Have you ever poured your heart into planning the perfect social media campaign or in-person event, only to watch it crash and burn in real-time? That sinking feeling as you realize no one's engaging, no one's showing up, and all your careful preparation was for nothing? It's a nightmare scenario for retail marketers everywhere—but what if these apparent failures could actually become your most valuable assets? What if the very moments that make you want to hide under your desk could be transformed into unexpected marketing wins? That's the challenge that retail marketers face every day: how to pivot quickly when plans go sideways and turn embarrassing moments into golden opportunities. That's exactly what our guest today, Trudi Bartow, has mastered throughout her impressive career. With over 20 years of experience in the gift and home industry, Trudi currently holds a key leadership role at The Unemployed Philosophers Guild, where she oversees sales strategy and team development. As an Executive Board member of the Gift and Home Trade Association and a frequent speaker at industry events, Trudi has transformed countless marketing mishaps into unexpected wins—including the time she turned an embarrassingly empty industry party into a productive photo shoot that filled their next catalog with engaging content. Social Pulse Podcast host Mike Allton asked Trudi Bartow about: 🛍️ The Empty Room Reveal: Trudi shares the full story behind her infamous empty party and how the quick pivot to use the venue for product photography saved the day. 🛍️ Failure As Opportunity: Discover how the most embarrassing social media and marketing mishaps can become your most valuable content and learning experiences. 🛍️ Pivoting With Purpose: Learn the practical framework Trudi uses to quickly reassess situations and transform apparent failures into unexpected marketing assets. Learn more about Trudi Bartow Connect with Trudi Bartow on LinkedIn Resources & Brands mentioned in this episode Unemployed Philosophers Guild Learn more about Agorapulse with a free demo Gift and Home Trade Association Gary Vaynerchuk The New York Gift Fair Harry Abrams St. Louis Business Expo Social Media Marketing World Content Marketing World  House of Blues Agorapulse events and webinars Broadway League Social Pulse Community The Morning Brew Show Notes & Transcript: https://www.agorapulse.com/blog/podcasts/retail-edition/pivot-or-perish-transform-retail-marketing-failures-into-unexpected-wins Brought to you by Agorapulse: the #1 rated social media management solution. Follow Agorapulse on LinkedIn. Produced and Hosted by Mike Allton, Chief Storyteller at Agorapulse. If you’re interested in being featured on an upcoming episode, reach out to Mike.