Hardwood Floors June/July 2019

By Leslie H. Smith

could it be a newmarketing advantage? Customers are demanding not just a good look and feel, but also a finish that will last and be safe in their home. A GREEN NEW DAY – INDOOR AIR QUALITY As homes are being built more andmore “airtight,” indoor air quality has become very important to homeowners. Lawsuits over formaldehyde, isocyanates, and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have made headlines for a few years now. Homeowners are demanding safer products. Architects and designers are talking to their customers about indoor air quality and the importance of demanding safer products. Are you taking advantage of the marketing potential of a new trend? TREND FORWARD Staying in front of trends incolor, style, and technologywill keepyour business healthy andviable for years tocome.The way youhave always done itwill get you what it always has.Don’t beBlockbuster! The easiestway for a shop tokeepupwith trends is byworkingwitha supplier that has extensive experience andoffers technical support for newproduct offerings. Leslie (Les) H. Smith is Market Development Manager for the Sherwin-Williams Company based in Cleveland, Ohio, where he is responsible for marketing strategy and execution for the Sherwin Williams Industrial Wood Division. He can be reached at 859.992.1574 or leslie.h.smith@sherwin.com.

their business model to match. Then Netflix introduced video by mail in the late '90s when DVDs became the medium of choice for video. DVDs were much cheaper to ship than VHS tapes andmade the business more viable. Blockbuster did not attempt to adopt the model until 2004. Netflix won the battle because Blockbuster clung to an outdated strategy and failed to understand changes in the market. Many people attribute the rise of Netflix to video streaming, but they first won by adopting a new trend in technology and capitalizing on the value. WE CAN BUILD IT BETTER The Internet has made all of us smarter. Have you considered how the Internet has made it much easier to be informed? Your customers knowmore about your company, the products you offer, and how they compare to other products. They have seen pictures and possibly a video of your work and read reviews – all before they even consider walking into your office or showroom. So how do you stack up? Do you have the colors they want? Do you have the performance (scratch, mar, stain) that is important to them? RestorationHardware has set us all on a race to the lowest sheen possible. Do you understand the challenges and possible failures of a low-sheen topcoat? Technology today has allowed us to build products that will truly last a lifetime and have a great look and feel. If you don’t have this technology available today,

Photos courtesy of Leslie H. Smith.

Cavern Clay

TRANSLATION IS KEY Fashion deals with colored fabric and multiple textures, including metallic. The translation to wood is a key element in bringing the design to life. For example, in 2019 the SherwinWilliams Color of the Year was Cavern Clay. Think about a terracotta flower pot and you are in the color space. Not something you could sell for a floor. But take the earthy tone of Cavern Clay, distress it, add a brown stain and black glaze, and now you have a beautiful piece that could be part of your new earthen collection. The translation sells. Understanding translation is key to your future trend success. DON’T LET TECHNOLOGY PASS YOU BY While keeping up with the trends in color and style will help you stay ahead of the competition, not keeping up with technology trends can close your doors. Just ask Blockbuster. Blockbuster saw the trend in video taking off and capitalized

the magazine of the national wood flooring association

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