Doug Turner of Turner Custom Furniture adapts and applies big-industry marketing tactics to grow his – and your – furniture business. The first two areas he covers, Product Presentation and Making the Most of Your Brand Name, include tips to make the most of resources you’ve already got and things you’re already doing!
Product presentation
Have you ever seen a painting in a museum that looked as though it was created by brain-damaged monkey? It’s all about the presentation.
- A picture is worth a million words in advertising. You don’t have to be a great photographer with a very expensive camera to take decent pictures of your work (but it helps!). Remember, nobody will appreciate the fine carving on your cabriole leg if they can’t see it clearly. There are plenty of articles online that will teach you the basics of product photography.
- If you’ve got a showroom, take full advantage of it. Stroll through luxury stores and take note of how they set up theirs. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel here – copy what works. Granted, you don’t have the same ad budget as Brooks Bros., but you’re creative right?
- Look through a few luxury brand catalogs before throwing them in the recycling bin. Read the carefully written copy, and study the photography. Once again, mimic what works.
Making the most of your brand name
Most people are more comfortable buying from a brand they recognize, whether they realize it or not. Use these techniques to get your brand in front of potential customers:
- Design consistency – All of your marketing materials should follow a set of guidelines, which define typeface, colors, borders, spacing etc. Using a consistent design theme will imprint your brand in consumer’s minds, like a catchy song’s chorus.
- Print your logo on your car or truck.
- Wear shirts and hats imprinted with your logo. This way, you are always working, even when you are sitting in the stands watching a baseball game.
- Post business cards on bulletin boards, and place stacks of brochures or 4” x 6” cards in local businesses that allow it.
- Make it easy for others to promote your brand – hand a client a few business cards instead of just one. Add a Facebook “Like” button to your website.
- Use your business logo as your online avatar. Every time you post a comment on any forum, you are imprinting your brand on the minds of potential customers. If you do this, remember to be on your best behavior, and think before you post. For more on this, please see my article “Seek First not to Offend”.
- Many business hand out calendars, pens and other logo imprinted widgets. This is a good idea for some, but not all types of businesses. Consider your product and customer base before spending money on this type of advertising, as it can be costly.
Doug’s next installment will cover Cashing in on Trends and Product Pricing – stay tuned! Also, Doug will answer any questions you have regarding specific applications of these strategies to your business. Take advantage of the opportunity, and ask any questions below!
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