While gloves provide excellent protection against many hazards, they can be hazardous if they do not fit properly.  When gloves are too loose, extra force needs to be applied in order to get a good firm grip.  Because of this, there is a loss of grip strength, in comparison to not wearing any gloves at all.  This, in effect, causes double work:  performing the job at hand and over-coming any movement or slippage from the glove.  On the other hand, when gloves are too tight, they interfere with grasping, dexterity, and finger movement.  Additional force is needed in order to flex the tight gloves, especially if they are thick.

Wearing ill-fitting gloves requires the weather to apply additional grip force that would not be required if the gloves fit correctly.  Over time, greater grip forces applied can lead to fatigue, discomfort, and eventual injury to the hands and arms.

The following points should be considered when selecting the right glove for the job:

• Gloves with rubber dots on the surface increase grip stability on surfaces that ere slippery (e.g., wet items or items without handles).
• For slippery surfaces, workers use greater grip force when wearing cotton gloves than with rubber gloves.  Cotton gloves perform better with non-slippery surfaces.
• Rubber gloves allow employees to maintain relatively low grip force levels for both slippery and non-slippery surfaces.
• Performance time for cotton gloves tends to be longer than that for rubber gloves.
• In addition to carefully selecting the type of glove provided to workers, gloves of different sizes should also be provided.

Del Sol Furniture is hosting a community event Saturday May 19th to celebrate the grand opening of our newest location at 83rd Avenue and Indian School. Phoenix City Councilman Daniel Valenzuela of District 7 will be on hand to assist with ribbon cutting duties, as well as other leaders from the surrounding business community. The event will begin at 10:00 am with the ribbon cutting ceremony at 11:00 am. A free community expo will continue throughout the day until the store closes at 8:00 pm.

The community expo will feature booths representing local businesses and community organizations as well as food, live music, entertainment and gifts for the entire family. Prizes will be awarded throughout the day to expo attendees, as well as special giveaways and discounts to store customers.

At 25,000 square feet, this newest location is Del Sol Furniture’s largest to date, nearly double the size of their next largest store and represents a significant investment in an area previously underserved by home furnishing retail options. The company is taking advantage of the larger location to offer more product selection and is looking to establish the location as a flagship for the furniture brand. Additionally, the family-owned operation is committed to the revitalization of the surrounding West Phoenix neighborhood and contributing to a healthier local economy. The store has already created ten new sales, support and management positions within the company with the potential for more growth in the future.

Opened in 1997 as Muebleria Del SoI by Venancio and Rosa Macias, the company has grown to four valley locations including Red Tag Furniture at Arizona Mills Mall, which coincided with a rebrand from a mostly Hispanic market segment to a more general consumer reach. The company has evolved into a second generation family-owned furniture retail business with son Alejandro Macias and Daughter Minerva Macias-Maestas now at the helm.

These courses go beyond the basics, combining years of experience and knowledge into effective tools that can help build a confident and effective sales team. The courses are complete with video instruction, quizzes along the way, a final exam and a certificate of completion. Simply go to www.iastraining.com, click on online courses and pick the course or courses that you want to take. You can do the whole course all at once or at your own pace coming back to where you left off.

Mr. Huisken stated; “These courses will allow Retail Salespeople, Retail Store owners, managers and sales trainers to give their staffs the help that they need in order to maximize their productivity along with maximizing the sales and profits of the store.

iPreVue App offers features for both case goods and upholstery manufacturers to represent their product catalogs on any version of Apple’s iPad. The high-resolution images and merchandising features in this application utilize MicroD’s exclusive fabric- and finish-draping as well as visualization capabilities consistent with the product displays found on world-class websites that use MicroD’s ePreVue and ePiphany platforms. iPreVue App is the only industry iPad application that supports both case goods and upholstery catalogs with dynamic fabric and finish visualization, providing ordering capabilities for both standard as well as highly-configurable custom products.

“Consistent with MicroD’s mission for providing leading-edge technology solutions for the home furnishings industry, we believe the iPreVue App brings substantial benefits in terms of time savings and ease of product line ups, product visualization and order placement—especially since many of the leading manufacturers’ representatives are now equipped with mobile devices like iPhones, iPads or other tablet devices,” said Manoj Nigam, President and CEO of MicroD Inc. “This unique and robust application is a further example of MicroD’s commitment to the industry in continuing to develop and introduce comprehensive solutions as a technology partner for the furniture industry’s leading manufacturers and retailers.”

Among its many features, iPreVue App will allow sales representatives to select manufacturer-authorized retailers, browse and visualize items, add items to purchase orders for those retailers, review order histories, add notes, and bookmark items for later review. Additionally they will be able quickly to email tear sheets and product information pages, conform to manufacturer rules for merchandising and order minimums, add new customer information, and manage current customer information: all while seamlessly integrating with the manufacturer’s ERP or management information system.

Because iPreVue App is a native iPad application, sales representatives are able to use the application with or without an Internet connection. Once the user has an Internet connection, the stored order information and notes can be transmitted to the manufacturer and emailed to the retailer.
After iPreVue App’s initial introduction at the High Point Market, MicroD expects to have a full production version of iPreVue App operating in many of the manufacturer showrooms at this summer’s home furnishings’ Las Vegas Market. Additionally, MicroD’s longer range plans are to offer iPreVue App as a merchandising tool for retailers.
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New mobile features to the iPad point-of-sale system include new increased search capabilities that make it quicker than ever to find the products customers are looking for.  Incorporation of swipe gestures takes advantage of native iPad features making for a more intuitive user experience.   A merchandising feature was recently added that allows for the creation of item relationships directly on the iPad so upselling has never been easier.

Enhancements to the growing web presence include a new Room Builder feature that allows customers to build packages on the fly with controlled options.  “Allowing people to design their own packages has always interested us,” said Martin Fischbein, Founder and President of Furniture Wizard.  “Finding a way to let people build and purchase the rooms is the easy part, the challenge that we overcame with this feature was creating a simple intuitive way for retailers to administer the website function,” said Fischbein.  Included in Furniture Wizard’s latest websites is the integration of full social media support, also including the new sharing forum Pintrest.

“Furniture Wizard has undergone one of its largest updates ever to support the new web and mobile technology,” said Evan Faller, Business Development Officer at Furniture Wizard.  Advanced features include a delivery system that centralizes the delivery process including a calendar and map view of the deliveries, printable delivery slips, picks lists, and manifests.  A simplified delivery processing procedure with one click posting saves time and eliminates errors.  A new partnership with ChargeItPro, a leading payment processing provider, gives retailers access to integrated credit card processing that will match or outperform current fee structures.

Furniture Wizard is a privately held company serving home furnishing retailers with market-leading point-of-sale software and Web solutions. It serves more than 2,000 retail stores across the globe with easy-to-use, powerful and flexible technology. For more information about Furniture Wizard or to request a system demonstration, call 619-869-7200 or email sales@furniturewizard.com.  Information can also be found at www.furniturewizard.com.  See the Furniture Wizard team during the High Point market in in the resource center at the Plaza Suites 1^st floor booth 42.

Del Sol Furniture recently partnered with statewide non-profit Local First Arizona in an effort to expand the organization’s programs to Spanish-speaking businesses and patrons.  The new movement, branded Fuerza Local, held its first event on Monday, April 2^nd at Del Sol Furniture’s newest location on 83^rd Avenue and Indian School.  The event was attended by more than fifty business owners, community leaders and politicians.

With Hispanics forming nearly 30% of Arizona’s population and growing, the future health of the state’s economy depends ever more on the Hispanic consumer.  The Local First Arizona/Fuerza Local movement seeks to promote the benefits of consumers shopping at locally-owned businesses.  It is estimated that for every $100 spent at a locally-owned business, $73 re-circulates within the local economy.  Compare that to only $43 out of $100 when shopping at a national chain.  This shift translates to more local jobs, higher wages, more donations to local charities and higher tax revenue in government coffers.

Monday’s event focused on introducing owners of Hispanic businesses to the Local First philosophy and founder Kimber Lanning was on hand to deliver the message about how Fuerza Local came about.  “I made several presentations to Hispanic business coalitions, but my message wasn’t resonating.  I believe I was choosing the wrong words to explain the concept.  This is the first time we made it ‘en español’ and it made a huge difference!  I owe it all to the steering committee for lending their support, ideas and professionalism!”

Rosa Macias, owner of Del Sol Furniture and member of the Fuerza Local steering committee gave a presentation on the topic of preserving family, education and culture, which resonated with the group of entrepreneurs.  “As an immigrant family, we have worked to adapt to this society through education and helped others do the same, as our own business has adapted, our customers are adapting to a new way to live, work and consume and I think Fuerza Local is a great opportunity to bring our community together and improve our economy.”

Next, the Fuerza Local steering committee is planning a routine of regular meetings, as well as more marketing through print and radio to grow the movement.  Bilingual materials and campaigns are being promoted to encourage consumers to shift 10% of their purchases to local businesses to benefit the Arizona economy.  Del Sol Furniture is proud to be a locally-owned enterprise and is excited to be a part of this movement.

Opened in 1997 as Muebleria Del SoI by Venancio and Rosa Macias, the company has grown to four valley locations including Red Tag Furniture at Arizona Mills Mall, which coincided with a rebrand from a mostly Hispanic market segment to a more general consumer reach.  The company has evolved into a second generation family-owned furniture retail business with son Alex Macias and Daughter Minerva Macias-Maestas now at the helm.

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it 1,000 times: there is no reality in retailing, only perception—the customers’ perception of your store is the only one that counts. You can have the best product at the best price, fabulous, caring and knowledgeable sales associates, great sales and even better in-store events BUT the second a customer walks in your door and finds you having a bad day, their perception changes. And usually not for the better. We all make an unconscious value judgment about the stores we shop in within the first 10 seconds of contact. It isn’t fair but it happens. That’s why you have to constantly be on guard about how your store looks through your customers’ eyes.

How often do you look at your store through the objective eye of the customer? Notice that we said “objective”. You’re not being objective if you look at a really tired display and think, “Oh, that display is a mess, but I still need to sell more of that product. I can leave it up another day or two.” No, you can’t. Customers will look at that same display and think less of your store. Ideally, you should do an in-depth tour of your store at least once a month, but to keep things in balance, do a 360 Degree Pass-By each morning before you unlock the doors for business. The parking lot is a good place to start.

Survey the Parking Lot: Is the parking lot easily accessible? Are store associates cars parked in the best spaces? Is the parking lot clean and brightly lit?
Size Up the storefront: Does your storefront require paint or repair? Is there clutter to be cleaned up or exterior displays to be reorganized? Have the flowers in your planters seen better days? Can customers easily see your storefront sign? Are all the bulbs in working order? Are your windows clean and free of old signs? Do the window displays need some attention?

Access the Decompression Zone: The Decompression Zone (DZ) is the 5 to 15 feet just inside the front door of the store. Its purpose is to slow down rushed and distracted customers so they can concentrate on shopping. Is your DZ uncluttered, inviting and easy to navigate?

Work Your Speed Bumps: Do your Speed Bump displays—small tables loaded with home décor items or a small, inviting, and completely accessorized, room setting placed just beyond the Decompression Zone—need to be fluffed or re-stocked? Work your Speed Bumps—they sell product. These displays should be changed at least once a week.

Power Wall Ahead: Look Right: 90 percent of shoppers will enter the store and look or turn to the right—that’s where you’ll find your main Power Wall. This is a premium location that is highly visible and heavily shopped; it should be used to merchandise hot product stories, new items, and high demand items. Are your Power Wall displays set to sell? Do they need to be re-stocked or re-merchandised?

Review Your In-store Signage: Does your signage reflect the style and personality of the store? Can customers easily read them? Is there old sale or product signing that needs to be removed? Are there hand-written signs with cutesy references to breakage and unwatched children present that need to go away?

Check Out the Cash Wrap Counter: Is there enough room at the cash wrap for a customer to comfortably complete the transaction? Are there impulse items displayed at the cash wrap to encourage add-on sales? Is there an interesting display behind the cash wrap counter that will keep customers thinking about product? Is your policy and procedure signing customer friendly?

Walk the Aisles: Is there product spilling over into the aisles? Are there dump displays blocking the main aisles? Can customers easily maneuver a stroller, wheel chair, motorized chair down the aisles? Can people comfortably pass one another throughout the store?

Survey Your Merchandise Presentation: Are your displays fresh? Do they encourage customers to stop and look, and entice them to buy? Are there empty spots that need attention or empty shelves of accessories that need to be restocked? Is the product “faced” (brought to the front of the shelf or hook)? Are there bin tickets missing?

If you do a 360 Degree Pass-By each day, you will soon become attuned to things that are out of place or need your immediate attention. Once a month dig deeper with KIZER & BENDER’s No-Fail Perception Exercise: Look at the same things that you review during your daily 360 Degree Pass-By. During this exercise, you will spend more time observing each area.

Don’t fix, move or adjust anything in the store before you do this exercise. You want a clean vision of what the store really looks like on a typical day. Survey your store during regular business hours—not before opening or after closing. You want to do this exercise while customers are in the store shopping.
Dress in the same attire as a typical customer. If it’s cold outside, put on a winter coat. If your customers tend to shop with children, haul a diaper bag with you. You want to recreate the customers experience as closely as possible.

Don’t just put on your coat and walk out the door. Hop in your car and drive down the street. Re-enter your parking lot and drive by your store from all directions so you can see it from different perspectives.

