Window Fashion VISION Magazine: March/April 2023 | Volume 45 Issue 2

MAKE THE MOST OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST WINDOW COVERING SHOW

What’s Trending at the Window?

Window Treatments Take Center Stage

Extreme Installation

Curved Glass & Room-Darkening Challenge Level Up How to Be Known as a Motorization Specialist

Increase Sales Using Charisma, Connection and Confidence

eve motionblinds SMART MOTORS FOR ROLLER & HONEYCOMB

AWARD-WINNING SMART WINDOW COVERING THAT SUPPORT BLUETOOTH, THREAD AND SOON MATTER

Eve MotionBlinds motors for smart blinds and shades make life easier and guarantee the best lighting and indoor temperature at any time. Easy to use for all the family – just control Eve MotionBlinds via your smartphone or voice assistant using, for example, Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Samsung SmartThings. All without a bridge account or registration for maximum simplicity and 100% privacy.

All motors have a built-in USB-C rechargeable batter for cable-free installation. The CM-08-E honeycomb motor is specially designed for window covering systems with pleated or cellular fabrics in various cell sizes. The CM-03-E tubular motor fits roller shades with 38-50 mm tubes and the ultra-powerful CM-06-E-R tubular motor is designed for large-size roller blinds with heavy fabrics such as screens. motionblinds.com/eve

VISIT US AT BOOTH

#709

WINDOW FASHION

VISION

WINDOW TREATMENTS & INSPIRED DESIGN

VOLUME 45, ISSUE 2

President/Publisher | Grace McNamara grace@wf-vision.com

Vice President | Ania McNamara-Munzer ania@wf-vision.com

Editor-in-Chief | Jennifer Jensen jennifer@wf-vision.com

Art Director | Eric Taylor eric@wf-vision.com

IWCE Conference Director | Shannon Flaherty shannon@wf-vision.com

Copy Editor | Maude Campbell maude@wf-vision.com

Marketing Coordinator | Tracy Herold tracy@wf-vision.com

Social Media Coordinator | Corina E. Buzdugan corina-elena@mcnamaramarketing.com

Accounting | Kim Rick accounting@wf-vision.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Nicole Heymer, O’D McKewan, LuAnn Nigara, Kathy Cragg Pace, Oliver Schreiber, Kelli Vitari, Jop Vos

SUBSCRIPTION S 651-330-0574 • info@wf-vision.com

Window Fashion VISION magazine makes every attempt to credit each person involved in the process of creating a window covering and will not be responsible for crediting any person whose name, company or participation did not surface during the information-gathering process. Crediting disputes between parties other than VISION magazine are solved at the discretion of those involved.

Window Fashion VISION (ISSN 08869669) (USPS 708930) published bi-monthly by AIM Communications LLC, 4707 Hwy 61 N #255, St Paul, MN 55110, Tel 651-3300574. Visit our website at WF-VISION.com. Periodicals postage paid at St Paul, MN.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Window Fashion VISION , 4707 Hwy 61 N #255, St Paul, MN 55110. Allow 60 days for address change. Subscription rates: $22/yr. U.S. and possessions; $29/yr. Canada; $90/yr. Foreign (includes airmail postage).

Copyright © 2023 by AIM Communications, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission prohibited. Canadian Publications Agreement Number: #40036514. Canadian Return Address: 4707 Hwy 61 N #255, St Paul, MN 55110 MARCH + APRIL 2023, VOLUME 45, ISSUE 2.

ON THE COVER:

Photography: Gil Breef

Project: The Restaurant at W South Beach in Miami

Installer: Shades By Design ShadesByDesign.com

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IWCE Is the Place to Be for Window Treatment Professionals A

s you’ve read from Oliver Schreiber and other columnists, the success to business is relationships—making friends. There’s no better way to establish a connection than in person and that opportunity will be yours at the International Window Coverings Expo (IWCE) this April in Charlotte. Our annual industry conference and expo gives you multiple options to meet face-to-face with people who can make a difference in your business.

Take advantage of the dozens of excellent seminars that will offer fresh, new ideas. Make a point of meeting with a couple of speakers to form an ongoing relationship after the show. Network with others in your classes and perhaps find a new business partner or mentor. If you’ve been working with suppliers you like, you can meet the principals at IWCE. And if you’re looking for new suppliers, there are hundreds to explore. If you’re on the fence due to the investment and traveling, consider that one important idea or business connection will pay for your experience 10 times over. Where else can you experience the breadth of industry knowledge that you’ll have at your fingertips other than at IWCE?

I want to let you in on a little secret: I’m writing this note on February 1, almost three months before the show, and I’m thrilled to report that our Show Floor is almost sold out! That means this year’s IWCE will be our largest show since the recession! What that means for you is that you’ll be able to see more new products than you have in decades. There are companies and products from all segments of the industry, everything you need to be a rock star window treatment professional. Everyone in the business knows that if you’re not on top of motorization, your business will suffer. We offer several courses and demonstrations on motorization— what options to consider, how to sell it and what works for you. And you’ll get to see the latest options on the Show Floor.

Now if you haven’t made the decision, visit IWCE-VISION.com and book your spot at the world’s greatest window covering show!

See you there!

Grace McNamara Publisher grace@wf-vision.com

Publisher Grace McNamara

SEE: THE GIFT OF SIGHT

BY BILL O’CONNOR

From 1992 to 2014, I was president and CEO of Horizons Window Fashions. Upon retirement, I felt a great desire to “give back.” I wanted to support a not-forprofit that mirrored the greatness of the Horizons of yesteryear. That is when I discovered SEE International, this year’s Window Fashion VISION and International Window Coverings Exposponsored charity.

SEE stands for Surgical Eye Expedition. SEE International is a team of volunteer ophthalmologists whose mission is to restore the sight of impoverished people throughout the world. Since its inception, these doctors have performed sight restorative procedures to more than 500,000 men, women and, sadly, a surprising number of children. Fifty countries, from Armenia to Zambia, have been serviced by the SEE team of volunteer ophthalmologists and assistants. Furthermore, these volunteers do it on their own dime.

The great thing about SEE is how efficient it is. Because so many doctors and assistants pay their own expenses, it only costs about $100 to restore the sight of a brother or sister. For example, Dr. Helena Ndume,

a Namibian ophthalmologist, has treated more than 30,000 patients! Trust me, these women and men are living saints.

There is a great chance that whoever reads this article was a customer of Horizons Window Fashions during my tenure. Words will never be able to express the debt of gratitude the former team has for you. That being said, may I ask for one more favor? Can you go to SEEIntl.org and learn more about our story?

Will you consider a contribution to restore the sight of one of our fellow human beings who, without SEE, has no other recourse? If a full restoration is out of the question, is $50, or half a restoration, possible? You get it … anything will be greatly appreciated. Finally, think of where any of us would be without our sense of sight. The challenges of connecting with clients and customers would be daunting. Creating the design solutions that exceed your client’s expectations would be nearly impossible. It is no different for a field hand in Liberia, a seamstress in Haiti or a 7-year-old in Bangladesh. Please help SEE International continue to fulfill its amazing mission. Thanks! V

Window Fashion VISION

and IWCE have chosen SEE International as their official nonprofit for 2023. We believe the gift of sight is critically important and this nonprofit does an amazing job of directing funds to help those less fortunate. Please consider making a donation here:

» seeintl.org

Bill O’Connor is the former president and CEO of Horizons Window Fashions (1992-2014). He currently sits on the Board of Directors of SEE International. Contact SEE International at development@seeintl.org or 805-730-0649.

PHOTO: SEEINTL.ORG

IN THIS ISSUE

Matter

Blinds and shades have been chosen as one of the first product categories to be certified. A expert weighs in on how this will affect the industry.

32

SecurShade: One Year Later

After debuting at IWCE last year, the company has a slew of customers implementing its product, which is designed as a roller-based solution to increase safety at schools.

38 46 48

Special Events

Enjoy complimentary networking, happy hours, seminars and more.

Fresh Finds

Don’t miss the newest companies and products that will debut at the show.

Speaker Takeaways

Attendees will have a plethora of inspiring and educational sessions to attend.

How to Level Up Your Trade Show Marketing

6 GRACE NOTE IWCE Is the Place to Be for Window Treatment Professionals By Grace McNamara

8 SEE: The Gift of Sight By Bill O’Connor

12 disCOVER About the Cover

14 POINT-OF-VIEW: New & Noteworthy All That’s Interesting

18 FULL FRAME: Technology Build Your Reputation as a Motorization Specialist By O’D McKewan

22 FULL FRAME: Installation Extreme Window Installation By Jennifer Jensen

24 FULL FRAME: Retailer Retailer Profile: Zinga’s Blinds, Shutters, and Shades

By Jennifer

Jensen

26 WELL-CRAFTED: Lessons in Leadership Patti Carpenter By Jennifer

Jensen

43 TRANSFORMATIONS: Selling Transformations: Where Thinking Meets a Healthy Dose of the 3 Cs By Kathy Cragg Pace

52 FULL FRAME: Workroom Central Not Just for Workrooms By Kelli Vitari

60 SHOW ME THE MONEY: Best Business Practices

6 Ways to Leverage IWCE Like a Pro By LuAnn Nigara

VISION 20/20 CORRECTIONS:

In the January/February issue in the “Lessons in Leadership” article on page 24, we incorrectly stated that Angel’s Distributing was the only drapery lining distributor in the U.S. when Angel’s is the only company in the U.S. to only sell drapery linings. On page 35, this company was incorrectly named as Angels Drapery, rather than Angel’s Distributing. In the January/February issue of Window Fashion VISION in “Get Santified” on page 21, it incorrectly stated that David Santiago was a manager at Nassau’s Window Fashions. Santiago was a design consultant.

70 FLAIR Product Spotlight

72 Sold! Education Makes All the Difference

Introducing Style 4001, the new 1% openness fabric added to the SheerWeave ® Style 4400/4000/4100 line up with DOW ECOLIBRIUM.TM These roller shade fabrics combine the durability of vinyl-coated polyester with the latest in green PVC technology. Style 4001 is available now in nine colors. Visit phifer.com or scan the QR code below for more information.

WEATHER PROTECTION WITHOUT DIMINISHING THE VIEW

When Gil Breef, president of Shades By Design, was approached by a client who needed a solution to help their guests be able to enjoy oceanfront views no matter the weather, he knew exactly what to do. He recommended outdoor sun/weather screens to protect patrons from the elements.

The space featured on the cover of this month’s Window Fashion VISION issue is The Restaurant at W South Beach in Miami. It is a sleek, vibrant, indoor-outdoor Italian restaurant serving an array of comfort classics for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

While Miami is warm and sunny most of the time, it also experiences heavy winds because of its proximity to the ocean and a rainy season during the summer. “The client reached out to us because their guests were getting wet,” Breef said.

The lanai area has 10 tables for dining patrons to use that were originally open to wind and rain. The goal was to provide a solution that protected guests from the weather but did not obstruct the oceanfront views.

Shades By Design installed a Rainier outdoor screen system powered by Somfy motors and controls. They installed shades in a light color so guests could still take in the views even when the shades were drawn.

The project was completed in October 2022 and has been a huge success. What once was a space only used during certain times can now be fully utilized. “All 10 dining tables now have full occupancy,” Breef said. V

PHOTOS: GIL BREEF

THE SHADE SYSTEM WITH ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

Rey is engineered to be durable and simple to install. The shade system features minimal light gaps, increased privacy, and zero wire visibility. Enhance energy efficiency and occupant comfort without compromising style. www.reyshades.com

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

DE GOURNAY DEPICTS EMBROIDERED WALLPAPER AT DECO OFF 2023

Motifs are in again. For de Gournay, wall upholstery adorned with exotic monkeys placed against a golden backdrop is ideal for bringing a room to life. Hand-embroidered in its entirety, the design is inspired by a folding screen created in 1930 by Paul Étienne Sain—a celebrated artist of the era, who was awarded a gold medal at the Salon des Artistes Francais for the piece, and for whom the motif is named.

» DeGournay.com

OSBORNE & LITTLE’S SYMPHONY OF SPRING 2023

COLOR CRUSH: ROSES & ROSÉ BY KRAVET

Wild Strawberry pillow from the Wedgwood for Clarke & Clarke collection. Inspired by fresh, wild strawberries and recreating the feelings of a lazy English summer, the finely embroidered leaves and flowers transport one to a country garden. Pattern placement will vary. It include an invisible zipper and comes with a 95/5 feather/down pillow insert.

» Kravet.com

The spring launch showcases Herbaria drapery fabric painted in an impressionistic style printed on a woven design of satin spots, which are intermittently cut to create a fringe effect. Here, the brand’s Herbaria drapery fabric in F7772-02.

» OsborneAndLittle.com

SUNBRELLA LAUNCHES READY-MADE DRAPERY FOR RESIDENTIAL INTERIORS

Sunbrella announced the Sunbrella Window Collection, a selection of ready-to-ship, ready-to-hang drapes that mark the brand’s entry into window treatments for residential interiors. These draperies feature the proprietary Color to the Core technology and the collection includes 54 ready-made stocked drapery options composed of 27 colors within five distinct patterns. Most styles include a three-in-one construction that provides the flexibility to be hung using a rod pocket, back tab or clip rings and some styles feature a grommet option.

» Sunbrella.com

EMERY WALKER’S HOUSE COLLECTION

Morris & Co. showcased four brand-new patterns and six reintroduced William Morris designs in the collaboration collection with Emery Walker’s House. The Emery Walker’s House Fabric Collection features 28 fabrics in original Morris & Co. designs found in Emery Walker’s House, often available in authentic colorways.

» MorrisAndCo.Sanderson DesignGroup.com

ROWLEY INTRODUCES ELEMENTS CUSTOM SHADE PROGRAM

Rowley Co.—a leading source of window covering supplies, workroom essentials and designer drapery hardware for more than 60 years—announced the launch of their new Elements custom shade collection featuring cellular, roller, solar, Twinlight and unique specialty shade solutions. This program was strategically designed to help customers grow their businesses by expanding their offerings to provide custom shade solutions that complement the window projects they are designing treatments for.

» Rowley.com

TEXTON INTRODUCES 2023 WILLIAM HOUSE HONEYCOMB

COLLECTION

The 2023 William House Honeycomb Collection includes several new fabrics and an updated headrail, among many other enhancements.

