Rob and Gaia Mueller, owners of Benjamin Moore Kelowna in British Columbia, have a philosophy on customer service: Keep it frictionless. Read about their journey to becoming business owners and how they keep customers top of mind.
Retail Operations 101
The Big Picture: Talent in Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma, artist Scott Taylor has taken his appreciation for all artforms to the walls. See his mural in downtown Tulsa that celebrates the city’s history of music, art and everything in between.
Go back to basics with these best practices lists on training, loss prevention, marketing and human resources. Use the lessons here to refresh your perspective and give your team a boost in 2020.
What’s the True Cost of Doing Business?
The Paint and Decorating Retailers Association joined a century-old benchmarking tool developed by the North American Retail Hardware Association. See the highlights from the 2019 Cost of Doing Business Study
(ISSN 1096-6927): Published monthly except December by the Paint and Decorating Retailers Association, 1401 Triad Center Drive, St. Peters, Missouri, 63376-7353. Phone: 800-737-0107.
Do you ever ask yourself, “Why did I go into retailing?”
I don’t mean in a sarcastic, “Oh no, what have I done?” sort of way. I mean, have you really thought about why you chose retailing as your vocation?
If you’re like most retailers I talk to, your answer to this question is typically something like, “I enjoy helping people solve their problems,” or “I like interacting with people and helping them bring their projects to life.”
The people aspect of retailing is so important to running a successful operation because if you don’t like helping customers, you likely won’t last long in this field. As important as it is to be a people-person in retail, there is another aspect that is every bit as critical—the ability to run a business.
Here’s the good news: If you already have a passion for helping people, you can learn how to be better at operating a business.
All too often, I encounter retailers who are really great at one of these two things, but the truth is, to be successful, you have to be good at both!
But here’s the good news: If you already have a passion for helping people, you can learn how to be better at operating a business.
The key to becoming a better business operator is committing yourself to the endeavor. In this month’s issue of Paint & Decorating Retailer, we have two tools that can help you along this journey.
First, we have an entire feature dedicated to retail operations best practices. In this feature, you can get a refresher on how to manage specific areas of your business and find out what resources your association offers to make it easier.
The second tool we discuss in this issue that can help you in your operation is the 2019 Cost of Doing Business Study . This report, developed by the North American Retail Hardware Association, gives you important insights into the financial performance of other retailers in the industry. By using this report as a guide, you can see where your business needs to improve.
While these two features are a great place to start, I would encourage you to keep challenging yourself to become better and better at running a business. When you combine these skills with your desire to help people and interact with customers, you have a much more complete formula for success.
Dan Tratensek DanT@nrha.org
Publisher, Executive Vice President, Sales
Dan Simon dan@pdra.org
Phone: 800-737-0107, Fax: 636-229-4750
Editor-in-Chief
Dan Tratensek dant@nrha.org
Issue Contributors
Diane Franklin Graeme Haase
Heather Kauffman-Peters
EDITORIAL, DESIGN & PRODUCTION
Managing Editor Melanie Moul editor@pdra.org
Lynnea Chom
Hans Cummings
Todd Taber
Nancy Vondersaar
Association Coordinator Tina Sullivan tina@pdra.org
ADVERTISING
Advertising Manager
Clarissa Thomas clarissa@pdra.org Phone: 636-680-2749
hanks in part to Arts Alliance Tulsa and a famous musical family, Tulsa, Oklahoma, has become a hub for creators, makers and artists. To honor the vibrancy and cultural contributions of the city, the Arts Alliance teamed up with ColorPop Art Lab, a Tulsa company that provides professional commissioned art, to create a 16-by-38-foot mural in the center of Tulsa’s arts district.
“The mural represents how colorful, diverse, close-knit and fun Tulsa is,” says Scott Taylor, owner of ColorPop Art Lab, who worked on the project with designer, Theo Nap, and muralist, Jamie Henderson. “We wanted to show how our city feels like a very small community, made up of creators and makers big and small working together to make Tulsa better.”
The whimsical, children’s book-style mural with a bird’s-eye view of the city was handbrushed using acrylic and exterior paints in vibrant colors mixed on-site. Highlighted in the art is Hop Jam, a beer and music festival held each year by music group Hanson, whose members grew up in Tulsa. Also in the mural is the area theatre, ballroom and several local businesses, including the restaurant where the mural resides.
“It’s important to have art and beauty in spaces where commerce and life are happening,” says Taylor. “Art may be non-quantifiable in a business sense, but it reaps benefits for the city as a whole. It helps people feel more at home, more connected to themselves and more connected to each other.”
