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SHOWROOM STYLE
Professional trade group partnerships: Ideal showroom networking for 2011
A
s most of you are aware, I conducted more than 400 showroom and custom-tai-
lored wholesaler, retailer and manu- facturer training programs between 1988 and 2010. I have also conducted more than 500 CeU (college equiva- lent units) and NCIDQ Approved (highest level) sessions for profes- sional trade groups, associations, and local chapters. I have spoken at their
• Any tradesperson might be the buyer
• Join groups that best suit your needs
• Form personal bonds within the group
• Show up at groups and participate!
• Be active in your market community
national conventions, served on panel discussions addressing their issues and asked them what they expect from you in a working relationship. Most of these programs were bath/plumbing, kitchen and motiva- tional/skill driven. Also, remember that for years in
my showroom columns I stressed “the Three Commandments of Suc- cessful Showrooms”: 1. Learn who the qualifying client is 2. Discover who sent the client in 3. Know who is buying the prod-
ucts. Today, any of the tradespeople listed above can be the buyer. In every single professional trade
segment there are good and bad members. If you want to build suc- cessful working relationships, please throw away your pre-judgments. Yes, there is a difference between a pro- fessional interior designer and an in- terior decorator, just as there is
between a good plumber and a bad plumber. Many people who are aim- ing for high-end luxury bath buyers hire professional interior designers who are also knowledgeable about designs/builds. In other words, they buy bath and plumbing products and subcontract the installation to plumb- ing contractors. In many cases, the plumbing contractor is the buyer but the influencers may come from the professional trades. Here are some great trade groups to
consider: • PHCC (Plumbing, Heating,
Cooling Contractors, 4,100 mem- bers,
www.phccweb.org • NAHB (National Association of
Home Builders), 200,000 members,
www.nahb.org • NAHB Remodelers Council,
20,000 members,
www.nahb.org • NARI (National Association of Remodeling Industry), 7,000 mem-
BY PETER SCHOR Showroom specialist
bers,
www.nari.org • ASID (American Society of In-
terior Designers), 34,500 members,
www.asid.org • IIDA (International Interior De-
sign Association), 10,000 members,
www.iida.org • NKBA (National Kitchen and
Architects),
Bath Association), 25,000 members,
www.nkba.org • AIA (American Institute of 56,000 members,
www.aia.org. The top leadership of every trade
group has confirmed what is neces- sary to have successful partnerships and better sales results. The bottom line of what you need to know is: Do not expect success simply by joining and participating in design homes. Positive results come from establish- ing individual personal relationships with these groups and participating in their monthly events. Some chapters are more “active”
than others. The size of the market for a given chapter does not determine the size of its membership and vibrancy. The monthly meeting event topics will dictate which of the events are better attended; i.e., sessions such as what’s new and hot in bathrooms or today’s hottest colors will be better attended than those on how to handle insurance claims or bar coding information. Here are some tips regarding suc-
cess with the professional trade groups: • Join the association as an In-
dustry Foundation Partner. visit the association’s website to locate the nearest chapter, which will usually will have its own website listing chapter executives, events and much more. • Attend and participate in meet-
ings. Do not expect to get business from the group, either collectively or individually, unless you attend the monthly meetings and participate in other events. Real success depends on establishing personal relationships. • Participate in design homes,
See contact information on page 70 • Be sure to visit
www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
parade of homes, street of dreams or one of the many other show house events. Contributing plumbing and bath products, whether it is at a (Turn to Trade groups... page 52.)
•THE WHOLESALER® — FEBRUARY 2011
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