Every time you fit a new dancer for pointe shoes, you work hard to find the perfect pair. You invest time and effort because you want them to dance safely and comfortably. And because of that careful fitting, you can count on sales from their future pairs. Your initial investment should pay off down the line.
Except sometimes, you don’t get those follow-up sales. You put in the work, but the dancer ends up buying their next pair online instead. It’s a big enough issue that it was a key topic at the pointe shoe panel that took place at the MODE Market trade show in Atlanta this past January. Judging by the audience’s reactions, many retailers are facing this exact challenge.
What can we retailers do to solve this issue? Has anyone figured out how to avoid losing post-fitting business? DRN has distilled key strategies from the MODE Market panel you can implement to keep pointe dancers coming back.
Make the Fitting a Partnership
To retain pointe shoe sales, retailers should paint the first fitting as the start of a shared journey. For Della Stewart of Dancin’ Soul Boutique in Carlsbad, CA, this means communicating her sincere desire to take care of the dancer. One way she does this is by keeping track of the dancer’s choices in a notebook—something parents love when they’re told about it. Stewart wants the dancer to feel that “she’s their person.” And it’s working; dancers who have moved away still return to her to get fitted.
It’s all about partnership. Talk to the dancer about how they feel about the fitting, what lies ahead, what they’re struggling with, and the progress they’ve made. Be there with them. Be there for them. Be a trusted guide on this journey together. Don’t be just a purveyor of pointe shoes.
Roberta LaSalvia of Demetria’s Dancewear and Costumes, LLC, in Belleville, IL, takes this partnership one step further by inviting teachers to her fittings, making the journey a team effort. She also keeps track of which shoe was chosen and when the dancer will need another pair.
Reward Loyalty
A strong loyalty program goes a long way to getting follow-up pointe shoe sales. Pointe shoes are expensive, and a loyalty program incentivizes customers to buy from you to keep costs down.
A loyalty program can be as simple as the six-box program. All you need is a file card with each customer’s name and contact information, and six squares. With every purchase, enter the pre-tax amount into a square. Once all six squares are filled, you can email the customer a gift card worth 10% of their purchases. It’s that simple.
Loyalty programs can also be more advanced and tied to your POS, SMS, and email apps. However you approach it, make sure your customers don’t lose the incentive to buy from your store by forgetting your program exists.
Program reminders can be personalized texts to customers showing their points balances, or a note in your newsletter highlighting the total number of points redeemed in the past month. Not only does this serve as a helpful nudge, but it’s also a powerful way to build FOMO.
Custom Loyalty or Custom Headaches?
At the MODE Market panel, Mark Suffolk of manufacturer Suffolk Dance encouraged retailers to make small modifications to stock pointe shoes to build trust and long-term loyalty with dancers. “When retailers take the time to customize shoes in-store, dancers feel heard, supported, and more confident,” Keri Suffolk, co-owner of Suffolk Dance, later told DRN via email. “That connection leads to repeat business.”
Keep in mind, though, that for some dancers, the quest for the perfect shoe becomes a hobby. Offering customization encourages them to keep tweaking and never be fully satisfied. Their fun lies in the fiddling. If you’re not careful, you end up stuck with all the failed attempts.
To Fee or Not to Fee?
One way to make sure you recoup your time and effort in fitting dancers is to charge a fitting fee. In my store—Brio Bodywear in Ottawa, Canada—we charge a $30 fee for every fitting. This is in addition to the cost of the shoes.
If you don’t currently charge a fee, starting can feel intimidating. But think about the service fees you pay every day. Your hairdresser, dentist, and lawyer all charge for their training and expertise. Is your training and expertise any less valuable? Shouldn’t you be charging for it?
Retailers often worry that charging a fee will reduce demand for their services. In fact, charging a fitting fee may actually increase demand. Studies have shown that higher fees can boost the perceived value of your services and make them more desirable.
The Bottom Line
Setting a fitting fee highlights the value of the fitting, as does positioning yourself as the dancer’s guide on an important journey. Do those things, and add a loyalty program, and you’ll be well on your way to capturing all of your customers’ pointe shoe purchases—not just the first one.
Gilbert Russell is a seasoned dancewear retailer who helps independent stores thrive through his book “Retail AI Unleashed,” coaching programs, speaking engagements, and weekly newsletter.