**Hosting your own Raid Trains**
Organizing a raid train on platforms like Whatnot or Poshmark can be a powerful strategy for driving traffic, boosting sales, and fostering a sense of community among resellers. Whether you're new to the concept or a seasoned seller, this guide will walk you through the process of setting up your raid train and attracting participants.
What is a Raid Train?
A raid train is a series of live sales shows linked together, where viewers "raid" from one seller’s show directly to another's. This ensures that an audience continues moving from one show to the next, keeping the momentum alive and allowing everyone involved to benefit from increased visibility and sales.
Step 1: Setting Up the Raid Train
Creating a raid train starts with organization. Here’s what you need to do:
1. **Pick a Date and Theme:**
- Choose a day and time for your raid train, preferably during high-traffic hours.
- Themes help keep the raid train cohesive. You could choose a specific category, like "Vintage Clothing" or "Luxury Handbags," depending on your target market.
2. **Set Time Slots:**
- Decide if you want each seller to have **30-minute** or **1-hour** slots.
- **Advantages of 30-minute spots:**
- More sellers can participate in a shorter period.
- Viewers may stay engaged with quicker shows.
- More variety in inventory across the raid train.
- **Disadvantages of 30-minute spots:**
- Some sellers may feel rushed to showcase their products.
- Limited time to build rapport with viewers.
- **Advantages of 1-hour spots:**
- Sellers have more time to interact with viewers and explain their products.
- Higher engagement, potentially leading to higher conversion rates.
- Less pressure for sellers to rush through their inventory.
- **Disadvantages of 1-hour spots:**
- Fewer sellers can participate, which might limit variety.
- Viewers may lose interest or become fatigued over longer sessions.
3. **Use a Scheduling App:**
- Organizing multiple sellers requires keeping track of time slots, confirmations, and last-minute changes. Apps like **Calendly** can be a lifesaver for this.
- Calendly allows you to set up available time slots that sellers can choose from. It also integrates with Google Calendar, so everyone is notified of their time.
- Other alternatives include Google Calendar itself or an app like Doodle, which lets people vote on time preferences.
Step 2: Recruiting Sellers
1. **Reach Out to Your Network:**
- Start with sellers you know. They are more likely to join and help spread the word.
- Use social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook Groups, and seller forums to announce your raid train and recruit participants.
2. **Create a Sign-Up Form:**
- Calendly comes with a built-in form so it is much easier to navigate and you can ask custom questions. Or you can use what is familiar to you by creating a Google Form for sellers to register. Ask for important details like their shop name, category of products, and preferred time slot.
3. **Set Basic Rules:**
- **Promptness:** Make it clear that sellers need to start and end their shows on time.
- **No-Sell or Low-Sell Policies:** Some raid trains allow sellers with few or no sales to continue, while others expect participants to hit certain sales metrics. Setting expectations could limit participants in your raid trains. This also includes on whether you require giveaways during a show.
- **Courtesy Raids:** Ensure that each seller will “raid” the next person in line to keep the audience flowing smoothly.
Step 3: Managing Emergencies
No matter how well you plan, issues can arise during a raid train. Here are some common problems and how to handle them:
1. **Seller Drops Out at the Last Minute:**
- Always have a few backup sellers on standby in case someone cancels. It’s helpful to have them pre-registered with their information ready to go.
- If no one is available to fill in, you could extend the previous seller’s time slot or offer an intermission. You may have to be available to jump in yourself.
2. **Technical Difficulties:**
- Live platforms can be unpredictable, so be prepared for Wi-Fi or app glitches. Encourage all sellers to test their setup before their show begins.
- If a seller gets disconnected or experiences issues, the raid can still move forward to the next scheduled show. You can also stay in the chat as a host and encourage them to stay until the person is able to get back on.
3. **Unexpected Low Sales:**
- It’s possible some sellers won’t perform as well as others. Emphasize that every show contributes to the greater good of the train. By staying positive, sellers are more likely to participate again in the future.
Step 4: Promoting Your Raid Train
Now that you have the logistics in place and sellers recruited, it’s time to market your raid train!
1. **Create Graphics and Flyers:**
- Use Canva to create visually appealing flyers announcing the raid train. Include details like the date, time, and a list of sellers. If you hold a lot of raid trains, the list of sellers, along with the time and date on the graphic is not really needed. As long as the participants create their shows correctly.
- Share this on all relevant platforms to build hype.
2. **Announce the Train Early:**
- Give sellers at least a week or two to promote their participation. They can post about the raid train on their social media and notify their customer base. During high traffic times of the year like Christmas season between September and December, you may want to give a whole month.
3. **Encourage Cross-Promotion:**
- All participants should promote the train. The more sellers that advertise, the larger the audience that will tune in, increasing the likelihood of sales for everyone. But it should be discouraged that participants promote same day shows. For example, if you were going to have a show an hour after your raid train spot, and you tell people to join in, you would be taking away from the raid train itself. Promotion of shows should only be future shows. but participants should promote the following shows in the raid train.
Final Thoughts
Creating a raid train can be a rewarding experience that builds community, boosts visibility, and enhances sales. By carefully planning time slots, setting clear rules, and being prepared for emergencies, your raid train will run smoothly, and both sellers and buyers will leave with a positive experience.
By utilizing scheduling tools like Calendly and fostering a spirit of collaboration among resellers, you’ll create an event people will want to join again and again. Happy raiding!
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