Crocodile
G.O.A.T.
As one of the main tennis racquet forums in the world I sometimes wonder whether racquet company representatives read some of the posts about people’s views on brands and individual racquets that are posted here.
With the advent of online retail, digital marketing media plus other YouTube content making many companies have usually felt that this would be sufficient to get your product out. You, the company or an online shop dies a video review and then the online shop lists it on its website and then see how it goes. If you are a large company with a big budget you will do well with this approach, plus you will get the exposure through player sponsorship, if you sign up the right player whose profile works well for your brand. Some player sponsorships do not translate into racquet sales because of the twist in some aspect of the fashion as it were.
However if that company also decides to go direct online to the public then that’s a bit of an issue especially if the company withholds certain models from the retailer. I think you are either a distributor, or a wholesaler or a retailer, once you overlap I don’t think it’s a wise decision long term.
If you are a less of a high profile brand then I think this approach is not enough and I think what needs to happen is a return to good old fashion hard work with company representatives driving around and visiting many retailers, local community clubs and developing relationships with tennis businesses, coaches, sponsorship of community events, all that stuff. For example you might have arrangements where the company provides coaches with demo racquets, in which the customer tries and then buys the racquet from the retailer, in this instance lets say the retailer is TW. TW then refers its customers to the tennis business for tennis services. If you are a smaller company and/or you are trying to establish yourself you may need to do this if you want to grow the brand. I get the feeling that many are less prepared to do this these days and then they are left wondering why their sales are too low. Like everything, however you need to do things correctly.
Anyway these are my thoughts for today and I hope we can discuss this. Comment if you wish. Cheers
With the advent of online retail, digital marketing media plus other YouTube content making many companies have usually felt that this would be sufficient to get your product out. You, the company or an online shop dies a video review and then the online shop lists it on its website and then see how it goes. If you are a large company with a big budget you will do well with this approach, plus you will get the exposure through player sponsorship, if you sign up the right player whose profile works well for your brand. Some player sponsorships do not translate into racquet sales because of the twist in some aspect of the fashion as it were.
However if that company also decides to go direct online to the public then that’s a bit of an issue especially if the company withholds certain models from the retailer. I think you are either a distributor, or a wholesaler or a retailer, once you overlap I don’t think it’s a wise decision long term.
If you are a less of a high profile brand then I think this approach is not enough and I think what needs to happen is a return to good old fashion hard work with company representatives driving around and visiting many retailers, local community clubs and developing relationships with tennis businesses, coaches, sponsorship of community events, all that stuff. For example you might have arrangements where the company provides coaches with demo racquets, in which the customer tries and then buys the racquet from the retailer, in this instance lets say the retailer is TW. TW then refers its customers to the tennis business for tennis services. If you are a smaller company and/or you are trying to establish yourself you may need to do this if you want to grow the brand. I get the feeling that many are less prepared to do this these days and then they are left wondering why their sales are too low. Like everything, however you need to do things correctly.
Anyway these are my thoughts for today and I hope we can discuss this. Comment if you wish. Cheers