Independent Support
Armstrong-Clark continues to become a more recognized brand, but many people may not know the company’s history in wood preservation dates back seven generations to before the Civil War.
The company’s success today is due in part to its tradition of building the best quality product and backing it with the best possible service. Armstrong-Clark also benefits from not having to worry about formula changes when the U.S. EPA or states tighten regulations. The company has drawn on its history to formulate an outstanding, old-fashioned, traditional exterior oil-based wood stain that is compliant in every state for current and anticipated regulations.
Paint & Decorating Retailer: How is your oil-based wood stain different than other compliant stains?
Armstrong-Clark: We use a blend of high-quality drying and nondrying oils that create two layers of protection in one application. The nondrying oils dive deep into the wood, while the drying oils stay at the surface to create a barrier, to protect the nondrying oils from Mother Nature. We also have transparent, semitransparent, hardwood and semisolid colors available. Lastly, we haven’t had a formula change since 2011.
PDR: What support do you offer when it comes to training store employees about new products?
AC: A store employee only has the capacity to absorb so much, and turnover is a challenge. In addition to providing introductory materials, we offer free stain to store employees to use on their own projects so they can see how easy our stain is to use and how long it lasts.
We worked with our retailers to develop a how-to brochure that provides a quick but detailed education about wood care; including understanding new wood; clarifying how much stain to apply; understanding the effects of prep on color; and a quick guide to pressure-washing.
This brochure can be used as a reference tool to answer customer questions. Customers sometimes spend days researching online, which often results in more confusion than answers. Stores can provide this brochure every time they hand out a free sample can.
PDR: How else do you support retailers?
AC: For starters, we answer the phone. A retailer’s customer is every bit our customer, and we are here to help. Retailers are busy. Regardless of the reason, a retailer can call us to ask a question or send their customer to us.
We advertise in several industry publications, and we are growing our social media presence on Facebook and Instagram. We currently have over 16,000 Instagram followers. Each month we run online ads on both social media platforms in target markets for either growth, brand awareness or retail support.
PDR: Why should independent retailers believe you when you say Armstrong-Clark products will not be sold in big-box stores?
AC: Our president, Brian Carter, served a three-year sentence working with big boxes, and he has absolutely no desire to do business with companies that put him and his family through what they endured. We also don’t do business with discount stores. We are a family-owned business, and we appreciate and value continuing to do business with independents.
Bringing the Great Outdoors Inside
Murals Offer Spectacular Landscapes for Every Room
When thinking about home decor, homeowners must decide whether to paint or seek an alternative. Solid color walls are classic and safe, but some choose options that provide more impact. Wall murals by Rebel Walls are more than just wallpaper, and their Scandanavian Collection is the latest addition to its line of over 20 different wall mural collections.
Each collection features many different designs, and the Scandanavian Collection is no different. Whether you like a simple floral pattern or the grandeur of distant mountains, designers will be able to find a match for the exact look they want to create. They also offer samples from their assortment, so designers can find the right style without committing to a large investment of materials. Do you prefer patterns or more abstract styles? Rebel Walls collections can accommodate that as well.
Rebel Walls utilizes modern digital printing techniques to manufacture wallpaper on demand. This means that unlike with traditional wallpaper printing, Rebel Walls is not limited to a certain number of colors or patterns and can create custom wallpaper for designers from their extensive image bank or from customers’ own photographs. Rebel Walls paper is printed on a nylon-reinforced nonwoven paper, allowing the adhesive to be applied directly to walls, making installation easier. In addition, Rebel Walls wallpaper is printed with nontoxic inks and finished with Rebel Mattic™, a soft and nonreflective matte finish.
Whether you’re decorating one wall, multiple walls, ceilings or making a statement in every room in your home or office, Rebel Walls can help you find a look to match your vision.
Paint Roller Cover
Cirrus X polyamide roller covers have extra capacity and durability. These roller covers are suitable for base and finish coats, as well as backrolling textured surfaces, such as stucco or brick. They are available in 9-, 14-, and 18-inch sizes with 3/4-inch and 1-inch naps for rough to extra-rough surfaces.
Wooster
800-348-7615 or woosterbrush.com
Designer Grab Bars
These matte black grab bars are offered in 16- and 24-inch lengths for the Wave style and a 16-inch length for the Infinity style. Constructed of 18-gauge stainless steel, they include cover flanges in a matching finish to conceal screws after installation. These grab bars are ADA compliant when properly installed and are also available in polished chrome, brushed nickel and oil-rubbed bronze finishes.
Keeney Mfg.
