inventory.

    2. Boost bottom line pro shop sales.

    3. Showcase vendor lines and build relationships with sales representatives.

Michelle Smith, merchandise manager and buyer at Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club in northern California, makes service her most important objective.

"I want our members to have a unique opportunity to see more apparel and accessories than what we can stock in the pro shop," she says, " and feel special at being able to get them at such a great price."

Pleasing the membership might be part of the pro shop buyer's job description, but it takes an extraordinary amount of time and effort to coordinate a trunk show. Here are some basic tips for whoever is in charge of planning the event.

DO:

    - communicate. Put the date on the master calendar. Three months out, notify sales reps. Two months out, begin advertising to participants via newsletters, e-mails and posted flyers.

    - create a theme. Easier to decorate coordinating colors and centerpieces.

    - include a fashion show. Make it more fun than serious. Using members as models is a real audience pleaser. It also helps show how outfits can be put together.

    - allow members to bring guests. Refer to goals one and two.

    - couple with a golf tournament and luncheon or happy hour nibbles. Creates broader appeal and attendance.

    - hold separate trunk shows for ladies and men. Allows you to bring in different and more specific lines.

DO NOT:

    - expect to please everyone all the time. It's impossible, so do your best and be open to member input.

    - forget to feed the sales reps. Most have traveled long distances to help make your event a success with little time left for food stops.

    - do it alone. Develop a committee, involve your Pro and staff.

    - give it away. A minimum of 25 percent above wholesale is a steal-of-a-deal for your members. Anything less and you've misplaced your retailer hat.

    - invite companies that can't ship current season. End-consumers typically don't understand buying a season ahead. They want to purchase and wear now.

    - be afraid to try something new. Bring in a vendor that's more lifestyle related and not necessarily for golf. Fashion jewelry or resort hats for women, cigar accessories or casual shoes for men.

Smith also attributes her successful trunk shows to the support of her pro.

"He backs all of my ideas no matter how outlandish they seem," she said. "Like when I asked him to be master of ceremonies and wear a tuxedo for the Hollywood red carpet fashion show, he didn't flinch."

Even with a great support staff, planning an event of any kind for 100 or so attendees is a major feat. There are just as many likes, dislikes, tastes, styles, budgets, and shopping habits. You would need a warehouse to satisfy all the different nuances, and last time you checked, it wasn't in the build-out design. Place the emphasis on having an overall nice occasion and everyone will enjoy it.

Most sales reps are independent and won't sell mega quantities at trunk shows to earn commissions that offset expenses. They participate for the account and the buyer, so be cognizant and appreciative of their willingness to go the extra mile.

Members and guests are definitely the major beneficiaries of a trunk show. So, don't miss out and do have fun shopping.