April 2011 Western Retailer

J o u r n a l o f t h e We s t e r n H o m e F u r n i s h i n g s A s s o c i a t i o n

western retailer www.WHFA.org

Offering an eclectic mix of contemporary southwestern home furnishings and accessories

Member Profile: Contents Interiors Tucson, Arizona

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED Western Home Furnishings Association 500 Giuseppe Court, #6 Roseville, CA 95678 Western Home Furnishings Association

est.1944

April 2011

committed to

style

U1047 Norton

U1057 Emery

U3103 Marilee

U1044 Baron

Emerald Home Furnishings offers a full product line of bedroom, dining, occasional tables, upholstery, and accessories. Please visit our website to view our full lineup. Contact us for more information.

www.emeraldhome.com - (253) 922-1400

THE BEST

SEAT IN YOUR HOME

Emer ald Home Fur nishings

E

J o u r n a l o f t h e We s t e r n H o m e F u r n i s h i n g s A s s o c i a t i o n

table of contents

western retailer

EDITORIAL STAFF MANAGING EDITOR: Melissa Dressler................................ mdressler@whfa.org

featured articles

ADVERTISING MANAGER: Cindi Williams..............................cwilliams@whfa.org

IT’S ALL ABOUT SALES & MARKETING Building Brand Equity......................................8

DESIGN AND LAYOUT: Smithtonian Graphic Design...smithtoni@wavecable.com 2011 WHFA OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WHFA PRESIDENT Angel Lopez - Dearden’s, Los Angeles, CA........................................(213) 362-9600

NEW TECHNOLOGY Connecting Through Bar Codes.............. 13

PRESIDENT ELECT Chris Sanders - Everton Mattress Factory, Inc., Twin Falls, ID..........(208) 326-3407 VICE PRESIDENT Valerie Watters - Valerie’s Furniture and Accents, Cave Creek, AZ....(480) 483-3327

IT’S ALL ABOUT SALES & MARKETING Partnering With Design Bloggers to Reach Customers...................................... 18

TREASURER Lael Thompson - Broyhill Home Collections, Aurora, CO...................(303) 360-9653 SECRETARY Chuck Kill - Bedmart, Tucson, AZ.......................................................(520) 887-7039

THE WORLD AROUND US The Art of Networking................................ 22

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR Claudia LeClair - Fiesta Home Furnishings, Scottsdale, AZ...............(480) 951-3239 PAST PRESIDENTS Marty Cramer - Cramer’s Home Furnishings, Ellensburg, WA...........(509) 933-2172 George Nader - Nader’s La Popular, Gardena, CA............................(310) 327-8585

IT’S ALL ABOUT SALES & MARKETING It All Comes Down to People!.................. 24

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Sharron Bradley - WHFA, Roseville, CA.............................................(916) 784-7677

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT Know Your Online Audience to Improve Marketing Success...................... 27

AT LARGE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS Gary Absalonson - Walker’s Furniture Inc., Spokane, WA.................(509) 533-5500 Howard Haimsohn - Lawrance Contemporary, San Diego, CA.......... (619) 291-1911 Marvin Kerby - Kerby’s Furniture, Mesa, AZ.......................................(480) 834-3888

TRENDS SEEN AT LAS VEGAS MARKET Just Say “Om”, Horses are HOT, Retro Green is Back...................................... 29

Karen Kohlman - West Harvard Furniture, Roseburg. OR.................(541) 673-4221 WHFA/NHFA LIAISON David Harkness - Harkness Furniture, Tacoma, WA...........................(253) 473-1234 WHFA BOARD MEMBERS Carol Bell - Contents, Tucson, AZ......................................................(520) 881-6900

in every issue

Gene DeMeerleer - Furniture West, LaGrande, OR...........................(541) 963-5440 Chris Ehgoetz - Michael Alan, Lake Havasu City, AZ........................(928) 855-6067 Mark Flegel - Flegel’s Home Furniture, Menlo Park, CA....................(650) 326-9661

Member Profile: Contents Interiors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Greg Follett – Follett’s Furniture, Lewiston, ID...................................(208) 743-0177 Eric Foucrier - Linder’s Furniture Mart, Garden Grove, CA................(714) 210-4848 Travis Garrish - Forma Furniture, Fort Collins, CO.............................(970) 204-9700

Program of the Month: Empower Your Business with WHFA’s New Business Intelligence Program. . . . . . . . . . 20

Giff Gates - Gates Furniture, Grants Pass, OR..................................(541) 476-4627 John Grootegoed - Elite Leather, Chino, CA......................................(800) 826-9971 Eric Harms - Black’s Home Furnishings, Yreka, CA...........................(530) 842-3876 Julian Jeppe - Reeds Furniture, Agoura Hills, CA..............................(818) 597-7800 Tim Koerner - Koerner Furniture, Coeur D’Alene, ID..........................(208) 666-1525 Jeff Lindsley - Lindsley’s Home Furnishings, Grangeville, ID.............(208) 983-1040

contact

Mark Navarra - Jerome’s, San Diego, CA..........................................(858) 753-1549 Michael Nermon - Ergo Customized Comfort, Irvine, CA...................(949) 833-0338 Cherie Rose - The Rose Collection, Los Gatos, CA...........................(408) 395-7773

Phone:

Scott Selden - Selden’s - Tacoma, WA...............................................(253) 922-5700 Mike Shuel - Meredith Furniture, Yakima, WA....................................(509) 452-6221 Tom Slater - Slater’s Home Furnishings, Modesto, CA......................(209) 522-9097 Polly Teeter – Del-Teet, Bellevue, WA.................................................(425) 462-1500

(800) 422-3778 (12 western states) (916) 784-7677 www.WHFA.org (916) 784-7697 500 Giuseppe Court, Suite 6 Roseville, CA 95678 www.facebook.com/WesternRetailer www.twitter.com/WesternRetailer

est.1944

Western Home Furnishings Association

WESTERN HOME FURNISHINGS ASSOCIATION STAFF Executive Director: Sharron Bradley................................................(916) 960-0345 Asst. Exec./Marketing Director: Kaprice Crawford..........................(916) 960-0346

Online: Fax: Mail: Facebook: Twitter:

Business Manager: Janice Carlson..................................................(916) 960-0347 Events Manager: Cindi Williams.......................................................(916) 960-0277 Operations/Warehouse Manager: Jef Spencer...............................(916) 960-0386

Western Home Furnishings Association is the western affiliate of National Home Furnishings Association

Editor/Communications Coordinator: Melissa Dressler.................(916) 960-0385 Graphic Designer & Project Manager: Lisa Tilley...........................(916) 960-0349 Membership Manager: Michael Hill..................................................(916) 960-0263 Member Services Rep: Adam Gardner............................................(916) 960-0291 Accounting Assistant: Melody King.................................................(916) 960-2476 est.1944

Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

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WHFA

ACADEMY

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RRC RETAILER

RESOURCE CENTER

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3

randy StEwart

relationship Manager, GE Money

lEE GOOdMan

President and CEO, Jerome’s Furniture

JErOME’S COMES tO GE MOnEy and thEy COME tO US FOr thE BESt CUStOMEr EXPErIEnCE. Jerome’s Furniture made a number of changes to make buying from them as easy as possible. One change was to offer GE Money financing at the beginning of the sales process so customers knew what they could really afford. Customers appreciate knowing their financing options up front and are more comfortable making a purchase decision. “By staying focused on selling furniture and creating the best customer experience with GE Money,” Lee Goodman says, “we’ll set ourselves apart, stay strong, and gain market share.”