Carry a notepad and make a list of things to do; you can prioritize your list later and make changes as necessary. You might even want to ask a store associate to do the same exercise—you can compare notes later.

Remember that perception becomes reality. If you do not control how your store is perceived, it just might get away from you. Customers will create their own perception of your store and you might not like the one they choose. Your daily diligence will help ensure that customers see your store as you want them to see it. That alone is worth the 10 minutes of time it takes to do a daily walk-thru!

© KIZER & BENDER . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender, Kizer & Bender Speaking! are professional speakers, authors and consultants whose client list reads like a “Who’s Who” in business. Companies internationally depend upon them for timely advice on consumers and the changing retail market place. KIZER & BENDER are well known for their unique and intensive consumer research. Any speaker can talk about customers, but Georganne and Rich actually become them. Contact Kizer and Bender at (630) 513-8020 or www.kizerandbender.com.

None of the other efforts that retailers make account for anything if the product is not sold. There is an inverse ratio between RSA (Retail Sales Associates) competence and “just lookers”.

Most retailers understand this and have terrific ongoing sales training programs.

It’s important to note the dramatic difference between training for mattress sales as opposed to home furnishing sales. The reason? It’s the shopper’s attitude and mindset that makes the difference. Consumers think of mattresses as utilitarian and they approach the process using intellect logic and reason to discern value. Whereas home furnishings shoppers typically are motivated to upgrade their lifestyle and emotion plays a big role. RSA’s need to be trained to know the difference and to be able to adapt accordingly.

But there is an overarching issue that, if acknowledged, focused upon and incorporated, can set the stage to make all sales training more effective. TRUST.

At the end of the day, most shoppers elect to buy from a sales associate they like and trust. Trust is achieved through competence, being up to the task, conscience, having a core set of principles, and concern, caring for others’ well being.

Trust is the intangible and transcending assurance that creates loyalty and compels people to buy with confidence. The assumption is if the RSA is trustworthy, it’s likely the company and brand are trustworthy as well.

Can trust be taught? Actually, yes it can.

I call it Trust Training: a holistic, comprehensive approach to sales training that involves all three aspects of each individual: Mind, Body and Spirit…

The 3 P’s of Trust Training

1. Perspectives (What we know)
2. Practices (What we do)
3. Principles (Who we are)

Perspectives

Consumers trust confident, knowledgeable sales associates. Perspective skills training should be an ongoing evolving program to raise the competency level of all associates and should include the following:

Product knowledge: Not a rote memorization of specs, but the actual qualities, features, benefits and comfort characteristics of all products. RSA’s must learn how to objectively navigate their way around the sales floor in response to each customer’s unique needs and preferences.

Selling skills: A focus on customer satisfaction using real life situational selling. Use your own experiences and draw upon experts in our field. There are many resources available including, tapes, DVDs, books and magazines. Of course there is a plethora of information on the Internet. Furniture Training Company is an excellent resource.

Awareness skills: Perspective skills training should include a big picture look at the importance of each and every customer, the effect that a quality mattress has upon the customer’s health and well-being and the important role the sales associate plays in the selection process.

Company information: All sales associates should learn and know as much about the company as possible, including policies and procedures and company history. They should also spend time with all other departments, accounting, delivery, maintenance, etc. to see how everyone in the company plays a role in creating a positive experience for the customer.

Practices

Practical sales training can put knowledge and skills into action. Training includes three phases, (more P’s) Preparation: what to do before working with a customer, Presentation: what to do and say in the presence of a customer, and Post Sale Care: what to do after the sale to ensure that the customer is satisfied with their purchase and experience.

Preparation

Preparation begins with daily rituals, including checking on inventory, sales, events, or any other issue that may impact the customers’ experience. This includes cleaning and straightening up the sales floor, making sure all models, signage, and POP materials are in place and in good order. Each salesperson should get in the habit of looking at the store as if he or she were a customer shopping visiting the store for the first time. A clean, well-kept store evokes positive feelings. Bathrooms are the litmus test.

Presentation

Sales associates should be encouraged to use a consultative style and an unbiased approach dealing with consumers as individuals, without letting his or her own personal preferences or motivations influence the selection process. An attitude of serving rather than selling is crucial. Shoppers perceive motive.

Customers want to buy from associates who care about their needs. One of the best ways to communicate care is by asking meaningful questions and giving well-informed answers that address the customer’s particular situation. The entire selling process should be an exchange between buyer and seller with the common goal of finding the best possible mattress and closing the sale!

Not asking for the sale is a disservice and waste of time for the buyer and seller.

Post Sale Care

Follow up may be the most important element of all practices to make sure every customer has peace of mind, is satisfied with both the product and their shopping experience and to thank them for their business.

Unfortunately, customer service issues can sometimes occur. When that happens RSA’s must go above and beyond the customer’s expectation to resolve it. By promptly solving a customer issue, one can in fact create more trust.

It’s true when a customer has a problem that is resolved beyond their expectation, it creates a more favorable feeling towards the company than not having a problem in the first place! (However, I don’t suggest creating problems to achieve that goal. LOL)

Principles

Can people be trained to have good principles? I’m not sure, but we can set and enforce a standard of expectation as to how customers are to be treated.

Most customer service problems don’t arise from a lack of care as they do from a lack of awareness. It’s just human nature that we sometimes fail to see the impact that we can have on others and they upon us.

Through daily reminders, issues of honesty, integrity, compassion, and service should be stated and reinforced in a variety of ways.

A mission statement is a great way to set your standards and it should be posted for all to see. Yes, even customers.

Every day should begin with a conscientious review of that mission with an all-consuming focus on how to provide an outstanding customer experience. Over time, that shared vision becomes second nature, company identity.

Retailers that incorporate Trust Training can set the stage to make their existing training programs more effective. Creating a culture of trust will most certainly bring a new, higher level of success.

Gerry Morris is an author, speaker, sales trainer and consultant with over 25 years of experience in the home furnishings industry.

Gerry is the author of two widely-read books, Spring Training and Sell More Beds Guaranteed! He currently writes the Closing Words column together with feature articles for Sleep Savvy Magazine. For more information visit SellMoreBeds.com

Simply Amish, known for its hand-crafted, solid-wood furniture, logged a 338 percent surge in internet traffic on its website, opened new stores, expanded current ones, even had a first-calendar-year store post a million dollars in sales in 2011, according to company cofounder Kevin Kauffman. He attributes a tidal wave of demand for domestic products for keeping the firm riding high last year. Comments from dealers and licensed store owners from across North America seem to support Kauffman’s synopsis.

Morgan Houck has owned a Simply Amish licensed store in Overland Park, KS since 2009, and opened a second one in Topeka, KS in 2011.

“I don’t think I could be selling a better product,” Houck said. “I feel like I may be selling the best furniture money can buy. (Simply Amish) is a small, American business with a big product. I can talk to an owner or a craftsman any time I want.”

Pam Stone opened her licensed Simply Amish store in Albuquerque, NM in 2007. Last year, she nearly doubled the store’s showroom space by moving to a larger, more visible location.

“We’ve been seeing a lot more traffic in the past 9 months,” Stone said. ‘It would be impossible to show all the styles and options Simply Amish offers. But we can definitely show a lot more now — something for every room of the house.”

“Made in America” is not only appealing to U.S. furniture buyers, but to Canadians as well. Ty Irwin is the new owner of Simply Amish of Edmonton, Alberta, CA. His store opened in mid-July of 2010. But in 2011, it sold more than a million dollars worth of the solid-wood furniture in its first full calendar year.

“It’s a really unique experience for customers to be able to get their taste out on the table — the kitchen table,” Irwin said. “Customers often have something pictured in their mind, but can’t find it anywhere. Simply Amish is great because I can tell the customer ‘yes’ all the time. If they ask for it, we can build it. And with the quality of the product, we have zero buyer’s remorse.”

Across the country in Newfoundland, Barry Imhoff said he is experiencing a similar phenomenon with his customers. He switched his furniture store, which he opened to 2009, to a licensed store in 2011, selling only Simply Amish furniture.

‘We pride ourselves in having 100 percent customer satisfaction,” Imhoff said. “Nothing ever goes wrong with our products.”

It would be hard to find a product more “made in America” than a piece of Simply Amish furniture: forged out of a way of life that requires religious freedom, by the hands of idealistic craftsman, from domestically grown, renewable resources.

Simply Amish, based in Arcola, IL, uses wood grown in U.S. forests, harvested and sustained by U.S. companies and their U.S. employees, Kauffman said. Its other raw materials, such as fabric and hardware, are American-made as much as feasibly possible. Kauffman also explained that not all Amish craftsmen have equal skill. Therefore, Simply Amish selects craftsmen that it has found to be the best, which are mostly in central Illinois.

Customers can buy Simply Amish products at one of its 12 licensed stores or at 250 other furniture dealers in the United States and Canada.

This industry approach is based on research and educating the consumer to invest in themselves and their family by understanding what they can gain through the proper “sleep system”. This research is being promoted by the National Sleep Foundation and the Better Sleep Council. The education process promotes health and wellness as a result of a quality sleep system (e.g. mattress, foundation, pillow, bedding and improved sleep environment suggestions). We are illustrating the “big picture” and how these elements contribute to “quality of life” through quality sleep. This consultative approach eliminates a product or commodity purchase and generates and investment in people’s quality of life. Less than positive economic conditions have provided much stress among consumers. A survey by the Better Sleep Council has verified that stress is a major cause of loss of sleep. Many retailers are sharing this information with their customers as a solution to stress and help them view the sleep system in a different light. The research identified:

65% of Americans lose sleep over stress

32% of Americans lose sleep at least one night per week due to stress

In short, stress has had negative effects on the customer’s ability to perform daily tasks, make good decisions, deal with different situations and even relate well to family members. We can help them deal with these issues by helping them achieve better quality sleep. Because of more education to the consumer, and an awareness of better health through better sleep, HGTV and Furniture/Today found that consumers are willing to invest more when they believe a new/better sleep set will improve their health and life.

The increased spending range was based on a $699 base price that would increase to $899. Twenty-eight percent of respondents responded that they would spend that much more. The high range of the investment went from $699-$1699. Twenty-nine percent of the respondents said they would spend this amount. Additional research by HGTV and Furniture/Today with 7,000 consumers found an overwhelming interest in products that protect mattresses and pillows from negative issues (e.g. dust mites, bed bugs and stains/spills). This awareness by enlightened retailers have educated consumers as to how these issues can be solved. They are now selling solutions and solving problems rather than selling commodities or products. The research indicated: 76% of consumers interested in protection from dust mites 73% of consumers were interested in protection from allergens 70% of consumers were interested in protection from bed bugs 4% of consumers were interested in protection from stains/spills With the focus on awareness and education, the Better Sleep Council published information on another category of consumers, teenagers, and their incredible need for quality sleep and the resulting issues from the lack of that sleep. The condition was called “Zombie-Itus” which can result in irritability, depression, anxiety, apathy, decreased brain function and a distracted disposition. Believe me, I raised five children and these conditions really exist.

New scientific research continues to unmask the effects of chronic sleeplessness, and its results. Here are four devastating effects, courtesy of the American Heart Association.

1. Sleep loss can lead to Diabetes. A recent study shows that people who sleep less than six hours per night appeared to have a higher risk of developing impaired fasting glucose—a condition that can precede Type 2 Diabetes.
2. Sleep loss can raise your blood pressure. Another recent study found that a lost hour of sleep—one hour or less than the recommended eight—increased the odds of developing high blood pressure on an average of 37 percent over five years; skipping two hours raises the blood pressure risk 86 percent. This condition can lead to heart attack, stroke or kidney failure
3. Sleep loss can make you gain weight. Several recent studies have confirmed that there is a link between the loss of sleep and weight gain. In one study, participants who slept six hours per night were 27 percent more likely to become obese than those sleeping 7-9 hours; people getting five hours of sleep per night were 73 percent more likely become obese.
4. Sleep loss can make you vulnerable to cancer. Yet another recent study showed that even when people take preventive actions that have been proven to lower cancer risks such as exercising and eating right, inadequate sleep seems to counteract those benefits.

The National Institute of Urological Disorders and Stroke found that Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on lower back pain, the biggest cause of job-related disability and leading contributor to missed work. The proper sleep system will provide proper support, spinal alignment and comfort to make a big difference in back health. Dr. Mehmet Oz, of The Dr. Oz Show, stated that most cases of back pain are mechanical or are non-organic, meaning they aren’t caused by serious conditions like arthritis or injury. Improper posture and lack of spinal support are the true causes.

Another dynamic of the growth of the bedding category is due to the constant introduction of new products and new approaches that contribute to better sleep. The growth of the specialty sleep category is due to introducing new products to the consumer. The first half numbers from 2011 introduced by ISPA (International Sleep Products Association) illustrated an increase in mattress units of 20.4 percent. Also, the dollar value of mattress shipments rose 20.9 percent.

The bottom line, as I see it, is the fact that progressive manufacturers and retailers are not selling products or commodities, they are selling “quality of life”. They also present a complete “sleep system” solution through the mattress, pillows, sheets, protectors against dust mites, allergens, bed bugs, stains/spills and concrete suggestions as how to create a healthy and clean sleep environment. This approach focuses on the industry’s ability to make a difference in the lives of consumers and connect with them regarding health, wellness and how to achieve it.

By educating the consumer, especially the female consumer, who represents over 85 percent of the bedding purchases, and has special sleep-related needs, we can illustrate the methods that quality sleep can provide a better quality of life. This approach will continue to succeed and provide sustainability to the bedding category even in slow economic conditions.

