A MARKETING PLAN FOR “KAT’S ARMOIRE”

Final Presentation

Pre Launch Preparation Post Launch Actions

Business Overview Products and Services Target Customers Competition Marketing Inventory Website and Blog Directory Submission Press Release

Search Engine Optimization Search Engine Marketing Social Media Email Marketing Blogging Advertising and Analytics SWOT Goals and Analysis

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Overview of Marketing Plan

Business Overview

The name of this business is Kat’s Armoire and is run by Kat Ulman, located in Orcutt, CA. The business is currently being reconfigured and re-launched with a different line of products and approach, including marketing.

For the time being, it is an online only business with an e-commerce shopping website for used home décor (prior clothing). We will provide a consignment venue for individuals to sell, as well as for artists and craftspeople to display and sell their creations. We may include dealers in the future to increase volume. We may also open a retail location in the future. This is a “boutique” type business in that viability is dependent on the high quality, uniqueness, and desirability of the merchandise since nothing will be offered that is mass produced.

The service part of the business is consignment, for people interested in selling home furnishing, décor and/or art on a commission basis in a simple and convenient way, without having to deal with marketing or selling on their own.

There is a future opportunity to expand and create additional websites such as Kat’s Kitchen Armoire, selling items such as tablecloths, aprons and other kitchen décor and/or Kat’s Bath Armoire for soap, essential oils and spa items.

Product and Services

The main products will be gently used, better quality home

furnishings such as dressers, tables and chairs, side tables,

mirrors, lamps, TV stands, bookcases, artwork, frames,

accessories. These items may be newer, vintage, and/or

improved, possibly being recycled or upcycled, rebuilt,

painted, decoupaged, or fundamentally changed in some way,

etc. Original handcrafted pieces and art will also be offered.

The service will include marketing and selling of products on

consignment in addition to handling payments. Shipping and

delivery will be the responsibility of the original owner.

Target Customers and Competition

Customers:Women ages 25-60Homeowners Interior Designers,

Stylists and StagersPeople interested in

recycling, “upcycling” furniture improvement, and do-it-your selfers

People who are movingArtists and Crafters

Competition:Local home décor,

furniture and consignment shops

Thrift shopsYard saleseBay, EtsyCraigslistAntique StoresOther consignment

and/or home décor websites with used or new merchandize

Competition continued

Links to similar, competitive websites:

https://www.facebook.com/SecondChanceHomeFurnishings http://www.classichomedecorconsignment.com/Showroom-Ph

otos.html http://www.punchinterieurs.com/punch-press/ http://encoredecorconsignment.com/ http://www.hipswap.com/shop/hollywood-vintage-signs

Marketing Inventory

Collateral includes:WebsitePhotos

Email listsBrochures

NewslettersBlog and Content

Website, Blog and Content Marketing

The website URL is: www.katsarmoire.com and was created with Weebly. We wanted to

create a clean, modern look and feel to the website and we used the stylized image of a cat

to provide a cohesive element throughout the site pages. The site is optimized for mobile

viewing.

Our goal with this website is to provide a unique online shopping experience in addition to

an opportunity for other people to profit by selling their items. We will add a blog in the

future and create content around the items we sell, trends, updates, and possibly “how-to’s.”

We will add testimonials from happy customers as we solicit for them and collect them.

Current pages include: Home, Shop, About, Contact, FAQ, Policies including our Privacy

Policy. We have attempted to create a clear navigation.

A link to our Facebook and Twitter Accounts will also be available.

Included are ads with links to affiliated companies selling complimentary items.

There is an email sign-up area on the home page.

We will provide additional “calls to action” items on our homepage and others.

Directory Submission

The website will be submitted to:

Google SearchGoogle Products

YahooMSN - Bing

DMOZ -The Open Dir. Best of the WebWorld Site Index

Press Release

The following (next slide) press release will be sent to several outlets, including local newspapers and independents. We will also continue to research and develop public relation resources and possibilities. Some online press release distribution venues we may consider are:

Prlog.com

Pr9.net

Prweb.com

Prnewswire.com

Prbuzz.com

Newswiretoday.com

 

Sample Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 2013

Re: “Kat’s Armoire” a Consignment Home Décor BoutiqueOrcutt, CA 5/10/2013– Katherine Ulman is pleased to announce the relaunch of her online consignment boutique website, “Kat’s Armoire” at www.katsarmoir.com. Formerly selling clothing, the shop will now feature new, used, vintage, and up-cycled home décor, furniture, and art. The website will offer an easy and convenient way to shop for and/or sell unique, one-of-a-kind items. Individuals can consign their better quality or “transformed” household furnishing at a generous commission split. Artists are also welcome to consign their pieces and they will be spotlighted in upcoming special sections to help increase awareness about their art and businesses, creating greater exposure.

