Marketing Home Products

Marketing Home Products in a Changing Marketing Landscape

As we all know, planning season is upon us…and what better way to prepare for our 2010 marketing plans then to identify the home products marketing trends for the upcoming year?

At K&A, we explored the latest and greatest marketing trends for 2010 and came up with our favorite five.

1.  Word of Mouth Marketing
Customers will leave you if they don’t see the difference between you and the other guy. And in today’s chaotic marketplace, this will continue to grow. That’s why word-of-mouth marketing, especially tech-based and mobile communications, will be more important in 2010 then ever before.

2. Social Responsibility
Being eco-friendly has gone mainstream. Customers buy from brands that are making a difference in the world; and as more and more young consumers–one of the biggest advocate groups of ‘being green’– enter the marketplace, you will continue to see corporate social responsibility gain momentum in 2010.

3. Customer Insight and Implementation
Tomorrow’s customers want a say in the development, improvement and branding process. Companies that create discussion forums and blogs on the company Web site, establish a presence on social media sites like twitter and Facebook, or use platforms like UserVoice or Get Satisfaction for customer feedback, allow customers greater input in the process and more trust in the brand.

4. Personal Branding
With the growth in use of social networks like LinkedIn and Facebook, as well as blogs, the lines between professional and personal have become blurred. Social media tools have become a professional’s online resume, portfolio and personality, all in one. In 2010, expect to see more personal branding that defines who you are and what role you play in your company.

5. Authenticity
Authentic branding will continue to increase in popularity in 2010. Customers want to know who they’re dealing with, buying from and what the company stands for. Customers have been and will continue to seek transparent and honest communications from brands they can trust.

For more insight into our top five marketing trend picks for 2010, tweet me at @stevekleber.

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This year’s GlassBuild America — the premiere glass, window and door expo — will be held September 30-October 2 in our own Atlanta backyard.Consistently ranked as one of top 200 tradeshows by Tradeshow Week magazine, GlassBuild America draws in more than 9,000 glass, window and door professionals and features nearly 200,000 square feet ofexhibitors.

To help you navigate the show floor, K&A has selected our top six picks for must-see exhibitors at this year’s show.  Check them out below.

1.  Coral Industries
Coral Industries is one the largest independent shower enclosure manufacturers in the U.S., offeringa complete line of bath enclosures including standard bypasses, swing and pivot door units, and custom designed enclosures that accommodate a variety of arrangements and sizes for residential applications. The company also recently developed an architectural division that produces aluminum and all glass systems including entrance doors, storefronts, curtain walls, window walls and handrail glass. For more information visit www.coralind.com or visit booth number 2823 at GlassBuild America.

2.  Glass Doctor
Glass Doctor is one of the leading full-service glass companies in the U.S., specializing in both the manufacturing and installation of home and business glass windows, doors, store fronts and shower/tub enclosures, in addition to  auto windshield replacement and repair.  The company also provides energy efficient options for homes and businesses including the use of Low E and insulated glass.For more information visit www.glassdoctor.com or visit booth number 1623 at GlassBuild America.

3.  Royal Group Technologies
Royal Group Technologies is one of the preeminent manufacturers of durable, attractive, low-maintenance home improvement, construction and building products including custom profiles, and window and door systems. The company’s custom profiles feature a variety of technological advances such as its RoyalGuard^TMImpact product linethat include DP-50+/Impact window and door products to meet the recent changes in the stringent Florida Building Code, in addition to its window and door systems that feature insulated glass for energy savings benefits. For more information visit www.royalgrouptech.com or visit booth number 819 at GlassBuild America.

4.  Cardinal Shower Enclosures
Cardinal Shower Enclosures is one of the leading producers of shower glass door enclosures in the U.S.,  which offers a variety of models, finishes and glass options. Its products come with a lifetime guarantee against defects in craftsmanship and materials on extruded aluminum parts. Cardinal Shower Enclosures is also dedicated to the environment and has several company-wide programs that reduce and recycle rejected glass, decrease its fleet’s carbon footprint, and offer low-iron glass options. For more information visit www.cardinalshower.com or visit booth number 1313 at GlassBuild America.

5. Fleurco Products

Fleurco specializes exclusively in the design, fabrication and distribution of a complete line of glass shower doors, enclosures and bathtub doors. Based in Canada, Fleurco services customers worldwide and has been recognized as an industry leader as it wasrecently awarded the 2009 KBIS/People’s Choice Award for Best Design in Show for its Kinetik Slice shower door. For more information about Fleurco visit www.fleurco.com or visit booth number 517 at GlassBuild America.

6.  EFCO
EFCO, a Pella Company, is a leading manufacturer of architectural aluminum window, curtain wall, and storefront and entrance systems for commercial architectural applications. The company is dedicated to sustainability and its products help architects gain LEED credits in three of the six categories outlined by the U.S. Green Building Council including Energy and Atmosphere (EA), Materials and Resources (MR), and Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ). For more information about EFCO visit www.efcocorp.com or visit booth number 1203 at GlassBuild America.

There you have it, K&A’s top six picks for the best-in-show exhibitors at GlassBuild America 2009. What do you think about our favorites? Tweet Steve Kleber at @stevekleber with your feedback!

Marketing Home Products at Tradeshows on a Tight Budget

It’s no secret that tradeshow attendance and morale has declined over the last few years due to obvious reasons that stem from challenges in the housing market and economy. As a result, many home products marketers have felt the effects of slashed budgets, oftentimes forced to cut back on tradeshow marketing spending.

To make the most of your tradeshow marketing dollars, it’s important to have a well thought-out plan in place. Just like any marketing initiative, having a tradeshow plan and strategy is the key to tradeshow marketing success.

Below are my top three tradeshow marketing tips to maximize ROI.

1. Capitalize on pre- and post-show activities
Many home products marketers focus solely on at-show activities and neglect pre- and post-show potential. Your tradeshow marketing plan should encompass all three facets of the show. Tell your audiences what you’re offering before the show, show them and then remind them again after. These three points of contact will make you stand out from the crowd and provide enhanced opportunities to make an impact on your important customer audiences.

2. Take advantage of media opportunities
Earned media coverage is a huge benefit for tradeshow exhibitors. Take advantage of media opportunities by implementing a strategic media relations plan or partnering with an integrated marketing firm with tradeshow marketing experience. Schedule in advance at-booth media appointments, put together a compelling press kit for distribution at the event’s press room or at-booth media stop-bys, and make sure to follow-up with the media after the show.

3. Consider co-op advertisements
Tradeshow promotion and advertising is critical to your tradeshow success. But it’s also expensive. So why not consider co-op advertising? Co-operative advertising unites the budgets of manufacturers and their clients in selling products, promoting services and enhancing brand awareness.  When it comes to getting the most for your advertising dollar, co-operative advertising can be your most powerful, revenue-generating opportunity. These programs decrease advertising costs and increase customer traffic by building a solid link to a brand name they already carry, which in turn stimulates sales in “momentum” markets.

I could go on and on, but the post is titled “top three.” For more insight on tradeshow marketing, check out our upcoming K&A white paper on how to build successful tradeshow marketing campaigns. To register for an advance copy email me at sk@kleberandassociates.com. There will be more tradeshow marketing tips to come…stay tuned.