Dealer Mindset 2020
You’ve been hearing it for years – “Social media will be more important than ever in 201x!” Marketers around the world have picked up on the importance of digital marketing and its various platforms, but some industries have yet to follow suit. As more flooring manufacturers are beginning to utilize digital marketing, so should flooring retailers and distributors – that is, if they want to stay relevant, grow their business, and #SellMoreFlooring in 2020.
A Digital Consumer
Since emerging in the 90’s, the internet has changed consumer behavior quite a bit. Nearly 293 million Americans use the internet, 257 million Americans own smartphones, and almost 80% of the US population have a social media account. Now that more people are online than ever before, it’s important to work with a manufacturer that has an online product catalog complete with room-scenes that can be featured on dealer’s websites. This type of content will enhance user experience, and may lead to an increase in sales.
Content is King
In addition to shaping the way people behave, the internet has also had a large impact on how they view different products. The internet has made many products so widely available that they seem like a commodity, placing more importance on a dealer’s branding than ever before. Before agreeing to work with a specific manufacturer, it’s important for a dealer to ask about what kinds of digital content they can provide for promotional purposes – by choosing their manufacturers carefully, dealers can gain an edge and elevate their brand above the competition.
High-quality assets including video content, product photography, and room-scenes can all play critical roles in enhancing the look and feel of a dealer’s brand. By utilizing these components from their manufacturers, dealers can create visually-appealing marketing materials, which is far more valuable than merely offering the lowest price.
Be sure to pay particular attention to whether or not a manufacturer offers video content to their dealers, as social media posts that contain a video receive 48% more engagement than those that don’t. Manufacturers understand the importance of video advertising, and many will even pay for a percentage of a dealer’s advertising budget if it includes their content.
You may find that not all manufacturers are able to support your digital marketing strategy, but this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do business with them. There are more ways that they can elevate your marketing, including product samples, promotional offers, and more. The best thing that you can do is speak directly to your manufacturers and see what they can offer you in terms of marketing support, as even small differences in your marketing approach can have big impacts over time.
Get Ahead in 2020
To learn more about how you can enhance your marketing and #SellMoreFlooring in 2020, be sure to attend the Flooring Markets in Atlanta, Dallas, or Biloxi. Each dealer who attends one of our events will gain access to the Dealer Playbook, a comprehensive toolkit designed to revolutionize the way you sell flooring products.