Showrooms help sell cabinets & uanities

|\ABINETS and vanities setl best Vwhen customers see them in afiractive kitchen and bath models.

Before building a display, management should ask, "What do we want to happen when a prospective buyer enters?"

The main purpose of a showroom is to sell. As a sales tool it must generate enthusiasm, create desire, show new items, reassure the customer, suggest creativity, display good workmanship and offer choices, according to the National Kitchen & Bath Association.

Effective models are based on an analysis of potential buyers and a planned presentation. Before designing the sales space, management should decide:

/ The type of clients desired. A propective customer profile is vital.

Story at a Glance

Ways a showroom can encourage cabinet and vanity sales ... displays and sales solutions.

/ Products to be displayed. Even if the s0ore does not sell flooring, wall coverings and lighting fixtures, displays must include these excitementgenerating items.

/ Amount of floor space needed, based on number of customers expected !o examine the rrodel at one time.

/ Adjacent space for a sales desh computer design center, product samples, catalogs, sales aid storage, erc.

/ 'I}le message to be conveyed to the customer, e.g., dignity, friendly warmttr, a place to save money.

With pre-plarming, rhe spatial layout can reflect the store's specialties in a creative and attractive fashion.

Depending on the space available, a store might build three complete kitchen displays and one to eight vignettes. A similar number of bathrooms also might be appropriate. Displays should be planned to demonstrate the choices available to a customer. For example, with three kitchen displays, the first might have cabinets to the ceiling, the second a soffit above standard 30" high wall cabinets and the third an open soffit with decorative moulding. Each display should be built with different cabinet styles and finishes, countertops, appliances and flooring choices. This three-choice concept adapts well to good/better/best selling.

Limiting the model kitchens or bathrooms avoids confusing the customer with too many choices. For example, three kitchens demonstrating basic traditional, contemporary and high tech or European styling will meet the design expectations of most customers and serve as a starting point for those wanting more individualistic designs.

Displays should be raffic stoppers. This can be achieved by facing the layout towards the store traffic flow and creating a strong design statement. Color as well as layout will invite curiosity and draw customers into tie space.

Once the kitchen or bath display has attracted the customer, it is the job of tle salesperson to serve and sell. Tbe sensitive salesperson will debrief the customer to learn their preferences, ideas, needs and budget. After listening, he can tailor his presentation to provide a solution that fits expectations.

The seller must resist the temptation to show off every style and finish of cabinet, every countertop material, appliance or fixture. This approach confuses shoppers who usually have a glimmer of what they want. Just as disorganized displays, disorganized literature and disorganized estima0es tend to make a customer doubt the ability of the store, a disorganized presentation tums him off. An organized presentation of ideas and products that meet tleir stated needs will usually be on target.

The cabinet and vanity showroom is a large investment. It must be planned as an effective marketing aid and produce results with increased sales.