Vintage Store Day is on May 16. Let's Get Foot Traffic for Your Store!

This month on Pre-Loved, we're launching something new: the Resale Report, a monthly special podcast segment dedicated to the business of vintage and secondhand — made specifically for the small shop owners, solo sellers, and independent dealers.

Joining me is Sloan Middleton-Mann, founder of Business of Vintage, the world's only marketing agency specialized for vintage sellers. Sloan brings a rare combination of industry experience and formal business school training — she went back to get her MBA specifically to translate retail and marketing best practices to the one-of-a-kind space of secondhand, and has been helping vintage sellers build smarter businesses ever since.

In our first conversation, we dig into the momentum behind Vintage Store Day — this year on May 16! — the retail holiday founded by Lost Girls Vintage and Rare Form in Chicago, now in its second year with over 1,100 shops participating.

We discuss marketing a special event like this one: how to think about social media in a way that actually makes sense for a small vintage business, and what to do after a great event to turn new foot traffic into loyal regulars.

Whether you're planning something for May 16th or just trying to build a more sustainable business around the thing you love, this one's for you.

Let's talk shop.

DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• WEBINAR: Vintage Store Day: Social Media & Press Strategy That Works
• [6:10] The resale market is growing four times faster than traditional retail — what that means for independent sellers right now
• [7:35] How social media has made vintage shopping more exciting and more challenging at the same time
• [10:53] How to make Vintage Store Day a special day, beyond any other Saturday your open your store.
• [13:13] How to market a special event beyond the flyer
• [16:55] 46% of resale shoppers now start their secondhand shopping discovery on social media — and what it means for how you think about your content
• [23:29] Storytelling ideas for Vintage Store Day and other special events
• [27:15] What to do after the event, and how to turn one great day into lasting momentum
• [34:13] Why authenticity is what's actually working on social media right now
• [37:08] How shops can use Vintage Store Day to land local press

Thanks for listening to Pre-Loved! You can find me across the internet on Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn! 💛 - Emily