» Texton.com V

Build Your Reputation as a Motorization Specialist

BY O’D MCKEWAN

Hopefully by now you have read at least one of my motorization articles, seen one of my online videos or taken one of my classes and you want to put that knowledge to good use by promoting yourself and/or your business as a motorization specialist. I think that is a great idea, but how do you separate yourself from your competitors in the market? Well, I have a few suggestions for you.

First and foremost, make sure you know what you are talking about. The worst thing you can do is promote yourself as a motorization specialist and then meet with a client who has more knowledge of motorization than you because they spent hours researching it online. If you are not at least 85% confident about your own knowledge of the motors you offer, then you need to educate yourself more before promoting yourself.

There are several ways to educate yourself about motorized window coverings. You can try the DIY method like the client I mentioned and spend hours researching motorization through web searches, but you would have to decipher what is credible and actually helpful. You could learn by the “School of Hard Knocks” and just start selling motorization and learn from all your mistakes. (Please don’t do that. It is very expensive and will lead to many negative reviews that

will last a very long time and defeat the purpose of trying to promote yourself as a motorization specialist.) You can contact your manufacturer and see if they offer any courses or online tutorials about the motors they offer. Many manufacturers are now offering such options and they are specific to the products they offer. You could contact the motor manufacturer directly and ask if they have any programs or courses to take. I know Somfy is really pushing their new Somfy University program where they have several online programs available. Not to name-drop, but I know a guy who teaches some pretty good motorization classes both online and in person (see bio and picture at the end of this article). But seriously, you have to have some experience and knowledge if you expect good results from properly promoting yourself as a specialist.

When you have reached the level that you feel comfortable claiming to be a specialist, here are a few tips in promoting and building that reputation.

First, make sure you are heavily advertising and promoting motorization in all of your media and marketing outlets. If you complete a training course or earn a certification, make sure to include that in your bio, your marketing and speak proudly of it in your sales process. Let your clients know you were trained well. Any time you install a motorization project, be sure to post a picture, a video or a comment about the project.

PHOTO: CLARA SHADES

Traversing Systems are a Simple Solution to Complicated Problems

Try blogging about an upcoming or recently completed project. You can post comments about new technology coming out or how the products you sold and installed years ago are still running strong. The more online activity you create, the more search engines will promote your activity. Also, make sure that when your clients post reviews, they mention their motorized window coverings. I can’t stress how important a positive online persona is in helping you build your reputation.

Orion Traversing Systems offer multiple answers to your client wants and needs. Use Orion Traversing Systems- manual or motorized- when your customer asks for:

••Functioning window treatments

••Easy and convenient

••The hardware to become the top treatment

••Draperies with weights that require it

Our traversing systems are available as baton draw or manual traversing and motorized. Choose from double or single systems for either Ripplefold or pinch pleat. Decorative fascias in iron, wood, and lightweight embossed metal designs in over 100 finishes and over 200 different finial styles. With or without rings. Heavy Duty Track and carriers in Four Colors; Antique Bronze, Black, Gold, Silver, and White. All hand finished in the USA. Visit us at Booth 413 at IWCE to see our full range of traversing systems.

Fascia Options include:

Exceptional Features include:

A key factor in building your reputation as a motorization specialist is to have good working relationships with correlating industries. Reach out to electricians, contractors and interior designers. Let them know of your abilities and how you can help them and their clients. I get a good number of referrals per year from other industries. Once they know I can be counted on, they are eager to mention me to their clients—and we all know how effective and profitable referral business is. Plus, many of the leads I get from these sources allow me to meet with the clients long before any of my competitors since I get to meet with them during the construction phase. Many of them will not even bother looking elsewhere, since I confidently managed the appointment and was referred by someone they were already working with. Another good relationship to work on is with your manufacturer’s representative. When clients contact manufacturers directly, the manufacturer prefers to pass the lead on to someone they know will be able to properly care for the client. If your manufacturer knows you are a capable motorization specialist, they will more than likely refer you for motorization leads over someone else.

In summation, to properly build a reputation as a motorization specialist, you have to know your stuff. You have to constantly promote that you know your stuff. And you will need to gain the confidence of others who can help promote you. If you are still in the learning and improving your confidence phase of trying to build your motorization reputation, please consider taking one of my courses either online at WindowCoveringWorld.com or in person at this year’s International Window Coverings Expo in April. I look forward to helping you become a true motorization specialist. V

O’D McKewan is the product coach for Window Covering World, an expert on motorization and an industry leader in the field of motorized window coverings. He has extensive hands-on experience with motorized window coverings, including fabrication, installation and selling.

» WindowCoveringWorld.com

Take O’D McKewan’s WFCP Motorization Certification course on Wednesday, April 19, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. He will also speak during a session on “Virtual Selling: Grow Your Business With Reduced Expense” on Thursday, April 20, at 10:30 a.m. and a session on “Mastering Motorization” on Friday, April 21, at 9 a.m.

Grayson Kramer/ Sesame and Lilies Cindy’s Window Fashions

Open & Close with one click

Use remote or app on iOS & Android

Add style and grace to any space

Anti-pulling safety feature protects delicate fabrics

WINDOW INSTALLATION Extreme

LOCATION: Clarendale Arcadia

Senior Living in Phoenix, Arizona

DESIGNER: ORB Architecture, a design, planning and architecture firm established in 2004

PRODUCTS USED: Draper

FlexShade Angled Coupler and Mermet E Screen 1% White/ Linen fabric

EXTRA EQUIPMENT USED: Scissor lifts

DEALER/INSTALLER: Progressive Commercial Interiors

Installation took about six hours with a team of two installers.

PROJECT GOAL: Fit in a motorized shading system that will match the radius curve of the exterior glass and achieve enough darkening and glare reduction to make the theater room functional.

CHALLENGE: Potential issues with gaps between panels, which would allow too much light to come into the room.

SOLUTION: Every one of the fabric breaks is positioned right in front of a window mullion to reduce the light bleed into the gap. It’s important on the front end to provide very good measurements, with good confirming radius openings and angle percentages. The radius brackets take up more room than a standard bracket. A standard bracket is going to produce about a ¾-inch to 5/8-inch gap on the sides. The radius shades produce a bit more than that. So, you must make sure the measurements of the openings and where the mullions are and the measurement of the degrees of the radius opening. When all of that is confirmed, it allows the manufacturer to maximize the width of the fabric and produces an installation that isn’t overly complicated. This then allows you to match that radius opening on site, without field adjustments. V

RETAILER PROFILE

Zinga’s Blinds, Shutters, and Shades Company grows revenue from $1.8M to $14M in less than a decade

By JENNIFER JENSEN

George Huizinga, owner of Zinga’s Blinds, Shutters, and Shades, started out in the window covering industry in 1999 when he bought a Budget Blinds franchise. Within six months, his location was the No. 1 franchise. “And, at that point, I realized I love this business, and I felt like God just created me to do this,” Huizinga said. A year later, he decided to go out on his own and tried operating a distributorship. He tried to grow the business too quickly and it didn’t succeed.

In 2005, he rebooted the business. “This time I was humbled, and I said, ‘You know what, I’m just going to stay small and just do a window covering business for myself,’” he said. “I told myself I was never going to hire anybody else again.”

The business grew and, eventually, Huizinga was inundated with customers and working 80 hours a week. At that time, he and his wife decided they needed to hire some help. So, they hired Donna Williams to serve as the marketing director. “We got very fortunate, and we made a great hire, and then it kept growing.” Then, they brought in another employee to handle the administrative side and serve as vice president of operations. “We hired a lady named Amber Rather who’s been with the company almost 10 years. And that was a rock star hire.” Six months later, they brought on Todd Green who served as vice president of sales. “.

“They couldn’t have been better hires and they laid the foundation that we could really build on,” Huizinga said. “So now I had people that were better than me and smarter than me in different areas, and all

four of us really work together, just like a well-oiled machine.”

The four of them worked in Huizinga’s basement in Indianapolis until they outgrew it. They eventually moved to a conference room at a bank, then a larger one at a hospital. “That was nine years ago and the growth we had was crazy,” Green said.

The company branched out into Tennessee and Florida about five years ago and now has nearly 75 employees. The company is projected to do $17 million this year. This is a huge uptick from nine years ago when the company made $1.8 million.

The company does not have a physical central office or showrooms, just warehouses. Employees work from home, except for the installers who must visit the warehouses for products and salespeople who travel for appointments.

WINDOW FASHION VISION: What do you attribute to your success?

GEORGE HUIZINGA: We’ve really grown the business by learning how to take excellent care of our customers and we’re interested in improving the life of all of our team members. We try to ensure that they’re growing personally. Our goal is to improve their skills so that they can improve their résumé and maybe go get a better-paying job somewhere. That two-prong approach about giving the best quality service out

there and then really trying to take care of our team members has been a good recipe for us.

TODD GREEN: The No. 1 reason for our success, outside of having God’s favor, is the people. Last year, we did over $14 million in revenue. The only way we were able to do that is the people that we have on our team. And not only are we bringing in a lot of revenue, but we’re doing it while maintaining a high level of customer service.

WFV: How do you continue to hire the right people?

Owner George Huizinga with Vice President of Sales Todd Green.

Motorized awning installation at a soccer complex in Indianapolis.

GEORGE

TG: We’ve gotten a lot better at recruiting and hiring. Early on as we were scaling the business, I heard Dave Ramsey say that recruiting needs to become part of your culture. If you wait to recruit when you need a person, you will compromise and you will hire someone that should not be hired. It doesn’t cost me anything to talk to people. Always be talking to people, always interviewing people. Because you never know when it might lead to your next rock star.

WFV: What are some ways you connect with your employees?

GH: We do a leadership training every month with all of our managers.

TG: As the leader goes, so goes the rest of the company. If the leader is not growing, then your people aren’t going to grow.

WFV: How do you motivate your employees?

TG: The best way to motivate your people is to inspire them. Leadership is getting your people to want to do what you want them to do. One thing that I have learned is that I can’t inspire them if I’m not myself being inspired. I can’t just conjure up the inspiration, it has to be real.

WFV: What has influenced you over the years?

TG: We listen to a lot of Craig Groeschel. He’s got a leadership podcast that’s been very influential with us as we’ve scaled the business. Something that Groeschel always says is that people would always rather follow a leader who’s always real than a leader who’s always right.

WFV: You talk about being real with your employees, what does that mean?

TG: We have a sales committee that meets once a month. My two sales managers and I meet with a team of our design consultants, one from each market, and we discuss challenges, frustrations, issues that that they’re facing in the field. They actually have direct input. We also have a company communication committee. We’re trying to have a bottom-up approach, where we’re not just sitting up here dictating to our people how things are done within Zinga’s.

GH: We’ve been fortunate enough to hire the right people that feel like they can make contributions and we’ve empowered them to make those contributions. They have come up with these ideas on their own to really allow us to move forward faster than our competition.

WFV: Your company has grown 25% year after year, what do you attribute to this steady and consistent growth?

TG: We haven’t compromised as we’ve grown. We’ve refused to compromise giving great customer service. If you went to Google or Facebook and you read the reviews, I think you’ll see that that we’re doing a pretty good job with our customer service.

WFV: How do you attract new customers?

TG: The majority of our growth actually comes from referrals. When you’re averaging 25% growth and 60% of that is word of mouth, I think that’s a pretty good indication that you’re doing a pretty good job giving people good customer service.

WFV: Besides referrals, how else do you market the company?

GH: Social media, pay per click and a good website. Something we’ve learned not too long ago is that your website should be generating leads. I’ve learned recently that most of these agencies you work with don’t give you the right information. The No. 1 thing that you should be going after with your website and SEO is non-branded organic leads that are not from any of your paid advertising.

WFV: How do you keep customers?

TG: At the end of the day, we’re all selling window coverings. They’re not buying window coverings, they’re buying a service. So, we’ve invested in and built a team that provides a great customer experience. We proactively communicate with our customers throughout the entire process.

WFV: What’s next for Zinga’s?

GH: The goal is to have moderate sustained growth. It would be nice to get $20 million in sales in the next couple of years.

TG: We also grew our outdoor products and I think that will continue. I think there’s going to be inherent growth, just in the outdoor products alone.

WFV: How do you deal with changes in the industry?

TG: You can look at it as a problem or you can look at it as an opportunity. That’s how we’re going to approach it. I feel like it gives us a competitive advantage because of how our mindset is in our approach. V

We’ve been fortunate enough to hire the right people that feel like they can make contributions and we’ve empowered them to make those contributions.

—

HUIZINGA

Motorized roller shade installation at a lake home in Bloomington, Indiana.

BY JENNIFER JENSEN

Lessons in Leadership Patti Carpenter

Growing up in a creative family in Washington, D.C., Patti Carpenter has always considered herself to be an artistic person. Her mother was a writer and her father was a graphic designer. “I’m an artist and designer by birth,” she said. After earning degrees in fashion design and fashion illustration from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, she began her career in the fashion industry. Today, she is a well-known global trend ambassador, the principal of carpenter + company, an award-winning designer, a color and trend consultant, and a product development expert.

Fashion at the Start

Following graduation, Carpenter spent 27 years moving up through the ranks of the fashion industry to eventually become vice president of design and merchandising for a division at Ralph Lauren. However, in 2000, she could see fashion was changing. “It became so much more about margins and less about the development of design,” she recalled.

She was approached by Aid to Artisans, a group she had been volunteering with for five years whose purpose is to work with Indigenous artisans from around the world and help them find markets for what they make by hand. They wanted her to be a part of a three-year project in Mali. This meant she had to leave her job at Ralph Lauren. She decided to take a leap of faith and accept the offer.

Working With Artisans

The first project in Mali dealt with textiles. At the time, Mali was the second-largest producer of cotton in Africa, but they didn’t make any money from it. She worked with the Malians to help them use their skills to sell to larger markets and keep that money in the country. “It was my first trip to Africa and I’ve now worked in 58 countries doing that work and I love it,” she added.

And 25 years later, this is still what fuels her passion. “You get really brought into a culture and you get really brought into a family structure,” Carpenter said. “It’s incredibly rewarding work. It keeps my heart alive.”

She continues to work in all types of media with Aid to Artisans, governments of countries, nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations, the U.S. Agency for International Development and others. She reviews their handmade work, studies their capacities, offers support and training, and makes the links to larger markets to sell their goods. Working with these projects led her into the arena of home decor, because making throws and pillows was a less difficult sector to enter than the clothing industry. She helped develop handwoven alpaca blankets in Bolivia that were sold to Bloomingdale’s and sourced private label collections for Neiman Marcus, Crate & Barrel, The Phillips Collection, ABC Carpet & Home, Donna Karan, Urban Zen and Ralph Lauren for the eight years that she had her own textile collection.