GE Money is invested in Jerome’s Furniture.

gemoney.com

President’s Message

R

emember those huge books we used to keep at our fingertips? I think they were called phone books? Then there were the Yellow Pages. Today, I am sure those books are still around but the need for them has continued to diminish as more and more of our customers enter the world of the Internet. In today’s world, we have to be on the cutting-edge of technology in order to communicate more effectively with our customer. As we move forward, we are going to see the impact social media has on our sales success.

Social mediums are evolving at lightning speed and the integration of the various technologies is making all of us take notice and reevaluate our advertising tactics. We can probably make an argument that all these new innovations are not for us and continue with the tried and true tools of print and broadcast, with little to moderate success. But why limit ourselves to a few of the advertising tools at our disposal, when we can take advantage of all that is available and do so at a fraction of the cost?

Angel Lopez 2011 WHFA President

Today’s consumer may not know where their phone book is but they can quickly get to all the social media tools that are available, whether it be Twitter, Facebook, blogs or all the other mediums that are available to them through their phone, laptop, tablet or even their televisions. We need to harness those mediums and embrace them because whether we like it or not, they are here to stay.

I am a brick and mortar kind of guy; however, I realize that today’s consumer is doing her homework online before she decides to visit our stores. I also know that if we want to reach our customers, we have to employ all the tools at our disposal. We have not even started to see the true potential of what is coming in the very near future. I do know that the early adapters will have the upper-hand, and that differentiation with their competitors, will be what it takes to succeed in today’s market.

Angel Lopez Dearden’s Furniture Los Angeles, CA (213) 362-9600 angel.lopez@deardens.com

ON THE COVER Image from Content Interiors.

For complete story, see page 16.

Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

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5

Editor’s Message

My Gold Card

T

he other day I received something very exciting and important in the mail—my Starbucks Gold Card! Yes, this Starbuck’s addict is finally in the cool crowd, and I get to show it off to all of my friends, family and co-workers in an attempt to make them jealous. So, naturally, the first thing I did was take a photo of my shiny, gold card and post it on my Facebook page to brag to everyone else. Instantly, I had people asking how I got it—and others who were welcoming me into the club.

Melissa Dressler Western Retailer Managing Editor

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Starbucks Gold card, or maybe prefer a different coffee joint, when a customer receives a Starbucks gift card, they can go online and register this card for free.

After a gift card is registered, the customer receives a free coffee drink for their birthday and after every drink they purchase, they receive a star.

Once the customer has collected five stars, they are considered in the Green Level. At this level, the customer gains additional benefits such as free syrups and milk customization or free refills on coffees and teas. Now, you are probably thinking, “By now, I wouldn’t have any money left on my gift card.”

One of the best things about once you have registered a Starbucks gift card is that you can keep refilling it with more money—whether it is cash, new Starbucks gift cards, or an automatic transfer from your credit card.

Once a customer hits 30 stars, that’s when the magical “Gold” card arrives. Along with a personalized Gold Starbucks gift card, customers receive all of the lower level benefits, plus a free drink after every 15 stars and personalized offers and coupons.

Starbucks has created a simple customer loyalty program that encourages and rewards its customers for buying from them. Wouldn’t it be great to create this kind of customer loyalty with your customers?

By creating loyal customers, not only will they come back to visit your store, they will tell their friends about it. It’s simple to create a loyalty program and there are many programs available to retailers that will help you out. Think about creating something that will make your customers want to buy from you over and over again—and not buy from your competitor.

This issue is filled with great articles on topics such as branding to QR Codes. Enjoy!

(916) 960-0385 MDressler@whfa.org

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Visit these sites to “Like” us today!

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Industry It’s All About BeatSales & Marketing

B Rich Kizer & Georganne Bender Kizer & Bender Speaking!

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randing is a buzzword that’s been around for awhile, and with good reason.

Your brand and its perception in your community are critical to your store’s success.

But along with that buzz there is also a lot of confusion. Everyone talks about branding— there are thousands of branding books on Amazon.com alone—yet there are still a lot of questions about what it is, and why brand equity is so important. Branding isn’t hard; it’s easy when you understand what it is, and what it is not.

You may have spent hours designing the perfect logo for your store, but that’s not your brand.

You know the red star that appears in every Macy’s ad? It’s a logo, not a brand. Your brand is more than your website, your blog, or your presence on Facebook and Twitter. It’s more than your ads, brochures, business cards, bags and everything else you use to put your store name out there. Your brand is even more than the name you chose to hang over your front door. Make no mistake, each of these things is critically important to your brand identity, but they are the components used to build your brand, not the brand itself.

western retailer

A brand is the emotional connection—the physical reaction—customers feel when they hear your store name, see your logo, visit your website or walk in your front door. It’s the concept you own in the mind of the customer, it’s the experience they can get only from you. The best way to describe a brand was coined by Adrienne Weiss, CEO of Adrienne Weiss Corporation, “A brand as a country, complete with its own language, rituals, culture and customs.” We’re willing to bet that your store also has its own language, rituals, culture and customs, too. Using this definition we’ve created a checklist of things to do to help you build your brand:

Step 1: Write Your Store’s Story This step sounds easy, but it’s not. It’s hard to write about the things that got you to where you are today, but you have to do it. Start by writing why you decided to open a furniture store.

Write what’s unique about you and your store; talk about how you make a difference in your customers lives and in your community. Make it a fun adventure people will want to read. If you get stuck, ask your family and store associates— Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

A brand is the emotional connection—the physical reaction— customers feel when they hear your store name, see your logo, visit your website or walk in your front door. and maybe even customers—for help. When your story is finished, spread the word about who you are through your in-store signage, on your website, your Facebook business page, marketing, advertising—anywhere and everywhere you can.

Step 2: Turn your Store’s Story into a “60-Second Elevator Commercial” We used to kick ourselves after someone asked us what we do and we’d reply, “We’re professional speakers.” Afterward we’d think of all the cool things we should have said. If you’ve ever answered, “I own a furniture store” when asked what you do, then you know that feeling of missed opportunity. Write a 60-second condensed version of your store’s story, and you’ll never find yourself in that position again.

Everyone associated with your store, from associates to teachers contracted to do classes, must memorize it as well. The best way to build solid brand equity is to tell the same story over and over.

