Wednesday 6 March 2013

Monday 28 January 2013

How sales instruments can also be used in store?

As it is mentioned in a previous post, Gore Tex company is using effective sales instruments which helps them to inform customers about the product and its features. Of course, it helps the company to sell a product. If these sales instruments work effectively on their homepage, it will be also effective to use in store.
In store Gore Tex could hang a TV on the wall. TV will diplay the stories from the " Real Life Stories" section on their homepage or simply videos about how goretex material works. It will be also interesting and effective to make leaflets or brochures containing information about the functionality of goretex material and events associated with the company.  Moreover, in leaflets can be described  organizations, teams and individuals which are sponsored by Gore Tex. Customers could find leaflets in Gore Tex stores.



How the material is branded on the homepage?
 
This post focuses on sales instruments that are used in the Gore Tex official homepage.

The company's homepage has a lot of information about the Gore Tex company's establishment and creation of material. Also, extremely large amount of information can be found both on how goretex material works and the functionality of the material.
Gore Tex homepage (www.gore-tex.com) is very easy to navigate. What is more, it is easy to find there the desired product. Products on their website are sorted according to certain categories: Outwear, Footwear, Gloves and Accessories, Activities and Brands. After selecting a category "activities" we can choose products for specifically: Business, Cycling, Mountain sports, Team sports, Walking, Fishing, Outdoor lifestyle, Water sports, Golf, Running, Hunting, Workwear, Snowmobiling, Motorcycling and Snow sports.
 
Gore Tex targets a specific audience with a specific offer for a specific product that features specific benefits. Instead of selling only clothes or accessories online, Gore Tex sells functional clothes and accessories. They increase the value of the product by adding a short description about the quality and features of the product next to it. As an example can be mentioned a way Gore Tex is branding and selling their functional gloves. Next to the gloves advertisement on their homepage they have added the slogan "Get a grip on the cold outside".  As another example can be given mountaineering outwear. Near Mountaineering outwear category they are also adding an effective slogan "conquer big mountains outside".

Taglines can be considered as sales instruments. These are quick phrases that capture a brand's essence and appeal to people's emotions. Gore Tex is using short tagline which is easy to remember and say, as well, which perfectly reflects the company's product - "Gore Tex - Guaranteed to keep you dry".
 
Gore Tex on their homepage states to be very proud to sponsor organizations, teams and individuals. The company supports The Access Fund. The Access Fund is involved in projects at hundreds of climbing areas around the country — working to reverse or prevent closures, reducing climbers' environmental impacts, and educating land managers and the general public as to the special concerns and needs of climbers. Gore Tex  is also a sponsor for Conservation Alliance. The Conservation Alliance’s mission is to engage businesses to fund and partner with organizations to protect wild places for their habitat and recreation values. These are just a few examples of the Gore Tex-sponsored organizations. By supporting organizations whose activities have much in common with products that Gore Tex is offering, the company acquires a good reputation and a great advertisement for their products.

Company uses more than is listed above sales instruments. In company's website can be found sections such as Events, Adventure diaries and Real Life Stories. Here they focus on expeditions, events and life stories where the company or its products has made a significant contribution. In order to clearly understand how sales instruments like these works, we will give an example. In the section which is named "Life stories" they publish the articles that are written by people who use Gore Tex products. They all more or less emphasis high quality of Gore Tex products, and most importantly - their functionality. Below you can read one of them:

Robert Frass


My GORE-TEX® shoes saved the trip!

"After receiving a book about the Appalachian Trail for my 26th birthday, I began dreaming of trekking the legendary trail myself. Over the next year I pored over maps, read lots of hiking advice and researched hundreds, if not thousands, of pieces of gear. I chose to go very light for my first solo hiking adventure, and following the advice of one ultra-light hiker, I chose a trail running shoe instead of a hiking boot.
The Ultra 103 XCR by The North Face was the best choice I could have made. My second day on the trail featured non-stop rain and mud. For 12 long miles I hiked through puddles and streams. By the end of the day I would have expected soaked feet, but instead, my feet were the driest part of my body.
The GORE-TEX® XCR® lining had not only stopped any water from entering, but had also allowed moisture from sweat to escape. Wet feet combined with the heat of friction are what cause blisters — a hiker’s worst nightmare. My GORE-TEX® shoes saved the trip!"

These seemingly simple sales instruments works perfectly in order enhance the value of the brand. Gore Tex is sending clear, brief and precise message about their functional products to their customers.

 Sources:
  http://www.gore-tex.com/remote/Satellite/home          






Description of material


a. The company behind the brand.