Carpenter has received presidential recognition as a microenterprise specialist from former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama for projects the U.S. had in other countries. “All of this is to

above: Hand beaded Ndebele necklaces made in South Africa.

below: Hand embroidery made in Guatemala.

build cultural and economic sustainability because we will lose those incredible skill sets in about a generation if we don’t support and help them,” she said.

Product Development Leads to Color and Trend Forecasting

While working with these artisan groups, Carpenter would do a color and trend presentation at the start of every project. “For me, I have a very varied background and all of those skills feed me and allow me the ability to speak differently about color, materials, and print patterns and surface design," she said. "I understand how to funnel that information into a clear and concise outcome."

After attending Maison et Objet in Paris, she would return home and create a color and trend presentation. Eventually, she decided to let Maison et Objet know what she was doing. She called the marketing department, had a few meetings and soon became their global trend ambassador. She has been doing that for nine years now. “It genuinely came from me sort of saying, ‘Hey, can I show you something?’” she recalled.

When tracking trends, Carpenter said she focuses on SPENT: the directional movements in social, political, economic, nature and technology sectors. “As things move and shift, with something like COVID just happening, the ‘t’ in technology became so much more important,” she said. One must think about how those big macro shifts affect what people want and need in their goods and services.

Where She Finds Inspiration

Besides the people she encounters through her work, Carpenter is very culturally focused and loves fashion, art and the

Love what you do and be voracious in gathering information, so you are always a constant student.

Blessing the hand woven textiles from Chichicastenengo, Guatemala.

Guatemalan woman hand weaving textiles from Chichicastenengo, Guatemala.

theater. “Art to me is what pushes the envelope forward,” she added. “Art is where you see people taking chances.” She also loves touring the monuments in D.C., as well as older European cities. “That for me is the joy of looking at something that someone took their time and energy to create by hand,” she added.

She also became inspired by former First Lady Michelle Obama after watching the “Becoming” documentary. “She has an extraordinary way of connecting people,” she said. “She comes to them where they are.”

Her Influencers

Artisans she’s met from around the world keep her grounded and force her to reevaluate her principles and priorities. “We have to recognize that we are very blessed, but this is also not the only way of life,” she added. “To be exposed to other people’s

realities, to other ways of life, to learning about other cultures and designs from the root of it, from the earliest days of it, that is really what inspires me.”

Carpenter also has incredibly supportive parents who allowed her and her sister to be creatives. “That is at the root of where I get the confidence and the support system that allows me to feel like I can take these steps on faith,” she said.

Actively Involved in Nonprofits

She is the co-founder of the Kaleidoscope Project, which was formed to call attention to and address the lack of diversity in the industry. She was also an advisory board member of the Black Artists and Designers Guild at its inception and now is the chairperson for the Diversity Advocacy Alliance for the High Point Market Authority.

Being a woman of color had its challenges when she first started out and she had to work much harder to get her foot in the door. “I have been afforded a certain kind of entree at this point,” Carpenter said. “And in having that entree, I get to see that there are very few people who look like me in some of these spaces.”

Leadership Style

Although she often works by herself, she enjoys collaboration because one person can only go so far on their own. “I am very focused if I have ideas but am open to how ideas get fleshed out,” she added. “I like the give and take because I think creativity is about that.”

She also tries to be diplomatic and steer clear of becoming Meryl Streep’s character in “The Devil Wears Prada.” Working in the fashion industry, Carpenter is all too familiar with that type of boss and knew how she didn’t want to be. She wants people to feel seen and heard.

Carpenter said she has an ability to talk to anyone, which has been especially helpful in connecting with artisans.

Advice for Those New to the Industry

Carpenter encourages newcomers to learn from others who are experienced and experts in the field. “At the beginning, you don’t know what you don’t know and you can avoid costly mistakes and actually learn new things and ways to do them,” she said. She encourages people to become an intern or work with someone they admire and to constantly gather information about their field.

Tips for Success

“Love what you do and be voracious in gathering information, so you are always a constant student,” she said. She stressed the importance of living a full life, traveling and having experiences that will grow a person’s creative language and knowledge.

What’s Next?

Carpenter is looking to slow down. She’d love to train someone to one day perhaps take the reins of her color and trend forecasting business. She would love to build her international product design and development business and artisan training, working with other organizations to flesh out their programs. She would also love to write a book on travel and color. V

Handwoven Guatemalan textile accessories.

Admiring traditional Ndebele beading in South Africa.

Patti Carpenter provides a product review.

MATTER: A NEW WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY

BY JOP VOS

Who Are the Brains Behind It?

Matter was created by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA). This 400-plus-member group of tech companies includes all the big names such as Google, Apple, Samsung and Amazon. The members have been putting their heads together for years to create this new Matter standard that will make life much easier. CSA said matter “is a promise of reliable, secure connectivity. It is a seal of approval that devices will work seamlessly together—today and tomorrow. Matter creates more connections between more objects, simplifies development for manufacturers and increases compatibility for consumers.”

Life Before Matter

The smart home sounds like a well-oiled machine full of smart devices that make life easier, but, in practice, this is far from the truth. Various devices require multiple apps and you can’t control everything through the same smart voice assistant. Everything uses different standards like Zigbee and Z-wave and they cannot always communicate with each other. But Matter will solve these problems.

Smart Home With Matter

With Matter, two important things are about to happen for smart homeowners. First, it will become easier to install new devices because they communicate in the same way. Second, it will become easier to control devices because they work with the same app or voice assistant. This means that in the future, it really won’t matter which manufacturer you buy smart lights, a smart security sensor or a smart TV from, as you can control them all through the same place in one household.

Smart Window Coverings

The first version of Matter—aka Matter

1.0—was released in October 2022. Blinds and shades have been chosen as one of the first product categories to be Matter certified. This is exciting news for the window covering industry because this means there is a new potential market that we can tap into. The growth of the smart home is accelerating at a substantial rate and, in the next coming years, we will see smart blinds and smart shades becoming increasingly popular all over the world.

Smart Shades in Action

New Window of Opportunity for the Industry

Matter really is a new window of opportunity for the window covering industry. At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this year, we saw that Matter was the buzzword among smart home experts and was one of the reasons why Eve MotionBlinds won a CES Innovation Award at this biggest tech event in the world. With smart home growth accelerating at a rocketing speed and all tech giants keen to get on board, smart window coverings will be the future of our industry. V

Matter Over Thread

Matter needs Thread, Wi-Fi or Ethernet to work. Thread is Matter’s best friend, so to speak. The Thread mesh network is designed to make smart home devices work faster, better and use less energy. Even better, there is no need for a bridge. Thread is designed to be more reliable and connective and gets stronger every time a new device is added.

What does a Matter-certified smart window covering, like Eve MotionBlinds, actually do? They can connect to any smart home ecosystem, without the need for a bridge, when a Thread border router is present. Set your blinds to open and close at any time you require, which means it looks like someone is home even when you are away. Let your smart blinds automatically adapt to changing temperatures inside and outside the home, helping to save energy.

Blinds and shades have been chosen as one of the first product categories to be Matter certified. This is exciting news for the window covering industry...

SecurShade: One Year Later

BY JENNIFER JENSEN

After his 35-year career as a window treatment professional, Gordon Clements retired and decided to devote his time to a new project—creating a product for windows that would help against an active shooter threat. A close friend and teacher to his children was shot and killed along with two other teachers during a school shooting. “The image of her standing defenseless against this guy with a gun on the other side of the window stuck with me,” Clements said. SecurShade is Clements’ roller shade-based solution to increase safety in schools.

Clements debuted his finished product last year at the International Window Coverings Expo (IWCE) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It is now fully functional with inventory available to meet customer demand, Clements said.

Window Fashion VISION: What has happened since its debut at IWCE?

Gordon Clements: Reaction at the show was amazing. The booth was busy from the minute the show opened until the absolute end, with visitors multiple deep at times. As a result of the show, Integrity in South Carolina became a new dealer and now has multiple large projects specified and in the bid process. Two new dealers in Massachusetts listed SecurShade with the Massachusetts Higher Education Consortium (MHEC) and exhibited at the annual MHEC conference. Four projects have been specified and bid in California and now the schools are waiting on funding.

One school in Michigan went through the test phase and plans to purchase the system for installation this summer. Two schools have trial installations in Vermont, with one, if not both, hoping to proceed full scale this summer. One school in Pennsylvania has been successfully testing the product since October and plans to proceed with installation this summer. A northern California fabricator was just awarded a $420,000 contract of which $320,000 is for SecurShades. This project involving a world-class architect, builder and owner is a major step forward for SSI.

WFV: For those not familiar with SecurShade, can you describe the product?

GC: SecurShade is a high-quality roller shade, manual or motorized, that provides privacy and controls overheating and glare. It also has a sophisticated electronics system. With the push of a button, users can instantly close all the shades. The idea was for it to

be used in a building or on campus when someone recognizes a threat to the safety of those inside, which can include active shooter or severe weather events.

WFV: What are the benefits of the proprietary electronics system?

GC: It will benefit building management, the learning environment and safety, providing expanded perimeter threat detection with a seamless instant response. It also provides visual schoolwide lockdown alerts in and out of the building; school or campus-wide, uniform window cover to eliminate sight lines, which improves security and saves energy at nights and on weekends; and protects from flying glass in the event of severe weather or earthquakes. The system also issues an electronic notice of a threat, with location, communicated to authorities, which improves reaction and targeted response.

— GORDON CLEMENTS

WFV: Why should someone attend or exhibit at IWCE?

GC: Exhibitors put a great deal of effort and expense into the show as it is a unique opportunity to make a more comprehensive presentation of the product with large-scale professional, operable, hands-on displays that better present a product’s attributes. And it’s the one opportunity to talk with senior executives of your vendors. The vendors get a chance to provide this in-depth information to both established clients and new people they may not have realized even existed. As valuable as sales reps are to maintaining an ongoing relationship with personal contact in the clients’ place of business, they could never replicate the process available at the show.

WFV: What’s the future look like for SecurShade?

GC: We will continue to develop our technology with a fifth patent now in the works. And we need to develop more in-depth distribution. We are getting inquiries from every region of the United States and Canada, but our representation is confined to a few specific geographical locations. Our present SecurShade partners are willing to cover broad areas, but SecurShade customers will be large legacy accounts providing continued long-term business. Therefore, we are best represented by someone in the community who knows the market influencers and can install and service the accounts. Anyone interested should stop by our booth No. 118 at IWCE in April. V

The system also issues an electronic notice of a threat, with location, communicated to authorities, which improves reaction and targeted response.

SecurShade President Gordon Clements

With Horizons the Possibilities Are Always Endless

Fresh Fabrics Coming Soon!

Providing Local Workroom Service on a National Scale

At Horizons, it’s our goal to provide designers with endless possibilities for every single order that enters our workroom. No matter how big or how small, each project receives the same detailed attention and expert craftsmanship. If you can dream it, we can make it. With our Customer’s Own Material (C.O.M.) program and Design Modification options, our dedicated staff works closely with designers to make unique window treatments for any space.

Soft Fabrics: Subtle or Bold

Versatile and classic, soft window treatments like draperies and Roman shades add a sense of calm to any room. With soft fabric as a feature, it’s important to choose the right color, texture, and pattern for your space. To make a statement, choose a bold pattern with a bright pop of color. If you are looking to tone down a busy atmosphere, a neutral fabric is the ideal choice. Explore the entire palette of 40 new soft fabrics in the refreshed Horizons Soft Sampling Book—coming later this year.

Shades of Elegance

Inspired by Nature, Beautifully Textured

Natural fabrics are popular with designers for a reason. Their rich texture and slight variation in weave make for an eye-catching piece of décor that is just as functionable as it is fashionable. The refreshed Horizons Natural Shades Sample Book will feature 24 new natural fabrics and updated inspirational photography.

Solar and roller shades have a sleek, modern profile and provide a variety of benefits. Solar shades are perfect for filtering sunlight, providing some light to enter while blocking harmful UV rays. Roller shades have a variety of different opacities ranging from light filtering to blackout. They are perfect for bedrooms, media rooms or anywhere you might need more light control. The upcoming Shades of Elegance Sample Book features both solar and roller fabrics available at Horizons.

No, it isn’t an April Fool’s Joke

From April 1st until June 30th save 5% on Soft Romans.

These versatile shades add a calm and cozy ambiance to any space.

Welcome to the International Window Coverings Expo

You’re invited to the International Window Coverings Expo (IWCE), the world’s greatest window covering show, which kicks off April 19-21 in Charlotte, North Carolina, bringing together thousands of designers and window treatment professionals. This annual event offers the industry the most up-to-date product offerings, from decorative fabrics and shades to innovative smart solutions, dazzling decorative hardware, tools and equipment—everything that anyone in the window treatment industry needs to run their business more effectively. We are excited to report that we will have the largest exhibitor participation since pre-recession!

Discover Leading-Edge Products

The Exhibit Floor features dozens of special events and activities. Not to be missed is the dynamic, hands-on Workroom Central Pavilion, where workrooms and designers can see and learn intricate custom techniques throughout the two-day event. The vibrant Exhibit Floor features hundreds of products and exhibitors hosting demonstrations and receptions. There’s so much to learn and do!

Elevate Your Game With Energizing Seminars

IWCE offers a broad range of educational opportunities. You can’t get this caliber and broad range of industry-specific education anywhere. See pages 37, 40 and 41 for a complete list of educational offerings.

Taste of Charlotte

I love hosting IWCE in Charlotte! It’s a great, easy and safe city—everything is walkable. The host hotel, the Westin, is just across the street from the Charlotte Convention Center. Charlotte is also a great foodie city and I love great restaurants. Here are a few of my top picks:

Network

Meet with the leaders in the industry, visit your suppliers in person and discover products you didn’t know existed. Reunite with friends and colleagues to share ideas and best practices. Take part in the many networking opportunities, including the Welcome Reception, which kicks off the show Wednesday evening with a casino theme.

I can’t wait to see familiar faces and meet new professionals attending.

See you in Charlotte!