Ron Wolinski is a Vice President with The Profitability Consulting Group. His expertise in management stems from the positions he has held such as Manager of Training and Development for Art Van Furniture, VP Sales and Marketing with Contract Interiors, President of Behavioral Dimensions, Training Consultant to Thomasville and architect of the Thomasville University, Director Sales Education for Simmons and establisher of the Simmons Academy, National Director of Education and Development for Value City Furniture and most recently Director of Education and Retail Services for La-Z-Boy, Inc. He consults with retail organization internationally on consultative selling, communications, leadership skills, interviewing and recruiting, customer service and the science of sleep. Questions relating to this article or two other related topics can be directed at RonW@profitabilityconsulting.com.

In honor of Earth Day, Paramount Sleep will give away a new Nature’s Spa sleep system. Visitors to the Paramount Sleep showroom (IHFC M540) can enter to win until 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 22, when the winner’s name will be drawn.

Nature’s Spa 100 percent natural Talalay latex mattresses have a CertiPUR-US® certified flexible polyurethane foam support system with an air core. All Nature’s Spa eco-friendly mattress systems are designed for an ideal balance between comfort, support and pressure relief. The new Nature’s Spa collection also features an organic cotton cover, cotton border and 100 percent organic merino wool—all designed to lower the carbon footprint while offering a great night’s sleep.

Many fine hotels and resorts throughout the country now feature Paramount Sleep mattresses. One resort guest raved about his experience: “I have never slept so well!  With the mountain air and the perfect Nature’s Spa beds at Blackberry Farm, I left my weekend getaway more refreshed and feeling younger than I have in years.”

Paramount Sleep invites High Point Market attendees to stop by its showroom (IHFC M540) to find out why top resorts and hotels in the U.S. choose the Paramount as their vendor of choice. One lucky visitor will win a weekend getaway at one of the hotels where Paramount Sleep mattresses are featured including: Hotel Mela, 21c Museum Hotels, Savannah Bed and Breakfast Inn, and Blackberry Farm.

The European-influenced collection will include 40-50 pieces of upholstered furniture and promises to add charm and character to Elite Leather’s selection of styles. The collection is of eight-way hand-tied construction and will retail at approximately $2999 for sectionals, $1599 for sofas, and $799 for chairs. The company believes that this program will be attractive to existing customers and instrumental in welcoming new accounts and consumers to the brand, as it is already being picked up by several major accounts.

With the resurgence of vintage-inspired upholstery in the market, Elite Leather is responding to the trend by adding additional value to an already impressive assortment of products. The new Bespoke division is of exceptional quality and craftsmanship with handsome, European designs, upholstered in leathers, linens, and wools, and slipcovered in linens as well (seen in the sectionals, sofas, chairs, ottomans and accent pieces), giving this aesthetically pleasing collection the versatility that both consumers and retailers will enjoy.

Bespoke will debut at the Elite Leather showroom (IHFC, C-661) during April 2012 High Point Market, and will continue to evolve over ensuing markets.

“Conference is an excellent opportunity for retailers to come together, learn together and share best ideas while networking with industry peers,” says SHFA President Robert Dossenbach of Dossenbach’s Finer Furniture in Sanford, NC.

“The Ten Building Blocks to Grow Sales” is Monday’s opening workshop led by C. Britt Beemer.  Mr. Beemer is recognized nationally as a premier marketing strategist. This focused workshop will help you plan a strategy to better help meet your consumer’s needs and improve your profitability.

On Tuesday morning, there will be a second workshop on “Getting Your Business Listed with Google” led by Brian Shealy from Economy Furniture Company Inc. in Leesville, SC. Mr. Shealy will share his story on how he increased his stores’ visibility to consumers by improving search engine optimization by use of Google Ad words and other Google tools.

The conference registration fee is $69 for each SHFA member and guest.  If your company has never attended a SHFA Conference before, please call 800.888.9590 ext 6116 and ask about our new attendee discount.

Call (800) 888-9590 or email owash@nhfa.org for details.

Reality TV aside, these short 3D segments are highly produced renderings created by experienced production teams using expensive and complex 3D programs not readily available to the average retailer or design professional. To this end, ViewIT Technologies/3Dream.net is teaming up with Vanguard Furniture on a pilot project to bring the sales potential of 3D to the design professional and consumer level. The Virtual Design Center is a whole-room 3D shopping experience created to help guide the home furnishings shopper in deciding what will look best in their home. Flooring, window treatments, lighting, area rugs and paint colors join furniture in the searchable 3Dream database of products to work with.

“This market we’re very excited to explore what technologies are available and which will be the best for our clients,” said Dixon Mitchell, President of Vanguard Furniture. “The Virtual Design Center concept is a natural extension to our ‘Make it yours’ personalized programs for upholstery and case goods,” he added. “The ability to see it all (before deciding), is a unique approach to home furnishings. We want to help our resellers create the all-important emotional attachment to the entire room and feel that technology is the best way to make that connection.” The focus of the Virtual Design Center is the 3D Room Designer tool, an online design platform that uses real-world products and materials in a virtual 3D space. A series of newly introduced Vanguard products will be represented in 3D to demonstrate the concept, and visitors will be invited to share their thoughts and interest.

Margi Kyle, a.k.a ‘The Designing Dr.’ will be presenting in the Vanguard showroom Monday April 23rd 8:00am, and again at 5pm. She will speak to the importance of technology for designers and retailers, and the impact that 3D and other new technologies will have on our industry – now and in the future. Design professionals and retailers are invited to attend. No RSVP is required but seating is limited.

This year’s convention will be funky with fresh ideas and grooving with opportunities to keep your business staying alive!

The extensive educational portion will be devoted to finding solutions that will assist retailers in making the most of good times and weathering the bad.

David Fass of JRM Sales & Management, Inc. will lead “Anatomy of a Salesperson” on Monday and “The Mystery to the Budgeting Process” on Tuesday. Mr. Fass has a 36-year background in the home furnishings, appliance, electronics, fire, patio and barbecue industries run the gamut from ownership of a leading chain of stores, to sales, management, operations, and training positions. His vast experience has enabled him to become one of our industry’s most respected business analyst, consultant, and roundtable group facilitator.

Youngsters will be entertained at a the Kids Club while grownups participate in social events that include a golf tournament and a “Disco Fever” dinner party where members will be dressed in leisure suites, bellbottoms and platform shoes.

Visit www.nhfa.org/SEHFA for registration and sponsorship information or call (800) 888-9590 ext. 6116 or email owash@nhfa.org for more details.

“The New England Chapter is very pleased to support The Home,” says New England Chapter President Joe Quintal of Rotmans Furniture in Worcester, Mass.  “I invite New Englanders to come out and support this very worthwhile organization while playing some golf and relaxing with friends old and new.”

With roots dating back to 1799, The Home for Little Wanderers is the nation’s oldest and one of New England’s largest non-profit child and family service agencies. Its services include early childhood, adoption, foster care, clinical and family support, residential care, special education, independent living, and case management.

For registration and sponsorship information, contact NHFA at (800) 888-9590 ext. 6116 or owash@nhfa.org. For tournament information, contact Jonathan Boyle at jboyle@circlefurniture.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 21

The Heart of the Home: Helping Women Furnish Their Homes for Fully Connected Family Living
Noon – 1 PM
IHFC, Green Wing, 11th Floor, Ballroom B

Today’s tech-savvy, internet-enabled furniture consumer knows what she likes, how she wants to live, and how much she can spend. If you can help her realize her home dreams on her budget, you’ll win her love. Better Homes and Gardens Editors Amy Panos, Senior Editor & Joseph Boehm, Senior Interior Designer share how this new breed of consumer thinks and what she wants most from her home and the resources that help her achieve it.
Sponsored by IHFC. Reservations not required. Complimentary box lunch provided.

SUNDAY, APRIL 22

WithIt Educational Breakfast, Lifestyle Changes and How They Influence Your Business
7:30 – 9 AM
IHFC, Green Wing, 11th Floor, Ballroom A

Kathy Wall, The Media Matters, Inc. moderates a panel discussion with three editorial champions whose expert insights help inform consumer tastes and trends: syndicated writer, Elaine Markoutsas, designer and blogger, Jason Oliver Nixon, and Traditional Home senior style editor, Krissa Rossbund. What do they see coming next and how will that influence your business?

Sponsored by IHFC and WithIt. Breakfast and seminar are free of charge. Reservations are required by emailing lchastain@imcenters.com or www.withit.org .

Growing a Business Environmentally
Noon – 1 PM
IHFC, Green Wing, 11th Floor, Ballroom B

Presented by Mitchell Gold, Co-founder and Chair-Man of Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.
Mitchell Gold, Co-founder and Chair-Man of Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, discusses the inspiration behind his entrepreneurial venture with Bob Williams, launched 23 years ago in the midst of a recession. He’ll share what compelled them to build a different kind of furniture company, one organized around the concept of “comfort” and the environment, and explain what it means for consumers, employees—and the environment.

$20 includes lunch. Advance registration recommended. Reservation is secured upon receipt of payment.
Email lchastain@imcenters.com to request a credit card authorization.
Sponsored by IHFC and IFDA Carolinas Chapter.

MONDAY, APRIL 23

Why the Bad Economy has been the Best Thing for My Business
Noon – 1 PM
IHFC, Green Wing, 11th Floor, Ballroom B

Internationally acclaimed designer, Allison Paladino, presents a provocative discussion on what’s important now, from the creative process to building your personal brand as a designer, and why the Recession may actually be the best thing that ever happened to her high-end interior design business. With a sharp wit and a healthy dose of humor, Allison shares her personal story, from landing her first job directly out of design school with Thomas Pheasant, to being named “One of America’s 25 Top Young Designers by House Beautiful,” to launching her own highly successful design practice serving luxury consumers in the rarified world of Palm Beach, Florida. She’ll offer insights, inspirations and a fresh perspective on how designers with classical backgrounds can effectively compete in the Internet age, the inside story on the major licensed collection she’s created for E.J. Victor, and finding order and success in the crazy, creative profession of design.

$20 includes lunch. Advance registration recommended. Reservation is secured upon receipt of payment.
Email lchastain@imcenters.com to request a credit card authorization.
Sponsored by IHFC and IFDA Carolinas Chapter.

TUESDAY, APRIL 24

Hide & Seek Leather Seminar CEU 0.1 credit units
9:00 – 10 AM
IHFC, Green Wing, 11th Floor, Ballroom B
$10 at the door, check or cash only.

Leather has been a cornerstone of the interior design industry for centuries but its story and merits are not broadly understood. Hide & Seek is a one hour “everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask” 0.1 CEU session that will bolster your confidence when discussing leather with your clients.
Sponsored by IHFC. Reservations not required. Complimentary refreshments provided.

Instructor:
John Smith is the founder of the furnishings company WILLEM SMITH and its sister company WILLEM SMITH Leather, both based in Washington, DC.

Passion to Profit
Noon – 1 PM
IHFC, Green Wing, 11th Floor, Ballroom B

Learn how to transition from simply professing a passion to actually profiting from your passion. Lisa Luby Ryan, interior designer, store owner and entrepreneur, will share the practical steps that bring you to “loving what you do and doing what you love”. Lisa will outline her principles for business success that can be adapted to any product or service.
Sponsored by IHFC. Reservations not required. Complimentary box lunch provided.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25

Market Trend Wrap-Up
9:00 – 10 AM
IHFC, Green Wing, 11th Floor, Ballroom B

Tracy Bulla, senior product editor at Home Accents Today, presents the hottest trends from the April 2012 Market.
Complimentary refreshments provided.

Visit our web site at www.ihfc.comfor more information about this seminar series and other market highlights.

PITTSBURGH, PA, March 27, 2012 – SnapRetail, a technology company that provides the only SaaS solution for small retailers to plan, promote, sell and stock their stores online, has launched the Calendar and Idea Bar.

The Calendar is a Web-based feature that helps retailers plan, create, schedule and send marketing campaigns to customers via e-mail or social media in about 10% of the time it takes with other email marketing systems.  The Calendar offer ideas, inspiration and tools to help local retailers send innovative marketing campaigns to drive store traffic and increase sales.

“Local retailers are busier than ever.  They simply don’t have the time to market and often struggle to come up with creative ideas to promote their stores,” explained Ted Teele, CEO of SnapRetail. “They know they need to use Facebook, but are not sure what to say. And they have told us that it takes 4-5 hours to create and test an e-mail campaign using other systems. Our planning Calendar is a unique service that sparks ideas and makes it fast and easy to share them with their customers.”

With a constant supply of inspiration for campaigns, posts and events on the Idea Bar, the Calendar provides fun ideas around events like April Fools Day, Earth Day and Mother’s Day to grow store and online sales, and keep customers engaged. The Calendar also provides a clear view of future ideas and tracks successes from previous months with real-time summaries.

“The Calendar is easy to use, and with an abundance of different templates and ideas, allows everything I share with customers to look polished and engaging,” said Danielle Shaffer, owner of Aw Else Boutique in Greensburg, PA. “As a daily routine, the Calendar helps us plan and manage our communications from one place.”

“The Calendar is like my favorite pillow; I don’t travel without it,” said Sloane Wiggins, owner of Cudos, a gift shop in Augusta, GA. “We start our monthly marketing meeting with the Calendar so we can plan for our Facebook, Web posts and e-mail content.  We choose a template and easily make it work for our store.  It saves us time because the groundwork has been done for us.”

