Marketing Strategies: Leverage the Power of 5 for Maximum Exposure

I’ve got to commend Holly Blalock the Creative Director at C.R. Laine again. She has done an awesome job of leveraging her company’s exposure with marketing partners. This something every small business owner and retailer must do to beat the competition by maintaining and growing your exposure while minimizing marketing cost. Holly follows me and I was really tickled to meet her at High Point in person. What she has done, is something I’ve been advocating for the last couple of years to businesses large and small. It just makes sense to leverage your brand.

Whatever your business, in C.R. Laine’s case it is custom upholstery, you can make this work. Holly identified quality manufacturers of goods compatible with upholstery. These include European aged case goods (www.porteliot.com), hand-knotted rugs (www.kalaty.com), mirrors, wall décor and accessories (www.uttermost.com), fine home décor and lamps (www.orientaldanny.com), blue and white porcelain (www.tozaihome.com), twig chandeliers and lamps ( www.wishdesignsusa.com), fine custom art (www.artscapeusa.com) and hand-crafted rugs (www.companyc.com ).

Holly designed a simple but informative flyer with a complete listing of each vendor, their specialty, their full location and contact including an email contact in addition to the website of each. These were handed out upon entering the C.R. Laine showroom at High Point and buyers are encouraged to source these resources in addition to C.R. Laine. Each vendor chosen has provided selected inventory appropriate to C. R. Laine’s vignettes and is well showcased.

Now the true key in this is for C.R. Laine to, in turn, have a piece or two or three of upholstery in each partners showroom with a similar flyer directing buyers back to their opportunity. In addition, by implementing a password for each order, buyers could be offered even a 5% discount, making leads easy to track from this marketing coop program. C. R. Laine and Holly get it. They understand that this isn’t about competition but about collaboration. She knows that while there are a few buyers that will only want upholstery, most also are going to be sourcing for lamps, mirrors, rugs, artwork, and accents.

C.R. Laine becomes the “go-to” resource for their buyers and they increase their exposure, their credibility and subsequently their profitability with a minimal amount of investment. To appear in five or more additional showrooms would typically cost tens of thousands of dollars. Instead to collaborate and share exposure for mutual benefit with a select group of vendors at the same product quality, service level, and price point is what leveraging your brand is all about.

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About Melissa Galt

Melissa Galt is a sought-after business coach, marketing consultant, keynote speaker and workshop leader who empowers designers to build highly profitable businesses, without the burnout. With over three decades as the principal of her namesake successful residential design firm, Melissa brings firsthand experience and proven strategies to guide creative professionals earn more in less time, with less stress.

She is the author of four transformative bestselling books, Marketing Luxury Design: Attracting Affluent Clients; The Language of Success: 35 Words to Boost Your Worth & Wealth; Design Discovery: The Proven Process to Land Ideal Clients & Grow Profit, and Proximity to Profits: 50 Strategic Locations to Meet Affluent Clients.

She is also the host of the weekly Design Business Freedom™ podcast, where she shares unfiltered advice on mindset, money, and marketing for interior design pros ready to elevate their game. When you’re ready to take your practice to the next level, book a complimentary Design Business Assessment with Melissa.

Melissa draws inspiration from her legacy of iconic creatives including her mother, the late Academy Award-winning actress Anne Baxter; her godmother, the legendary eight-time Oscar-winning costume designer Edith Head; and her great-grandfather, American architectural icon Frank Lloyd Wright. Get your Design Dream Team Builder at melissagalt.com/interior-design-templates.