Grace McNamara Publisher grace@wf-vision.com

« Cloud Bar: This great spot on the rooftop of the Le Meridien hotel is surrounded by the lights of Charlotte’s skyline. Escape into the clouds at uptown’s premiere 360-degree city view—a great spot for drinks and bites after the show.

Fahrenheit: This is a fun hot spot offering new American fare with an Asian twist.

Haymaker: Seasonally inspired dishes in a bright, stylish space with a great bar.

Angeline’s: Italian-inspired fabulous fare.

Church and Union: Hip, loftlike steakhouse with a buzzing vibe and upscale decor.

Fin & Fino: If you love seafood and oysters, this is the place!

Leah & Louise: This is the place for creative Southern comfort food and craft cocktails in retro digs.

La Belle Helene: French cuisine is always on my list! This refined brasserie serves French dishes, beer and wine in a soaring, elegant space with a lengthy bar.

« Red Salt: Chef David Burke’s awardwinning modern American cuisine offers seasonal options and great cuts of steak using his patented Himalayan sea salt dry-aging technique. Great homemade breads and pastries too!

PHOTO: CLOUD BAR

PHOTO: RED SALT

IWCE 2023 Special Events

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Sell Transformations

Luncheon Presentation

12:00 pm – 1:15 pm

Presented by Kathy Cragg Pace, learn the ultimate sales skill to increase your business by selling transformations, not transactions. A MUST for sales teams that want to grow! Registration required.

Opening Keynote: A Well-Designed Life

4:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Presented by LuAnn Nigara, learn the four keys necessary to created a well-designed life and business.

The perfect ending to a day of intense learning, join LuAnn’s motivational session before you head into the Welcome Reception! Registration required.

Casino Royale Welcome Reception

5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Let the fun begin! Join exhibitors and attendees at the industry’s annual networking event. Enjoy complimentary beverages, appetizers, music, games and the best networking on the planet in Richardson Ballroom C at the Charlotte Convention Center. An exhibitor badge or ticket is required.

Thursday, April 20, 2023

Workroom Central

Date: April 20–21

10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Located in the middle of the Expo Hall, designers, fabricators, installers and upholsters gravitate toward the booth to be inspired by the creative aspects of vignettes, gain valuable information from instructional presentations and learn new skills during hands-on demonstrations. This is also where beautiful fabrics, trims, hardware and supplies our vendors so generously donate are brought to life by the artisans and showcased in their final form. Over the years, due to the visual and interactive aspects of the booth, it has become a gathering place to meet new friends, reminisce with old ones and share our knowledge and vision of what’s to come. Free to participate.

Best of Show People’s Choice Awards

Debuting at IWCE this year, attendees can vote for their favorite exhibiting suppliers in 10 categories. Grab your ballot at registration or Booth #1101 to be entered to win a $500 VISA gift certificate with a completed ballot. The gift certificate winner will be announced at the Best of Show award ceremony at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, April 21, on the Show Floor. Free to participate.

Brunch and Bubbles

10:30 am – 11:30 pm

Visit Rowley to kick off IWCE 2023 with Brunch and Bubbles! Learn all about their new Elements Shade Collection. Located at Booth #113. Free to participate.

The State of Child Safety in the Shading Industry

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Sponsored by Rollease Acmeda, this all-encompassing presentation will explain the Consumer Product Safety Commission rulings and how they differ from the existing Window Covering Manufacturers Association and Health Canada Rulings. Free to participate. Registration required.

2023 Our Fabric or Yours

1:30 – 3:30 pm

Presented by Darlene Burns, sales representative at Horizons Window Fashions, get an overview of the simplicity and scope of the Horizons custom program with a focus on becoming “soft strong” when you partner with our team. Free to participate. Registration required.

Somfy Happy Hour

3:00 – 5:00 pm

Enjoy networking, drinks and hors d’oeuvres with the motorization solutions expert Somfy at Booth #601. Free to participate.

Keynote: Runway Window Fashions

3:30 – 4:30 pm

Join award-winning designer David Santiago of Casa Santi Designs in this motivational interactive presentation discussing how window treatments can make or break a room while sharing his experiences and projects. It’s a perfect segue before the annual Design & Workroom award ceremony. Registration required.

WCMA Product Innovation Awards

5:30 pm

The Window Covering Manufacturers Association presents its prestigious Product Innovation Awards. Learn what products you should be selling in 2023 in Room 208. Free to participate.

2023 VISION Design & Workroom Competition Awards

5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Get inspired and motivated watching the best work in the industry is recognized at this popular event. Meet the award winners and network with peers while enjoying complimentary appetizers and a cash bar in Richardson Ballroom C. Registration required.

Friday, April 21, 2023

20 Under 40 Awards Toast

1:00 pm

Meet and network with the next generation of window covering pros acknowledged annually by Window Fashion VISION magazine! Champagne and bonbons will be served. Located on the Show Floor stage. Free to participate.

Grand Finale – 100 Takeaway Ideas

2:00 pm

Wrap up your IWCE experience with the top 100 takeaways that will boost your educational benefits! Join LuAnn Nigara, Madeleine MacRae, O’D McKewan, Roger Magalhaes and special guests to end the show in style. Bring your notepad and camera for this fastpaced idea exchange. Free to participate.

Best of Show People’s Choice Awards 2023 Ceremony

3:30 pm

The gift certificate winner will be announced at the Best of Show award ceremony at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, April 21, on the Show Floor. Free to participate.

POST-SHOW EVENTS

Exciting Windows! BUILD A BETTER BUSINESS Conference

April 21–23

4:00 pm – 1:00 pm

If you want more leads, hire a decorator or smooth internal operations, stop by Booth #825 at IWCE. Then, attend the 19th Annual Conference of Exciting Windows! at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 21, to 1 p.m. on April 23. In the past 18 months, our growth has been over 70%. Learn about your area. Registration required.

High Point Market Spring 2023 Market

April 22–26

High Point Market is the world’s premier home furnishings event. Each spring and fall, more than 75,000 industry professionals flock to Market to experience a feast of form, function, and fashion for the home, plug into the latest consumer trends, see tens of thousands of new product debuts, network with colleagues and peers, and find innovative ideas for building their businesses. Registration required at HighPointMarket.org/register.

IWCE 2023 Show & Seminar Schedule

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2023

THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

IWCE 2023 Show & Seminar Schedule

FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2023

VISIT US AT BOOTH #113 DURING IWCE

Selling Transformations: Where Thinking Meets a Healthy Dose of the 3 Cs

BY KATHY CRAGG PACE

Think less and include the 3 Cs in your selling process and your business will grow. Sell the feeling that comes from owning the thing. Your sales will grow, which is why 2023 should be the year you stop selling window treatments and start selling transformations. You’re probably thinking, “But how, exactly, does one sell a transformation?”

First, understand that people are not as rational as you think they are. Has this ever happened to you? You’ve narrowed down the options and have a great solution. You’ve explained all the details and described all the features and benefits. You know the result will look great. You know it will solve the functional problems your client has been suffering from. You’ve provided all the reasons this product is the right solution if they would only buy it. All they need to do is say yes. But they don’t.

Turns out, it’s not all those rational reasons you provided that make people buy. We’ve been programmed for years to believe that, with enough data and information, people make the right choice. If you present facts, you’ll talk somebody out of their fear. Why then have we come to the realization that sticking to the facts isn’t working like we thought it would? Rather than buying, we often hear “Let me think about it” or “OK, I’ll talk this over with my spouse and get back to you.” It’s because sticking to the facts is old-school thinking. Eventually it dawns on modern sales professionals that facts aren’t all that inspiring—and those who recite facts seldom influence clients to open their wallet.

In the business world, facts reign supreme. The subject of emotions is taboo. Feelings are seen as unreliable, messy, unpredictable. For decades, we’ve been led to believe that fact-based thinking is the only means to making a good decision, so we’ve stopped paying any attention to the emotional side of the equation. Traditional sales taught us to educate the client. We do this with facts about how our product will solve their problem. Doing it this way completely

disregards what science now validates as the most important side of the trust equation. We need both rational and emotional thinking to make good decisions.

Thinking + Feeling = Trust

This is where the Dual System Theory comes in. There is a growing body of research that has determined that, in decision-making, System 1, the fast, automatic, subconscious and emotional side of the brain (also known as the Limbic System) wins out over the slow, logical, conscious and calculating System 2 (the Frontal Lobe). System 1 wins primarily because System 2 takes so much more effort to process all that information. When feeling is left out of the equation, we tend to hesitate because we are fearful of making a mistake. We don’t make any decision. But when both systems are engaged, faster and better decision-making is the result. We need thinking and feeling in our sales relationships!

In a not-too-complex way, educate your client. As simply as possible, explain the rational reasons your product will solve their problem. Then, go one step further.

Successful pros intentionally balance the equation. They include vivid descriptions of the way the room will feel when the problem is solved. One way to do this is to describe how your client’s life will be transformed. Bonus points if that description is in the form of a personalized story about a past client with the same problem and the story ends—because they bought your solution—with that client enjoying their comfortable, inviting home. When you do this, you take your current client out of their thinking mind and into dreamland. You paint a vivid picture and introduce emotion into the equation in an effective, appropriate way.

Take a moment for an appointment selfcheck. What do you spend the most time talking about during your appointments? Think about how you build value. Do you use stories to paint interesting, vivid word pictures? What about your call to action? If it’s all rational, about the product and what it does, you’re missing the very ingredient that will influence your client to buy. Stop relying so heavily on facts as your primary means of motivating clients to buy.

The second step is to infuse every appointment with a triple dose of vitamin C. Make sure your interactions include the three Cs: charisma, connection and confidence. They are what could be called transformation supplements. They boost sales and help you build a healthy business. You’ll notice they are all feelings. Our clients feel it when a charismatic, passionate professional walks into their home. They feel if we care enough and take time to make a genuine connection with them. They feel our confidence—or lack thereof. These feelings stimulate the limbic/emotional part of the brain. The resulting gut feeling registers almost instantaneously; no thinking involved.

Dear client, thank you for scheduling an appointment with me. Please take this triple-action vitamin daily before we meet. That’s probably not going to happen, but there is good news. There are specific things you can do to purposefully foster positive feelings in a non-gimmicky way, without any of the feared “messiness” side effects.

Charisma, Connection and Confidence

Charisma is an individual’s ability to attract and influence other people. While it’s sometimes thought of as a mysterious quality that one either has or doesn’t have, some experts argue that the skills of charismatic people can be learned and cultivated. Vanessa Van Edwards, author of “Captivate: The Science of Succeeding With People,” provides several examples of charisma, not as a personality trait but as a skill that can be learned and honed. One of these skills is to be an active listener—make that person feel like they are the only person in the room or at least the most important. Simple gestures such as nodding your head, looking at them, trading smiles, sures and uh-huhs all demonstrate you are listening.

Connection, isn’t it what we all want in important human interactions? Do you know anyone who finds transaction after transaction very satisfying? Why do we settle for this in business, when, in the rest of our lives, we have deeper relationships with those who matter to us? Sales success depends on forming a friendly relationship with the client in front of you. Connecting with them is the most important thing on your agenda. Connection leads to trust and trust leads to sales.

There’s science in connection too. The more you feel it, the more oxytocin you have pumping through your body. When you discover points of commonality with a client, oxytocin, which has been called the trust molecule, is produced in both of you. Benefits include faster bonding and stronger relationships. So, how do we

inject more of this feel-good hormone into our appointments?

In your greeting, don’t pass up the opportunity for a handshake. That initial touch causes oxytocin to pump. A genuine smile, the real kind that reaches the eyes, and eye contact too. Use your other hand, placed on top off the handshake, as a gesture of warmth. Laughter is another happiness chemical. Laughing together bonds us, so lighten up a little. Remember, your clients are probably nervous about having a designer in their home.

Genuine connection takes time and effort. Our mind tells us it’s not worth the extra effort, but not our heart. The heart and the limbic brain both instinctively know better. Slow your appointment down and take extra time to connect. It works.

Confidence is the outward sign of inner certainty. Nowhere is confidence more apparent than in the way you present your solution and call your client to action. Imagine your problem is that you need something fantastic to wear to an important event this weekend. You want to look and feel like a million bucks, but you realize this is probably not going to come with a low price tag. You go to the store, gather a few items and finally try on your favorite. You step out in front of the mirror and raise your eyebrows in question to the personal shopper you’re working with. If they communicate in any way—with their voice, their mannerisms, their lack of eye contact—that they aren’t sure this is the outfit you should buy, you won’t plunk down the cash, no matter how big the discount may be. You’ll hesitate. You’ll think about it. You won’t risk it. It’s no different for a client buying your design products and service.

When you present your recommendations, you must exude confidence. “This is a great product. I’ve seen it in action, solving the very problem you have. It’s perfect for this room and will look beautiful. I want you to have it so you can finally be rid of this problem and be comfortable in this room.

You need this! What do you think? Are you ready to get started today?” That kind of confidence persuades. It makes clients feel great about their decision to purchase. Knock their socks off!

Incorporating both sides of the brain— thinking and feeling—and infusing your sales process with charisma, connection and confidence is how you “give ’em the old one-two.” Your client will see stars—in a good way. I call this “selling the transformation.” The transformation is the missing ingredient in most sales presentations. This emotional ingredient is the delicious difference, the very thing that drives the decision to purchase in the first place.

Selling a window treatment is wonderful, but there is something so satisfying in changing how your client feels about their home; lifting the experience they have every day in the rooms you’ve designed. This is what I mean when I say, “Sell the transformation.” When you do, you’ll enjoy more sales and more success in your business. V

Kathy Cragg Pace teaches modern sales for people who hate “salesy” people. Her specialty is elevated design sales for individuals and teams, empowering them to provide an irresistible selling experience. Throughout her decades-long career, she has led her own award-winning design franchise, real estate and custom home-building companies, a network of large and small independent window covering business owners and a nationwide retail team of in-home design professionals. She is currently director of sales for 3 Blind Mice USA in California.

» KathyPace.com

SPEAKER

Come hear Kathy Cragg Pace speak at IWCE during her motivational luncheon titled “Sell Transformations, Not Window Coverings,” on Wednesday, April 19, at 12 p.m., “Leverage the Power of Story to Influence Sales” at 3 p.m., and on Thursday, April 20, at 9 a.m. during a supersession on “The Hero’s Guide to Sales Success.”

Foundedin1974,ATEJAGroupistheworld’sleadingmanufactureroftopclassinteriorandtechnical fabricsandisfocusedondeliveringinnova�veandqualityproductscrea�ngvaluesforourcustomers. OurproductswhichincludeOEMtransporta�oninteriorfabrics,technicalfabricsforwindows,curtain fabrics,upholstery,ma�ress�cking,outdoor,contractandarchitecturalmembranefabricsare exportedtomorethan88countries.ATEJAGroupisISO14001,ISO9001,ISO9002,ISO/TS16949and QS9000cer�fiedandhaveanannualcapacityof50millionlinearmeters.

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Fresh Finds

Brimar

Brimar has an innovative line of decorative trimmings and drapery hardware for residential and commercial projects. It has more than 10,000 choices in colors and styles, as well as novelty items from performance and eco-friendly trims to metallic varieties. Styles range from contemporary to classic, including custom pole bending, drapery motorization, traverse systems and ripplefold hardware. The company will showcase new trim and drapery hardware collections, including several “open” appliqué trims and square acrylic hardware.

Elements by Rowley Custom Shades

Rowley Co., a leading source of window covering supplies, workroom essentials and designer drapery hardware for more than 60 years, launched their new Elements custom shade collection featuring cellular, roller, solar, Twinlight and unique specialty shade solutions. This program was strategically designed to help customers grow their businesses by expanding their offering to provide custom shade solutions that complement the window projects they are designing treatments for.

Draper Inc.

Draper Inc. is a commercial shade manufacturer of custom interior and outdoor shades. They will be exhibiting their new exposed roller motorized shading system, FlexStyle. The curved FlexStyle brackets are available in nine finishes and there’s no need for soffits or fascia to hide them. FlexStyle is powered by Somfy RTS and Zigbee motors to integrate with smart home systems. Every FlexStyle shade is custommanufactured and hand-inspected at the company’s Spiceland, Indiana, factory.

CINPASA (Cintas y Pasamanería S.A)

CINPASA is one of the largest and oldest manufacturers in Europe and invented the current curtain tape system. The company will feature new wave tapes that, with their perfect construction, allow the manufacturer and the installer of the blinds to guarantee easy preparation, the expected consumption of fabric and enormous facilities to install the blind on the support that has been chosen.

Booth #643

Booth #907

Booth #924

Booth #113

New companies and products are popping up all over. Lucky for attendees, they will be showcasing at IWCE. Here is a brief snapshot of a few of those companies and the products they will be featuring.

CoolVu Glass & Surface Solutions

Booth #932

CoolVu provides innovative window films, printed graphics and surface finishes for residential, retail and commercial customers through a national franchise network.

USA

Norman crafts fine window furnishings, including shutters, blinds and shades. They will showcase their new Norman Smart Motorization and many other award-winning products. Norman Smart Motorization uses single-tap control, allowing one to control the automated movements of the shade with a single tap, and comes in both singleand dual-motor variations.

PrimeWise

Booth #637

PrimeWise provides take-off services to all organizations in the construction industry. PrimeWise has skilled architects available. Their team size can be adjusted to any specific task or a big project. Take-offs are time-consuming and challenging. By outsourcing services, companies can increase their chances to win more bids and optimize the take-off process. This allows employees to concentrate on other aspects of the business.

Neo Smart Blinds

Neo Smart Blinds is a Montreal-based company dedicated to bringing convenience, luxury and privacy using the latest in-home automation technology. The company will showcase its Wi-Fi RF Smart Tubular Motor.

Decowin Textile

Booth #920

Decowin Textile manufactures blind fabric for window coverings in South Korea and makes customized finished blinds. Their main line products are zebra and roll blinds with blackout and light filtering. The company recently started digitally printing roll fabrics. Their main market was Canada, but they are looking to bring their product to the U.S. They will showcase a cordless system with a spring and a wand stick system with string cord and white beaded chain and one-touch cordless system. V

CHECK OUT THESE EXCITING NEW EXHIBITORS TOO

Anhui Prosperity Decorative Materials Booth #230

Calendar Enterprises/GoDear Design Booth #726

Dolce Vita Booth #823

Finturf LLC Booth #217

Horizons Window Fashions Booth #407

Illinois Window Shade Co. Booth #729

JNV Shutter and Blind Components Booth #236

Lundy’s Co. Inc. Booth #437

MTO Speciality Products Booth #928

New Castle Fabrics Corp. Booth #537

Novita Home Furnishings Booth #821

Onyx Shutters Booth #542

Penndi Intelligent Home Ltd. Booth #223

Starlite Sample Solutions Booth #832

Sunfree USA Booth #736

Worldwide Home Decor Booth #129

View all exhibitors by visiting iwce-vision.com/exhibitorlist.

Norman

Booth #919

Booth #110

Speaker Takeaways

Learn and improve your business and skills by attending one of the many sessions offered at this year’s IWCE. Here is a glimpse of the sessions taking place led by renowned leaders in the industry.

Donna Cash

The Basics of Bedding and Beyond

As a designer, do you sell custom bedding ensembles?

As a workroom professional, are you offering to fabricate beautiful bedding as part of your services? You should. This seminar is filled with information on different bedding types and how to measure, including the tools to use for proper-fitting bedding. You will learn things to consider when designing custom bedding for different bed types, how to calculate yardage and how to fabricate bedding ensembles.

Bedspreads, coverlets, duvet covers and bed skirts will all be covered in this session. When you leave this session, you will understand take-up and guidelines for figuring this out. You will be armed with diagrams for measuring beds, worksheets for calculating yardages and knowledge to begin offering this profitable service to your client projects.

The Power of Visualization to Create Beautiful Rooms

When creating beautiful rooms for your clients, where is your starting point? How do you help your client help you find the perfect colors, textures and finishes for their rooms? Have you ever considered using your five senses? Have you considered the power of visualization? In this presentation, I will help you understand this concept.

The key to visualization is to keep the picture moving in your mind and yourself moving in the picture. If you keep the picture moving like a movie, you can master visualization quickly. If the picture is static, it is a lot harder to keep the picture in your mind. Once you learn this technique, you will be prepared to help your client help you.

As an attendee of this session, you will leave with a workbook to use and assist you as you design beautiful rooms for your clients.

Training Seminar

Jessica Harling Recruiting Seminar

Window covering companies have turned to hiring staff in the last few years to keep up with the demand in sales. In this seminar, you will learn areas to search for top talent, attraction methods to make you look irresistible, compliant interview techniques to help you confidently select the right candidate and how to best prepare for their first day.

Once you have someone hired, you need to have a plan to get them integrated into your company. In this session, you will learn a process for training to take someone from zero to 100 in 90 days with no window covering experience required. You will also learn how to identify different learning types and tools to teach them and how to avoid pitfalls in the training process.

Process Development

If you’re looking to increase profitability, there’s more than managing the finances and top-line sales. Processes allow companies to grow, employees to be happy and stay longer, and for both to keep up with the demands of the marketplace. In this session, you will learn what tools are needed and how to build a process for different levels of business from solopreneur to $15 million-plus!

PHOTO: VIVIANA GARCIA, VIVIIMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY

Will Hanke How Marketing Automation Helps Increase Sales & Boost Revenue

During the session, people will know the difference between Organic and Paid Traffic and what suits their business best.

In the modern world, businesses have swiftly caught up with automation and have gone completely digital. Automation is becoming a crucial component for creating a strong online presence for companies, whether it be in marketing or social media post scheduling. In this session, we will tackle how automation works and where you can use it to grow your business.

Learning Outcomes:

■ What is Organic Traffic?

■ How Organic Traffic boosts ROI and credibility through SEO

■ What is Paid Traffic?

■ How Paid Traffic attracts quality leads and get instant results

Leveraging Your List

Business owners have long known the power of leveraging a list of people they’ve already done business with. Email marketing is one way to tap into this resource in today’s digital world that can be used to not only drum up new business opportunities but also as a chance to get more reviews from people who were previously forgotten or never asked.

Roger Magalhaes

Installer’s Toolbox

Improve efficiency and accuracy in installations.

By taking this class, the installer may learn new techniques and tools that can help them complete installations more quickly and accurately.

By acquiring new skills and knowledge, the window treatment installer may feel more confident and satisfied with their work, leading to improved job satisfaction and less stress at the job site.

With improved efficiency and increased job satisfaction, the window treatment installer will be able to generate extra revenue with returning clients. Nevertheless, the installer is the last person seen by the client and he/she will leave a lasting impression.

Deliver a Top-Notch Installation Experience

Taking a class on delivering a top-notch installation experience can help students understand the importance of providing a seamless and satisfying experience for their customers. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction, repeat business and positive reviews.

This session will explore how you can build a bigger customer list and leverage your existing contact list via email campaigns for maximum reach and engagement. We’ll cover topics such as crafting personalized messages, setting up automated campaigns, testing different strategies to maximize open rates and clickthroughs, and more. By the end of this class, you should understand better how to take your current contact list and turn them into repeat customers by running effective reactivation campaigns.

Everything You Need to Know About Google Ads

During this session, people will have a better understanding about Google Ads and how they can create an effective ad to help them get more leads.

You make more money as you receive more clicks. New clients don’t just drop from the sky. The best course of action would be to seek ways to get them, with pay-per-click marketing being one of the most successful strategies. In this topic, you will learn why you should choose Google as an ad platform. You will also get some tips in creating an effective ad.

Learning Outcomes:

■ Why you should choose Google as an ad platform

■ How to set up a Google ad account, Google Analytics and UTM codes

■ Why it is important to search for your competitors

■ Why it is important to consult/hire an expert in Google ads and tips for creating an effective ad

Madeleine MacRae Own Your Own Value

Madeleine MacRae will be leading one of her most highly sought-after sessions. Have you ever shied away from asking for the sale? Felt guilty asking someone to pay “so much” for your products or services? Gotten thrown off your game when someone told you, “Wow! That’s expensive!”? Or maybe you’ve felt awkward “tooting your own horn,” have felt a little uncomfortable talking about what you do best or haven’t been able to articulate why to pick you or your company? You are not alone.

Having confidence and ease in addressing the price and talking about your value can be tricky. In this power-packed session, MacRae will walk you through a simple but transformational exercise that will forever impact your beliefs around pricing, value and your willingness to shout your worth from the rooftops. In a highly interactive session, we will dive into the psychology of value, the value of on-the-spot selling and the true worth you, personally and as an organization, bring to the table.

Management Excellence

Students will learn best practices for efficient and effective installation processes, which can save time and resources and result in more successful installations.

By developing their skills in delivering a top-notch installation experience, students can demonstrate their professionalism and competence in their field, which can lead to opportunities for advancement and increased earning potential.

WFCP Installation Certification

Completing a certification class on window treatment installation will provide you with the necessary knowledge and skills to properly install different types of window treatments.

Holding a certification in window treatment installation can improve your professional credibility and demonstrate your expertise to potential clients and employers.

With a certification in window treatment installation, you may have access to more job opportunities and may be able to command higher wages. Additionally, a certification can demonstrate to employers and potential clients your commitment to your profession and your ability to complete complex tasks.

Have you ever felt baffled by a team member who you hired with the highest of hopes and the greatest of confidence? They got out of the gates really strong, they were excited and competent, and they seemed totally committed, but as time wore on, they slowly started doing less and less of what you wanted or expected them to do. Management is like any other skill that you may have acquired in your lifetime. When you first jump in, it seems simple enough, but there are very specific things that you need to know and to do in order for you to become really good at it. Having an underperforming team is not their fault. It’s yours. I know that’s hard to hear. I’m sure you feel like you’re doing everything you can. You try, but if it’s not netting the results you need, I’m here to tell you that you’re probably doing it wrong.

Getting people to do what you need and want them to do is an essential component of management excellence. MacRae has worked with some of the most successful companies in the industry and has helped their management teams go from lackluster to five-star status. The tips and tricks and the insights and ideas she will present during this session are the exact same things she’s been teaching for more than a decade and it’s what top companies are doing today to get to and retain excellence.

Join her for this supersession and up your management game. Be inspired and get the practical tools you need to lead your company and your team to the outcomes you’ve always had in mind.

Tracee Murphy Change the Color, Change the Mood! The Intriguing Psychology of Color and Interior Design

Have you ever considered why some spaces make you feel calm and relaxed while others get your heart racing? One important factor is the color! Improve client satisfaction in each project by understanding how to best guide your designs to positively affect mood and function using color. Creating the perfect mood to enhance client well-being is easier than you think. Learn about the psychology of color and how to connect with clients on their color personality to have the most positive, emotional and physical impact. Discover the in-depth color emotion guide explaining why certain colors help with healing or increase appetite, along with many other fun facts. Explore how to select different colors for different functions by room and how to use the psychology of color in your business.

Measurable outcomes for this exciting session include understanding the relationship between color and mood, highlighting the function of a room through the color story and determining your client’s color personality. Most importantly, discover how to navigate clients with differing color personalities in one home.

Vince Nigara Benchmark Numbers for a Profitable Business

This presentation will cover the very basic percentages and correlations between revenues and operating expenses for a wellrun entrepreneurial business. Each attendee will learn the key performance indicators (KPIs) to build a better business. Someone once said, “If you don’t know your numbers, then you don’t know your business.” Understanding the KPIs is paramount for financial success.

The key performance indicators for any well-run entrepreneurial business are identical when a business is run with these revenue/ expense relationships in mind. Gross profit and net profits automatically fall in line with this business model.

This discussion will be relevant to all levels of the window covering industry, from a large managed business through retailers with a small

High-End Design Involving Window Coverings: What to Consider and How to Talk to Your Clients

Learn the secrets to working with the $1 million-plus market and to enhancing a designer’s understanding of what the luxury client is looking for in high-end home design through examples of layered and multifunctional window treatments. Window coverings are often seen as the jewelry of interior design while also providing an important function in the space. These requirements are elevated when working in high-end homes and we break this down for you.

Measurable outcomes for this session include understanding the nuances of the high-end design process, how to incorporate window treatment design in the construction process and learning the key ingredients to dressing a luxury window. Topics include how to approach the conversation on window treatment style and function with aesthetics, energy conservation, maintenance and product selection. How do you curate the perfect window treatment program for the home from room to room? From investment to trim details, we will cover the key questions to discuss with your clients. Understanding the psychology of interior design as it relates to window treatment design, sales and conflict management will offer valuable tools for you to incorporate into your projects to increase your sales, resulting in luxe window designs that are as functional as they are beautiful. Gain a greater understanding of the mindset of the high-end client and how to best communicate with them for client satisfaction.

number of players, home-based solopreneurs and workrooms. Attendees are guaranteed to leave with a greater knowledge on the key performance indicators to watch for and to promote as they build a better business.