Free to subscribers of SnapRetail’s TrafficBuilder, the Calendar offers an easy drag-and-drop format and a collection of tens of thousands of professional images, templates and Ideas for retailers to tap to build their campaigns and plan marketing schedules. Since SnapRetail works with more than 170 vendors TrafficBuilder offers access to the highest quality images and customizable e-mail templates, along with ideas tailored to each individual store.

A video on the Calendar and Idea Bar can be accessed here: http://www.snapretail.com/retailer/library-videos.asp?VideoID=201

HIGH POINT – Launching at High Point Market, The Factory is a unique 95,000 square-foot freestanding showroom space featuring quality furniture products from 10 Canadian home furnishings brands. Located at 400 W. English Rd., it is the premiere U.S. venue for established vendors Bermex, Dinec, Shermag, Jaymar, Midi, and Bertanie, which are moving from their prior showrooms; and four brands new to dealers here: Dezmo, D-10 Furniture, Jaymar Mattress and Liinz.

The Factory is a permanent, consolidated showroom for the brands listed, all of which are managed by Quebec-based Groupe Bermex, Inc., a holding company for one of Canada’s largest vertically integrated furniture manufacturing operations.

Groupe Bermex, Inc. has invested in growth, infrastructure, and diversification since 2006 through both the acquisition and creation of Canada-based furnishings companies, according to Daniel Walker, president and chief of commercial operations.

“The launch of The Factory in April is the culmination of our vision to give home furnishings dealers the product differentiation at retail they need to grow sales, along with the efficiencies and exceptional service that a fully integrated back end operation can provide,” says Walker. “With economic rebound in sight for the U.S., we have no doubt this is the right time for our debut. We very much want to be every dealer’s ultimate High Point Market destination.”

The Factory aims to provide a one-stop shopping experience for furniture retailers, with major product categories represented, like dining, bedroom, home entertainment, youth furniture, seating, in styles ranging from contemporary to transitional and traditional. An impressive collection of casual and formal furniture products at a variety of price points includes case goods made from solid wood, upholstered items, accent items, and bedding. Customization options for sizing, finishes, and hardware, for example, and quick deliveries for many of the product lines, address the needs and expectations of today’s furniture shoppers.

A dedicated, multi-vehicle shuttle service, accessible by calling 336-882-3950 during market dates will transport buyers to and from The Factory’s four-floor showroom. The distinctive red brick building with its original water tower was a former hosiery mill built early in the last century, and is situated at the perimeter of downtown High Point. Dealer parking is also available on-site.

The Factory will kick off High Point Market with a grand opening event for the companies’ dealers on Friday, April 20th; beginning at 6 pm. Dealers may contact their representatives for additional information.

The company’s new 26,056-square-foot showroom will be on the fourth level of Showplace, space 4100, serving as an anchor for the centrally located International Market Centers property. The move represents a major expansion for the company, which had been showing in a 5,176-square-foot space on the third floor of the building.

“We are very excited about this new location,” said Satya Tiwari, president. “A bigger showroom affords us the chance to inspire our retailers with all our latest designs and also spotlight the most important trend and color stories that are shaping the industry.”

Through its showroom displays, Surya will provide retailers with a complete overview of what is happening in the home furnishings world today, Tiwari said. “And we’ll share lots of creative concepts for how they can create excitement in their own stores and maximize profits through the use of stylish rugs and accents.”

In addition to product and display ideas, Surya also will use its showroom to conduct Surya University training sessions with retailers during market. The sessions are designed to provide retail salespeople with a detailed understanding of the company’s line along with tips about how to successfully sell rugs and other accessories to consumers.

“We are not just a product company,” said Tiwari. “We are a home décor marketing solutions and technology company. A big part of our mission is providing our retail partners with solutions that will help them grow their business.”

During market, Surya will introduce a number of new products in all of its key categories – rugs, wall art, pillows, poufs and throws. The introductions will cover a range of design themes, said Tiwari.

“In rugs and accents, we’ll show fresh lattice patterns and hot colors such as tangerine, turquoise and updated grays and browns,” he said. “We work hard to make sure that all of the cutting-edge trends happening in the marketplace are reflected in our lineup.”

To celebrate its new showroom, Surya is holding a party for retailers on Sunday, April 22, from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. The event will include a music provided by a live D.J., dancing, food and beverages.

In addition, Surya also will serve breakfast, lunch, and cocktails and hors d’oeuvres daily in its showroom.

“We want our showroom to be a destination where retailers from around the world gather to share insights and ideas,” said Tiwari. “Our showroom will be inspiring and fun, where our business partners come to get energized and see what’s new and exciting.”

“We are working hard to make continuing education easier by bringing much needed content right to the retailer’s inbox. And working with a knowledgeable partner like MicroD, Inc. allows us to deliver quality affordable education without cutting into busy schedules,” said WHFA Executive Director, Sharron Bradley.

The three-part series will be broken up into 30-minute segments of information. This is a topic that brings palpitations to retailers at every level so bringing it to them in three easy to digest sessions was equally important. A Q&A session will be available after each presentation to help attendees further understand how this new marketing opportunity can work for their individual operations.

“Our goal in developing online learning was to engage the largest retail audience possible and help ease the challenges they face day to day,” said MicroD Executive Vice President, Mona Nigam. “One of those challenges for retailers is finding the time to attend quality education programs. As important as live meetings are, the reality in this economy, is that it is not always possible to travel to meetings. This series, in partnership with WHFA, just adds another layer of benefits for Association members without asking them to leave the store. We are proud to be invested in this project.”

The three part series includes:

Part 1 – SEM and SEO: Defined
March 29, 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM EDT

This 30 minute training session is geared toward the furniture retailer and will focus on driving traffic to a physical storefront location. The first of three mini-sessions will provide you with an overview of the principles of Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and demonstrate their application to all businesses represented online.

Part 2 – SEM and SEO: Optimization Techniques, Local Listings, and Page Rank

April 3, 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM EDT

This 30 minute training session is geared toward the furniture retailer and will focus on driving traffic to a physical storefront location. The second session in the three part series focuses on using a variety of SEM and SEO techniques. This webinar will show you how to leverage keywords, utilize local search engine listings, such as Google Places and Yahoo Local, and demystify the concept of page rank.

Part 3 – SEM and SEO: Link Strategies and Checklist

April 10, 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM EDT

This 30 minute training session is geared toward the furniture retailer and will focus on driving traffic to a physical storefront location. This third and final session of the series will teach you the power of linking and help you understand the strategies involved in creating meaningful website “buzz”. In addition to link strategies, the session will introduce you to a 12 point SEO checklist to aid you in directing traffic to your store.

A first in a series of offerings, WHFA will be sending out an exit survey to ensure they are on the right track in developing online learning. Understanding the day-to-day needs of retailers and how to deliver content that is valuable in the retail trenches will help to develop future topics.

This webinar series is open to all home furnishings retailers. Only WHFA members will be able to watch webcasts of the presentation at a later date. To register for the March 29th webinar, click here or call (800) 422-3778 – Space is limited!

Kreiss, the internationally acclaimed design and home furnishings authority, is celebrating 75 years of design innovation and excellence. With the opening of the luxe design brand’s Miami Design District showroom, Kreiss now boasts 13 showrooms nationwide, each offering its sophisticated mix of custom handmade furniture, unique accessories, award-winning exclusive design, fabrics and fine linens to retail and trade clients.

Kreiss was founded on the philosophy that there is no substitute for quality. The late Norman Kreiss, Founder and Chairman of Kreiss Enterprises, once said, “Creating furniture is an art – an art that requires an appreciation of quality, value and a love of comfort. Throughout, we strive for a unique sense of style that sets us apart from the ordinary.”

Recognized for having pioneered the “California Look” with its stylish use of natural materials and casual yet elegant designs, Kreiss aims to provide its clients with interior environments that soothe the soul and stimulate the senses. Kreiss showrooms offer styles such as California Casual, Contemporary, European Formal, Spanish Mediterranean and other classic looks, providing hundreds of combinations for every taste, mood and moment. In addition, each location features a Design Studio where design consultants assist with every detail of the client’s interior, including furniture selection, space planning, floor and window treatments, and lighting design.

Kreiss has attracted a loyal following of clients including world leaders, international celebrities and captains of industry, such as Muhammad Ali, Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Michael Jordan, Paul McCartney, Eva Longoria, Ronald Reagan, Frank Sinatra, Britney Spears, Tina Turner, Bruce Willis and Usher.

Therapedic, which had been exhibiting in Plaza Suites, moves to M-607 of the IHFC, doubling its space to 4,846 square feet with its new showroom. Pure LatexBLISS, previously in M-535, is relocating down the hall to M-528 and more than tripling its space to 7,184 square feet.

The addition of Therapedic and expansion of Pure LatexBLISS’ space make the IHFC an even more important destination for bedding buyers, said Julie Messner, vice president of leasing for International Market Centers.

“In the past few years, the IHFC has added a number of leading mattress producers to its exhibitor base,” said Messner. “Having these exhibitors located in close proximity to one another creates a very convenient shopping experience for bedding buyers.”

Other bedding exhibitors in the IHFC include Anatomic Global, Classic Brands, Comfortaire, Five Star Mattress, Gold Bond, Hickory at Home, Jamison Bedding, Knickerbocker, Leggett & Platt, Magniflex, Paramount Sleep, Primo Bedding, Restonic Mattress, Serta, Simmons, South Bay International, Southerland, the Specialty Sleep Assn., Spirit Sleep, Symbol Mattress, Ultra Comfort and Zedbed.

For Therapedic, moving to the IHFC’s Main wing provides an opportunity to “go where the fish are,” said Gerry Borreggine, president and CEO.

This new expanded showroom will allow Therapedic to have a less cluttered presentation with a better flow that’s easier for retailers to navigate, according to Borreggine. It will also provide needed space for the company to officially launch its new EcoGel mattress line. “Gel is the hottest category in the bedding industry today. We’ll be adding a fourth model that will be brand new for High Point,” said Borreggine.

A producer of a comprehensive line of mattresses in a range of constructions and price points, Therapedic has 14 factories in the United States, 22 international factories and six factories that work with it as licensees for specialty sleep products such as top-of-bed items, pillows, toppers and mattress covers.

Pure LatexBLISS, which has been showing at the High Point Market since its launch in 2009, is moving to a larger showroom in the IHFC to make room for its fast-growing line of luxury mattresses, pillows and toppers, said Kurt Ling, CEO. In the past six months, the company has expanded its core lineup of five Talalay latex mattresses with seven new beds and four new pillow models.

At the April High Point Market, Pure LatexBLISS will spotlight two new, lower-priced collections called Latex Hybrids. The line includes seven models in both slow-response and fast-response variations that feature Talalay latex on the mattress top with a bonded foam/latex underneath. All of the models also incorporate “Active Fusion” climate-control gel technology in the fabric yarns and inside the Talalay latex, storing and releasing energy on demand. This material helps cool a warm sleeper and warm a cool sleeper so that two partners can sleep at their optimal body temperatures.

The additional showroom space also will allow the company to demonstrate its new in-store mattress display program and accessory display for pillows and toppers.

“We needed a lot more showroom space so that we can show the full range of our line,” said Ling. “The new showroom will be spacious and bright, so that retailers can really examine our entire assortment and what we have to offer.”

At the High Point Market, Pure LatexBLISS attracts some bedding buyers it doesn’t see at other shows, according to Ling. “Some of the difference is geographic, as there are a number of East Coast retailers who will drive in. But we also see bedding buyers from the larger-scale furniture stores who come only to High Point.”

Pure LatexBLISS’ location in the IHFC’s Main wing makes it easy for bedding buyers to visit the company, Ling added, since a number of major, mid-tier mattress producers are clustered nearby. “It’s an awesome, one-shopping opportunity for bedding buyers who are looking for an alternative. They can see a wide range of product quickly and efficiently.”

Other bedding manufacturers at the High Point Market include Corsicana and Sleep & Beyond at Showplace, Carolina Mattress Guild in Furniture Plaza, and Protect-a-Bed and and Otis Bed Manufacturing in Plaza Suites.

All seminars in the Design Viewpoints Series are free to interior designers and retailers attending High Point Market. No RSVP is required, and a boxed lunch will be first-come-first-served. This spring’s series is also sponsored by Legrand (legrand.us).

This year’s series includes a discussion about how communication impacts the bottom line, how consumers truly live today and how you can design for the changes, and how to prepare for the top macro trends coming in 2013.

“The Design Viewpoints Series has been hugely popular for the High Point Market and ASID by offering a series of topics critical to the success of designers and retailers,” says Cheminne Taylor-Smith, VP of Marketing for the High Point Market Authority. “The design community is important to the High Point Market and this series is just one of the many ways that we work to support and promote interior designers.”

“ASID is proud to join High Point Market in offering top-notch speakers on hot-button topics. Our focus is to develop events that are educational as well as inspiring,” says Heidi Salati, director of education, ASID. “Working together with High Point Market has given ASID the chance to offer its members another quality educational opportunity”.

