Partnering for Pop-Up Shop Success: A Checklist

Aside from an alluring alliteration, this quick read presents three important baselines to assist you in bringing your D2C brand to life in the real world.

A successful brand collab with others that have existing followings, or an audience similar to yours, shows that you’re more than just a business. You’re a knowledgeable resource and dangit, people like you. Playing well with others can also expand your reach to the niche areas your audience hangs out but doesn’t broadcast. That’s right; you gain real insight about the real people you want to buy into your brand in real life.

Before accepting any invitation to join every local craft fair… reference this checklist to make sure you’re setting your brand up for success: 

[  ] Their values and mission align with ours

Surrounding yourself with like-minded, and therefore, like-audienced brands (yep, I made that a word) gives people a taste of what you’re about. If they’re unfamiliar with your brand, they can use the surrounding businesses to form context around what you stand for and decide if they want to know more. What’s that- you’re a farmhouse decor company? Then I better see you at Craft-Ober-Fest this fall… wherever you are.

 [  ] Their people would want to hang out with my people

Once you show that you’re friends with other brands and businesses your audience trusts, you’re in. Imagine your potential pop-up-partner’s brand as a person, they’d be best friends with your brand and share things that best friends share; passions, hobbies, other friends, other interests and sometimes a toothbrush- okay not that last one.

 [  ] We’re complementary, not competing

Friends help each other look good! It’s important to partner with businesses that understand marketing is a two way street. You might not have a direct connection to some of your partnerships, but remember what we said about playing well with others? Imagine a menswear line collaborating with a local shoe store on which shoes to wear with what pants. It’s a great way to offer a few quick tips to their audience for self styling, while also building recognition around town even though neither of them sell each others products. 

 Working relationships are as nuanced as they are valuable, so it’s important to do your research and understand that your reputation is also under a microscope. Would you want to work with you? If you want more help impacting your audience in authentic ways online and in real life, get input and guidance from the experts at Oh Hello with a free, 30-minute consultation. Contact natalie@oh-hello.co or jump right in and schedule a time that works for you.