Bringing Dreams to Reality


       Founders Bill and Vieve Gore started W. L. Gore & Associates in the basement of their own house in 1958. The company was selling electronic products mostly. After fifty years, in 2008, Gore celebrated its huge and long success at translating dreams into reality, valuable realities for customers and communities all around the world. In 1969 Bill's and Vivie's son has discovered remarkably versatile new polymer what has led the enterprise into countless new applications in fabric, medical and industrial markets. As the company that invented this new polymer, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (or ePTFE), and has introduced it in marketplace, Gore is committed to remaining a leader in fluoropolymers. Gore was the world's first to create technologically advanced apparel and it is still the leader nowadays in this industry due to its durability, breathability, waterproof ability. Gore has been able to stay unique because of its membrane technology. It is not able to find anywhere else in the marketplace. Gore is unique and they are the only ones. Company has designed and created its products to increase performance for almost every person regardless of activity level or interest. They have created product lines for women, men, youth and unisex. Gore's main products can be grouped into four main categories:
  • Clothing,
  • Footwear,
  • Outdoor gear
  • Accessories.

  Listed below are some of the sports and activities Gore has produced products for:

  • Backpacking,
  • Cycling,
  • Hunting,
  • Mountaineering,
  • Running,
  • Fishing,
  • Golf,
  • Skiing,
  • Water Sports
  • Outdoor
  • Casual.
Learn more at www.gore.com or www.gore-tex.com .
Sources: http://www.gore.com/en_xx/aboutus/timeline/index.html

b. The functionality of the material.

It is extremely important to understand what Gore-Tex is, in order to understand what it does. The fabric is made using high technology fabrics connected on either side of a Gore-Tex membrane. Membrane is constructed using Teflon and it is made up of many threads forming vast amounts of micro pores. These micro pores are so small that water can't leak through the membrane but they are large enough for moisture vapor to escape. Gore-Tex is very light breathable fabric. The most useful characteristic of Gore-Tex is its versatility for humidity control. When used correctly, it can evenly humidify an object in an incredibly delicate manner, and at the same time it gives you a greater amount of control of this humidity. Gore-Tex material can sustain cold and wet weather over and over again, doesn't matter what season is. The fabric is washable and it can handle a variety of contaminants (e.g. sweat, bug spray and even fuel). What is more, Gore-Tex is 100% waterproof and windproof. It has the ability to reflect wind and repel water, what means it keeps people warm and dry. Material is breathable which means that moisture can escape. This prevents heat loss and allows you to stay dry and warm no matter what weather is outside. Another interesting fact about Gore-Tex functionality is Gore-Seam Tape which covers the seams of every product made by company. This tape prevents water from leaking through the stitching holes. Waterproof fabric is never 100% without reinforced seam protection. What is probably the most impressive thing about Gore-Tex is how they have contributed to the enhancements of a variety of industries. Outlined below are a few of these professions.

Fire Services & Law Enforcement Liquid penetration protection. That is how Gore-Tex has contributed to these industries by keeping water, body fluids,blood,and chemicals away from people's skin. The breathability of material improves performance under stressful conditions by allowing moisture to escape.

Medical Gore-Tex Has taken surgical dressing-gowns to a new level of quality and performance. The liquid proof fabric has the ability to stop the spread of disease by preventing liquids from leaking through. It has enhanced the safety for both the surgical staff and for patients. The breathability helps to regulate body temperatures during long and intensive procedures.

Military High performance Gore-Tex field wear Was created to withstand any weather conditions and to improve soldiers comfortability and performance. Gore-Tex has been qualified by a variety of defense authorities.

c. Examples of companies that use the functional material in their products.

There are a number of  both famous and little-known companies that have used Goretex in their products. Below are listed the companies that use this functional material in their products.

Nike

 In 2001, Nike's company teamed up with Gore-Tex to create two new performance golf footwear collections. They have used the combination of Nike's Max Air and Gore's Membrane technology to develop the first style golf shoe. Both of these collections incorporate the characteristics of all Gore-Tex footwear and Nike's classic design style.
 
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/127926Gore-Tex

Adidas

Featuring a breathable GORE-TEX® membrane, the men's adidas Terrex Fast X Gore-Tex shoes offer 100 percent weather protection during fast-paced outdoor pursuits.

Ecco

Bring you footwear that keeps your feet dry and protected from the elements. This is possible because the Gore-Tex® membrane is a breathable barrier, keeping water out whilst allowing moisture from within the shoe to escape. So for a perfect inner climate choose ECCO with Gore-Tex®.

Other companies: