Winter in a Bike Shop: Strengthening Relationships With Our Women's Based Business

"Do one thing everyday that scares you"  Eleanor Roosevelt

Winter in a Mid-Atlantic bike shop, or any shop, is brutal.  Here at Twenty20 Cycling Co. in Baltimore, our sales season has been further slowed by the coldest winter in a generation.  As warm spring rides seem far away, we found ourselves with the common problem of overstock in women’s apparel – and no steady stream of female customers.  Our challenge was how to connect our customers with our inventory.

Kris Auer, owner of Twenty20 Cycling Co, presented an idea to host a private gathering for our loyal female customers.  By offering 30-40% discounts and hands-on service, Kris’ idea translated into an enormous turnout.  We cleared out most of our overstock on a bitterly cold Tuesday night.  When I shared our story with Marissa Herold, Women’s Business Manager at Specialized Bikes, she asked if I would write about what made it a success.

As Specialized Women’s Ambassador, I organized the sales event with a focus on how women buy cycling apparel.  Women want to feel comfortable and welcome in the shop.  We want to talk with other women who have cycling experience.  And we want our gear to reflect our personality and who we are.

Our plan was to host a wine and cheese after-hours private sale.  I invited groups of women cyclists who ride together and encouraged them to bring a friend.  I crafted a fun and engaging invitation through Facebook and email.  Beyond the sale prices, Kris was on-hand to provide even deeper discounts for women who purchased more than one item.

As our guests arrived, they were warmly greeted and directed to socialize before shopping.  Everyone got caught up with each other’s winter woes and chatted about their cycling plans for the spring.  While checking out the displays, the light conversation continued as women helped each other with their selections and sizing.  We have a spaciously comfortable changing room that was occupied non-stop.  Kris and I stayed engaged with everyone to answer questions and to provide suggestions.

By the end of the evening, we had sold nearly half of our inventory as well as non-sale items like shoes, nutrition and accessories.  The event also created an opportunity to start conversations about the Specialized Women's specific bikes for anyone considering an upgrade this year.

What did we learn?  Women want to feel welcome in their bike shop and to feel special from the moment they enter.  We want to trust the expertise of the staff and to share their enthusiasm for cycling.  By fostering our local relationships, we improved our winter sales and have many female customers to carry into the busy season.