Prospecting: Tablevogue Leverages “Today” Show Appearance Into New Customers
For a startup business, the value of an appearance or mention on a national morning show like "Today" is priceless. The free publicity and exposure a brand is provided can translate into immediate — and substantial — sales gains. Such was the good fortune for Tablevogue, a cross-channel retailer of stylish slipcovers for folding tables commonly used when entertaining (e.g., birthday and holiday parties, business events).
On April 14, Tablevogue's products were featured in a "Today" show segment that highlighted do-it-yourself tips for creating a garden-theme party with a Buckingham Palace feel in honor of the royal nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton. The segment identified brands that provide creative lifestyle and entertaining solutions, and was produced in partnership with Woman's Day.
"While offering tips for a royal wedding soirée wasn't on the original list of pitch ideas for 2011, when the opportunity arose to collaborate with Woman's Day on this story we jumped on it," says Jane Birdwell, creator and CEO of Tablevogue. "We pride ourselves on being uber-responsive and receptive to outside ideas, especially when the opportunity to be in front of an audience of the 'Today' show's magnitude presents itself. Being in the company of American media giants such as Woman's Day and the 'Today' show elevated our brand to a new level. You can't buy that kind of value."
Immediately following the airing of the "Today" show segment, Tablevogue uploaded the video footage to its website, YouTube channel and Facebook page, as well as linking back to Woman's Day's posting of the segment on its website. This strategy led to an immediate increase in traffic to tablevogue.com as well as the company's social media outlets, translating into sales growth and a strong showing of first-time buyers.
"Modern technology has allowed us to very carefully gauge who our first-time buyers are, and that information is of the utmost importance," says Birdwell. "We also make it very easy for first-time visitors to dial into our network, which will hopefully convert a visit into a future purchase. For Tablevogue, whose biggest hurdle is getting in front of the consumer, the entire experience has been invaluable."