He will answer questions such as:

■ What should your advertising budget be as a percentage of gross sales?

■ What are the “perfect” gross profit ranges?

■ What costs ONLY should be considered when figuring out gross profit?

■ Where should installation costs be categorized for maximum profit and loss benefit?

■ How many people are required to drive $1 million in sales?

PHOTOS: VIVIANA GARCIA, VIVIIMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY

Kathy Cragg Pace

Luncheon: Sell Transformations, Not Window Treatments

This luncheon session is motivational and informative and you’ll discover why selling transformations rather than window treatments will explode your sales and make your business more fun and meaningful. Experience how elevating your business to the noble profession it is changes everything. Learn the science behind where the decision to purchase is really made and how to lead your customers to that place so they buy from you. Discover the most important need to address during a design sales appointment and leave with easy-to-implement action steps. This delicious difference will elevate all your design sales experiences.

Leverage the Power of Story to Influence Sales

Elevated sales are the outcome when you learn that story is the irresistible secret that influences clients to act and buy from you. No one can look away from a great story. You’ll learn how to open a storytelling loop—a concept that drives the brain to naturally seek out a conclusion—meaning your clients will naturally want to buy your products and ideas because they are the solution that will close the story loop.

You’ll leave this class knowing how to use a story to:

1. Sell in the most straightforward and compelling way possible.

2. Identify the real problem you need to solve for your client, not just the functional need that everyone talks about.

3. Build a bridge between the client’s problem and your solution and make it easy for your client to cross that bridge.

4. Call your client to action in an effective way by lighting a fire on one side of the bridge and painting a picture of paradise on the opposite side.

The Hero’s Journey to Sales Success Workshop

Weary of preparing quotes, contracts and designs that don’t end in a sale? This supersession is your call to action. Add this easy story framework to your existing sales process and enjoy clients that actually pay for your ideas and products. This is modern sales for intelligent entrepreneurs who want sales growth. Used often in movies, movements and, now, custom window treatment design sales, the Hero’s Journey is a storytelling formula that calls people to action. In this workshop, you’ll be guided, step by step, to develop your own story framework that will:

1. Improve close rates and build sales. Clients will say yes to your solutions for their problems.

2. Create an easy-to-remember, easy-tounderstand, three-step plan that makes it simple for clients to say yes.

3. Empower you to present a clear call to action that leads to more clients saying, “Yes, I want to get started today!”

Linda Tully Mastering Cornices

Cornices are perceived as valuable upholstered furniture items, which make them easy to sell if you know the features and benefits. They are the most important topper to have in your sales toolbox. Learn how to recognize when to suggest a cornice to solve challenges and/or add architecture. Whether you are a designer or a workroom, you will gain valuable information about the versatility of cornices, including design tips, fabrication techniques and pricing advice. You will take home a mini cornice sample and also get front-row viewing to the handson cornice demo at Workroom Central on Thursday, April 20, at 2:30 p.m.

Sandra VanSickle Roman Shade Savvy

With so many types of windows and client preferences, it’s important to understand your options when selecting roman shade styles. In this session, participants will be shown different styles of roman shades, headrail systems and fabrication techniques. In addition, students will have the opportunity to participate in a hands-on mini-shade workshop in Workroom Central. Learn to understand shade headrail systems and which shade styles are best for particular window types, as well as roman shade fabrication techniques.

Vita Vygovska Best Practices Between Designers and Workrooms

As an interior designer, have you ever felt completely baffled and overwhelmed by the questions and terms used by a workroom? And workroom professionals, have you ever felt frustrated by a designer that can’t provide you with the information you need?

Designers and workrooms don’t always speak the same language—not because they don’t want to. Of course, they do. Sometimes, designers simply don’t have enough knowledge, understanding or experience. Conversely, workrooms lack the understanding of what designers do and do not know. Miscommunications and misunderstandings may lead to frustrations, lost time and downright mistakes.

When designers understand the processes and workflows associated with custom window treatments and can confidently use window treatment concepts, they can communicate better to their customers and ultimately sell the job, getting even higher margins. And when workrooms understand the designer’s process, they can set appropriate expectations and establish a bulletproof system for proper communication.

The end result is less stress, a smooth process, peace of mind and a beautiful installation. And, ultimately, a collaborative relationship that will bring joy to both designer and workroom! V

Discover the most important need to address during a design sales appointment and leave with easy-to-implement action steps. This delicious difference will elevate all your design sales experiences.

— KATHY CRAGG PACE

PHOTO: VIVIANA GARCIA, VIVIIMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY

Workroom Central: Not Just for Workrooms

BY KELLI VITARI

What Is Workroom Central?

Workroom Central is the heart of the International Window Coverings Expo (IWCE). It’s centrally located at the event and full of like-minded individuals who have a true passion for fabricating window treatments for our industry, are trying to learn more about them or expand their knowledge base. Additionally, there are a lot of sub-exhibits, classes and other educational opportunities that are constantly rotating throughout the show.

Workroom Central Is Not Just for Workrooms

It’s true that most of what goes on here is workroom focused; however, workrooms support so many other niches of our industry—from hard treatment dealers to interior designers and installers to builders and so many more. There is so much to learn about and perhaps having a better understanding of fabrication methods or processes, or just simply learning about new things available on the market through your workroom can help your knowledgeability and product offerings. Furthermore, it’s just fun to join in and you do not have to be a workroom to do that. All are welcome at Workroom Central!

What’s Happening at Workroom Central

Workroom Central puts on a variety of classes. Some are hands-on learning experiences, others are speaker oriented. Either way, you’re guaranteed to learn something new from some of the best in the business. All classes at Workroom Central are free and are going on during the entire expo, making it easy to drop in between your other classes and perusing the vendor show floor.

Here are some examples of the offerings that will be going on that would be of interest to any IWCE attendee.

Scissors 101 With Caleb Snead of Wolff Industries: Learn more about what cutting tools are right for the job, ergonomics and how blades are cut differently for each task.

Programming R-TEC Automation With Rowley’s Donna Cash: Not only will you learn about integral product offerings, especially considering new pending cord regulations, but you’ll also gain some confidence by learning how simple it can be to program them.

Understanding Half-Drop Repeats With Ann Johnson: If you sell, specify or fabricate with fabric, this class is a must. Learn how to calculate correctly so you aren’t ordering too little or too much and you can better manage client expectations.

ColorWorks Digital Printing Program From RM CoCo: See what RM CoCo is doing with digital printing and the ability to change colors in various fabrics or even design your own. You’ll also be able to see the custom design process come to life through one of this year’s Artisan exhibits.

Ripplefold and Beyond With Nina Zheleva of MyShadeKit and Vako: Check out some of the new approaches to ripplefold fabrication using Vako’s adjustable wave tape and see what it can do when it comes to pleating ripplefold draperies to pattern.

Workroom Table Talk: This will be a full panel of industry professionals with moderator-based discussions about all the ins and outs of workrooms and industry trends.

This is just a small sampling of some of this year’s programs.

Addie Conte tacking pleats for the Design to Install Project.

PHOTO: VIVIANA GARCIA, VIVIIMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY

The Artisan Project

Every year, Workroom Central puts on a competition for industry artisans to design and fabricate a treatment. Several designs are selected to fabricate for display at IWCE and, among those, they are judged for winner’s placement. This year, there will be three Artisan Projects on display with the theme of “What Once Was Old Is New Again.”

These gorgeous treatments are sponsored by industry vendors who team up with the artisans to put their displays together and, every year, the awe-inspiring creativity and craftsmanship draws interest to Workroom Central. Be sure you don’t miss this year’s display!

Once the displays are up at the show, they are judged by a panel of professionals that were not involved with the Artisan Project. The three participants are ranked first, second and third. Those winners are announced during the Design & Workroom Awards night during IWCE, where trophies and checks are given.

After the show, artisans get to keep their treatments and they are announced with photos of their displays in an upcoming issue of Window Fashion VISION magazine.

Design to Install

This was first introduced as an addition to the Artisan Project last year. It’s essentially a fourth display, but instead of being fabricated ahead of time, it’s all made entirely at the show where everybody can watch the process and sometimes join in. The idea is to be able to see how various techniques are fabricated and installed in real time. At the end of the show, the final display is revealed and showcased alongside the other Artisan Project.

Last year’s techniques included Italian stringing, adding deco tape and getting a straight bottom hem with pulled-back drapery. This year, you’ll be able to check out the construction of side-mounted Manhattan swags, making a laminated shade and how to use buttons as embellishments on drapery in some new ways.

How Did You Do That?

Finally, new to the show this year will be a collection of items on display that beg the question, “How did you do that?” Here, you’ll be able to see those items and discuss with the pros how it was accomplished and how you can use it for your next project. In some cases, those techniques may be shown live. Get all your fabrication questions answered here to learn how to do it. V

Last year’s Artisan Project winning display.

Workroom Central puts on several hands-on learning experiences for attendees to participate in.

PHOTO: VIVIANA GARCIA, VIVIIMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: VIVIANA GARCIA, VIVIIMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY

Window?

Decades later, finally, our beloved window treatments have taken center stage in the home. Discover what manufacturers, retailers and designers see as this year’s biggest trends dominating window coverings.

PHOTO: ATHENA/WILSON FABRICS

Colors & Patterns Span the Spectrum

After several years of neutrals dominating the design landscape, homeowners are ready to make bigger, bolder statements with their window covering color choices. Whether it’s eye-popping colors like Viva Magenta (Pantone’s 2023 Color of the Year), rich chocolate browns, glam golds and opulent metallics, or nature-inspired hues of green and blue, a broader color palette is taking hold when choosing fabric window treatments like draperies and roman shades.

Patterns have made a comeback, too, both subtle and dramatic— from an understated botanical print on a roller shade to a bold chevron pattern or stripe on floor-length panels to a small-checked valance in the kitchen. Patterned window treatments add personality and visual interest to any room, especially as a complement to a solid sofa or a neutral wall.

“Patterns are going to be on trend in 2023. Beautiful vintagelooking fabrics are shown in modern interiors, bringing fresh joy to the palettes. Green is huge again, and browns and sepias are making a comeback mixed with clean whites and pale off-whites, giving a fresh take on an old-school vibe,” Martyn Lawrence Bullard shared with Forbes

2023 TRENDING COLORS

Kwik-Hang shared some staple colors that are guaranteed to make a statement this year.

Viva Magenta

Pantone’s Viva Magenta is a powerful, vibrant hue rooted in the red family that is bound to stand out in any space.

Canyon Ridge

Canyon Ridge by Better Homes & Gardens is reminiscent of a sunset over sweeping desert landscapes. It’s a gorgeous terracotta color that pairs beautifully with cobalt blue.

Terra Rosa

Dunn-Edwards’

Terra Rosa is a deep, rosy pink hue with a terra-cotta influence that exudes creativity and coziness.

Raspberry Blush

Raspberry Blush from Benjamin Moore is a vibrant shade of coral that is undeniably electric and fun.

Redend Point

Sherwin Williams’ Redend Point is a blend of blush and beige that pairs beautifully with greens and neutrals.

Vining Ivy

Vining Ivy by Glidden strays from other trending colors of the year, but it’s undeniably stunning. This blue-green blend is versatile and bold.

Blank Canvas

You can’t go wrong with Behr’s Blank Canvas. This serene, meditative shade of white goes with practically everything.

PHOTO: A RUM FELLOW/JOHNATHAN BOND

PHOTO: KEELY HERSH

PHOTO: 3 BLIND MICE USA

PHOTO: 3 BLIND MICE USA

Sustainability Tops the List

The newest window covering options demonstrate that consumers can help protect the planet while also making their home look great. Consumers who value sustainability will find no shortage of options for eco-friendly window treatments in 2023.

Thermal curtains that reduce energy usage and drapes made from organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, recycled plastic or other natural, sustainable materials are as popular as ever. Honeycomb or cellular shades that trap warm air—keeping

Window Coverings Get Smarter

There’s an app for everything—including window coverings. This year, one can expect to see an even wider range of automated, motorized shades, shutters and blinds, all easily controlled with a smartphone or tablet.

The latest options integrate with home automation systems like Google Home or Amazon Echo, allowing consumers to control the operation of their window coverings remotely with the touch of a fingertip or the sound of their voice.

As David Pulliam at Gotcha Covered shared with MyMove.com, “High-tech touches with home automation and motorization are on the rise because of their convenience and safety.” Whether a homeowner wants to adjust a shade without leaving the sofa or open and close their blinds on a set schedule while away from home to deter crime, today’s choices make it a snap to find exactly what they’re looking for.

rooms warmer in winter and cooler in summer—are helping homeowners reduce their carbon footprint by minimizing their energy use.

Real wood blinds will continue to be a top choice among environmentally conscious customers this year. In fact, retailer 3 Blind Mice Window Coverings is seeing a surge in customers choosing their sustainably sourced blinds made from North American hardwood.

PHOTO: EVE MOTIONBLINDS/COULISSE

PHOTO: 3 BLIND MICE USA

PHOTO: DAINTREE/WILSON FABRICS

PHOTO: OUTSIDE CO ON UNSPLASH

PHOTO: @WANDERINGMYHOME/INSTAGRAM

Minimalism Still Has Its Place

For consumers who favor clean lines and a minimalist look, 2023 will bring many options in terms of style and function.

Designer Carol Marcotte of Raleigh, North Carolina-based Form & Function told MyMove.com, “Roman shades are classic and have the clean lines for modern interiors.” Advanced features make these window coverings even sleeker, with honeycomb shades that bump right up to the window edge and roller shades that virtually disappear when opened from the bottom up. These options are perfect for homeowners who crave simplicity paired with neutral colors and natural materials.

The sleek lines of a fabric shade make this window treatment another great choice for minimalist design, especially in neutral shades of white, cream, taupe or beige. The newest fabric shade choices combine the best form and function—creating the look today’s homeowners want with the convenience of motorized lift systems that make operation simple and convenient.

No matter the trends, it all comes down to preference: what the consumer wants to achieve in terms of aesthetics, personal style, convenience and energy efficiency. The good news is that 2023 promises to bring many options to suit everyone. V

CURTAIN CALL

Though they’re not just for windows anymore (finding their way on to doors, walls and even ceilings), a love affair with curtains means one can expect to see lots more of them gracing windows of all types.

