Question

Topic: Strategy

Promotional Actions For Carpet And Wallpaper Biz

Posted by paulus_ina on 3/1/2010 at 4:33 AM ET 125 Points

Hello

I need an idea on how to add more marketing pillars that we have now to promote carpet and wallpaper products. The products are imported with high premium quality.

Our target markets are Interior designer, contractor , agents and home owners.

The benefits we offer them is we are less expensive , on time delivery .

Pls advice....

PLY
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  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 3/1/2010 at 7:06 AM Accepted
    First, you are sending conflicting messages- -lower prices and imported high end quality? You know when you say that, they'll start comparing you with basic FHA "fuzzy side up" carpet. A high end store should not position themselves around price but value. And "on time delivery" is iffy too. You are tied to the manufacturer -- and they miss their production dates regularly.

    I've been a manufacturer rep of flooring products a long time. Tap them. Get on the fiber rebate programs-- they'll help you expand your budget.

    A seminar I regularly put together for my dealers was "new product night", my focus is enviro products. We'd get 4 or 5 non-competing reps to do tabletops. The dealer would invite the designers. The most popular were those featuring enviro products. There would be food and wine. The designers would flow table to table and the reps would explain their product. Keep it fresh, tie events to the season-- and lesser holidays-- Cinco de Mayo feature Mexican tile.

    I do a seminar to train my dealer staff on enviro products-- I call it "You've got LEED" based on the building criteria. I walk around their showroom and point out where any of their products (not just mine) can contribute points on that criteria.

    Go to them. I see in designer offices often a tabletop brought to them. The dealer brings in new product and leaves it a few days. Then a couple weeks later brings in another. Do cookies breaks.

    There are two segments to the realtor sale. One, where the realtor is trying to get a home ready for market. This is very price sensitive. I'd focus on the 2nd. Realtors are always trying to establish value -- give them a coupon to give clients with the realtor pix on it. Few people move into a home and don't do some redecorating.

    I could go on, I've been in this biz most my adult life. But this should get the wheels turning.

    Sell Well and Prosper tm
  • Posted by paulus_ina on 3/1/2010 at 8:56 AM Author
    Carol,

    Thanks for valuable insight. It is worth trying to include this in the plan .

    And your way of communicating is a real comm.This will eventually lift up one's tone scale.



  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 3/1/2010 at 9:09 AM Member
    I can tell you from experience, and I had over 250 dealers in Colorado: the ones hardest hit were those who only focussed on price. I would coach them on measurable differences to get more for their product-- they said nobody cares. I'd talk "green" they'd say nobody cares-- its only price. Those guys are way down. The ones that sold value, are down -- but it's not a disaster. I would try to coach them on the successful ways of other dealers and they'd resist that thinking. So the economy is their crutch and it becomes a self fullfilling prophecy.

    I think last month was the first month in about 2 years where both sales of existing homes and new home starts rose together. When I bought my new home, we walked from deals cause they were turning into bidding wars. I'm still very cautious about the economy, but it's not all doom and gloom. There is biz out there. You drive down the highway and you see the trucks of other carpet companies making delivery. I might as well be you.

    Your client should look at niches not served. When Home Depot moved into a rural town -- there were 6 independent stores in that vicinty. One said he might as well close his doors now-- and they weren't even open yet. Another listened to my coaching -- we went thru another Depot and we could see niches they serve and serve well. And we could see voids. We focused on that void, bringing products in that they don't have. Let the Depot sell the FHA stuff. They, like your client was higher end. We focused on better displays. The Depot brought more carpet buying clients into the area. They drew people in with their aggressive advertising. So while they were already in the area, they'd stop by the other stores to comparison shop. And his biz overall increased. He calls that Depot moving in was the best thing that happened to him. So in your plan, know your competition -- do a SWOT of your competitors. And a niche will bubble to the surface.
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