Step 3: Create Your Personal Brand Screening Process Branding requires discipline and it requires consistency. Every, single thing—the smallest John Moore details, from bags to type fonts, need to be Marketing Mastermind carefully considered to ensure they properly tell from Starbucks and your brand story. So, think of who you are and Whole what you wantFoods representing your store. If the item or service you are considering is in alignment with your Store’s Story then go ahead and use it. Here are some of the things you need to put through your store’s personal brand screen: • Choose a signature color(s) and use it everywhere. If, for example, you chose a particular shade of pink as your signature color, then this is the color to be used in everything that represents your brand. Starbucks’ signature color is green, Ace Hardware’s is red, Home Depot’s is orange, and McDonald’s has the Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

golden arches. Any other color in each of these examples would be unacceptable—they’d never make it through the retailer’s brand screening process.

We once met a retailer whose signature color was red; she was well known for her bright red shopping bags. People saved them and carried them around town—they became walking billboards for her store. One Christmas she decided it would be fun to try silver shopping bags. Big mistake. She had to rebuild that part of her brand identity. The moral of the story is this: even if you are offered a good deal on something in a color that’s not your signature color, walk away.

• Choose your type font carefully. Use both upper and lower case letters and make sure that your font is easy to read. Some fonts that look great in a 14 point become hard to read when blown up on your store front sign.

• Bags, boxes and gift certificates. You run a unique store. While it might be easy to purchase plastic bags similar to those used in grocery stores to house small purchases, that’s not who you are.

There are plenty of choices available through a variety of store supply companies. And you can always jazz up plain bags in your signature color with custom stickers. Same thing goes for boxes.

Plastic gift cards presented in a paper sleeve might work for big box retailers, but you need to be creative in your presentation. Victoria’s Secret nestles gift cards in scented tissue paper, inside a shiny box wrapped with a big bow. This year Target offered remote control gift cards. Dress up yours in a way that best represents your brand, make it uniquely your own.

• Bring your brand to the sales floor. Your sales floor is your largest brand-building piece.

There isn’t a single part of your store (restrooms included) that’s not part of your brand identity.

Take an objective look around your sales floor.

Have you included your signature colors? Are you using quality fixtures? Does your signing utilize your brand’s font? Are your store associates easily recognizable? Each element plays a big part in western retailer

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Other than word-ofmouth, the cheapest way to build your brand is through public relations.

That’s why you should send out a press release for everything of interest that that you do. The media wants—needs— your input!

defining your brand culture. If your brand story isn’t clearly evident on the sales floor, then it’s time to make some changes.

• Create unique store experiences. Customers will stay close to your store if you give them a reason to stay close. In-store events and clubs are all good reasons. We love Shoppertainment, that wonderful intersection where shopping and entertainment meet. Build your brand and your visibility by hosting one major and two to three minor in-store events in your store each and every month of the year. A major event attracts new customers to your store; minor events, like in-store seminars and demos, attract smaller numbers of shoppers. Both are important. If you are fresh out of ideas, drop us an email, and we’ll send you enough ideas to make your head spin.

• Build an Internet brand presence. In the past, shoppers let their fingers do the walking through the phone book; today they visit your website.

These days a website is not an option. You need a real website as in www.thenameofyourstore. com—websites today have become the equivalent of business cards.

your brand is through public relations. That’s why you should send out a press release for everything of interest that you do. The media wants—needs—your input! Did you know that the majority of stories that appear in your local media came from a one-page press release sent by someone like you who had a story to tell? You can build brand equity for the cost of a single stamp, a 30-second fax, or a quicker than you can hit “send” email. Drop us an email for our easy-to-follow “How to Write a Press Release” instruction sheet.

If you’re too busy to handle the public relations by yourself, then promote someone to the exalted position of “Director of Public Relations”. Buy your new director business cards printed with his/her name and this important title. This person will be your media contact who will collect the names of local editors and reporters, write and distribute your press releases, be your store ambassador at local functions and Chamber of Commerce events, and more.

• Appoint an official “Keeper of the Brand” and give that person ultimate control over what’s purchased and what’s not. Before anything that Your website is also your greeter. Make sure that represents the store can be implemented it must it’s consistent with your brand image, and a good be approved by the KOTB. If it’s cool with the example of what shoppers can expect when they Keeper, it’s okay to move forward. visit your store. If you haven’t registered your • Here’s the thing: You work in a creative domain name yet, visit GoDaddy.com and get industry, so you’re likely to get sick and tired it done now. GoDaddy.com also offers Website Tonight, an easy-to-use, and inexpensive, website of your brand before it begins to automatically register with your customers. Resist the urge to builder. change your logo, colors, slogan—anything that The photos and information you post on your is considered part of your brand identity. Or as blog, Facebook business page and on Twitter also we like to say, marry your brand. represent your brand. Think about what you post © RICH KIZER & GEORGANNE BENDER. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. before you post it. Check your spelling and test Rich Kizer & Georganne Bender are professional links to make sure they work. speakers, retail strategists, authors and consultants And by the way, your email address says a lot whose client list reads like a “Who’s Who” in business. about who you are. Addresses from Yahoo, Companies internationally depend upon them for timely Gmail or AOL are convenient but they’re not advice on consumers and the changing retail market professional. You need an email address that place. For more information, contact Kizer and Bender comes from your own domain name. at www.kizerandbender.com, info@kizerandbender. com or (630) 513-8020.

• Become a shameless self-promoter. Other than word-of-mouth, the cheapest way to build 10

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Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

2011 Home FurnisHings industry ConFerenCe

affordable education exciting destination! deep in the heart of texas...

W

hen hundreds of successful retailers and industry professionals come together to find solutions, the outcome is a benefit to the bottom line of every operation. Take home new skills that are easy to implement, resources to refer to throughout the year, and friends to call on for a lifetime. With the Buy-One-Get-One* (BOGO) offer and all of the additional incentives and add-ons, the HFIC is the best value for your business in 2011.

**To qualify for the Buy-One-Get-One discount, you must be a qualifying retail member of one of the partner organizations hosting the Home Furnishings Industry Conference.

John Moore Starbucks & Whole Foods Marketing Mastermind

Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

Erik Qualman Author, Socialnomics

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Bob Beckel & Cal Thomas of USA Today’s Common Ground Column

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New Technology

Unlike a traditional bar code that is only able to represent 9-12 digits of numeric information and is scanned left to right by a laser scanner, QR Codes are able to provide customers instant access to digital information with a small snap of a camera on their smart phones.

Y

ou’ve probably noticed recently that there is a growing presence of small, square boxes containing a black and white, puzzle-like bar code on magazine advertisements, billboards, websites, and even at the recent Las Vegas Furniture Market. This new bar code, known as a QR Code (Quick Response Code), is a two-dimensional bar code that can represent a few thousands characters of text.

Unlike a traditional bar code that is only able to represent 9-12 digits of numeric information and is scanned left to right by a laser scanner, QR Codes are able to provide customers instant access to digital information with a small snap of a camera on their smart phones.

While the technology for QR Codes has been available for some time, the utilization of this quick link to information has become much more prevalent in the last few years due to the increase of smart phone users in the United States. According to a study by ComScore, over 45.5 million people in the U.S. owned smart phones in 2010. “QR Codes have only recently became popular, because now everyday consumers are walking around with enough Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

technology in their hands to be able to access them,” said Ron Gordon, vice president of technology of MicroD. “The increase in people owning smart phones with a camera to scan the code, and then the smart phones being able to surf the Internet, had to happen in order for the QR Codes to become popular.”

