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First let me tell you about the products: 

I have been wearing a great nail polish for about two months – China Glaze VIII – an eggplant color.  Although I get my nails done, occasionally the polish chips, so I wanted to buy my own bottle.  I couldn’t find it anywhere, and finally ordered it from a small place online (should get it any day). The other product is Lancome’s Color Fever Lip Gloss in Molten, which was sold out in several local department stores.  Here are the two ways I think each sold out: 

1)    The nail polish – from word-of-mouth.  I’ve never gotten more compliments on a nail polish.  From people in the jury pool at the courthouse to business associates (and it’s almost black, so it’s not your typical business nail polish).  I’m guessing other people who wore this polish got the same reaction, so that’s probably why this keeps selling out.

2)    The lip gloss – from publicity.  In the Friday Accent section of our local newspaper, the Palm Beach Post, this lip gloss was one of the Top picks of 2007 of a local group of women that do product reviews.  Within a day of the review, it was sold out in several local department stores that sell it. 

 So, as always, two top P.R. techniques — word-of-mouth and publicity, lead to sell-outs.  If you sell products, make sure to focus on these techniques in the New Year.