This year, designers are layering curtains in the bedroom to create a cozy retreat, Options include layering drapes over wood blinds or plantation shutters to add texture in the living room or choosing floor-to-ceiling drapes in large rooms for a showstopping effect. Layering does double duty: improving energy-efficiency while adding more visual interest to any room.

While some designers favor more subtle patterns and small prints, others choose bold stripes and bright checks to offset a neutral wall color or solid-color furnishings. For others, it’s all in the details—choosing unique draperies that feature scalloped edgings, embroidery and other design elements for a custom look.

Some may think sheers have already had their moment, but manufacturers and designers say they are firmly here to stay. In fact, a group of designers who’ve teamed up with The Shade Store predicts that sheer window coverings will be used more and more in home design this year, according to Forbes. On the other end of the spectrum, the monochromatic look of fabric window treatments in the same color as the wall and trim paint is a trend that’s clearly taking hold, making a big and bold statement.

“Fancier curtain details will also be making a comeback. Grommets and wave pleats are being left behind, with pinch pleat drapery gaining popularity instead. The more adventurous are opting for Austrian shades and soft romantic draped shades, which bring more drama to the windows and allow them to take center stage in the design of a room.”

— MARTYN LAWRENCE BULLARD ON FORBES.COM

“Curtains are having a moment!”

— DESIGNER CHLOE JONASON ON LIVINGETC.COM

PHOTO: MARGARET WRIGHT

PHOTO: BILL ECKLUND

PHOTO: A RUM FELLOW/NATALIE DINHAM

PHOTO: JON FRIEDRICH

Evolving Standards and Solutions Keep Child Safety Front & Center

While the number of child safety incidents involving window covering cords has dropped sharply in recent years thanks to technological advances, some older cord styles still pose a strangulation risk to young children.

The industry continues to enhance the standards that ensure window covering solutions are as child-safe as possible. Since the Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) first introduced such safety standards in 1996, they have been updated seven times to reflect ongoing product advancements. Now, with new rulings under review and no real clarity on what they might mean for the industry, it’s critical for window covering professionals to understand the potential impact and keep current on the most effective child-safe solutions.

How Safety Standards Are Evolving

When WCMA developed an updated standard in 2018 in concert with ANSI and with the input of Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and safety advocates, it set the stage for all stock window coverings sold in the United States and

Canada to be cordless or to use cords that are short or inaccessible. Though ANSI/ WCMA A100.1-2018 is a voluntary standard, compliance by all in the chain of supply is mandatory—a critical reason that child safety incidents have greatly declined since its passage, especially as stock window coverings represent the lion’s share of products sold.

Based on an analysis of incident data from CPSC, in 2021, WCMA took steps to further improve child safety by developing an updated standard that includes a provision to eliminate exposed, free-hanging cords from custom window coverings. Continuing its history of collaboration, WCMA again incorporated input from CPSC and safety advocates in drafting the updated standard, which was submitted for review by industry groups and regulators and approved by ANSI on December 13, 2022 (ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2022).

Against this backdrop, it came as a surprise to the industry when CPSC issued and approved its own rule for operating cords on custom window coverings in November 2022. It was a noticeable departure from the commission’s tradition of working collaboratively with the industry, as well as

a bypassing of the process the Consumer Product Safety Act has always intended.

The CPSC rule has since been met with opposition, including a WCMA lawsuit challenging the new rule on several bases:

■ The association believes the new rule doesn’t substantively advance child safety and lacks the data to demonstrate the products cited as substantial hazards pose true risks.

■ The association sees significant potential fallout from the rule, including much higher prices for consumers and financial harm to the businesses that employ tens of thousands of workers in the window covering industry.

■ The fact that the rule was set to go into effect just six months after its publication would leave a gap in the market for safe, approved products while the industry worked to develop new solutions.

In opposing the new rule, WCMA also cited the continued decline in child safety incidents since the passage of its 2018 voluntary standard, which has spurred a period of tremendous product innovation.

Window covering manufacturers have always been committed to ensuring their products are designed to the highest standards. This commitment extends to developing innovative solutions that keep child safety top of mind.

What’s Next for Child Safety Standards

In January, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit granted a motion by WCMA to stay the CPSC rule while the court reviews it further, with a decision on its validity expected sometime in 2023.

For now, window covering manufacturers are working under the WCMA 2018 standard, which has fueled significant technological advances and product improvements in stock window coverings, with a direct and substantial impact on child safety. The 2022 standard, while now in effect, does not require compliance until the middle of 2024, as the changes are so significant and require time and resources to implement.

In the meantime, there is great uncertainty around how child safety standards for custom window coverings might change in the short term and what the final court ruling could require. This lack of clarity leaves window covering professionals in search of innovative solutions that look good, operate easily and keep children safe, all while maintaining an appropriate level of affordability for the consumer. V

Informative IWCE Seminar Explores the Issue

Whether the CPSC rule or 2022 ANSI/WCMA standard prevails, leading manufacturers are staying current on the newest developments and continually innovating to bring advanced child-safe solutions to the market. Window covering professionals who are eager to keep up to date on the latest child safety solutions can learn more at an informative seminar at the International Window Coverings Expo (IWCE) conference this April in Charlotte, North Carolina.

During a seminar on “The State of Child Safety in the Shading Industry,” set for Thursday, April 20, representatives from Rollease Acmeda will explain how the new CPSC ruling differs from the WCMA 2018 and 2022 standards and Health Canada rulings and explore how manual and motorized shading solutions are evolving to further improve child safety. The seminar will be led by Rollease Acmeda CEO Derick Marsh and Senior Product Manager Anthony Russo. With space at this free seminar limited, interested attendees are required to register in advance by visiting iwce-vision.com

Rollease Acmeda is pleased to sponsor this seminar as a leader in designing and manufacturing innovative window covering solutions that are aesthetically pleasing, easy to use and compliant with safety standards. In keeping with our long-standing tradition of providing child-safe solutions, we’ve recently introduced several new shading solutions that incorporate the latest safety innovations, including:

■ Easy Spring Ultra, a CPSC-compliant single roller shading system that uses spring controls for easy, one-touch operation.

■ Easy Wand, a simple-to-use, stylish and unobtrusive wand that’s ideal for high or hard-to-reach shades.

■ Easy Spring Air (shown at right), a CPSC-compliant, weightless, chain-free roller shade system that’s easily raised and lowered using a simple weight bar.

Rollease Acmeda looks forward to seeing the many window covering professionals who will attend IWCE in April. If you have further questions or are looking for more information about Rollease products, please stop by Booth #203.

SEMINAR

“Child safety should be a priority in the window covering industry as it can prevent tragic accidents and save lives. Implementing proper safety measures can provide parents with peace of mind.”

— DERICK MARSH, CEO, ROLLEASE ACMEDA

WAYS TO LEVERAGE IWCE LIKE A PRO

BY LUANN NIGARA

It’s no secret that I’m a social butterfly. I’m the quintessential extrovert (which is probably why I was a natural salesperson). Nothing lights me up like chatting with friends or meeting new people and hearing their stories. So, it’s probably not a surprise that I Love (with a capital L) conferences. I love mixing and mingling with all the designer friends I have made over the years. I love interacting with this amazing community. And I love getting to recharge my batteries by being around the best

people in the industry.

As much as I love socializing, that’s far from the only reason I look forward to conferences—especially the International Window Coverings Expo (IWCE). I want to share with you six reasons why you should attend IWCE and how to leverage it like a business pro.

6 Keep Up With the Trends

Do you remember when motorization became a thing?

I remember cringing—I really did not want to embrace this newfangled trend or learn something new. What I really wanted to do was bury my head in the sand and let it pass by. But, of course, as a business owner, I couldn’t do that. If I had, I probably would’ve labeled our business as a dinosaur and lost tons of business due to my stubbornness.

Trends matter, whether they’re here to stay like motorization or here for a few seasons. If you’re not up with the trends, you’re already behind.

IWCE offers you the chance to get ahead of the latest and greatest trends: new styles in patterns and color forecasting and also in business and technology. All the things that you’d better get on board with if you want to level up your business this year. You get to see, experience and learn the upcoming trends so you can better understand what’s on the horizon for your business.

5 Discover New Products and Services

From SEO experts to trade organizations to advances in digital marketing, IWCE is the place to network, connect and plan for what you need to outsource or purchase for your business.

There is so much value in connecting and speaking with potential vendors and partners or hearing experts talk about valuable new product lines. In the postpandemic world, now is the chance to connect face-to-face, ask questions and forge relationships with service providers who are well-versed and well-experienced in the industry.

Even if you’re not at the point where you’re ready to scale your business or to outsource tasks, you’re likely to do either at some point and IWCE is the perfect place to meet people now who you can call in when you’re ready.

4

Build or Deepen Relationships With Existing Vendors

New relationships aren’t the only opportunity at IWCE. I’m also looking forward to connecting with my existing partnerships and deepening those relationships.

We’re in a strange new world where Zoom calls are all the rage and we often do business with people we never even speak to outside of email. And, while all of that is great and convenient and highly beneficial, there’s something to be said for real, genuine connection and conversation.

I can’t wait to reconnect with several teams. We’ve spoken on the phone and exchanged emails. I feel like I know them … So, I’m looking forward to putting faces to names, interacting and strengthening our relationships and hopefully forming some valuable working friendships in the process.

There’s a reason why I always emphasize the value of relationships. Relationships are the glue of your business. This might be the best opportunity to reinforce that glue and strengthen the relationships that are keeping your business thriving.

3

Broaden and Solidify Current Peer Network

Along with building up vendor relationships, IWCE gives you the chance to forge relationships with your peers and fellow business owners. We’ve all swapped messages on Instagram or liked each other’s posts—and that’s great. But this is the chance to solidify that online network through genuine connection.

I’ve been amazed by how quickly virtual friends can feel like lifelong besties after just an hour of laughing, learning and real-life conversation.

At LuAnn Live in 2019, Christina Bruce and Cat French happened to connect at the cocktail hour. What started as a “hello”

at the bar led to a lasting friendship and learning partnership, complete with weekly accountability and support meetings.

You never know which connections can make all the difference. The people you meet at conferences can become your lifelong friends, your future partnerships and the people you lean on for questions, advice and shared celebrations.

At Exciting Windows!, we purposely schedule our annual conference to start moments after IWCE ends for exactly this reason. We capitalize on the fact that we’re together and use the following days to deepen our relationships and work together, putting all the great information and experience from IWCE into action. In small groups, we talk about what we learned and, more importantly, what we’ll do with this information. Action steps are the key to success.

2Meet the Experts

You already know the experts from the columns in Window Fashion VISION, podcast appearances and write-ups in publications—now meet them in real life.

You’ll never get a better opportunity to pick the brains of experts. The speaker’s list this year is unbelievable: Sara Lynn Brennan, O’D McKewan, Madeleine MacRae, Vita Vygovska, Jessica Harling, Michele Williams and many others.

This is your chance, not just to hear and glean value from listening to these experts speak, but to interact and pick their brains.

Don’t be shy, go up and introduce yourself. Form relationships with people who are two, three or 10 steps ahead of where you want to be. This is how mentorships, or even just relationships to reach out to when you get stuck, are created.

(And did I mention that yours truly will be the keynote speaker this year? This goes for me as well—come up, meet me, ask me questions, share your story—I look forward to getting to know you!)

PHOTO: VIVIANA GARCIA, VIVIIMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: VIVIANA GARCIA, VIVIIMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY

LuAnn Nigara Claudia Ricciardone

Richard Bernath

Ross

Stacey Brown Randall

Jessica Harling

Sara Lynn Brennan

Denean Jackson

Stumble Upon Game-Changing Moments

My No. 1 reason can’t be dismissed. The truth is that, whether it’s from the speakers or from any of the amazing individual conversations you’ll find yourself a part of, you might come across the aha moment that will make all the difference in your business—the inspiration or motivation to bring back and create the momentum you’re missing to hit that next level or work out the snag that you’re currently facing.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again: I wouldn’t be where I am in my business without the guidance, advice, mentorship and community of the Window Works franchise, which provided a home base for us as new business owners in the beginning. It was a place where we could always find someone to help, advise and collaborate with. Later in our business journey, we turned to Exciting Windows! and found the same sense of community, the people like us, who want to build a better business.  The lessons we learned through interactions, conferences and networking events are the things that carried us through, helped us smooth out our processes and led us to run a well-designed business.

IWCE is offering you the chance to have those aha moments, to be in the room with business owners who have the knowledge you need and business owners who need the knowledge you have.

This is the real magic of a great conference. The speakers who are sharing the nittygritty. The chance to pick their brains. The connections, the interactions and the conversations—and the little aha moments that will have the biggest impact on you.

Will You Be There?

There are many reasons beyond socialization that I am looking forward to at IWCE. I guess that, after all, it’s mostly about socialization, but the type of socialization that can make all the difference.

When I think of my career—at Window Works, running the podcast, Exciting Windows!—what I remember, and cherish, are the relationships.

This is the beauty, and the power, of networking in real life. The opportunity for deep, valuable conversations. The gift of lifelong friendships, connections and partnerships. And, on top of that, all of the lessons, support and guidance that come along with those.

IWCE might be the place that connection or conversation sparks.  V

With four decades of industry experience, LuAnn Nigara is an awardwinning author, a keynote speaker and the host of two podcasts: “A Well-Designed Business” and “Window Treatment for Profit.” She is also part of the ownership team of the Livingston, New Jersey-based Exciting Windows! and Window Works. Through Exciting Windows!, LuAnn University and her one-on-one coaching services, Nigara teaches window treatment pros and interior designers how to operate profitable businesses.

» LuAnnNigara.com » LuAnnUniversity.com

» ExcitingWindows.biz

SPEAKER

LuAnn Nigara will speak during the keynote address “A Well-Designed Life” on Wednesday, April 19, at 4:30 p.m. On Friday, April 21, at 9 a.m., she will also speak during the session titled “Attracting the Luxury Client: Build Revenue & Profit Margin.”

Smart Into the Future

The PUR IQ profile featured in Vesta’s PURTEC collection has a shape comparable to other profiles, but its multifunctional attributes set it apart from the typical. This profile can add high-tech appeal to any space—large or small—offering a range of installation possibilities. During development, a particular focus was placed on the resource-saving use of materials and the product’s durability, which has already been honored with several design awards. PUR IQ comes from BÜSCHE and is available in five elegant surface finishes that can be wall- or ceiling-mounted. This system is easy to install and delivers complete user satisfaction.