Smart phone users have grown accustomed to having instant access to emails, news and information. QR Codes are able to satisfy the instant-connectivity needs of a smart phone user and also allows businesses to easily direct customers to a specific piece of information they want—all for free. “One of the things I like about QR Codes is they are free to use, and you can link them to pretty much anything,” said Ross Barlett, owner of ViewIt Technologies. “You can create a QR Code that links to a company. a YouTube video, a coupon special on your website or an SMS message—basically any digital venue can be linked to. I have also seen people using the code on a business card, so someone can use their smart phone to capture the information, and then they can get their contact information uploaded directly onto their phone.”

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With almost unlimited uses of this technology, how can you use it within your home furnishings store? Here are four ideas on how you could utilize QR Codes in your store: 1. Print and Online Ads Every time you run a print or online ad, include a QR Code linking the customer to a specific page on your website. This page might include a special coupon for shopping in your store, or just provide more information about your products and services. You can even include a QR Code on your home page and link it to a special, limited time offer.

2. Product Hang Tags Some home furnishings stores have started adding QR Codes to their product hang tags, allowing the customer to instantly find out more information about a product, add it into a room planner, catalog it for future reference, or send it

to a spouse to get their approval for the purchase.

“People are printing QR Codes on hang tags that they affix to the furniture in their showroom.

The consumer then comes in to shop with their smart phone, scans the code and at that point they can be taken to a web page that provides all of the product details,” Ron said. “One reason I personally like QR Codes is that if I am out shopping and see something, I can scan it, send the link over to my spouse through an SMS message, she can view it, and then we can discuss the product. In the end, I can purchase the item and know that she likes it as well.”

By attaching QR Codes to your product, you could reduce the number of “Be-Backs” your store has by giving your customer more information at her fingertips. This could lead to more sales for you since you are making it convenient for her to ask her spouse and receive his approval—without having to drag him into the store.

3. Product Labels Another application you could use QR Codes for is on your product labels that are affixed to the piece of furniture entering the customer’s home. When the product is delivered, the customer can easily scan the code and submit her product registration on the spot. The QR Code would contain specific information about the product, such as model number, upholstery type, etc., and be very simple for the customer to submit her registration.

“Another use for the QR Codes on product labels is if the customer spills something on her sofa, she can scan the code and can take her to a web page with cleaning care instructions,” Ron added. “Using these codes allows your customers to connect to you easier, and you are able to provide an even higherlevel of customer service.”

4. In-Store Contest/Signage Include QR Codes on your instore signage. If you are having a special event, add a QR Code linking to an online promotion

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western retailer

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and include the code on your event signs. The code can then take the customer to a page where they can download a coupon or be entered into a drawing.

QR Codes give you another opportunity to interact with your customer. While it isn’t a personal interaction, it does empower your customer with more information. Ron believes one of the largest benefits of utilizing QR Codes in a retail environment is that is brings your customer directly to the information they are seeking—instantly. “The more information you give a customer at their fingertips, the more likely they are going to want to do business with you,” he said. “You can make interacting with your business much more convenient. By using a QR Code for product registration and care information, it makes it much more convenient for the customer to actually complete the task, and it makes the retailer look much more professional. The QR codes allow the retailer to address the customer’s needs in a convenient fashion.”

As time goes on, and more and more consumers purchase a smart phone, they will be wanting to access information instantly. What other ways can you use this new technology in your store?

The possibilities are endless!

Retailer Perspective Dan Herron, Sr. Programmer Analyst Kittle’s Home Furnishings

How to Create a QR Code 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Decide what you want to link to (or say).

Find a QR Code Generator (Some popular ones are Kaywa, Zxing, Project, delivr, QR Stuff, Maestro—or simply Google “QR Code Creator”) Add your content to the code creator Test the code Share it with others online or print it

How to Scan QR Codes 1.

2.

3.

Download an app onto your smart phone.

Depending on the type of phone you have, there are various readers out there. The best way to find one is to do a Google or app search for “QR Code Readers”.

Open the app, and select “Scan Code” (or something similar depending on your scanner). Hold your smart phone so the camera viewfinder is pointing towards the QR Code.

Hold your phone still for a few seconds and it should immediately direct you to a link or unveil the information contained in the QR Code.

K

ittle’s based out of Indianapolis, Ind., is a family owned and operated business since 1932. They have grown to become one of America’s leading furniture and bedding companies and recently created a program that will utilize QR Codes on their showroom floor.

While they are still in the experimental phase of using QR Codes, Kittle’s sees the importance of creating additional ways for their customers to easily access information. Western Retailer magazine recently caught up with Kittle’s Senior Programmer Analyst, Dan Herron and asked him the following questions about QR codes and Kittle’s.

WR: How is Kittle’s incorporating QR codes into their business?

Dan: We are trying to figure out a way to use QR Codes to benefit our customer. The world is changing and people are using their smart phones more and more. People are more tech

Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

savvy, so we are trying to incorporate that into the shopping experience and allow customers to scan these QR Codes and provide them with information about our product.

WR: Where will Kittle’s use the QR codes?

Dan: Each of our products has a sale tag with the description, vendor and price. There will be a QR Code on it that they can scan, and it will take it to our products page which will have dimensions, fabric types and other information on it.

WR: How did you learn about QR codes?

Dan: We have seen QR Codes in magazine ads and newspaper ads—knew they were out there but didn’t really use them. When MicroD came along to help us with our website, we realized there was an opportunity to increase the customer’s shopping experience in our stores without them having to be on a computer.

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Member Profile

Contents Interiors Tucson, Arizona By offering an eclectic mix of contemporary and western/traditional home furnishings and accessories, Carol and Tamara always found it difficult to define their niche.

Melissa Dressler Western Retailer Managing Editor 16

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eautiful design, contemporary southwest products and a great partnership are a few things that come to mind when people think of Contents Interiors in Tucson, Ariz.

Today, this full-service design center is owned by business partners Carol Bell and Tamara ScottAnderson, who have found the recipe for success.

Contents first opened its doors in 1979, offering home furnishings to the town of Tucson. At that time, it was owned by Ken and Linda Smalley.

Carol and Tamara first met while working for the store, as store manager and a designer respectively. Tamara eventually left Contents to work for another design firm where she learned more about the construction side of design.

In 2001, Carol was offered the opportunity to purchase Contents Interiors, contacted Tamara, and a beautiful partnership was formed.

“When Carol was offered the opportunity to purchase Contents, she wanted a business partner and she called me,” Tamara said. “We hadn’t spoken much over the six years that I had been gone, but we did run into each other once. I was ready for a change and she didn’t want to find a new job, so we said OK, and took a leap of faith.

We are very lucky at how our partnership has worked out. We are joined at the hip sometimes, but together we are the perfect person. We had a business consultant give us one of those personality tests to find out our strengths and

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weaknesses. When they printed out the graph, her strengths and weaknesses were the opposite of mine, and she was the left half of the graph and I was the right half. We are thankful every day and both appreciate how well we work together, and how much we accomplish.”