Mrs. Ulman said “There is a need outside of traditional auction sites or others such as Craiglist to sell home furnishings. Some people just don’t want to deal with the marketing or selling part of it and that’s where Kat’s Armoire comes in. We are looking forward to providing a great venue to not only sell but for our customers to find an ever changing array of high quality unique items for their homes or for gifts, with a little bit of the excitement of an auction since what is on the website today might not be there tomorrow. We want to make it fun and interesting.”

Katherine has worked in marketing and website creation, as well as having lots of experience in “finding and fixing” all sorts of furnishings, from dressers to dining room tables. She said “There’s something really satisfying about taking something that’s really not quite so attractive anymore and with a little thought and effort, make it beautiful and useful again. It’s also a great way to recycle things that otherwise might end up in the landfill. There will be a little something for everyone!”

Contact Information: Katherine Ulman, www.katsarmoire.com Tel. 805-314-0646

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Social Media and Email Marketing

Social Media: Facebook Page – Invite friends

and customers to “like” the page. Include sales and new product updates. Build awareness, provide customer service.

Twitter Account – Similar to Facebook but shorter updates.

Pinterest – Pin new products and how-to’s, encourage followers.

RSS Feed – For customers to get auto updates of newsletters or blog.

Email Marketing: Gather email addresses and

create customer mailing list with sign-up form on website and social media accounts.

Send newsletter, special sales and company updates to opted in list using either Vertical Response or Constant Contact.

Test different subject lines, offers, headlines and content, use what works best.

Keep testing and learning, continue to grow list and refine.

Search Engine Optimization

Keyword , title and description tags included on each webpage: Consignment home furnishings, home decor, art, estate jewelry, antiques and collectibles, estate sales, paintings, art, vintage, furniture, antiques, jewelry, arts and crafts, shabby chic, painted furniture, dressers, tables, chairs.

Include alt tags on photographs to further help search engine visability.

Create Google alerts for business and similar businesses. Enter merchandise into Google product search. Build relationships with other businesses and use reciprocal links,

internal and outbound. Use a website grading service to help optimize website. Create an HTML site map. Use Google AdWords tool to continually research and determine key

phrases, include local names. Use keywords within content on website.

Advertising, Affiliates, Analytics and Mobil

Consider “pay-per-click” Google AdWords advertising. Consider advertising on Facebook. Currently have affiliate ads with “Linkshare” to earn a commission

on click-throughs, will rotate, add, and change these ads. Continue to try different venues, test, and track as well as research

and refine keywords, phrases, etc. Analyze results from advertising. We have used Google analytics for website traffic analysis in the past

but for now we will use the analytics program that is included on Weebly. Stats include: traffic counts by page, number of views, referring websites.

Mobil marketing: Yet to be developed, possibly incorporate a “coupon” or specials type service such as Groupon. Website is optimized for mobile device viewing.

Marketing Goals

Create a solid and growing customer base Increase followers on Facebook via advertising and

word of mouth Build relationships with customers Inform and entertain Introduce high quality, unique productsHelp others sell their products and artworkProvide excellent customer serviceHave lots of happy customersGrow the business, expand into new venues

SWOT Analysis

Strengths One-of-a kind and unique items

make the website interesting and encourage repeat customers.

Being a small company means being able move quickly on new ideas and try out new things without having to invest a lot or go through lots of red tape.

Ability to gain customers through word-of-mouth and to build locally while using the website as a main hub for the business.

Possibility to grow into a “brick and mortar” business.

Really conducive to social media like Facebook because of changing stock and daily new additions.

Weaknesses The biggest weakness with this

type of business is the reliance on the website to make sales and customers not having the ability to actually see, touch and inspect a product that they may be interested in. That’s why lots of photographs in addition to really thorough and accurate descriptions will be a must and very important to building trust and making sales.

The next biggest weakness is shipping and/or delivery costs. The products will have to be of high enough quality to support a slightly higher price to cover these extra costs.

SWOT continued

Opportunities “Find and fix” and “upcycling” is

very popular right now, several television shows feature people combing flea markets and transforming them for profit. We are providing a simple and convenient venue for those types of people to sell their transformations.

Vintage and home décor sales are starting to rebound as the economy improves.

There is the possibility to branch out to other areas that customers might be interested in, like kitchen décor or bath and spa products, lots of options there. Wholesaling is another possibility.

Opportunity to move more into content and “how-to” aspects.

Threats The biggest threats are existing

competition such as other on and offline consignment stores, eBay, Craigslist, etc.

The economy is always a concern. Many people stop making home improvement type purchases when finances are tight.

If people find it too difficult to make a selling decision on a piece because they can’t see it in person may have to branch out into craft shows or fairs or other in-person markets. This may be more true for higher-priced or expensive items.

Final Analysis

Creating this marketing plan has been a great opportunity to study and analyze what works (and what doesn’t) and to develop the most successful business model possible. It’s extremely important to stay current on all of the advances and possibilities in the always changing world of online marketing. As I continue on the journey of marketing and promoting this online business, I will continue to seek solid information and educational possibilities that will help to develop, relaunch, and run this exciting business.

Katherine “Kat” Ulman