Each seminar is held at noon at the High Point Theatre. Topics and speakers for the April Design Viewpoints Series include

Sunday, April 22 – Top Communication Tips to Boost Profits

How much profit have you lost or gained in your career as a result of your communication skills?  Typically the answer is “a lot.” There is a direct correlation between your level of communication skill and your income.  Your communication impacts profits in the millions of dollars over a person’s career – either in lost or added revenue.  In this highly interactive presentation, participants will learn common mistakes and key tools to improve communication skill levels. As a 25-year veteran in Fortune 1000 companies, Angela Merola taught individuals and teams how to communicate effectively.  Through consulting engagements, Angela helps organizations develop and implement strategies that will improve not just their profits, but their overall productivity and culture as well.  .1 CEU Credit

Monday, April 23 – How People Live Now

Design maven Courtney Cachet works with designers and clients around the globe, which has given her an inside look into thousands of homes. The way people live has changed dramatically and their interiors must reflect new lifestyles. Cachet will present how people use their homes today, with inside tips for designers on how to keep up with, and design for, those changes. A regular contributor to Huffington Post and NBC, Cachet is one of the most sought after celebrity designers and a TV personality who has appeared in Vogue Italia, The Wall Street Journal, US Weekly, Better Homes & Gardens, People and more.  .1 CEU Credit

Tuesday, April 24 – Fast Forward – Three Macro Trends for 2013

Greg Dunlop of WGSN-homebuildlife, the leading online global trend forecaster, will showcase an exclusive look at far-forward trends just coming over the horizon. Get an early look at the new colors, styles, materials, and inspirations that will influence the future of interior design in 2013. Powered by WGSN’s unrivalled global research and proven heritage, WGSN-homebuildlife is trusted by the biggest design brands in the world to deliver unmatched expertise in product categories that include furniture, lighting, print and pattern, bedding, bath, and tabletop.  .1 CEU Credit

Back injuries
The number one cause of on-the-job injuries is physical overload. These injuries are cause by lifting (too heavy a load or lifting improperly), straining, overreaching, bending, and twisting. To protect your back against injury, learn and use proper lifting techniques, never bend or twist while lifting or carrying, and whenever possible, use a mechanical aid or get help with the load from another worker.

Hitting or striking against
The second most common cause of worker injury is being hit by or hitting against an object. The best way to protect against these accidents is to be alert to the potential hazards and to use appropriate protective equipment (hard hats, eye protection, gloves). Be aware of your body and the space around you. Give yourself enough clearance when passing by or ducking under equipment or going through a passageway.

Falls
To avoid injuries from falls, be sure that your footing is firm and wear slip-resistant soled shoes. Watch where you’re walking. Don’t walk backward to direct equipment or leap from one level to another. Make sure you can see over the load you carry and that walkways are well-lighted and clear of obstacles. Clean up spills or grease spots and use handrails when walking on stairs.

Machine Accidents
The fourth major cause of on-the-job injury is machine-related accidents, that is, getting caught by moving machine parts. When working around any moving equipment (a machine that rotates, slides, or presses) always use safety shields, guards, and lock-out procedures. Only work on a machine that you have been trained to use. Never wear jewelry or loose-fitting clothing that could get caught in the moving equipment.

Be alert to the hazards you face on your job and learn what you should do to protect yourself against accidents and injuries and follow your company’s established safety guidelines.  For more information on how to institute a safe work environment contact, Kaprice Crawford, WHFA Membership Director, 800.422.3778.

This Market continues to emphasize the California-centric focus that is the cornerstone of MMPI’s California Gift Show, produced in January and July. Many showroom resources are unique to L.A Mart and the region, offering buyers selections unavailable elsewhere. MMPI management remains confident in its Los Angeles venue as the must-shop destination to source both innovative California designed and made products, as well as those produced internationally.

“We are excited to host our retail buyers once again,” said Jeff Sampson, vice president of marketing, L.A. Mart and California Gift Show. “With the new retail sales report from the U.S. Census Bureau just out, the 6.5 % jump in February 2012 retail sales over one year ago February 2011 will undoubtedly translate into serious order writing next week.”

L.A. Mart presents a full year of buyer programming, including Spring and Fall Gift + Home Markets, hosted in March and September respectively, Market Tuesdays, Spring and Fall Gift + Home Sample Sales and the January and July California Gift Show.

Gains were also reported in retail and core sales, indicating consumer spending has increased. Consumers are spending more time shopping online where they can evaluate the product and easily navigate amongst stores to find the most competitive price. Marketing research firm Experian indicates that 20 percent of online shoppers expect to spend more in 2012 due to better discounts from retailers.

In addition, Wisnefski feels:

• We are dealing with a new “price-savvy” consumer these days assisted greatly by the online daily-deals market and stiff competition from online retailers. Consumers are being trained to shop around to find the absolute lowest price for a product.
• Increased competition means lower prices and more purchasing by the consumer. Strong economic data (including an uptick in payrolls and discretionary income) supports consumer purchasing power but online resources give the consumer an avenue to stretch their dollar.
• The highly successful 2011 holiday shopping season had a significant effect on jump-starting the results we are seeing now. Online shopping and online reviews are playing an intricate role in helping consumers make an affordable purchase (and many of them).
• Search engine marketing (SEM) initiatives are playing a significant role in exposing online deals and helping the consumer shop the discounts. These initiatives should continue to help boost consumer spending and sales figures in 2012.

The Discovery Video puts a spotlight on the depth and breadth of the High Point Market and its reach around the world. As the buyer in the video learns more about the High Point Market, the viewer can interact with the video itself, discovering embedded clues that lead to more information about the Market and opportunities to register for prizes.

“We want viewers to connect with this innovative Discovery Video by interacting with it,” says Cheminne Taylor-Smith, vice president of marketing for the High Point Market Authority. “The idea is to inspire them to explore and discover not only the video’s hidden clues, but to learn more about the High Point Market itself.”

The Discovery Video uses a clickable service called WireWax that embeds motion-tracking hotspots into the video. When a viewer places a cursor over a hotspot, a box pops up to provide up more information or to lead them to register for drawings for prizes.

“The prizes in the video also offer ways for buyers to learn more about the High Point Market,” says Taylor-Smith. “Among the things they can win are vouchers for airfare and hotel that will allow them to experience the Market themselves in April.”

Drawings for the prizes will be held on April 1, and the winners will be notified on April 2.

You can also view the Discovery Video at www.highpointmarket.org/contest.

The buyer in the video, Sara Miles, will continue to reach out to her friends in the Twitterverse as she discovers the next six days that matter over the coming weeks and during the High Point Market. Follow her journey at @sarandipitiLA.

“Congratulations to the Badasci’s and Tessa Malette on their prize of membership for life,” said David Beckmann, president of Emerald Home Furnishings. “Emerald is deeply committed to The Home Furnishing Association and the cause it represents. We are very pleased to see the groups grow, not just in size, but also in stature. These associations meet and exceed the expectation of helping to make retailers stronger, by making this industry stronger as well.”

The NHFA Member for Life winner, Furniture King, provides customers in Petawawa furniture, home décor and mattress. Ninety percent of their floor is Ashley furniture. Tessa was very excited when she learned they won the Lifetime Membership to NHFA, “When we were at the Vegas show, we just figured we should finally become a member of NHFA,” she said. “We were very excited and very happy to win the lifetime membership.”

Lemoore Furniture was the winner of the WHFA Lifetime Membership. Ten years ago, Ann and Robert purchased the building next door to their hardware store. The business that used to occupy the building had been a furniture store, and having dabbled in selling furniture occasionally at the hardware store, Ann and Robert decided to get back into the furniture business. “It was great to find out that we won the lifetime membership,” said Ann. “We were ready to leave Market on Wednesday, and Robert told me to go back to the RRC and sign up for the membership then, cause if I waited, I wouldn’t do it. Then when we got home, and I got the news that we won—it was just so wonderful!”

Lifetime membership winners receive a membership to the Western and National Home Furnishings Associations for the life of their business. With this membership, they have access all of the money-saving programs, valuable tools and a community of dedicated industry professionals that are a part of the Association.

“It is wonderful to have such supportive partners like Emerald Home Furnishings. To offer such a great benefit to hard working retailers during these economic times is an incredible value, and we couldn’t do it without our partners,” said WHFA Executive Director, Sharron Bradley. “NHFA and WHFA strive daily to meet and exceed the expectations of our members and provide them with the tools they need to survive and thrive. We look forward to periodically checking in on our new Member for Life retailers to ensure they are receiving all the benefits possible.”

“For decades our organizations have focused on the needs of the members by providing relevant, targeted programs and services,” said Sharron Bradley, WHFA executive director. “The obvious next step was to deliver a more powerful educational and inspirational publication that links our community across regions, categories and the nation. This is who we need to be NOW”

RetailerNow is the magazine for today’s home furnishings professional. Developed for a specialized community, it will bring a unique editorial focus on progressive and relevant issues concerning the home furnishing industry, more often than not, shared in the retailer’s voice. “We are the only Association publication delivered to a dedicated member base nationwide, and we are taking our new role very seriously,” added RetailerNOW Editor, Melissa Dressler.

RetailerNOW will launch during the second annual Home Furnishings Industry Conference, May 6-8 in Palm Springs. Attendees to this event will be the first to experience this bold new publication offering a fresh perspective on pertinent issues affecting the home furnishings retailer. Events and surprises will be sprinkled throughout the conference in celebration of the magazines launch.

Marc Schewel, Schewel Furniture and current NHFA President stated, “By merging our efforts, NHFA and WHFA will be able to craft a better magazine to help our members while helping the industry move into the future. We are ready to change the landscape of our industry, and this is the perfect vehicle to do it.”

RetailerNOW will be published 10-times a year. For advertising and special launch issue opportunities contact Larry Carroll at lcarroll@nhfa.org, or Cindi Williams at cwilliams@whfa.org. For editorial opportunities, contact Melissa Dressler at mdressler@whfa.org.

February 22, 2012—Members of the Specialty Sleep Association (SSA) are extremely pleased with record activity in the SSA’s multi-exhibitor showroom during the recent Las Vegas Market. Featuring 35 SSA members, the 20,000-square-foot showroom (C1350) posted a 25 percent increase in attendance in buyer organizations.

SSA President Dale T. Read said 675 unique retail buyer groups and designers visited the organization’s showroom during the Jan. 30-Feb. 3 event, compared with 500 and 540 at the past summer and winter markets, respectively. He said buyers are attracted by manufacturers showing a range of innovative bedding and related products, including “cool” sleep items, adjustable beds, certified organic mattresses, and more.

“It’s an amazing record, and several new exhibitors will be joining us for the next Las Vegas Market,” Read said. “We’ve worked hard to promote the space among a growing list of interested and prospective buyers. Product- and profit-differentiation are in demand by the bedding retailer and our exhibitors deliver that. The SSA member exhibitors can also meet demand for products that address a host of consumer end-benefits, many associated with better sleep, and that’s invaluable to dealers and their RSAs.”

California based Supracor, which has a worldwide patent for a fusion-bonded honeycomb foam technology, will be among the new exhibitors in the SSA showroom in July after showing in a different area of the World Market Center earlier this month, said Steve Landi, director of business development. “The level of foot traffic in the SSA showroom was significant and the staff is so welcoming and helpful,” Landi said. “You could feel the energy in the space. The SSA showroom will be best for us to exhibit in the future.”

Dreampur, a Spain based distributor of viscoelastic and memory foam pillows with offices in Florida, also committed to membership in the SSA and plans to exhibit in the association’s space at the next winter Vegas market. The company’s goal is to promote awareness of their brand to prospective North American customers. “It was our first market and so we did not realize the showroom existed for our industry,” said Lissette Villamor, national accounts manager, based in Miami.” We were impressed with the quality of the meetings we witnessed [among SSA exhibitors].We wanted to join immediately.”

Among current SSA exhibitors, reactions to the February event have been overwhelmingly positive:

• Mike Echevarria, national director of sales and marketing, Forever Foundations, Orange, CA. (bed foundations and frames): “We wrote new business with good-sized customers and are busy following up on leads. There’s a big awareness about the SSA for a lot of retailers now, and they know to look there for the specialty items like ours.”
• Angela Owens, owner, Suite Sleep, Boulder, CO. (organic mattresses and bedding for the whole family): “I think it is a great opportunity for small to mid-sized businesses to show in the SSA showroom, because retailers are looking for unique products to differentiate themselves in the market and the SSA showroom offers buyers a one-stop shopping experience for all things Specialty Sleep.”
• Mark Miller, president, InnoMax, Denver, CO. (adjustable beds and bedding products): “When you think of air flotation, fluid suspension, gel elements, his and her adjustability, and a host of wellness benefits for an aging population, you realize that until all sleep is suspended animation, we’re not done yet. There will always be opportunities for innovation and new products. ”Miller additionally serves on the SSA Board of Directors.

The services include website development, search engine optimization, social media marketing, reputation management and email marketing. Members will select from a complete packaged offering or individual services. “Our membership has requested that we develop a program in conjunction with a provider to handle all aspects of internet marketing and social media”, says Steve Dehaan, NHFA Executive VP, “After an extensive search, our search committee determined that Web4Retail is the appropriate provider for the home furnishings industry.”

Web4Retail, a division of Keniston & Company, has over a decade of experience working with retailers and is an industry leader in technology and the internet. “Web4Retail and the NHFA are alike in that we are committed to the preservation of the independent retailer”, says Web4Retail President Denise Keniston, “This program has been designed specifically for the independent home furnishings retailer who has seen a drastic change in the manner in which the consumer shops the category, as well as changes to the competitive landscape.”  The program is currently in place and is available to NHFA members.