Today, Carol and Tamara’s goal for Contents is to maintain their reputation of quality home furnishings and exemplary customer service, while adding in their individual styles, personalities and passions. When Tamara became owner, she transitioned the business from just being a home furnishings store into a full service design firm, which included them getting a contractors license to be able to do nonstructural construction work in their customers’ homes. Carol took over as buyer for the store and has created an eclectic product mix for their customers. Together, with their six trained interior designers, they use their skills and unique home furnishings to create beautiful rooms for their clients.

When customers walk into the contemporarystyled building located in the Fort Lowell Furniture District, they will see the two different styles that Contents focuses on: contemporary and southwestern. “To the left, we have some of our Southwestern, Old World products and when you look to the right, we have contemporary products,” Tamara said. “When Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

we used to keep all of our contemporary items at the front door, people would peak their head in and think we only sold contemporary, so they would leave. Now we try to keep our soft contemporary and transitional up front, and then as you go towards the back of the store, you start seeing the more traditional, southwestern and Old World looks.”

“Carol and I were driving back from Phoenix sometime last year, and had an epiphany,” Tamara said. “We have always done the contemporary and the western—we can do cowboy style with the best of them. We had heard some people call our products ‘contemporary southwest’ so we started asking around about where people shop for contemporary southwest, and everyone said, ‘We come to you!’ So we have now been trying to define contemporary southwest and show people that it’s our niche. We have done photo shoots of contemporary southwest and vignettes showing it, to really help people know that yes, Contents is the place to get the contemporary southwest look.”

Along with their unique contemporary southwest niche, customers of Contents keep coming back because of their exemplary customer service.

Many employees give out their personal cell phone numbers and will come in on their day off to assist their client. The goal of Contents is to build long-lasting relationships with their customers. “I am sure every store says that their customer service is the best, but ours really is,” Carol said. “We have a professional staff of educated designers, and their goal is to build a relationship with the clients. As people come in through the door, they know that they are in

a happy place because our staff enjoys working here. They enjoy their jobs and we hear from our customers all the time that our staff is so friendly, helpful, and they know what they are doing.”

Carol, Tamara and the Contents team are also very involved in their local and home furnishings community. They support numerous organizations such as Angel Charity, the Heart Association, Southern Arizona Aides Foundation and the Humane Society. Tamara is a member of ASID and is currently the public relations chairperson for the Arizona South Chapter. Carol is serving on the WHFA board, and Contents has been a longtime member of the Contemporary Design Group. Contents Interiors is also a member of the Sustainable Furniture Council, with a majority of their products coming from manufacturers who practice sustainable furniture creation.

In the future, Carol and Tamara are hopeful they will rebound from the economic downfall and continue to grow. “Two years ago, when everything happened, it was our worst year ever,” said Carol. “Last year, we were up double digits from the year before. We plan to be up double digits again this year. We focus on that goal all the time and we will plan for it.”

“We have seen many stores go down on our street and within our community,” Tamara added. “We are determined to be the last good furniture store standing and that we will still be here and thriving.”

With Carol and Tamara’s passion for their business, employees and customers, there is no doubt they will quickly rebound and continue to flourish in the future.

AT A GLANCE

Store Location: Tucson, Arizona Type of Store: Full-line Year Founded: 1979 Number of Employees: 12 Showroom Size: 8,000 square feet Top Suppliers: American Leather, Environment WHFA Member Since: 1998

www.contentsinteriors.com Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

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It’s All About Sales & Marketing For bloggers, their most important consideration is always their readers expectations-they have deep and real relationships with their reader communities and their readers come firstnot their advertisers.

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fantastic new opportunity exists for furniture retailers (and manufacturers) to partner with design bloggers who are writing with passion about furniture and interior design.

There are literally thousands of design blogs being written now, many with hundreds of thousands of unique site visitors a month, and some with just 100 site visitors a month, but that doesn’t matter. A reader of a design blog is someone who more than likely loves design and furniture, loves the pointof-view of that blogger and dreams of having a beautiful home—and these readers are potentially a rich source of customers for your stores or products!

What Can Bloggers Help You Do: 1 Create general brand awareness about who you are, and what you do through writing about your store or your products.

Leslie Carothers The Kaledioscope Project

2 Drive traffic to your website—this can be accomplished through a variety of means—ads on their site, sponsored blog posts, specially created content, sponsoring their weekly e-newsletter to their readers, giveaways, contests, etc.

3 Drive traffic into your stores through sponsored

blog posts that include coupons, planning events with you and using their blogs and email lists to drive traffic to your in-store event.

Context: Who Are The Design Bloggers?

What Are Their Goals?

The vast majority of design bloggers today blog out of their passion for design and furniture, not for money. However, an increasing amount of design bloggers are, indeed, looking for ways to monetize their blogs and/or create business opportunities for themselves so they can devote more or their time to their true passion—design, furniture and all things home!

Most design bloggers fall into three categories: 1 Working professional designers who are blogging to attract new clients and other new business opportunities such as speaking 18

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engagements, getting their work seen by publishers, licensing opportunities, etc.

2 Professional bloggers about design (their blog is a primary source of income) who accept various forms of ads on their blogs—which can take different forms, such as banner ads, sponsored blog posts, giveaways and contests.

3 Design bloggers who simply blog about design out of their love for design and furniture but who do not accept ads on their blogs—though their blogs can and do create other types of business opportunities for them such as sponsored trips, speaking engagements, guest blogging opportunities for magazines or e-newsletters, etc.

Each of these three categories of bloggers share one thing in common important to you—a community of devoted readers. They are the new editors. Their readers are heavily influenced by their point-of-view and what they are showcasing on their blogs. These readers can be your potential customers and there are millions of them in the aggregate.

THE NEXT 5 STEPS: 1 Develop a blogger relations campaign. Figure out who is blogging about design and furniture in your trading areas.

2 Subscribe through your RSS reader to their blog, “like” the Facebook Page for their blog, follow them on Twitter, read the comments on each post and pay attention to the visual aspect of their content—does it seem to fit in with what you have to sell?

For bloggers, their most important consideration is always their readers expectations—they have deep and real relationships with their reader communities and their readers come first—not their advertisers.

Even if they are in the business of making money off of their blogs, their readers come first because they know that the most valuable currency they have with their readers is trust. They will do nothing for money that will violate their readers trust in their editorial integrity. Therefore, you have to make sure that your product and your store’s Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

image is consistent with what they share with their readers or else you will get turned down—regardless of money.

3 Once you’ve identified the bloggers, followed

and listened to them for a time, determine which of the above categories they fall into and plan your strategy accordingly.

4 Before the first email or phone custom design WHFA AD

call, figure out, too, what that blogger might need (besides your money) that would be an added value to them— this will go a long way in establishing trust and goodwill when opening up your initial dialogue.

Leslie is also a well known micro-blogger on Twitter on design and furniture related topics where she is known as @tkpleslie. She is the founder of the #GetPublished chat on Twitter which brings interior designers, bloggers, editors, magazines and book publishers together monthly to discuss all aspect of getting published and she also manages a vibrant online discussion forum on LinkedIn for furniture and design professionals with over 700 members currently participating.

