--By Bhawani Timilsina

 

When one looks for a name of a popular domestic shoe brand, ‘Shikhar Shoe’ is likely to come up. The brand is known for producing a variety of shoe styles including party shoes, school shoes, casual shoes and sports footwears. Ram Krishna Prasain, managing director of the company, says brand ambassador Deepak Raj Giri‘s association with the company has helped promote the shoe brand in recent years. Prasain says that the initial phase of the company was difficult being one of the first domestic brands to test the market. “But with the flow of domestic brands now, many Nepali footwear companies have been taking a sigh of relief.”

 

Shikhar Shoe has developed itself as a special stylish brand among Nepali clientele. Besides, the brand also provides a wonderful choice collection. The company has rolled out women’s sandals and footwear as well. This indicates that the current marketing strategy of the brand aims to attract consumers of all groups. The company is now shifting its strategy by manufacturing shoes targeting high-end consumers.

 

The company has applied various brand promotion strategies. Most advertisement campaigns of the company include innovative brand promotional schemes such as the Shikhar Shoe Style Scholarship Scheme. The brand has now become synonymous with style along with promotional ad campaigns that are appealing to viewers. 

 

“Growing competition has been good for the improvement of Nepali footwear brands,” Prasain says. Established in 2052 B.S., the brand has made an 18 year-long journey in the market.  On the basis of goodwill as well as the sales figure of the company, Shikhar Shoe claims to be the second largest selling shoe brand in Nepal producing 150 pairs of shoes per day.

 

The company plans to sustain its brand leadership in the days to come. It has come along with various schemes and offers prizes during festive seasons too. “We have been enjoying a huge brand loyalty. The brand has refined its image and relationship with consumers and keeps them interested using numerous branding strategies,” Prasain says.  Increasing sales figures, customer’s attention and a range of designs combine to enhance the brand identity. 

 

The company was also the first in Nepal to install the technology of the ‘conveyer system’ – this enables large quantities of production while reducing time for manufacturing. The company has thus been working towards advancing manufacturing technology and meeting consumer expectations. “The buying patterns of customers are changing which means that people are now getting used to different brands of shoes produced locally,” Prasain adds.