Find creative ways to show the Bunyaad Intro to Rugs video year-round as it very effectively conveys the fair trade mission of the rugs, their extreme durability and high quality. Customers can easily find it on the rug website under RUGS 101
Watch the Bunyaad Intro to Rug video
The Bunyaad Intro to Rugs video is easy to watch online and share across social media networks.
Customers need to see and feel the wonderful quality of our rugs, so make attractive displays using different types of hand knotted rugs.
Use as wall hangings (attached with small finishing nails) or as part of displays with other products. Never display rugs on the floor where people could walk on them.
Stores hosting a rug event may keep three small rugs for year-round display, if desired. Store pays shipping and covers rugs under their regular store inventory insurance. In case of theft or damage during the promotional loan period, your store will be responsible. Order below.
Have your volunteers and staff being a walking promotion for your upcoming rug event as they wear their own Rug Design pendant.
Each kit includes enough materials for 50 pendants (many different shapes and sizes, with some key-chain rings for those not desiring to wear their pendant as a necklace), the glass covers for each pendant, various colored graphs for participants to select and a glazing compound to adhere the pieces together. The kit also includes 50 current rug brochures. The cost of these kits is $95.00. Order below.
Keep scrolling past the order form for great suggestions on Educating Staff, Ambassadors for Fairly Traded Rugs, Pre-Event Parties and How Faith Communities Can Help.
They are your first advertisers and customers!
Involve staff and volunteers in planning for this event. It’s amazing how the excitement generated before and during the event transfers to your customer base! Send the Online Training Sessions to board, staff and volunteers and urge them to bookmark it for their use. Plan a social gathering with your staff around the rug event to explain the many aspects of representing and selling the rugs coming to your store. Make it fun!
Start educating staff as soon as you have your rug event dates. Do more intense training 3 month before your event.
Use the Online Training Sessions: https://manual.bunyaad.org/wp-content/uploads/prep-training-sessions.pdf
Copy the link for the Online Training Sessions and email to everyone planning to work at your rug event.
https://manual.bunyaad.org/wp-content/uploads/prep-training-sessions.pdf
Individuals among your board, staff and volunteers have many connections within your communities. They are a valuable asset to your event and the Pakistani artisans when they convey the mission of the rug program and the quality rugs it produces to community groups such as clubs, church forums and educational venues.A program of 20-30 minutes can be easily delivered by drawing information from the Online Rug Event Training Sessions and materials that the rug program has available. The example below is just one of many presentations that could be delivered by rug ambassadors to your community.
1–3 months out from your rug event
Check the Promotion Images/Stories page to find the images and artisan stories you want to use.
Using images and one personal story either about an artisan or why you support the Rug Program will have the most impact. It makes it personal!
Preceding their rug event, many stores host special evenings such as preview parties, wine and cheeses, sneak peeks and open houses. Hosting these 1-2 months before their event gets customers excited about the rugs and keeps such events out of the busy rug event week.
1–2 months preceding your rug event
Keep it simple! Pass out brochures and bag stuffers about your event and encourage folks to share them with friends and family.
Identify area churches that would be willing to help promote your rug event. Fair trade rugs are beyond retail. When describing them to a faith community explain that they are:
Make initial contact with churches 7 months out from your rug event. If they respond favorably, send them blurbs for their newsletters/bulletins and schedule for an ambassador to speak at the church.
Connect with faith communities close to your store for extra community support. Is this a one-time effort or are you collaborating on other projects?