5 Once you know what your

goals are and what you believe you might be able to do for the blogger in return, send them an email to open up the dialogue. If it’s a professional blogger that accepts ads on their site, they will have media kits that you can request and they expect that request—it’s normal.

Once the dialogue is open, everything is up for discussion. Design bloggers are tremendously creative and collaborative by nature and, when treated with respect for the design editors they are, will find all kinds of unique and interesting ways to help you achieve your goals and reach their readers—your potential buyers!

What could be better than that?

Leslie Carothers is president of The Kaleidoscope Partnership— a social media agency for the home furnishings and related industries. She has been working in the furniture and interior design business for the past 29 years and works with companies and tradeshows in the home furnishings and related industries to strategize, create, train and execute on social media campaigns that drive their profits.

Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

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Program of the Month

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s you plan for your business, two questions continue to surface: where does my business stand, and where should it be?

Kaprice Crawford WHFA Membership Director

WHFA has partnered with FurnitureCore. com by Impact Consulting Services, Inc., to increase our level of support to you and help you answer these questions. Now included in your membership is Limited Content Business Intelligence. Similar to the information in the Retail Performance Report of years past, this Business Intelligence Program features highlevel statistics to help benchmark and compare your company to other similar companies in the industry.

WHFA can now help you answer those tough questions like, “What should my sales expense be and what are others spending?” or, “Is my market growing compared to last year?” The FurnitureCore.com Business Intelligence Program will now guide you to fact-based answers.

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WHFA Members will have access (for FREE) to limited versions of:

Industry Model: Know the potential and understand the customers in your market.

FACTOID: Furniture Industry sales grew 2.48

percent comparing the fourth quarter of 2009 to the fourth quarter of 2010. How did your store do? Find out with INDUSTRY MODEL.

Market Profile: Demographic for

your defined market—age of income of all potential customers in your market broken down by percentages.

FACTOID: In the Los Angeles-Long Beach-

Glendale, Calif. market, 16.51 percent of the households consist of customers between the ages of 25-34, while customers between 55-64 years of age represent an additional 16.10 percent of the households. Do you have something to offer and are you attracting both of these types of customers?

Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

Product Category: Know how your company’s product measures up.

FACTOID: Bedding sales in the industry

average to be 19.70 percent of sales and have an average of 47.23 percent margin. What is your bedding sales? Upholstery? Case goods?

Accessories? Find out through PRODUCT CATEGORY.

Best Practices: Compare your

FACTOID: Profit & Loss: Merchandise Cost of

Goods Sold for the industry is 46.44 percent of total sales (February 2009 – January 2010). Enter your numbers and see how you compare in BEST PRACTICES. Now included in your membership, is a highlevel view of benchmarking data (a $3,300 value).

The next level of benchmarking data by FurnitureCore.com is offered to WHFA members at a 15 percent discount, including full versions of the above categories. Plus with Market Share

product categories

1. Contact WHFA at (800) 422-3778 to be issued your FurnitureCore.com Username and Password.

you answer those tough questions like, “What should my sales expense be and what

“Is my market growing compared to last year?”

2. Once you have your log-in instructions, you will have secure access to FurnitureCore.com to review your business intelligence results whenever and wherever you want.

FurnitureCore.com is a dominant hub for the Home Furnishings industry where subscribers can access industry intelligence, analyze and compare their performance to the industry, and utilize tools to improve productivity.

market share

best practices

industry model

web analytics

Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

WHFA can now help

are others spending?” or,

GETTING STARTED

expenses & revenue ratios with the industry to identify opportunities.

market profile

Limited, each quarter you can see what portion of the furniture sales in your market you get. You can gain the knowledge of a consistent measure of your performance, taking the economic ups and downs out of the equation. Web Analytics Limited helps you track your virtual traffic as well as your in-store traffic. Is your website and online advertising driving customers through the door?

Find out with Web Analytics Limited.

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The World Around Us

The Diane Gottsman The Protocol School of Texas

of Networking

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tart out with a Positive Attitude Walk through the door with confidence, having decided in advance that you will meet new contacts or clients rather than conversing with those you already know or just left at the office a few hours ago.

Nametags Are Useful Typically, the nametag is worn on the right side, below the shoulder. Some companies may prefer the left side because the company logo is on the right.

Introduce Yourself Let the other person know who you are by using your first and last name in an introduction. If you would prefer a “nickname”, let them know at this time, but be careful not to use nicknames that make you appear silly or juvenile. Skip “Missy” and opt for “Melissa” or “John” over “Johnny”.

Mix and Mingle It is appropriate to greet the host of the event, acknowledge those you know and introduce yourself to others you do not know or do not know well. Spend 4 to 6 minutes in light conversation, excuse yourself with a handshake and continue to mingle.

Holding a Drink Carry your beverage in your left hand to be prepared to shake hands with fellow guests. A cold and clammy shake from a cold drink is not the best first impression.

Converse with people you do not already know The goal of a networking event is to meet and hold conversation with those you are unfamiliar with or do not know very well. Stay away from touchy subjects such as politics, health reform, sex and divorce. Read the newspaper in advance and be prepared to discuss sports teams and the scores, movies, current events and the latest book you read.

Do Not Overindulge You are not at a business function to eat or drink. Your primary goal is to make a favorable impression with your client, future client and boss. Eat but do not overeat and drink alcohol in moderation or not at all. Drinking a soft drink, juice or water is not a business faux pas.

Don’t randomly hand out business cards until you have established some type of relationship Business cards should be offered at the end of a conversation by saying “May I offer you my business card?”. Do not ask for a business card from a senior executive.

Don’t Assume You May Give Another Person a Nickname Some use this technique to appear cordial or familiar, but it is a dangerous assumption.

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A Memorable Handshake Always offer a proper handshake when you greet someone and then again when you close a conversation. A firm but not aggressive handshake is appropriate for both men and women. Women should not wait for the man to extend his hand first, nor should a man wait for the woman to extend her hand. The first person to extend his or her hand has the “power”.

Break into an existing conversation properly Walk up to two people or a group of three or more people, extend your hand for a handshake and say “Pardon me for interrupting, may I join your conversation, my name is Sam Jones.”

Introducing Another Person A client always takes precedence over a member of your own company, including the CEO. When making an introduction, mention the client’s name first.

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Forgetting Names If you forget a person’s name, do not hesitate to ask by saying, “Please remind me of your name.”

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Closing the Conversation A pleasant “goodbye” is mandatory. Always end a conversation by saying something similar to “It was nice to see you.” Never say, “Let’s get together soon” unless you intend to make the effort to follow through.

Business etiquette expert, Diane Gottsman helps executives develop leadership skills and interpersonal mannerisms that build relationships and close deals. To help you avoid dining blunders that can break a deal she has created etiquette programs for corporations, non-profit organizations and executives looking to fine-tune their skills. Go to www.protocolschooloftexas.com and learn more about her programs and new book, “Pearls of Polish” You can reach Diane at (877) 490-1077.

Follow Diane on Twitter @dianegottsman.

Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

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It’s All About Sales & Marketing

As a business owner or sales manager, you are in the business of hiring and training people for the rest of your professional life.