The Future of Technology

PUR IQ has recently become available with the new MotionBlinds and Eve MotionBlinds motors, along with several other profiles. They bring unprecedented ease of use. This latest generation of motors can be set up even faster, integrated smartly and operated intuitively—with 100% data security. The upcoming introduction of the smart home standard Matter is no problem for Eve MotionBlinds because, thanks to Matterover-Thread, they can be easily connected to any smart home system. This innovation allows all smart devices to communicate, creating a connected smart home.

Thus, window decorations from the PURTEC and MOTOPIA collections become part of the smart home system and, in combination with Eve MotionBlinds, can be controlled via iPhone or other smart devices, setting a new standard in window decoration.

Forty-Plus Years of Collaboration

With BÜSCHE, Vesta found a reliable supplier familiar with design trends and a close partnership has developed over time. For 40 years, Vesta and BÜSCHE have successfully collaborated and jointly offered a selection of some of the finest decorative drapery hardware components to the interior design community.

It all started with Vesta founder Willy Klauser and Vesta owner Sam Dollenmeier, who established a relationship with the BÜSCHE founders that has successfully continued and been nurtured over several generations. Today, Vesta is managed by family members Bret and Nickolas Jackson, who are in close contact with BÜSCHE.

Quality Made in Germany

BÜSCHE manufactures some of the highestquality profiles in the world and has been doing so for more than 150 years. The profiles are full of innovation, technical sophistication and passionate craftsmanship. The designs have won several design awards and push the limits of what is technically possible. For almost 15 years, BÜSCHE has been pioneering the field of motorized curtain sets with one of the largest collections worldwide and manufactures all its products in Neuenrade, Germany.

Vesta Difference

With more than 40 years of experience, Vesta offers some of the most innovative and beautiful drapery hardware from some of the world’s best manufacturers to the design community. Vesta’s customer-centric approach allows them to focus on each customer’s needs and requests for a rewarding purchase experience. A team of experienced and courteous employees makes almost any design vision possible with an extensive product portfolio at competitive prices.

Vesta’s mission “is to provide our clients with a compelling customer experience through a selection of drapery hardware to achieve their design ambitions.” V

» VestaDraperyHardware.com

Content Sponsored by Vesta Drapery Hardware

How to Level Up Your Trade Show Marketing

BY NICOLE HEYMER, BEHIND THE DESIGN

The best trade shows are all about opportunities. They offer a chance to network, explore new product lines, attend industry-specific seminars and so much more. But can a trade show yield opportunities to improve your marketing? Absolutely.

An industry-specific trade show like the International Window Coverings Expo (IWCE) is a content- and informationgathering gold mine. Whether you’re looking to be known for a mastery of tech, luxurylevel services, variety of products, specific types of window treatments—literally name any angle—you will find everything you need to double down on your messaging and demonstrate expertise.

So how can you strategically connect your trade show attendance to your marketing? How can you turn your IWCE experience into content that demonstrates knowledge, keeps you top of mind, and fills your editorial calendar for months to come? Let’s take it step by step.

BEFORE

Plan your strategy. You’re going to be gathering raw material and generating content for marketing, but the goal is to connect that content directly to your branding and your sales goals. So, let’s take a moment to answer two questions:

1. What do you want to be known for?

Is it an elevated service experience? Gamechanging expertise around functionality? Your team’s command of color and ability to transform a room? Something else?

In other words, what’s the narrative? When thinking about messaging, make sure you’re highlighting an aspect of your business that is desirable to your target customer, different from your competitors, and enthusiastically doable for you and your team.

2. What do you want to sell more of this year?

The answer to this can be grounded in straightforward questions like: Which products or services are the most profitable? And which are the easiest for the team to sell and install?

But you may also want to circle back to the question above and where you want your business to go from a reputation standpoint. What are your long-term goals?

DURING

When you arrive at IWCE, focus on gathering three types of content: still photography, videos and written information.

When taking photos of products, always take a quick shot of the vendor signage first—so you know what you’re looking at when you’re back at the office scrolling through photos and video.

This is an opportunity to get creative with content that is specific to your brand, but here are a few ideas:

Trends

Look for and document trends in color, texture, pattern and style. And keep in mind—a “trend” can be anything you notice as a common thread—even a return to classic elements.

Awards

Create your own awards and spotlight the winners on social media—anything from “Best New Product” to “Drapery Hardware of the Year” to “Best Innovation 2023.”

Love It or Leave It

See something wild or unusual? Post it on social as a “Love it or leave it?” to encourage engagement.

PLANTATION SHUTTERS

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Nicholas Ferris Photography

Behind the Scenes With the Team

Get behind the scenes with your team—at dinner, interacting with vendors, etc. Have each team member who attends choose a favorite “pick” to feature on social media.

Strategic Quotes

Post quotes from your favorite seminars— but specifically those that speak to customer benefits. Topics might include delivering an elevated experience, the psychology of color, elements of luxury design, etc.

AFTER

The raw material that you’ve gathered— images, video and product information—can be put to use for months to come.

Edited Video Content

Turn still photography and short clips into informative videos with voiceover commentary.

Want to elevate and make use of that video on motorization options or drapery style trends? Focus on sound, branding and promotion.

1. Use a decent-but-not-expensive microphone to record your voiceover. They can be purchased for as little as $25 online— just pick something with good reviews and order it.

2. Add a quick, branded introduction with music and your logo to every video. Search “logo animation” online for options to get one made—through a website like Fiverr, a local production company, or using easy software with premade, customizable templates. Similar services can also be used for editing if you don’t have a team member with those skills.

3. What should you do with those videos? Begin by creating a YouTube channel if you don’t have one already. The goal is not necessarily to become a YouTube phenomenon—but simply to host your videos on one of the world’s largest search engines.

4. From there, you can embed your videos on pages or blog posts on your site, which will significantly increase the likelihood of those pages ranking in Google search results. Embedded videos are a gamechanger on your website for multiple reasons, including the fact that they increase “dwell time”—the amount of time a user spends on a page.

5. Finally, you’ll want to take a screenshot of your video with a visible play button and embed it into an email blast to your marketing list. Make sure the screenshot links out to the page or post on your website so they can watch the video. Adding a video to a marketing email increases clickthrough rates by an average of 50%!

Articles

Organize your photography and video for blog post material to be used over the coming year. This is an opportunity to tell a story and optimize for search terms—from “drapery trends 2023” to “best roller shades.”  Get creative but stay strategic. The perfect blog post targets a topic that your potential customers are searching for and demonstrates your expertise. Use tools like Ubersuggest or SEMRush to find out how many people per month are searching for specific search terms. The free versions are limited but will give you some great foundational information.

Email Marketing

Turn any image, video or product information into an email blast to your list. As mentioned above, embedding a linked video screenshot is always beneficial—but

a quick design tip or curated collection of images can work beautifully to keep you top of mind with potential customers.

Attending a great trade show can bring your marketing back to life.

If your content is feeling stagnant, an infusion of new ideas is the cure. Get out there and learn something new—but be sure to document it and curate everything through the lens of your unique messaging. Your customers will notice.

If your marketing content is feeling stagnant, an infusion of new ideas is the cure. Get out there and learn something new—but be sure to do it through the lens of your unique messaging. Your customers will notice.  V

Nicole Heymer is the founder of Glory & Brand, a boutique creative agency specializing in branding, websites and marketing automation. Since 2011, her agency has worked with a wide variety of creative businesses at every stage in their development—from local home builders and custom window treatment professionals to nationally-known interior design firms.

» GloryAndBrand.com

» Instagram: @gloryandbrand

Attending a great trade show can bring your marketing back to life.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Surewin

Surewin has quality components at competitive prices from its Florida warehouse, with custom sourcing available. Plastic bead chain-in-rolls or continuous loops; numerous colors in all lengths, nickel-plated and stainless chainin-rolls and continuous loops in all lengths, stop balls, connectors, safety devices, c-clips, alligator clips, tassels, lift cord, vertical components, cord locks and the easy-to-fabricate, low-profile Sure-Lift® Roman Headrail System for shades up to 50 pounds.

» Learn more at surewin@optonline.net or call 239-362-3342.

Ona Drapery Hardware Company

The source for custom-made drapery hardware. From contemporary to traditional, we offer an extensive selection of styles and finishes. We manufacture every rod set to order using only premium heavy-gauge steel, wrought iron, crystal and more. Custom curving is also available for all rod profiles. Be sure to look at our new acrylic rods, art glass finials and polished chrome finishes, in addition to our popular French rods and ONAVERSE™ Iron Cord Traverse Rods. We pride ourselves on quality workmanship, timely delivery and customer satisfaction.

» For a free catalog, please call 800-231-4025 or visit OnaDrapery.com.

Vesta

Light & Breezy: when a light curtain meets a fresh curtain set, the right technology can't be missing. Vesta’s MOTOPIA collection is now available with Eve MotionBlinds motors. They are quick to set up, can be integrated smartly, and operate intuitively. All are available from Vesta. » Discover more at https://bit.ly/VestaMotopia or call 800-638-3782.

Norman USA

What if motorized window treatments didn’t have to be so complicated? The exclusive smart motorization technology is designed to create simpler, safer and worry-free experiences. Experience effortless recharging, a gentle tap to raise or lower the shade and an auto brake safety feature with Norman® Smart Motorization.

» Learn more at bit.ly/NormanSmartMotorization. V

Coulisse

The CM-08-E honeycomb motor is specially designed for window covering systems with pleated or cellular fabrics in various cell sizes. The CM-03-E tubular motor fits roller shades with 38-50mm tubes and the ultra-powerful CM06-E-R tubular motor is designed for large-size roller blinds with heavy fabrics such as screens. Want to add these motors to your portfolio? » Visit bit.ly/motionblindsdealer.

Insolroll

New larger shade sizes are available for Insolroll Li-ion Rechargeable Motorized Shades! Insolroll has added a new Somfy Li-ion battery motor to its lineup with greater lifting capacity for larger roller shades without wiring. The all-new quiet BAT-L3 motor allows roller shades up to 168” wide or 168” wide or 168” tall and offers simple motorization and installation. » Learn more at https://bit.ly/insolrollinteriorshadesfabrics.

Available from 16 feet to 32 feet wide models. Excellent to make Roman Shades and blinds. The fastest way to save on labor!

Insolroll BAT-L3 Li-ion Motor

Education Makes All the Difference

BY OLIVER SCHREIBER

Every day, in-home sales representatives practice the art of closing the sale. Not everyone is good at it and others are to sales as Picasso was to paint. According to author and sales trainer Brian Tracy, “the art of closing the sale is having the learnable skills that anyone can use to transform the sales process into a consistent win.”

My first sales manager introduced me to the idea that great salespeople are not born but trained. He pushed me to educate myself on what to say and when and how to say it. He pointed me in the direction of some of the great sales trainers like Zig Ziglar, Tom Hopkins and Tony Robbins. Over the years, I committed myself to continually learning about sales techniques. I will share two of my favorites with you.

THE PING PONG CLOSE

The Ping Pong Close is used when you find yourself speaking to two homeowners. They both love the product, love the company and love the service you will provide. They have chosen all the styles, colors and options. You have just shown them the price, they are looking at it and the one spouse says to the other spouse, “Honey, what do you think?” The second spouse usually responds by saying, “I don’t know, honey, what do you think?” At this point, you need to call a timeout. You must interrupt the conversation, because the next thing one of them is going to say will be “We need to sleep on it” or “We need to think about it,” etc. Before that happens, you make the universal hand gesture for timeout and say, “Folks, I love when I meet with couples that obviously care so much about one another and want to make sure they make the best decisions for each other. It is great to see that in other couples and I strive to do the same in my relationship as well.”

Then you continue, “Mr. Smith, would it be OK if I spoke to just your wife for a moment?” (He will then give you permission.) “Mrs. Smith, it sounds like you really like the project we discussed here today. Is that true?” (She will say, “Yes.”) “If you knew that Mr. Smith liked it also, is there any reason you wouldn’t want to get started

with the project? (She will say, “No.”) Then ask, “Mrs. Smith, is it OK if I speak directly to Mr. Smith?” (She will give you permission.) “Mr. Smith, it sounds like you really like the project we discussed here today as well. Knowing that Mrs. Smith really likes it as well, is there any reason you wouldn’t want to get started with the project?” (He will say, “No.”) At this point, shake both their hands and say, “Congratulations! You are going to love your new window treatments!”

REDUCE TO THE RIDICULOUS

If you are selling quality products, you will often hear that the price is more than people expected. When we give a price to a client, they might say it’s too much. There are many directions to go with this, but ultimately as a sales representative, we want to know how much is too much for the client. If we had a project and the price was $6,000, perhaps the client would say the job was $800 too much. Then, we know we could have the sale closed at $5,200, so we only need to close them on the remaining $800. Instead of dropping your price $800 and losing margin to get the sale (if that’s an option), we can show them how little $800 really is. “Mrs. Smith, when we were speaking earlier, you had mentioned that this was your dream home and you planned on being here for 10 years or more, didn’t you?” (She will say, “Yes.”) “Eight

hundred dollars is a lot of money; however, I imagine you plan on keeping these window treatments for at least 10 years, correct?”

(Again, she will say, “Yes.”) “Fantastic!

I know these shades are $800 more than you were expecting, but when you think about it, it is just $80 a year over the next 10 years and less than $7 a month more. Isn’t it worth less than the cost of a Happy Meal a month to get what you really want and love for the home you will be in for at least the next 10 years?” When she says, “Yes,” shake her hand and congratulate her on her beautiful new window treatments.

These two sales techniques, along with others, have helped me and my sales team close thousands of sales. Continued investment in sales education is a key component to the success of my window covering business. Educate yourself about the art of sales. Study your craft. Go to events like the International Window Coverings Expo and get exposed to product, marketing, and sales training and commit to getting better. Learn, practice and use these closing techniques above and others and you just might find yourself putting another check mark in the SOLD column. V

Oliver Schreiber began his sales career more than 30 years ago and is CEO of Beltway Blinds in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. He leads a team that generated more than $11 million in sales last year. He has been a speaker at the International Window Coverings Expo, has received awards for being the largest-volume dealer with Alta Window Fashions for four years running and sits on the National Advisory Committee for a window covering group, Exciting Windows!. He can be reached at oschreiber@beltwayblinds.com.