The "big story" today is how to market and sell to the female consumer -- a pretty important topic since many companies are recognizing that women are their primary customers. But many of the books now flooding the market on that topic devote most of their attention to differences between men and women.
Eco-friendly tiles and new collections that reflect the latest technological innovations will be among the crop of products rolled out at Spain's premier ceramic tile show, Cevisama. Scheduled for February 8-12, 2005 at the 2.4 million-square foot convention center in Valencia, the show this year is expected to surpass last year's attendance figure of 86,500 and attract more than 600 exhibiting manufacturers including at least 200 Tile of Spain member companies.
That layer of cushioning nestled between the carpet and the floor may be out of sight, but it's not out of mind. Recognizing that carpet cushion remains one of the most reliable money makers in the store, manufacturers are working to build the category with a new generation of stepped up products.
It will be wall-to-wall business on nearly a half-million square feet of exhibit space as the industry's preeminent event, Surfaces 2005, kicks off later this month at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas.
New eye-catching designs will mingle with the more traditional approaches as rug manufacturers from all over the world gather Jan. 20-23 for the Atlanta Area Rug Market. Manufacturers set to attend say displays on the show floor will demonstrate that even the most impressive technological advances in manufacturing have not crowded out the demand for hand woven, finely crafted product.
Many say that John Gray's book "Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus" started a revolution. While this may be true, there are still many ways men and women can learn to communicate effectively. One way is to speak the other's language.
Prefinished products continue to take a greater share of the wood floor segment with the expanded variety of wood species and factory applied finishes.
Most people agree that selling to women is different from selling to men. While men view shopping as a business transaction, women are more emotionally tied to the benefits their purchases provide.
If you've stayed abreast of the previous articles in my Journal of a Start-Up Flooring Retailer series, you're likely well aware by now of how exhausting it is to establish a new business from scratch.