About NHFA: NHFA is the nation’s largest organization devoted to home furnishings retailers. NHFA’s membership comprises 2,000 corporate entities representing nearly 5,000 stores.
NHFA’s mission is to help our members operate highly profitable businesses that provide an exceptional level of service to the consumers who buy their furniture.
Web4Retail: A leader in web management for retail, Web4Retail (www.web4retail.com) provides website design, web marketing, SEO, social media and e-commerce services for home furnishings industry retailers.

LAS VEGAS, NV —Feb. 21, 2012 —Winter Las Vegas Market 2012 far exceeded expectations with strong traffic and sales created by an uptick in consumer confidence, scores of new showrooms and the market’s distinction as the first major event for product introductions and buying in the western United States. Market officials reported significant attendance increases amongst retailers across all categories, interior designers as well as international buyers – especially those from Canada, Latin America and the Middle East.

According to Robert Maricich, CEO of International Market Centers, parent company of World Market Center Las Vegas, Winter Las Vegas Market 2012 was the strongest ever in three years.  “Given the depth of the recent recession, our success speaks volumes about improving consumer confidence and a resurging economy,” he said.  “According to our statistics, the recession is officially over in the eyes of the furnishings industry.  The energy at Winter Market was palpable. Buyers were buying, and ultimately, that’s what counts.”

Statistics from the five-day (January 30-February 3) Winter Las Vegas Market included:

• 14 increase in attending companies as compared to Winter Market 2011
• 27 increase in Latin American buyers and a 33 percent increase in Middle Eastern buyers compared to Winter Market 2011; almost twice as many Canadians attended than at the Summer Market 2011
• 23 percent increase in buyers as compared to Summer Market 2011
• 83 of the industry’s top 100 retailers attended
• 31 percent increase in interior designers as compared to Summer Market 2011
• 4,000-plus new U.S. buyers attended for the first time; 1,000-plus new International buyers
• 71 percent of first-time buyers were from the Western United States
• 58 percent increase in mattress buyers as compared to Summer Market 2011
• 21 percent increase in furniture buyers as compared to Summer Market 2011
• 19 percent increase in decorative accessory buyers as compared to Summer Market 2011
• 9 percent increase in floor coverings buyers as compared to Summer Market 2011

The international event for home furnishings, gifts and decorative accessories industry attracted tens of thousands of professionals and is considered as one of the most vibrant furnishings markets in the world given the depth and variety of product offerings coupled with a sophisticated, highly-efficient buying experience.

Since August 2011, Las Vegas Market signed an additional 275,000 square feet of showroom and exhibit space to 257 companies. This included 236 new companies to the Las Vegas Market and 21 existing tenants that have expanded. More than 50 ribbon-cutting ceremonies took place during Market week, adding significant energy and buzz. In total, Las Vegas Market encompasses more than 5 million square feet of exhibition space across three state-of-the-art, interconnected buildings which feature more than 1,000 exhibiting brands and lines.

According to Maricich, the growth of Las Vegas Market exhibitors speaks to the Market’s overall value as a place where business is done.  “Las Vegas Market is where retail buyers and designers get their industry intelligence and pick up on the hottest design trends at the start of every year, drawing from thousands of products and manufacturers from around the world,” Maricich said. “Added to that is the incredibly appealing Las Vegas location that’s accessible and offers a mood that is unparalleled.”

The recent merger of the World Market Center Las Vegas complex and the most premier High Point properties, now forming the International Market Centers umbrella, is a positive force for the industry, Maricich said.  “The two Markets are now cooperating, not competing,” he said.  “It’s a union that has been a long time in coming, but one that is mutually beneficial for everyone in the industry.  We can now offer buyers, exhibitors and manufacturers the best of both Markets.”

New to Winter Las Vegas Market were notable power-houses like Bassett, which was not only showing at Las Vegas Market, but has permanent space IMC’s International Home Furnishings Center in High Point, N.C. “Bassett is one of the giants, a true bellwether in the home furnishings industry,” said Maricich.  “The company understands the value of having a strong presence at markets on both sides of the country, demonstrating the new synergy created by IMC’s merger of platforms in Las Vegas and High Point.”

Also debuting at Winter Market was the “Made in USA” pavilion, which featured an array of products made in America.  According to Maricich, buying local is a growing trend throughout the entire manufacturing and retail industries, and the home furnishings and gift sectors are no exception.  “American-made products speak to the growing sentiment of patriotism and are seen as a way to bolster the economy,” he said.  “The Pavilion proved to be incredibly popular with market attendees and was equally popular with overseas buyers.”

Yet another visible spring design trend at Market was color. “Color is everywhere this season and present in scores of showrooms,” Maricich said.  “It symbolizes the energy boost consumers are feeling and speaks to newfound hope for the future.”

Las Vegas Market kicked off with “First Look,” a biannual tradition highlighting trends and new product picks for Market. Celebrity designer Monica Pedersen of HGTV and home products/trends editor, Julie Smith Vincenti, guided attendees through a colorful presentation that featured everything from Pantone’s 2012 color of the year – Tangerine Tango – to the newest accents, patterns and trends.

LuxEco and One Good Design hosted yet another notable seminar during Winter Las Vegas Market. Designer Lori Dennis guided guests through an insightful panel on the growing concern for environmental issues amongst affluent consumers who are particularly proactive in their shopping choices. Accordingly to Dennis, “there were 186 green exhibitors at market this year. We continued to see an increase in eco-friendly products. This is a reoccurring trend that has staying power and something in which consumers are really interested. Las Vegas Market offered attendees a chance to learn more about what’s current in the design world.”

Across the exhibition floors, buyers and exhibitors were equally enthusiastic.

Bruce Cohenour, senior vice president for Bassett Furniture, reiterated Las Vegas Market’s high energy. “Las Vegas Market is an important audience for us to capture,” stated Cohenour. “On the first day alone, we had many new customers comment on how pleased they were with our products. We’ve aggressively added new offerings to our retail mix at this Market. Las Vegas has an energy you can’t beat. We were happy to be a part of a successful week of meetings and sales.”

“This was our first Las Vegas Market,” stated Cary Benson, president of sales and marketing for Palliser. “Our reps had 300-plus appointments, and the interest was so high, we were taking orders on Sunday – prior to the formal opening of Market.Las Vegas was definitely an order writing show.”

According to Matt Briggs, CEO of Four Hands, the company has been involved in Market since its inception.  “Our showroom presence has grown with our successes over the years. Once spanning only 8,000 square feet, we are now showing an impressive 20,000 square feet of showroom space. We continue to roll out new product collections to meet the demands of our customers. Las Vegas is a win-win for us.”

Brock Bogenschutz, director of e-commerce for Yosemite Home Décor said, “Vegas Market was exceptional for us. The dynamic was as strong as the product mix. Everyone loves coming to Vegas. We consider it our major Market, and we look forward to continuing to build on our success here.”

David Gebhart, CEO and president of Dallas-based Global Views, said Las Vegas has a zest about it. “We got to work hand in hand with our customers to educate them on trends and color palettes. There was a noticeable uptick in traffic and business in general. We were very pleased.”

Gary Gibson, vice president of sales for Sonax, said the company had 30 percent more appointments during the Winter Market.  “More appointments easily translated into more business,” he said. “We only participate in the two Las Vegas Markets, and there was noticeable growth this year.”

According to Jason Philips, vice president creative director for Philips Collections, the Las Vegas Market best reaches its west coast customers but also has growing attendance from east coast and international buyers. “The city has established itself firmly as a national and international Market,” he said.

Keith Koenig, President of City Furniture, makes the trip each market to see many of the unique suppliers that are in Las Vegas and to get a fresh look at new product. “Las Vegas has got a nice dose of west coast oriented companies which gives us a vision into what those companies think are new and fresh and stylish. It gives us a chance to see new vendors that might turn into a new resource. And we have so many important suppliers and important venders that introduce new product here. Even though it is more markets, it is helpful for the manufacturers to be able to show because they get a chance to present product in a different light.”

Carlos E. Capo, Executive Vice President of El Dorado Furniture, said his team loves coming to Las Vegas Market because they have the opportunity to see companies and product that they can’t see anywhere else. “We can talk with the vendors, see their goods and build a relationship. As an industry, we have to find what the customer wants even when they don’t know. This is something that Las Vegas Market helps us with.”

Toronto-based Patrick Kelly, Director of Cantrex’s furniture network and retail programs, noted the importance of Las Vegas Market for its members in western Canada. “We’re here shopping different manufacturers and products and working with them on different programs, so it’s very important for the West—but we’ve also had a lot of people from Quebec and eastern Canada so it’s been a good market. This markets stands out from other markets because the venue is awesome and it is so easy to shop.”

Lael Thompson, Chief Operations Officer for Sonshine Furniture Today Inc. which owns and operates the Broyhill Home Collections furniture store in Aurora, Colo. believes the formation of IMC is positive. “I think the investment of IMC was a major step for the industry as a whole. Instead of having competing markets or having to choose which market you would go to, we now have them organized by a single source. It makes it easier for me as a buyer and as a store. The furniture industry is a very fragmented industry and so to be able to have more unity in this industry during these tough economic times is extremely important.”

Other Market highlights included an only-in-Vegas conversation with Priscilla Presley, the Gift+Home Merchandising Awards, and an esteemed panel focused on Canada as an emerging international market, plus dozens of other educational seminars from thought leaders in social media, marketing and design. Hospitality at Las Vegas Market was top notch all week long with events such as the Gourmet Food Truck Festival, a Market kick-off party that transformed the courtyard into a four-wheeled fiesta for market goers. Attendees also started the day off right with a delicious Grab ‘N’ Go breakfast compliments of Las Vegas Market, provided each morning in the Grand Plaza.

To visit our online photo gallery for images from Las Vegas Market, please visit http://www.lasvegasmarket.com/gallery/lvm-winter-2012-day-1/.

The space is nearly double the size of the company’s largest store and is intended to expand their presence into an area currently underserved by home furnishing retail options. Interior remodeling on the space is currently underway with an expected opening by April of 2012.

While plans for the company’s growth were put on hold by the economic downturn, management is bullish on current and future trends in the market.

“We definitely held back when the economy slowed down, but we adapted and built a better foundation,” said Vice President Alex Macias . “When the opportunity for this space came along we saw the potential to better serve our customers as well as get back to our West Valley roots.”

Del Sol is looking to establish this anchor location as a flagship for the furniture brand. The concept will take advantage of the larger location to offer more product selection and provide a one stop shopping experience to a wider customer demographic.

In reaction to the economic downturn’s impact on the home furnishing and greater retail markets, Del Sol scaled back some locations and made efforts were made to broaden the customer base. Responding to the effects of the housing downturn, the company enhanced its finance offerings to help customers fulfill their furnishing needs.

“We understand that families have struggled, so we are excited to open this new location as a thank you to all our loyal customers and demonstrate our commitment to the Phoenix community,” said owner Rosa Macias.

Opened in 1997 as Muebleria Del Sol by Venancio and Rosa Macias, the company has grown to four valley locations including Red Tag Furniture at Arizona Mills Mall, which coincided with a rebrand from a mostly Hispanic market segment to a more general consumer reach. The company has evolved into a second-generation family-owned furniture retail business with son Alex Macias and daughter Minerva Macias-Maestas now at the helm.

Imagine customers relating their lifestyle to a room just by the sound of music from each showroom. Music enhances the experience of shopping because it influences a customer from the moment they step into the store. The tempo of music cannot be too fast or too slow because it will impact the emotions the customer has and might make them leave quickly or lose interest.

Just as each room requires different styles of colors and furnishings, the setting of each room requires a personal station that plays certain tunes that will connect a customer to the merchandise. For instance, a dining room should have different music than the bedroom. Music should be an accent to the décor of each room and contain a sense of belonging for the customers. The backdrop of music will create a vision for the customer with their family inside the showrooms, and encourage them to continue shopping. Rooms will come to life with the support of music. Customers will be able to identify their own style in each room.

Another benefit is to include in-store branding messages between songs for customers to learn about current sales, interest rates, delivery options and store policies. Employees will gain value from listening to the music stations by learning about current promotions, advertisements, and being entertained which could improve morale for the store. Background music will help create a professional relationship between the customer and employees in a positive environment. You turn your speakers into an additional sales tool that is considered by the customer as less intrusive and biased than a salesperson. The messages can plant the “sales seed” in the consumer’s mind that can turn into the sound of a ringing register.

Named alongside such top-shelf brands as The Today Show, Whole Foods, Pillsbury, and Random House, the High Point Market was listed as a brand that creatively used Pinterest as part of its overall marketing plan. Style Spotters, launched during the October 2011 Market, recruited home fashion trendsetters to showcase their favorite products and top trends from Market exhibitors on Pinterest, a website that lets users organize and share photos on virtual pinboards.

Pinterest has become one of the fastest-growing social networks on the Internet and is now driving more referral traffic than Google+, YouTube, Reddit, and LinkedIn combined.

“At the High Point Market we have a clear strategy for social media,” says Cheminne Taylor-Smith, vice president of marketing for the High Point Market Authority. “We use it to increase brand awareness, to build a community within the home furnishings world, to provide customer service and respond to feedback, and to quickly circulate information about the Market.

“There is also a less tangible, but no less important, reason that we use social media tools, and that’s to create excitement about the Market,” she adds. “We’ve done that at every recent event, from a flash mob in the fall of 2010, to viral behind-the-scenes videos in April 2011, to our Style Spotters event last October.”

