October 9/16, 2017: Volume 32, Issue 9
By Lindsay Baillie
Most retailers know they have to invest in digital marketing. However, not all dealers have the time or resources to run an effective digital campaign. While various marketing companies are available to provide digital help, flooring manufacturers are also stepping up to assist retailers.
Following is a sampling of some of the digital marketing initiatives currently available for retailers to leverage.
Armstrong
Armstrong Flooring’s digital marketing strategy contains many facets, including the company’s website, a campaign featured on HGTV and a promotion for Elevate retailers. Armstrong is also relaunching its residential website in November to dovetail with the consumer’s shopping journey.
“We take an integrated approach when it comes to our digital marketing strategy, seeking to connect with shoppers and drive qualified traffic to our aligned retailers,” said Ebeth Pitman, director of brand marketing. “We are continually evolving our website experience to drive more qualified leads through the doors of our retail partners. The website is a destination site for flooring shoppers and is optimized to capture that in-market consumer who is searching for flooring online.”
Other features of the website include a “request a quote” form available for each Elite partner store listing and co-branded web pages that are optimized for local search.
In addition to the website, Armstrong has a campaign titled “The Floor is Yours,” which is featured on HGTV and hgtv.com. This campaign is also integrated with a promotion for Elevate retailers called “The New Look of Tough,” which includes a campaign toolbox for retailers that includes video, social content, photography, merchandising, brochures and more.
Mohawk
Mohawk is committed to not only making quality flooring but also helping its retailers be successful. One of the ways the company aims to do this is through Omnify, its omni-channel solution.
“Omnify is about simple, connected retail,” said Mollie Surratt, senior director of public relations and inbound marketing. “Mohawk is focused on walking the consumer through her digital journey by empowering the retailer’s online presence. Omnify makes digital marketing easy with all the tools at her fingertips to drive qualified leads, publish relevant, optimized content and advertise using the best tools in the industry.”
The omni-channel solution drives qualified consumers to a retailer’s store through a variety of optimized content and digital advertising solutions. This ranges from organic and paid social media to web content structured for search engine optimization.
“Mohawk’s new Omnify advertising package is built to utilize the most effective strategic methods of capturing the consumer during her digital journey and delivering her to your store,” Surratt explained.
To learn more about Omnify, visit mohawktoday.com/omnify or talk to your local Mohawk representative.
Shaw Floors
Shaw offers its retail partners a complete suite of digital marketing services to help reach today’s consumers in innovative ways. This includes social media support, website building and online reputation management.
“Promoboxx is Shaw’s social media content solution, providing retailers with support, content and best practices for Facebook, Instagram and Twitter,” said Misty Hodge, director of digital marketing, Shaw Floors. “Shaw Web Studio is a complete website solution, enabling retailers to quickly and easily build professional flooring websites to remain competitive in the digital space. Share it Forward began as an online ratings and reviews directory and has since evolved into a full-service online reputation management program that notifies retailers of when and where they receive reviews and also offers education and coaching on how best to deal with negative reviews.”
As more consumers look online to shop and qualify a brand, it is important for retailers to have a strong digital presence, experts say. Shaw is helping retailers save time, stress and money by providing meaningful solutions to their digital marketing efforts.
“Our retail partners look to us as a leader in the digital marketing space, and we leverage all the resources available to us to make that task as simple, carefree and effective as possible,” Hodge explained. “It’s Shaw’s philosophy that we win by helping our retail partners win—we’re in this together.”
USFloors
USFloors has strengthened its digital presence to assist retailers in promoting the company’s products. Beyond building up its presence on popular social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Houzz, Pinterest and LinkedIn, USFloors also uses its website to showcase products and installations.
“We use our digital presence as a communication platform to the retailers selling our product and their customers,” said Maud Swalens, social media and marketing coordinator, USFloors. “We provide platforms where both retailers and consumers can share their experiences with us as a company, and our product. This allows us to improve and enhance our service and products.”
The goal, according to Swalens, is to be available at all times to both retailers and consumers, “whether it is to answer questions, help with requests or assist with anything else. Conversation is the focal point, and that is why an online presence is extremely important to us.”
Beyond the communication aspect, USFloors looks to help homeowners get more creative. “We lead a product category and like to inspire retailers and consumers with our innovative decors,” Swalens said. “For this purpose, Houzz and Pinterest are used mostly. We share mood boards, provide style or design advice (when requested) and invite our customers to get inspired and innovate with us.”
