Tradeshow Season Begins...

I’m on my way home to Chicago today after just attending the Atlantic Dance Show in Baltimore. I love every trade show I attend, because it is always so exciting to meet all of the retailers who buy Russian Pointe shoes in person and truly learn about what your business needs are.

I had expected this to be a more regional trade show, so I was thrilled when about 50 retailers attended the event from as far away as Canada, Panama, California and Florida!

I also gave a seminar at the trade show on “Unveiling of The New Russian Pointe Catalog and Troubleshooting for Pointe Shoes."

My goal at the seminar was not only to educate retailers about Russian Pointe’s products, including our newest pointe shoe, the Muse, which is part of the Spotlight Collection, but also to provide tips that I have acquired over the years about how to successfully run your business.

One of the tips that I gave was that the pointe shoe fitting process needs to start by learning as much as you can about your customer. Before you bring out any shoes for her to try on, start by asking her what her favorite pointe shoe was and why. Ask her about what she does and does not like about her current pair of shoes, and find out how she will be wearing them – whether for a summer intensive, regular dance class, or a performance. The answers to those questions will give you a wealth of information about which shoes will be right for the dancer, and will help you shorten the time you have to spend with each customer trying on shoes.

Attendees also asked me many compelling questions. They wanted to know how they can prevent parents from getting too involved in the pointe shoe fitting process, how to explain to dancers about the proper need for a snug fit on the foot, and how to tell a dancer that she isn’t ready yet for dancing on pointe.

After the seminar, I filled many orders for shoes from retailers who passionate retailers are about Russian Pointe. Several of you said that once you started carrying Russian Pointe shoes, your sales increased, not only of Russian Pointe shoes, but also of all brands in your pointe shoe department.

One retailer even opened up his bookkeeping records to another retailer to show him how much his business has grown since carrying Russian Pointe shoes!

It is always such a joy to meet dancewear retailers who love Russian Pointe shoes as much as I do.