The Style Spotters program will continue this April, with a new roster of trendsetters on the lookout for top products and trends. The Spotters will present exhibitors with signs that highlight the Style Spotter’s name with a QR code and URL for the Market Pinterest board. Market attendees can also participate by voting on the pinboards and products, generating “likes” or re-pinning.

Style Spotters are also promoted on the Market’s Facebook page and on Twitter, using the Market hashtag #hpmkt.

The April 2012 Style Spotters include:

• The winning Style Spotter from October, Tobi Fairley, Tobi Fairley blog, @tobifairley
• Crystal Gentilello, Rue Magazine, @CrystalG
• Shay Geyer, Designer Detective, @designershay
• Jamie Meares, I Suwannee, @jamiemeares
• Jennifer Mehditash, Dec-A-Porter, @decaporter
• Mat Sanders, Domino’s Quick Fixes, @thematfinish
• Patricia Shackelford, Mrs Blandings, @mrsbdreamhouse
• Traci Zeller, Traci Zeller blog, @tracizeller

To discover more about the Style Spotters, go to www.highpointmarket.org/stylespotters.

Martin Ploy, Michael Amini, Brad Pyne, Chuck Reilly, & David Koehler

Importer AICO/Amini Innovations Corp recognized their top producing Sales Representatives during their annual Sales Award banquet held in Las Vegas last month. The most prestigious honor, “Sales Professional of the Year 2011”, was presented to Brad Pyne, who has been with AICO managing the New York and Northern New Jersey territory for over six years. Aside from his trophy award, Pyne received a brilliant white gold diamond ring recognizing his achievement. Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Chuck Reilly said, “Brad’s drive and commitment has been key to our growth in the region, however the recognition that Brad received from his peers this past year as Dean of IHFRA is a true tribute to his makeup as a Professional.”

AICO President Martin Ploy presented the President’s Club award for outstanding sales achievement to Hank Butler, Mike Gray, Frank Lorenzo, Brad Pyne and Jake Salman. In presenting these awards, Martin commented, “the measure of success is not just in the volume of sales achieved, but in facilitating growth even in the toughest times. These gentlemen continually reinvent their sales approach to win in challenging times.”

Lawrence Pascal, who has managed the Canadian territory at AICO for over 12 years, was honored with the Spirit of Professionalism award, which is given annually to the sales professional who most exemplifies professionalism day in day out and in the management of their accounts.

In addition to these awards, there were awards given for Sales Achievement in both Top-of-Bed and Upholstery to several top producing sales professionals.

Michael Amini and Jane Seymour

One of the most basic fundamentals of good customer service is telling the truth. The first thing you need to do as a salesperson is to establish trust and the best way to establish that is by telling the truth. This goes for all promises that are made to the customer, no matter how small it may seem to you. The customers are going to remember every promise that you make to them, so you better remember them as well and follow through. Repeat business is a key to sales and keeping your promises is one way to ensure that repeat business. In short, if you say it, do it!

Every customer is different with different wants and needs. Therefore it would be silly to use the same approach on every potential customer. A good salesperson will talk with each and every customer and find out what they want and then make every effort to satisfy those wants and needs. Satisfying a customer can be done in many ways. It may be simply taking an item back that did not meet their needs. It is not your fault that the product did not meet the customers’ needs but by taking it back you are showing an understanding of what the customer’s needs are. You also may be able to sell them another product that better fits their needs. A satisfied customer will not only return to you for further needs but they will also share their experience with two or three friends. Whereas, an unsatisfied customer will not come back and will share their experience with up to 10 people. There are many people in this world but we certainly cannot afford to be losing up to 10 potential customers every time we fail to satisfy a customer’s needs. We will not be in business for very long at that rate. Satisfy every customer!

We are all people who, whether we want to admit it or not, like to talk about ourselves. That’s the nature of being human. As a salesperson, though, it just will not work. Very few people who are coming into a store to buy something from you care that your car broke down on the way to work that day. The one thing they do care about is how you can provide them with what they want. Let the customer talk about themselves and what they want. You accomplish two very important goals this way:

Œ1. You build a level of trust with the customer, making it easier to sell to them.

2. You find out what their needs are. Now you know what they want and you have their trust, that’s a great combination. Keep your personal problems out of business!

We all want to feel important and that something has been done just for us. That’s why it is always important to give the customer your full attention. No one is more important than that person standing in front of you at that moment. We talked about trust earlier in the article. One of the easiest ways to begin to gain that trust is to simply pay attention to what your customer is saying. It is also just as easy to lose that trust by taking phone calls, talking with others, looking disinterested and talking too much yourself. We also talked earlier about customers don’t always buy the same product for the same reason. Therefore it is important that you are listening and paying attention to your customer, so you can best meet their needs. As was mentioned above, we all like to feel special or important. One simple way to make our customers feel that way is by using their name.

Listening is an art that all of us need constant work on. It is especially true when we our listening to our customers speak. They are taking the time to tell us about themselves and what they need or want. We owe it to them to listen and never interrupt! A sale can quickly be lost if a salesperson continues to interrupt his/her customer. By listening to everything the customer says, they may answer most of the questions we have from them about what they want or need. No one knows better about what they want than the customer themselves, so listen and give them what they want—they want to be heard. We talk a lot about developing trust in a seller/buyer relationship and listening goes a long way towards developing that trust. If you listen well and hear what your customer is telling you, and then the sale will be easier. They will be more willing to listen to you if you take the time to listen to them.

We are a society of first impressions. Is that completely fair? Probably not, but that’s the time that we live in today. You cannot make a sale by being neatly groomed but you can certainly lose sales. You need to look competent and potential buyers are going to notice how you are groomed before you say one word to them. You may know your product better than any other salesperson on the floor but if you are dressed in old jeans and a T-shirt, you may never get the chance to demonstrate your knowledge. Especially if all of your co-workers are dressed in business attire and “look the part.” Don’t lose potential sales because of your attire. There are enough things in sales that you cannot control, so take advantage of those things you can control. Dress for success!

Some people still hold the stereotype that all salespeople are nothing but pushy con men. It is up to you to prove that those days are long gone. People today buy products based on value, features and benefits. Salespeople need to explain their product in clear, easy to understand terms. This also means stay away from jargon. Every industry has its own language or jargon that is used within the industry but the customer will probably not understand that jargon. So it is vital that you speak to your customer in a clear and concise manner. Your job is to understand what your customer wants and then provide it with clear and honest communication. No fast talking!

No one wants to buy a product from someone who is not excited about selling the product. You need to be able to show your enthusiasm for whatever you are selling. It’s important to remember that the customer who is buying your product might be buying it for the first time. Take a jewelry salesperson for example that probably sells many engagements rings a week. It may become routine or even boring for that salesperson after a while but the customer is, most likely, buying an engagement ring for the first time. The customer is very excited because this is the biggest moment of their life. What happens to that excitement if they come across a salesperson that is tired and does not match the customer’s excitement? They are many furniture stores and chances are the buyer will seek one of them out. However if you match their enthusiasm about there pending home purchase, then you have all ready began to establish a rapport with that customer. Along with showing your enthusiasm for your product and your customer, it is also vital that you SMILE, SMILE, SMILE! Smiling is contagious and can go a long way in making your customer more comfortable and the more comfortable they are with you, the more comfortable you become with them. A smile can also provide an icebreaker when approaching a potential customer. If you flash a smile at a potential customer and you receive a smile back, then the ice is broken. There are still a lot of misconceptions about salespeople and a simple smile can go along way in showing our customers that we are just another person.

By showing your enthusiasm and smiling you have all ready gone a long way in making it fun! Anything you do is going to be more productive if the parties involved are having fun. We have all ready discussed the idea that customers are usually excited about making their purchase and if you share their excitement, then a lot of fun can be had by both the seller and the buyer. If you go to any mall around the country, chances are the mall we have some type of entertainment to make the shopping experience more enjoyable. If you are willing to make it fun for both you and your customer, your customer will remember the good time they had buying from you and will come back to you when it is time to buy again.

The golden rule is something we all grew up hearing about. “Do unto others as you would want done unto you.” This rule can certainly be applied in the sales field as well. If you are honest, straightforward and professional, then you are more likely to get the same in return. Not every sale you make will wind up with a happy customer. It’s just not realistic to believe that. Products either break or don’t meet the needs of the person who bought them. You can’t control stuff like that but you can control how you treat people. The better you treat people, the more sales you will make.

The salesperson who want to stand out from the rest will always go the extra mile! Find a way to make everyone who buys from you feel special. It can be, and usually is, something simple. For example, a lot of mortgagee companies will provide a bottle of champagne to new homebuyers upon final closing. Not only does this make the buyers feel good about their purchase; it also might provide you with more customers. Sure those new homeowners are going to bring in their friends and show off their new house but they are also likely to point to that bottle of champagne and tell the story of where they got it. That has the potential to lead them to recommending your company to any of their friends looking to buy a house. Word of mouth is a powerful thing that can spread like wildfire, good and bad. Make it work for you by taking the time to go that extra mile.

In the end, quality customer service is common sense. Find out what the customer wants or needs and the find a way to deliver it to meet the customer’s desires. Treat all your customers like they are your only customer because at that moment, they are and deserve your undivided attention. If you choose to become an expert at customer service you will not only sell more than your competitors today, you will continue to outsell your competitors in the future. People, eventually, will no longer have a use for the product they bought from you. However they will remember the high standard of customer service that you provided and that will bring them back.

Author, trainer, consultant, and speaker Brad Huisken is President of IAS Training. Mr. Huisken authored the books “I’M a salesman! Not a PhD.” and “Munchies For Salespeople, Selling Tips That You Can Sink Your Teeth Into”, he developed the PMSA Relationship Selling Program, the PSMC Professional Sales Management Course, The Mystery Shoppers Kit, The Employee Handbook and Policy & Procedures Manual, The Weekly Sales Training Meeting series along with Aptitude Tests and Proficiency Exams for new hires, current sales staff and sales managers, along with the new Weekly Internet Sales Training Series. In addition, he publishes a free weekly newsletter called “Sales Insight” For a free subscription or more information contact IAS Training at (800) 248-7703, info@iastraining.com, www.iastraining.com or fax (303) 936-9581.

Opening in 2009, Fixtures Living started helping Southern Californians’ dreams come true through their unique brand experience. Capitalizing upon the realization that the premium Appliance & Plumbing Industry was truly underserved, Fixtures Living’s four business partners came together to build their dream. The goal was simple: to create joy for their customers.

Drawing upon their own concepts of what the ideal shopping experience should be, the founders created an unsurpassed retail branding experience. Customers go through a process of immersion as they enter the store (see cappuccino experience, above).“This gives our guests the opportunity to decompress, to absorb our environment and to understand why we are relevant,” said Jeffery Sears, one of the four partners. “Then we explain how the store works, and we empower you to self-shop, or to be helped. We give our visitors the ability to command and control. When that happens, they feel joy, and associate it with our brand. That is something we unlocked when we designed the store.”

The first two locations in San Diego and Rancho Mirage took tested theory of customer immersion and empowerment and were highly successful. Last September, they took what they had learned from those locations and created the Costa Mesa store—which is truly an unbelievable experience, taking visitors on a journey of discovery.

“Here, we provide the ability to dream and to play; everywhere water should run, it runs. Everywhere there is a kitchen, there is fire. Ovens turn on, there’s a pizza hearth and live beer taps hidden throughout,” said Sears. “Unlike other stores, we don’t try to sell people a box or an appliance. We don’t ask what they want to buy, but rather, how they want to live. When we do that, the brands in the store come to the customer based upon their desires, or upon their budget.”

Perhaps most extraordinarily, Fixtures Living has transformed a need-based industry into a want-based industry. Often times people will only visit appliance and plumbing stores when they are remodeling or something broke—rarely just to “hang out” there. By creating an experience and allowing customers to explore, Fixtures Living has created an environment that people want to visit—and to linger at, discovering ideas they might never have dreamt of before. Sears added, “They can take a steam shower, they can try out the sauna, they can even traipse around naked inside the seclusion of The Sanctuary and try out all of the shower heads while others are shopping just a few feet away. It makes a difference when you start empowering people to explore. Then they want something. That is the difference in what we have done—we have created a want-based atmosphere for these types of products.”

They have also created an atmosphere for learning. Holding daily classes in their kitchens, Fixtures Living not only showcases their products but their culinary skills. Every day from 11-2 they host complimentary “how-to’s” on everything from knife skills to seasoning hints. A friendly culinary staff shares helpful product knowledge, tips, tricks, and—most importantly—irresistible tastings and even, during select times, lunch. Fixtures Living also offers its business-to-business customers opportunities to utilize the showroom space for after-business-hour parties and social events. “We utilize a tribal theory to market to our B2B side of the business, which is architects, the design community and remodelers. We bring those people in, they utilize our space, and we gift it to them for private events. It’s kind of a fun place to have a party or a sales meeting, and the word-of-mouth begins,” Sears said. Part of the experience is in the stories you read on the walls and in the vignettes. Each vignette evokes an emotional response from the customer. “In these settings, you are reading about moments, not about BTUs or the features of a chrome faucet,” said Sears. “Some stories make you smile, some make you cry. The purpose is to transport customers to a place where they can see themselves in that tub, or in that shower, and to make a meaningful connection.”

Fixtures Living has found a way to infuse its brand in every aspect of the store, from its employees to the writing on the walls. Sears attributes this to being a very creative company that is also highly process-oriented. The four owners each bring a unique background with them, and this creates a rare cross-pollination between process control and creativity. They contemplate every single aspect of the stores they build, which is quite evident in Costa Mesa.