W

hether you manage a furniture store or sell furniture, the use of knowledge means everything. I know that as an owner or manager, if you can create an environment of personal growth and development, your store will be successful.

Surround yourself with people that constantly want to improve and the company will grow. As the owner or manager, your job responsibility is to provide the staff with everything they will need in order to be successful.

In order to fulfill your responsibilities as an owner or as a sales manager you must: Provide the leadership, knowledge, training, incentives, and consequences in order to recruit, hire, develop and maintain successful salespeople.

I could write a book just on that sentence, but look at each word and think about how that applies to you and your business. Great leaders, for example, lead by example, are great communicators, have a vision for the future, are organized and disciplined. Having knowledge takes a constant effort, no one will ever know everything that there is to know. Training must be consistent and on-going. I have often said that sales training doesn’t work if it is an event, it has to be an ongoing process. Incentives must be given to sales staff if you want to make some changes. In order to instill change in any organization I believe that you have to make the change a policy. Train your people on how to fulfill the policy and address what’s in it for them when they make the change. In other words:

Brad Huisken IAS Training

In order to instill change in an organization three things must happen! l Policy l Training l Incentives

The same is true with consequences. If the person 24

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doesn’t fulfill the policy, has been trained on the policy, has shown that they can adhere to the policy, and yet they still don’t or won’t adhere to the policy, then a change needs to be made.

A successful sales staff is: Completely trained, working toward objectives, held accountable for performance, and rewarded based on results.

As a business owner or sales manager, you are in the business of hiring and training people for the rest of your professional life. I don’t think people will ever be completely trained, simply because the world and the industry is changing at a very rapid pace. A business owner has to work toward objectives, which are goals and statistics, the people have to be held accountable to producing at least a minimum level of performance and rewarded based on exceeding the expectations.

It is only through the consistent application of solid business principles that a business will grow and reach it’s maximum potential. The five silver bullets to productivity improvement are what I call the solid business principles when it comes to the personnel working within a store. Great sales managers, owners, and coaches, have to be where the action is, on the floor. You cannot effectively implement any one of these business principles from an office. You have to be on the floor listening in on sales presentations, catching people doing things both right and wrong, offering positive praise and solid coaching when appropriate and needed. When it comes the standards these are things that will leave a lasting first and last impressions that the customer has of your business. How the phone is answered, how customers are greeted and acknowledged, how the customer is thanked and invited back, offering to sketch the home, attempting to close the sale and attempting to add-on to the sale should all be non-negotiable within a great organization wouldn’t you think?

Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

Five Silver Bullets for Productivity Improvement: l Training & Coaching (Training Checklists & Reviews) l Non-Negotiable Sales and Customer Service Standards l Goals l Accountability l A Training Process There are four basic areas where furniture salespeople need to be knowledgeable, thus need training in order to perform their job responsibilities. Imagine an automobile with four tires.

Should one of the tires be low on air or flat the automobile would not run efficiently. The same is true in sales; if one of these four areas is weak, then the sales presentation may take a turn for the worse. Customers expect salespeople to be the expert, and I am sure that most professional salespeople want to be experts.

Therefore, salespeople must do everything within reason to constantly look at increasing their skills, abilities, and thus knowledge. Read the industry trade journals. Talk to the various merchandise representatives, do some research on the Internet, talk to your fellow salespeople that may have expertise in a specific area. One of the biggest problems

Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

that I see in retail furniture is that too many salespeople learn just what it takes to get by. Be something different, be extraordinary, and go above and beyond the normal. I know that knowledge is the key to success, not only in furniture sales, but in all aspects of life as well.

The four areas are:

1

Sales Techniques - Knowing how to make initial contact, and how to greet a customer in a non-pushy and non-aggressive way. Learn how to determine the customer’s needs. The easiest way is through a series of open-ended questions that are designed to capture the maximum amount of information from the customer. Learn how to demonstrate merchandise in a way that increases the customer’s perception of value using features, benefits, and agreement questions. Have a toolbox of closing techniques that will help you close more sales. Learn how to sell people add-on items through getting the customer to tell you what they are going to buy next. When a customer says, “I’ll be back” they are not necessarily coming back. They have objections that you need to learn how to handle. Practice different ways to give and receive turnovers in a way that doesn’t offend customers, etc.

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2

Product Knowledge - Know how to talk to the customer in terms of not only the technical aspects of the furniture but the emotional aspects as well. How to describe the features and benefits in terms that the customer understands, knowing inventory levels, prices by memory, financial considerations, etc. Product knowledge is one of those things that you have to have. You may not need to use it however. If the customer needs a technical presentation, then you have to be prepared to give a technical presentation. If the customer is more emotionally driven, you may not need to use any of your technical product knowledge. Be prepared for every different type of customer.

3

Operational Knowledge - Knowing how to write-up financing forms, delivery orders, all the aspects of repairs and maintaining furniture, how to write-up a sales slip, layaway, gift certificate, knowing how to use the tools of the trade, putting things back where they go, all the companies policies and procedures, etc. I have seen many sales lost for dumb operational reasons that just shouldn’t have happened. I once saw a furniture salesperson lose a sale because they couldn’t find the delivery schedule. Be prepared in all the different areas of the total store operation.

PFP-WHFA Ad 2-28-11_Layout 1 2/28/11 10:00 AM Page 1

4

Customer Service Skills - Knowing how to sincerely thank a customer and invite them back, exceptional communication skills, understanding and applying non-negotiable customer service standards (i.e. if you say it do it, no personal problems in business, satisfy every customer, etc…).

No one area is any more or less important than another area.

A salesperson has to be trained on all aspects of the job in order to reach their maximum potential and to capitalize on the opportunities that are present in each and every company.

A trained sales staff is essential to success in today’s furniture marketplace. Again, the only thing that separates one furniture store from another, in the customer’s eyes, is the people that work in the store.

Author, trainer, consultant, and speaker Brad Huisken is president of IAS Training. Mr. Huisken authored the book I’m a Salesman!

Not a PhD. and his new book Munchies For Salespeople, Sales Tips You Can Sink Your Teeth Into! He and his staff of trained professionals also conduct in-house training and consulting all over North America on an ongoing basis. In addition, he publishes a free weekly newsletter called “Sales Insight” For a free subscription or more information on training, contact IAS Training at (800) 2487703, www.info@iastraining.com or fax (303) 936-9581.

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Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

Program Spotlight

In this first of four quarterly columns, we’ll provide some guidance in getting to know your online customers, and why this step is so important to your marketing success.

Shirley Griffiths Banner Marketing

W

hen it comes to shopping, today’s consumers are flocking to their digital devices before heading to the mall or their favorite retailer. Recent studies have shown that 90 percent of shoppers browse and compare online first. Given that so many shoppers are faceless, how do retailers get to know who they are?

In this first of four quarterly columns, we’ll provide some guidance in getting to know your online customers, and why this step is so important to your marketing success.

Creating Customer Profiles It’s easy to build a profile of your in-store customers. Simply observe who walks through the door, noting gender and approximate age. Pay attention to how couples behave for clues about the decision maker for the purchase. Engage your customers in conversation to learn about the products they need or want as well as any constraints, from style, color and size to delivery times, budget and financing.

