Volume 26/Number 19; February 4/11, 2013
Las Vegas—The International Design Guild (IDG) kicked off the year with its “Break Through” Summit here the day before Surfaces began. Executives presented members with a bold, breakthrough approach to win more customers, creating an unparalleled experience for designers and a personalized customer journey.
“This year’s Summit was about taking a large step toward improving IDG for our members,” said Krista Eliason, president. “We have an aggressive blueprint with exciting initiatives for 2013.”
Celebrity designer Mark Brunetz delivered the keynote address. Best known for his Emmy Award-winning performance as co-host of “Clean House” on the Style Network, Brunetz shared his experiences designing for the luxury market.
Best practices
ASID president Barbara Marini discussed best practices on how to leverage the local ASID, and a panel of designers continued the conversation on the luxury market, sharing ideas on the design process, selecting products and presenting ideas to clients.
Also at the Summit, IDG unveiled the industry’s first cause-related design contest with celebrity spokesperson Brunetz as part of its Designer Program. “Design for a Difference” will benefit local charities, build designer loyalty and increase awareness of local IDG showrooms. The grand-prize winner will be awarded $20,000 to revitalize a non-profit’s workspace. “The contest is a great opportunity for our members to give back to their communities while raising awareness for their showrooms,” Eliason said.
Socially speaking
In social media news, IDG delivered its comprehensive digital marketing strategy to members. The new strategy leverages best-in-class technology to provide localized websites, syndicated social media content and personalized designer profiles.
“We completely revamped our marketing offering and we look forward to implementing this holistic approach for members to drive store traffic and engage with our designers on a new level,” she said. “This approach will allow us to truly differentiate our members in their respective markets.”