Pop-ups At The Politico Women Rule Summit
Last week, we visited the Pop-Up Marketplace at the 2019 Politico Women Rule Summit. The event featured seven innovative, women-founded and women-owned small businesses including Ann Mashburn, Daryl K, District of Clothing, East City Book Shop, Henning and Second-Daughter.
In the coming weeks, we hope to feature all of these female founded enterprises on meixu.com but begin by sharing with you our findings from our visit to the Ann Mashburn pop-up.
The eponymously named lifestyle brand Ann Mashburn offers a collection of clothing and fashion accessories created and manufactured by the designer herself. Among her pieces included highly curated brand offerings with an emphasis on classic, iconic, and updated pieces to wear on the weekend, to work, or for special occasions.
Among the fabulous fashions showcased at the Ann Mashburn DC pop-up were faux fur collars, silk shantung blouses in classic colors like navy as well as eye-popping shades like this year’s favorite fuchsia, and the can’t-keep-in-stock pointe pants with varying hem lines from wide to straight to kick-flare. But, Washington, DC was not the only location where Ann Mashburn opened a pop-up this year, as she also returned to New York's Madison Avenue to showcase her stylish wares.
Tips For A Successful Pop-up
Pop-ups are proving to be a great way to introduce your consumer brand to new customers. The format is also ideal for concept testing. If you’re thinking about making a pop-up part of your 2020 strategy, here are tips for a successful pop-up:
- Location, Location, Location – This basic rule of real estate is key to a successful pop-up store. You’ll want a space that has good foot traffic and is easily accessible, either by public transportation or by car, with plentiful parking nearby. When I opened my candle pop-up in 2017, we chose NYC’s most iconic shopping district, Soho.
- Get Creative – In addition to the ideal location, you need to focus on themes, décor and outfitting your space. Some places go all out by creating Instagram-worthy murals and offering one-of-a-kind experiences and unique giveaways. At our pop-up, we offered a mini-spa experience to reinforce the relaxation benefits that scented candles can deliver.
- Get Social – While selling is obviously a goal, you need to also offer an enticing experience and promote the opening weeks in advance. Successful brands create dedicated hashtags, post Facebook and Eventbrite invitations to tease the opening and offer special giveaways to drive foot traffic and attendance.
- Enlist Partners – Think better together! Finding the perfect partner to help boost brand awareness and benefit from a carry-over effect can be an effective strategy. Rent the Runway partnered with Compass Coffee in DC this spring offering free lattes to all who came to browse its racks. Ann Mashburn, for her pop-up, partnered with Elizabeth Pash Interiors to decorate her pop-up and allowed her partner to also sell its beautiful antiques that were displaying her merchandise.
- Engage with Customers – In addition to brand awareness, pop-ups provide an ideal venue for customer feedback. By being present, you can see how customers are reacting to your creations and ask them for their feedback and suggestions. Think of your pop-up as your own consumer focus group!
If you have additional tips for staging a successful pop-up, share your feedback and advice by posting your comments on our site.
