2003 Best Merchandising Ideas: Chef Apparel
Tuesday, July 22 2003
Published on AllBusiness.com
Chef apparel is a category that continues to grow. New children's fashions to innovative professional chefwear for home chefs provide you with valuable merchandising opportunities. And don't forget to market your inventory to the trade as well. Professionals in your area seldom have the chance to see fashionable new styles firsthand. A good marketing plan aimed at both professionals and home chefs will definitely make your store a destination for chef apparel. And who knows what else they'll pick up while they're in your store!
Casual Wear
Chef pants aren't only for the kitchen. Today's fashionable designs and comfortable fits make chef pants great for everyday wear. Promote stylish chef pants as alternative loungewear. Much more fashionable than sweat pants, they work well whether you're making a meal or playing host to family and friends.
To get this message across, encourage floor personnel to wear the latest chef pants you stock in your store. Not only will your employees be pleased with the simple, yet contemporary attire, your customers will be prompted to ask them questions about their clothing. Train your gift registry staff to encourage registrants to include chef apparel on their registries. Be sure they highlight the fact that these clothes need not be relegated only to the kitchen since pants and clogs are great items that may be worn anytime.
In your newsletters, spotlight new chef pants patterns for the season. Just as a clothing store features a new line of clothing for the season, you can prompt your customers to purchase chef attire each season. If you have a Web site, feature new spring, fall, or summer patterns there as well.
To the Trade
If you haven't tapped into local restaurants, caterers, or culinary schools, now is the time to create a program for the trade. Manufacturers can provide literature to promote the lines you stock in your store. Unlike other professions, chefwear is often an afterthought for uniform stores that typically stock school uniforms and clothing for medical professionals. Let the restaurants in your area know that your store stands ready to fill the gap.
Promotional programs might include offering a discount to the trade. That discount may include frequent buyer discounts, free personalization of chef jackets, or everyday promotional pricing. You may also provide an overall discount to professional chefs so that once you attract them into your store to view the latest fashions, they'll be encouraged to upgrade their knife collections, cooking tools, and who knows what else. Remember, professional chefs have to wear their chef clothes daily, making them a population that's the perfect audience for multiple sales.
Dressed for Success
Casual Wear
Chef pants aren't only for the kitchen. Today's fashionable designs and comfortable fits make chef pants great for everyday wear. Promote stylish chef pants as alternative loungewear. Much more fashionable than sweat pants, they work well whether you're making a meal or playing host to family and friends.
To get this message across, encourage floor personnel to wear the latest chef pants you stock in your store. Not only will your employees be pleased with the simple, yet contemporary attire, your customers will be prompted to ask them questions about their clothing. Train your gift registry staff to encourage registrants to include chef apparel on their registries. Be sure they highlight the fact that these clothes need not be relegated only to the kitchen since pants and clogs are great items that may be worn anytime.
In your newsletters, spotlight new chef pants patterns for the season. Just as a clothing store features a new line of clothing for the season, you can prompt your customers to purchase chef attire each season. If you have a Web site, feature new spring, fall, or summer patterns there as well.
To the Trade
If you haven't tapped into local restaurants, caterers, or culinary schools, now is the time to create a program for the trade. Manufacturers can provide literature to promote the lines you stock in your store. Unlike other professions, chefwear is often an afterthought for uniform stores that typically stock school uniforms and clothing for medical professionals. Let the restaurants in your area know that your store stands ready to fill the gap.
Promotional programs might include offering a discount to the trade. That discount may include frequent buyer discounts, free personalization of chef jackets, or everyday promotional pricing. You may also provide an overall discount to professional chefs so that once you attract them into your store to view the latest fashions, they'll be encouraged to upgrade their knife collections, cooking tools, and who knows what else. Remember, professional chefs have to wear their chef clothes daily, making them a population that's the perfect audience for multiple sales.
Dressed for Success