Industry: Fashion & Accessories | Focus: Wholesale Stockists in Art Galleries | Gift Shops | Museums

Project Duration: November 2023 - July 2024

Background

Our client, is a distinctive brand known for its reversible art-inspired jewellery that creatively merges fashion with art. Based in Queensland, Australia, our client has built a reputation for crafting unique jewellery pieces in collaboration with both local and Indigenous artists. The brand was seeking to expand its reach into targeted niche markets such as museums, art galleries, and specialty gift shops to cater to a discerning audience that values artistic uniqueness.

Opportunity

The opportunity was multi-faceted, involving not just the enhancement of market visibility but also the stabilisation of the sales process during a period of internal transitions including recruitment for a new Sales and Marketing Manager. 

The brand faced:

• Variability in sales performance due to staffing fluctuations.

• Need for strategic re-engagement with lapsed stockists and exploration of new market opportunities.

• Limited proactive business development resources to focus on specific market segments, to grow the business 

Engagement

SJA Consultants took a hands-on approach, providing strategic business development services tailored to the unique dynamics of the art and design retail market. This included: 

• Directly engaging with potential and existing stockists through a mix of personal interactions and strategic communications. Securing appointments for Senior Management prior to trade shows and in person store visits, conducting market research, and managing follow-ups.

• Supported the implementation of CRM strategies to manage interaction and follow-ups.

• Organising the managing and personalised in store visits to foster relationships and showcase the brand’s unique value.

Strategy & Execution

The strategy encompassed a series of targeted actions including:

• Customised Prospecting: Developed and executed a prospecting process customised to the needs of the art and design market, focusing on understanding and tapping into the buying cycle of museums and galleries. 

• Strategic Scheduling and Communication: Utilised low seasons and non-peak hours for outreach, ensuring decision makers were approached without the usual business pressures. 

• Learning and Adaptation: Integrated learnings about the buying process and market specific nuances into ongoing strategies, adapting quickly to feedback and market data signals 

Results

The campaign was successful through various channels: 

• Enhanced Market Presence: Re-establishing significant relationships with key cultural institutions and introducing the brand to new premium stockists Nationally, enhancing market presence.

• Sales and Operational Success: Achieved a sales increase in excess of $50,000 with the strategic groundwork laid for continued expansion beyond the contracted period.

• Robust CRM System: Enhanced the CRM system to include over 60 new detailed contact profiles, greatly improving future marketing and sales initiatives. 

Extended Impact

SJA Consultants efforts extended beyond immediate business development to include:

• Support during staff transitions, ensuring the sales department remained operational and effective whilst trying to recruit full time team members 

• Facilitation of critical industry connections, including high-profile appointments that were previously unattainable.

• Development of a robust handover process that allowed new staff members to integrate smoothly and continue the momentum built by SJA Consultants.

In Summary

Over the course of this eight-month project, SJA Consultants not only revitalised the brand’s market presence within the targeted niche sectors of museums, art galleries, and gift shops but also stabilised and enhanced their internal sales department and capabilities. By implementing tailored business development strategies and leveraging personalised engagement tactics, the consultancy effectively renewed existing relationships and initiated valuable new ones. These adaptive strategies not only boosted sales and enhanced the brand's national and local footprint but also positioned the brand for sustained growth and success in a competitive market. The project exemplified SJA Consultants' commitment to delivering impactful results and tailored solutions, ensuring the brand was well-prepared to continue thriving even during periods of internal transition.

Testimonial

To come …