When hiring, each potential candidate goes through a personality profiling process. Once a person has been hired, they are brought in 6-9 months early to train, working in the market or one of their first two stores before working at the Costa Mesa location. “There is nothing better than to spend time with the people who are going to populate our locations. You could argue that with 20-40 stores in the future, it would be difficult, but it won’t be. It’s one of the most important things because you can build a beautiful store, but if you don’t get the last three feet right, you’ve lost it,” said Sears.

Along with investing in its employees, Fixtures Living invests in others. Each staffer is given a $200 account with the website Kiva.org, which allows them to invest and empower small businesses throughout the world. Then, they are encouraged to re-invest these dollars again and again. Not only does it give back to others, it implicitly conveys to new employees the culture of the company.

Fixtures Living has crafted a beautiful showroom, filled with amazing products and a joyful brand, which has created repeat business. “Any time that you care for people, empower them and provide them with an extraordinary environment—one that does not cost them any extra, and assures them of value—you will create loyalty to a brand,” Sears said.

This loyalty has made Fixtures Living successful during a time when most stores are closing their doors. They have plans to bring their concept of joy to new markets by replicating the Costa Mesa plan. With their sights set on two new openings, Fixtures Living will continue to expand their brand by creating joy, by realizing their customers’ dreams.

NHFA’s prestigious Retailer of the Year Awards are presented annually at the Spring High Point Market Furniture Industry Awards Gala.  This year’s Gala will be held on Monday, April 23, at 6:00 p.m. in the IHFC Ballroom, 11^th Floor, Green Wing.  Candidates must be nominated by active members of the home furnishings industry.  The recipients are selected for their outstanding contributions to the home furnishings industry, exemplary service to the community, and personal business achievements.  The award, signified by a crystal obelisk, is the highest honor that the 93-year old trade association can bestow upon a member.

Belfort Furniture

Belfort Furniture is a family owned business that originated in Germany in 1969.  The company as it is known today was founded by Mike and Kristi Huber when they opened the first store in 1987 in an industrial park with a lone employee.  Within 5 years Belfort employed 25 team members.  By 1992, the 35,000 sq. ft. Belfort Galleries opened in Dulles, VA, situated in one of the fastest growing counties in the U.S.  Belfort Basics opened in 2003, followed by Belfort Mattress & Kids in 2004, Belfort Interiors in 2005, and in 2006 Huber created a new state-of-the-art 83,000 sq. ft. warehouse.

Mike was elected to the NHFA Board of Directors in 2012.  He is an Advisory Board Member at Middleburg Bank, a member of Loudoun County CEO Cabinet, an Honorary Board Member of the Loudoun Education Foundation, and is recognized as a Top 100 Smart CEO by Washington, DC SmartCEO, and a Top 20 CEO by NOVA Executive.

Belfort has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to worthy charitable causes over the years, including City of Hope’s Walk for Hope, Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter, Embry Rucker Shelter, the American Cancer Society, Avon Breast Cancer Walk and Doctors Without Borders.  Belfort Furniture is the Corporate Sponsor of the YMCA Loudoun County Charity Golf Tournament, which has raised over $300,000 to date to send less fortunate children to camp.  Belfort was named 2008 Corporate Sponsor of the Year by the Loudoun County YMCA, and awarded the 2010 Corporate Partnership Award by the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington.

Lawrance Furniture

The company was originally founded as Modern Furniture Company in 1937 by Howard’s grandfather, Herman Haimsohn and a friend, and was located in downtown San Diego.  In the mid-1950’s Howard’s father Ed took over the family business and changed the merchandising strategy from a general furniture store to a modern specialty retailer.  In 1976, Howard became the 3^rd generation of the family to work in the business.  In 1986 Ed turned over the reins of the business to Howard, making him President.  Today Howard and his wife Julie manage Lawrance Furniture as the leading retailer of modern and contemporary home furnishings in San Diego County, with locations in San Diego and Encinitas.

After serving on the Board of the Western Home Furnishings Association, in 1990 Howard was asked to serve on the Board of Directors of the National Home Furnishings Association.  He was elected President of NHFA in 2002, and served a total of 14 years on the NHFA Board.

Howard and his father Ed founded the Contemporary Design Group in 1983.  Howard currently serves as President of this organization, which has 20 member companies across the country.

Howard and his wife Julie, along with Lawrance Furniture, are active in their local community, supporting Rady’s Childrens Hospital, Congregation Beth Israel Hunger Project which provides 1,000 meals a year to the homeless and needy, City of Hope cancer research, Susan B. Komen for the Cure, Seacrest Village senior housing and healthcare, Helen Woodward Animal Center, and Center for Community Solutions for the prevention of sexual assault and domestic violence.

Scratch that. It’s really difficult. You’re competing with a lot of other businesses in the social media marketplace. Facebook recently announced that there are now more than 3 million active business pages on Facebook, and the average user becomes a fan of four pages every month.

With that many business pages and more and more users joining Facebook everyday, can you really afford not to join the Facebook game and truly become likable?

Do I have you convinced to create a business page yet? Okay good! First off, don’t let anyone ever tell you that it’s all about getting people to press that “like” button. Now, don’t get me wrong, gaining a Fan is a vital part of Facebook and the success of your page. However, you own a furniture store for one reason and one reason only, to sell furniture.

Of course you want your Facebook marketing and communication campaign to be successful, but first you’ve got to be likeable! Below are the top-12 ways to generate more likes, clicks and fan interaction to build a powerful sales channel for your business:

1. Use a Landing Tab to Offer a Compelling Reason for People to “Like” You

When first-time visitors go to your fan page, they will initially see your Wall. That is unless you create a landing tab with one of your Facebook promotional apps.

Make your sweepstakes, share and save or fan coupon offer your landing tab and use it to offer potential fans an incentive or discount. Show them why they should “like” your page and what’s in it for them.

2. Share Pictures

A picture is worth a thousand words. In fact, 800 million Facebook users share their pictures with their friends on a daily basis. So why shouldn’t you?

Share your pictures of customers, products, staff plus more and watch your fans comment on your store’s unique flair.

3. Make and Share Videos

If a picture’s worth a thousand words, a video is worth 10,000. Upload your 30 and 60-second TV spots or even create your own, sharing insights and interviews. Mobile phones make it easy to create videos showing you having fun with staff, customers and partners.

4. Give Away Value

People respond well to quality information and freebies. Use different Facebook apps to offer your fans plenty of value (coupons, sweepstakes, interactive pages, etc.). Plus, it’s simple to provide information by sharing links to articles, podcasts, white papers, and webinars.

Potential customers will remember you and react positively to the expertise and value you can provide. You’ll become their “go-to source” for help and advice.

5. Respond to Negative Comments

There’s a temptation to delete negative remarks or complaints from your Facebook page but if you delete someone’s comments, they will only get louder somewhere else.

The two most important words in Facebook marketing are “I’m sorry”. Mistakes happen, so apologize, fix the problem and turn that complainer into a fan.

6. Respond to the Positive Comments, too

A heartfelt “Thank you” goes a long way too. Make “Thank you” your two next most-important words.

Don’t pass up the chance to encourage a fan who posts something nice on your Facebook page. Give them opportunities to spread the good word about their experience, and thank them sincerely. Get creative with this; there are hundreds of ways to show your appreciation with some personality.

7. Surprise and Delight

Elements of surprise and delight have always been a tenet of good business. But on Facebook, it’s even more important to surprise and delight fans since 800 million people are watching.

Consider giving away free stuff. Reward people randomly and have fun with your fans.

8. Ask Questions

Facebook is the world’s largest focus group. You can ask questions and get plenty of valuable feedback about your product or services, and opportunities or challenges. People want to know that you care about their opinion.

Consider this—it’s more important to be interested than interesting in the world of Facebook. Questions are the best way to generate comments, which will improve your pages, your rank and enable you to show up in more of your fans’ news feeds.

9. Share Stories

People love stories. Talk about how your company got started, an interesting customer or staff member, charity or community involvement. Keep the stories short and simple, and use multimedia.

10.  Be Honest and Transparent

Honesty and authenticity go a long way. Don’t be afraid to be honest with fans. They’ll appreciate the authenticity—and even vulnerability—that accompanies it.

Share what’s going on in your store. Fans will respect it and respond.

11.  Be Short, Sweet and Conversational

Talk to your business’ fans the same way you’d talk to your friends. Short, informal statements and questions generate a lot more engagement than longer posts. You can use up to 420 characters in each Facebook post, but try to keep it to 140 or fewer.

 12. Don’t Sell

Make it easy and compelling for your customers to buy your products. If you’ve set a precedent of quality fan interaction—by listening to them, creating value and educating them about your business through storytelling—then they’ll use your products and services when their needs must be fulfilled. Better yet, when their friends have similar needs, you’ll be the one they “like” and recommend.

Kevin is co-owner of R&A Marketing, a full service traditional and digital marketing company in Columbus, Ohio, which services clients ranging from $500k to $150 million in top line sales from coast-to-coast. For more information, contact Kevin at kevin@ramarketing.com or visit www.ramarketing.com.

For those of you who are new to QR codes, the QR stands for ‘Quick Response’. To scan a QR code you must use a QR reader application (which are free) on your smartphone. Open the application and scan the code just like you would take a picture. Once scanned, your phone will display a message, take you to a URL or something else, depending on what the code is being used for. Often these codes are black and white, but now can be any color. You’ll see examples of a few to the left; I suggest you scan them if you have a smartphone to test out this technology.

Now, “back when I was kid”, tech companies were strategizing how to get in front of businessmen, families and qualifying individuals to buy a machine that sat on a desk, plugged into the wall, turned on, dialed up and allowed you to talk to others across the world. We no longer had to hand-write a letter. We didn’t even have to pick up the phone anymore—the Internet completely changed the way we communicated with others.

Businesses had to adapt, figuring out how these tools could speed up their processes, produce more for less money and increase their exposure, now online and in the physical world. Marketing changed. We started building websites for our businesses, buying online banner ads, creating email addresses and trying to collect email addresses to digitally send marketing communications.

Now, a business can create a black and white (or red, yellow, blue, rainbow) code in seconds that is filled with a message to their customers. It’s a real-world hyperlink that takes you to a video, website, Facebook Fan page, product information, special savings code, phone number, email address and more. Then, you display it wherever you’d like it to be—in the window, at the cash register, on a t-shirt, sticker, hat, sign, postcard, building—anywhere!

More consumers are becoming familiar with this technology, especially with the help of big brands. This Easter, Old Navy hosted its first ever Old Navy Crazy Code Egg Hunt, where shoppers could scan up to 15 different codes within stores and could win a cash prize of $5,000, $1,000 or a store discount.  Customers could also scan a QR code to be entered to win a grand prize of $50,000! What this meant was customers were going around the store looking for all QR “Egg” signs and scanning with their smartphones. They were spending more time in the store, going into areas of the store they weren’t planning on and talking about it on social networks like Facebook and Twitter. It was a very successful, and fun, campaign for Old Navy.

Chili’s Bar and Grill Restaurant also saw tremendous success in 2011 by adding QR codes to their St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital fundraiser event, which they’ve done every year for the past 8 years. Chili’s placed QR codes on their table tents and on walls in one Dallas, Texas store. After scanning a code, patrons received a Thank You note from a St. Jude patient (grab the tissue) and QR codes displayed on Create-A-Pepper coloring sheets linked to the organization’s website, where customers could donate directly. These codes resulted into 291,000 scans and more than $5 million in donations. Now that’s powerful!

Looking into the future, I think we’ll see more social integration and sharing with QR codes, such as liking the code on Facebook and displaying it on our Wall or in a photo album. You’ll see more websites offering better design elements to codes (featuring different clip art, ability to turn logos into codes and feature real life photos as codes). We’ll see more actual products with QR codes directly on them which could include product info, price, a YouTube video about the item, etc.

In the next few years, I wouldn’t be surprised to see digital stores which would display pictures of products with a QR code containing product info, price and a BUY button where you can put the product into your shopping cart, enter payment info and have the product delivered to your home. In fact, this is already happening in South Korea, where one grocery chain, Tesco, was trying to break into a local market to compete with the big guy. They created a virtual store in Subway Stations where consumers would scan and buy while waiting for their train to arrive. Scan the red QR code on page 26 with your smartphone to see a video highlighting Tesco’s use of QR Codes.

The possibilities show us that now more than ever it’s important for independent retailers to drive traffic into their stores and provide value so customers still stop in, versus doing all their shopping virtually. For 2012, I think QR codes will become a larger part of businesses’ marketing approaches as more consumers become familiar with this technology. I hope more small businesses use these tools, as they’re a way to compete with national chains. However, it’s important to plan out the QR strategy. Ensure success by making the campaign easy, shareable, measureable and have a call to action. To create a QR code for your store, check out http://qrstuff.com.

Crystal Vilkaitis is the Director of Social Media for SnapRetail, a Pittsburgh-based company that helps local retailers thrive and compete with national retailers by providing innovative and affordable software and services for buying, promoting and selling gift, home décor and furniture products. Crystal has taught hundreds of retailers how to use Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, QR codes and other social media tools to bring traffic into their stores and strengthen the relationship with their customers. She has been using social media since early 2007 where she doubled and tripled web sales, increased traffic by over 2700% and was featured in Fast Company’s Most Influential Person Online campaign, ranking in the top 2%. For more information visit http://snapretail.com.