Progressive Distributor - Show off your stuff

Show off your stuff

by Rob Berlin

Today’s consumer demands more attention to their personal needs in a retail environment whether it be personal service, added value or a comfortable setting in which to shop.

To remain competitive, wholesale distributors, like traditional retailers, must address each of the above issues as they relate to their target market. Whether your product audience is a general contractor, college student or stay-at-home mom, your product must be presented in an environment that attracts that consumer and keeps him in your showroom longer. Distributor showrooms are no exception.

In my 32 years in the retail design industry and as a retail strategist, I have found that addressing the shopping environment is increasingly critical to distributors. All aspects of the distributor showroom — from lighting to flooring to product placement and display techniques — are critical to increasing sales.

Rob Berlin developed this sketch for a new distributor showroom

Spruce up displays
All too often, distributor showrooms consist primarily of outdated or second-hand fixtures and displays supplemented with racks supplied by product vendors. While this method keeps the fixturing cost at a minimum, it promotes a sense of disorganization in the showplace. It also discourages the consumer, if even only subconsciously, so they tend to find what they came for and get out as quickly as possible. Often, the shopper leaves the showroom feeling they missed something they could have used. A showroom should have a comfortable atmosphere that encourages lingering and exploring the product selection for better quality and accessory items. A pleasant atmosphere also increases impulse sales. While some vendor-supplied fixtures, in combination with more conventional gondola and wall shelving, can be effective in drawing customers to a particular product line, unique or unusual display techniques — such as displaying an open toolbox on the floor, filled with tools — is especially important for highlighting seasonal or promotional products.

Combining equipment with related products in a feature display generates cross-merchandise opportunities. It is also important to consider product adjacencies in mass merchandising to create additional sales of related or accessory products.

Implementing an effective fixture plan includes directing traffic flow through strategic placement of product. Categorizing product by use helps create departments in your showroom. Doing so leads customers logically through your inventory selection and increases their level of confidence in your product availability and showroom staff. Your customers will know you are saving them time by making it easy for them to locate what they are looking for. Additional time in the showroom produces additional cross-sale, up-sale and accessory purchase opportunities.

There are many subtleties to developing a solid working fixture plan for any showroom or retail space. A professional retail designer can streamline the process and quickly bring return on the dollars spent for design services by increasing the showroom profitability.

Unique characteristics
Another strategy for keeping return customers must be to offer something unique in your showroom. You want your business to stand out in the minds of your clients so your showroom is the first place they look for a particular product. Wireless Internet service in the showroom is quickly becoming commonplace, because many contractors need continual e-mail access. Do not assume that all contractors have a PDA. Be sure to include a computer terminal in your showroom for contractor access to e-mail. They will appreciate your attention to the value of their time.

Creating a designated area in the showroom to offer complimentary coffee, bottled water, juice, doughnuts and popcorn — in conjunction with a plasma screen showing new products — is very effective in holding customers in your store longer.

Showroom environment
Most distributor showrooms ignore décor and atmosphere. Do not assume that general contractors aren’t sophisticated enough to appreciate a comfortable shopping environment. This doesn’t mean distributors must include all of the flair and high-intensity impact present in many retail stores. Pay careful attention when determining lighting, wall, ceiling and floor treatments for your showroom. Careful selection of finish materials used in your space is never a waste of effort or money.

A well-designed showroom can
boost add-on sales

Lighting
A well-lit showroom is essential to enable customers to locate and identify products. Adding accent lighting, such as small track-mounted spots or higher wattage ceiling-recessed can lights, will draw the consumer’s attention to specific areas of a given department, creating the potential for additional sales. A well-designed lighting plan draws attention to higher-end versions of common merchandise and encourages cross-selling and sales of accessory merchandise.

Flooring
Most contractor showrooms use bare concrete floors, purely as a cost-conscious and maintenance decision, especially considering that general contractors typically arrive directly from a job site. A simple upgrade employs colored concrete stain to direct traffic flow through your space and set apart individual departments and feature areas of your showroom. A variety of concrete stain applications are available, ranging from topical applications which can be used with or without a protective sealant, to integrated concrete color mixed with the wet concrete and poured as a solid color. All provide a change in floor color where desired. Another cost-effective way to upgrade the flooring is to install sheet or vinyl composite tile. Sheet vinyl allows you to introduce color variations over large areas, which defines your space. Vinyl composite tile provides the added advantage of being able to easily remove and replace small areas that may become damaged. Additionally, vinyl tile can be installed in patterns using multiple colors. In either, shoppers find it more comfortable to walk on vinyl as opposed to concrete.

Ceiling
One of the most effective ways to direct customers to a particular area of your showroom is to vary the height or materials used in the ceiling.

Typical showroom ceiling treatments use conventional two-foot x four-foot lay-in ceiling hung eight to 10 feet above the floor.

When possible, take advantage of the opportunities your ceiling can offer. For example, installing ceilings at multiple levels can highlight particular departments. Painting drywall soffits at service areas, removing ceiling tile, exposing the structure above the ceiling grid to reinforce the high-tech appeal of certain products, adds visual appeal and interest to a showroom. Or, completely expose the ceiling structure by removing all ceiling treatments. Any combination of these techniques can have a dramatic impact on sales when strategically located and used in conjunction with interior signage.

Signage
In far too many instances, distributors put too many signs in their showrooms and create a visually confusing store environment. Interior signage should only be used to highlight top brand names of manufacturers, indicate a department or service area, or send a value or benefit message to the consumer. Anything beyond this is overwhelming and will be ignored.

Exterior signage enhances curb appeal of the showroom facility. When kept simple, it can attract drive-by customers. Signage that prominently displays the showroom name — using either a logo or simple stylized typeface and a subtitle of two to three words to describe the product — can be easily read by traffic and increases the professional appearance of your company. A well-maintained building exterior, driveway entrance and landscaping are also critical to attracting new customers. Consumers are naturally repelled by blight, and will not notice your business if its surroundings are neglected.

You do not need to invest in costly renovations to increase your bottom line. Look at your space objectively and seek assistance from the resources available to you. A good retail design professional can help increase your profits by attracting and maintaining your customer base. Let your designer determine how to maximize your showroom environment within your budget.

Rob Berlin, R. Berlin & Associates LLC of Northville, Mich., has provided strategic planning and design services to the distributor showroom segment for the last 16 years. He is currently working with Jeff Brown of Brinker Brown Fastener and Supply Inc. in Ft. Meyers, Fla., on a new showroom and warehouse expected to open late this year. Contact him at (248) 412-3106 or rberlin@comcast.net.