With websites now serving as webstores, retailers are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to creating customer profiles. Fortunately, some great tools are available to help retailers understand their online customers. Companies that host your webstore can provide a wealth of reports about site traffic. And, if you work with a company that manages your online marketing efforts, you may have additional tools at your disposal.

One of the most valuable of these tools is online data, such as what was recently unveiled in the Banner Retail Index: A Report on Current Trends in the Retail Furniture Industry. Data to support the index was collected from Jan. 9, 2010 through Jan. 3, 2011 from more than 126 individual

Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

furniture dealers across the nation for which Banner Marketing creates, maintains and tracks websites.

Tracking Online Audiences Through specific applications that monitor webstore activity, you can access information about your online shoppers and their peak traffic times. You can learn which are your busiest days, weeks or months online. With that knowledge, you can study which promotions and offers were running at the time and file them away for future use.

At the same time, retailers can learn which periods of time experienced lulls in online activity. By examining which marketing elements were used at the time, it may be possible to pinpoint which strategies don’t resonate with customers and are wasting valuable marketing resources.

By tracking online traffic over time, it’s possible to get a sense of cyclical ups and downs. For instance, a comprehensive 360-day look at 126 clients in the Banner Retail Index showed distinct surges in activity before the winter holidays and right after. Our index shows consistent spikes of activity at New Years which shows that shoppers are looking to take advantage of January bargains.

This is important for retailers to realize so that they will feature corresponding products in January advertising.

If you anticipate a slow period ahead, consider running a promotion that historically has resulted in higher traffic and sales to help cushion the dip.

Unique Visits and Time Online While loyal customers are critical to maintaining your business, it’s important to attract new customers to keep growing. With site traffic

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Pay close attention to what your online shoppers are telling you.

tools, you can learn if you are attracting unique visitors and when. For the 126 clients in the Banner Retail Index, the highest point of unique visits in a 360-day period occurred at the New Year. Using that knowledge, retailers can take steps to enhance their webstores and offers to make a strong impression that will encourage return customers.

It’s also possible to see how much time shoppers spend on your site. If online shoppers move on quickly, ask some questions: Is the site engaging?

Does it look like your store? Does it have your latest merchandise? Are the current offers tailored to your target audience?

Pay close attention to what your online shoppers are telling you. Taking note and making some minor changes to accommodate your audience can help you get the most from your marketing dollars. Next time, we’ll consider how to tailor promotional and coupon offers to your shoppers

to further maximize the effectiveness of your website as a marketing tool.

Shirley Griffiths, the vice president of sales, is one of Banner Marketing’s longest tenured employees with 11 years of experience with the integrated marketing company. Griffiths is responsible for overseeing Banner’s sales, creative and operations departments.

She can be reached at shirleyg@bannerretail.com or (800) 843-9271.

Banner Marketing helps businesses grow through integrated marketing; a combination of digital and traditional marketing strategies that reach a company’s key consumers and inspire them to buy.

In business since 1983 and based in Spokane, Wash., Banner develops creative content to support its client’s brands—from traditional circulars to cutting edge websites—keeps that content up-to-date, tracks program results, and provides reporting to refine and adjust strategies for even greater success.

«

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Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

Rowe Wallace sofa

T

here were numerous trends for the season that were seen during the January Las Vegas Market. Three popular trends this season are:

JUST SAY “OM” Maybe it’s the popularity of Eat Pray Love that’s inspiring the Buddha/Yoga décor trend. From lime green to honeysuckle and other sorbet-inspired colors to glam metallics—these exotic pieces can create a Zen environment anywhere. Just say Om. HORSES ARE HOT Equestrian images and figures triumphed during the Winter Las Vegas Market at World Market Center.

Asian Art Imports

Home Trends & Design

From every corner emerged the majestic and venerable icon. The stallion was spotted in countless showrooms in every type of representation and medium—in stunning photographs and paintings to stone statues and more.

RETRO GREEN IS BACK! Mid-century modern is hotter than ever. Pink is making a comeback and avocado won’t be overripe anytime soon—but this isn’t your parents’ decor... retro green was back in a big way during Market.

Spotted During Global Views Market: THe iconic creamy shades of avocado, citron and tea greens—a throwback to what was cutting-edge in the 50s. In contemporary retro design schemes, we think this color will be appearing everywhere next season. We’re seeing it comprising full sofas, mixed in with accent chairs, throw pillows, table top accessories and even wall decor.

Global Views

Pair with navy, whites, turquoise or silver to make it contemporary.

Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

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Advertisers Index Please support the advertisers that support your magazine.

Advertiser

Page

Phone/Website

Custom Design Software................................................ 19.............................................(800) 884-0806 Diakon Logistics................................................................. 30.............................................(703) 530-0677 Emerald Home Furnishings..............................................2..............................................(800) 685-6646 FurnitureDealer.net........................................................... 29.............................................(651) 287-0700 Furniture Wizard............................................................ 12 & 25........................................(619) 869-7200 GE Money................................................................................4..............................................(800) 422-3778 Home Furnishings Industry Conference.................... 11.............................................(800) 422-3778 Karel Exposition Management...................................... 14.............................................(305) 792-9990 MicroD........................................................................... back cover....................................(800) 964-3876 Planned Furniture Promotions...................................... 26.............................................(800) 472-5242 PROFITsystems .................................................................... 31.............................................(800) 888-5565 Surya.........................................................................................7..............................................(877) 275-7847 TruckSkin ............................................................................. 28.............................................(877) 866-7546 Zenith Global Logistics.................................................... 23.............................................(800) 937-3876

www.whfa.org

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Advertising Inquiries & Rates Contact:

Cindi Williams, WHFA Events Manager, 500 Giuseppe Court, Ste. 6, Roseville, CA 95678 Phone: (916) 960-0277 E-mail: cwilliams@whfa.org.

Subscriptions: $35.00/year USA. Published by Western Home Furnishings Association, a National Home Furnishings Association affiliate, in the interests of retail home furnishings dealers, manufacturers, ­distributors and sales people.

Distributed to retail merchants handling ­furniture, ­accessories, bedding, floor coverings, and specialty home furnishings in ­Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Mailing list compiled by WHFA. Official publication of Western Home Furnishings Association, which is responsible for editorial content and advertising policy. The views expressed in articles appearing in Western Retailer are not necessarily those of Western Home ­Furnishings ­Association. Western Retailer magazine is copyrighted by Western Home Furnishings Association. April 2011, all rights reserved.

Western Retailer

Read by furniture retailers in the West.

Distribution

Western Retailer is read by more than 10,000 home furnishing retail store personnel handling furniture, accessories, bedding, floorcovering and specialty home furnishings in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

Marketing Philosophy

Western Retailer focuses on western market trends in the furniture, bedding, flooring and accessories industry. It highlights industry finance, state legislation, retail store layout and design, transportation, retail advertising trends, retail store computerization, insurance, succession planning and industry social events.

Contact WHFA at www.WHFA.org or (800) 422-3778

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