Selling style: Internet brings black socks into the boardroom
This seems to be the reasoning behind the latest offering by a group of chief executives at large public companies, Czarneskarpety.pl, or the Black Socks company.
The firm, as its name indicates, sells black socks over the Internet. For a zł.199 quarterly subscription fee, customers are guaranteed the delivery of two pairs of high-quality black socks every six weeks.
"Buying ten pairs of socks all at once will lure you into a false sense of security that your sock management problem has been solved," reads the company's website. "But then they will get lost and you will once again confront the problem of inefficient sock management." These words of wisdom can so far only be found in Polish, but the firm's vice-president in charge of sales and marketing, Krystian Zieliński, says that the English version of the web page will be ready by December 1, in time for the Christmas shopping craze.
At present, the company boasts more than 500 customers but Zieliński says that, should the December shopping spree affect sales of black socks, the company could reach its break-even point of 1,000 customers by the end of the year.
"Our view of who the target customer is has been changing over time," Zieliński says. Initially, the company expected its customers to be executives at large companies, then aimed at middle management and now finds that a lot of orders are placed by women. "They are either ordered by secretaries for their bosses or as presents by bosses' wives," he explains.
The company markets its product by sending socks to target companies and then relies upon word of mouth. There have been some paid advertisements in the press, Zieliński says, but the company's marketing budget is very small, reflecting a wider strategy of keeping costs low.
"The investment in setting up this company was minimal," Zieliński claims, though he refused to elaborate on the details. He adds that there are only two permanent employees, with up to six more workers on temporary contracts.
Czarneskarpety.pl is about more than just the product. Black socks, the company says, are about style; they are about elegance. To drive the point home, subscribers automatically become members of the "Black Socks Club" which holds occasional meetings, offering members an opportunity to discuss typical boardroom issues, ranging from business to socks, over a glass of sherry or a cigar.
The issue of sock color as a symbol of class has recently become a political hot potato, when the Left Democratic Alliance (SLD) deputy Anita Błochowiak described those who wear colored socks as "fags." In response, Andrzej Lepper said that members of Samoobrona (Self-Defense) wear black socks. Has the controversy played into the hands of black socks merchants?
"We have not used Lepper's words in our marketing," Zieliński says. "We didn't think his image would appeal to our potential customers." He probably has a point there.
The firm, as its name indicates, sells black socks over the Internet. For a zł.199 quarterly subscription fee, customers are guaranteed the delivery of two pairs of high-quality black socks every six weeks.
"Buying ten pairs of socks all at once will lure you into a false sense of security that your sock management problem has been solved," reads the company's website. "But then they will get lost and you will once again confront the problem of inefficient sock management." These words of wisdom can so far only be found in Polish, but the firm's vice-president in charge of sales and marketing, Krystian Zieliński, says that the English version of the web page will be ready by December 1, in time for the Christmas shopping craze.
At present, the company boasts more than 500 customers but Zieliński says that, should the December shopping spree affect sales of black socks, the company could reach its break-even point of 1,000 customers by the end of the year.
"Our view of who the target customer is has been changing over time," Zieliński says. Initially, the company expected its customers to be executives at large companies, then aimed at middle management and now finds that a lot of orders are placed by women. "They are either ordered by secretaries for their bosses or as presents by bosses' wives," he explains.
The company markets its product by sending socks to target companies and then relies upon word of mouth. There have been some paid advertisements in the press, Zieliński says, but the company's marketing budget is very small, reflecting a wider strategy of keeping costs low.
"The investment in setting up this company was minimal," Zieliński claims, though he refused to elaborate on the details. He adds that there are only two permanent employees, with up to six more workers on temporary contracts.
Czarneskarpety.pl is about more than just the product. Black socks, the company says, are about style; they are about elegance. To drive the point home, subscribers automatically become members of the "Black Socks Club" which holds occasional meetings, offering members an opportunity to discuss typical boardroom issues, ranging from business to socks, over a glass of sherry or a cigar.
The issue of sock color as a symbol of class has recently become a political hot potato, when the Left Democratic Alliance (SLD) deputy Anita Błochowiak described those who wear colored socks as "fags." In response, Andrzej Lepper said that members of Samoobrona (Self-Defense) wear black socks. Has the controversy played into the hands of black socks merchants?
"We have not used Lepper's words in our marketing," Zieliński says. "We didn't think his image would appeal to our potential customers." He probably has a point there.