800-243-0526 or keeneymfg.com
Fabric & Floor Cleaner
CLR® Stain Magnet Carpet, Fabric & Floor Cleaner is a fast-acting and versatile stain remover built to handle the toughest jobs, including tough-to-clean food and bodily fluid spills. It’s a convenient cleaning solution for hardwood, laminate and tile and softer surfaces like Berber, polyester and cotton. It is part of the EPA’s Safer Choice program and is septic safe, as well as nontoxic, biodegradable, paraben free and with no added fragrance.
Jelmar
800-323-5497 ext. 693 or clrbrands.com
Nitrile Gloves
Aurelia® Blush® examination gloves are nonlatex, made from 100 percent thin nitrile, powder-free and nonsterile. Each batch of gloves is air-tested to detect pinholes prior to being machine packed. They are ambidextrous and conform to the highest international standards. For every case sold, $2 will be donated to the Oral Cancer Foundation under Aurelia Cares™
Aurelia Gloves
877-989-8886 or aureliagloves.com
Designer Kitchen Faucets
Hansgrohe’s Allegro N series of kitchen faucets feature a solid brass structure and come in chrome and steel optic finishes. They’re available in high arc, prep and bar faucet sizes and install easily, making them ideal for rental properties and for quick upgrades and renovations. Their rounded surfaces and soft edges work well with a variety of sink design styles, from contemporary to transitional designs. Hansgrohe USA 212-528-3160 or hansgrohe-usa.com
Coffee Pod Maker
Capsulier’s capsule maker allows you to use your own coffee or tea blends for pod-style coffee makers. Their reusable Capsi pod is made from stainless steel, eliminating the waste associated with traditional coffee pods. Over the long term, Capsulier’s system saves money over individual coffee pods and is compatible with Littissima, Essenza, Prodigio and other single-serve coffee pod machines. Capsulier capsulier.com
Data Is Changing the Retail Landscape
It May Not Be in the Way You Think
Retailers wishing to grow their business can find articles in magazines, online and even trade show presentations with varying advice and suggestions. Many of these writers have ideas about ways to gain more traffic, impressions, likes or views, and they’re not wrong. But, there’s a whole world of data that isn’t getting its due airtime—performance.
Understanding how a tool performs—or more importantly, why it performs better or worse in different coatings—is a key data set The Wooster Brush Company pursues every day and has been since 1851. There are a multitude of reasons why that should be important to every retailer who wishes to grow their business.
Wooster’s quality lab regularly tests its tools and accessories to ensure its paint applicators exceed the demands of both professionals and DIYers. Brush experiments allow Wooster to gather valuable information about production capability, finish quality, ability to achieve precision cuts, overall durability, ease of cleaning and more. Likewise, roller experiments create opportunities to gather similar information with the addition of data points like ease of application rates and shed-resistance levels among others. Those brush and roller experiments are also conducted in a variety of coatings to see if paints with varying viscosities create different results. In addition to application tests, frames, poles, buckets and other accessories are also put through rigorous durability testing.
But the first question is always, “What can Wooster really do with all that data?”
Wooster takes testing information and combines it with feedback from the field (insights from retailers, professional painters and DIYers) and innovates. Painters asking for a roller frame that keeps the cover in place led to the innovation of the Sherlock® roller frame. Professionals who asked for a pole that didn’t have to be constantly retightened led to the Sherlock and Sherlock GT® Convertible™ extension poles. Painters who loved the Silver Tip® brushes and asked for a version with additional control opened a door to the creation of the Gold Edge® paintbrush line.
Beyond product creation, sales personnel take this data and train store personnel on the strengths of each Wooster product a retailer carries. Utilizing these free product knowledge training sessions can forever alter the performance of your paint store or paint department. Wooster advancements are time and money savers, not gimmicks. For instance, the controlled paint release capability of rollers utilizing Wooster-exclusive HydroFlow® technology can often turn what was once a three-coat job into a two-coat application. Wooster’s goal is to provide end-users rewarding painting experiences. Sometimes it’s a professional achieving great results fast using a high-production roller. Other times it’s a homeowner needing a tool to help them cut a sharp line along the ceiling. Having store personnel recommend the best tool to meet a customer’s needs is the best way to achieve repeat sales.
At The Wooster Brush Company, We Take Pride in Your Results™. Achieving the best finishes begins with understanding exactly how to get started.
WE CAN GET YOU THERE
People don’t just have tinting requests—most days they have questions too. They need tools that deliver the kinds of results that are expected from a professional or that can make them appear like today wasn’t a rst-time painting experience. Wooster Ultra/Pro® Firm paintbrushes bring success to every-day painting jobs. If your customers are counting on professional painting results—tell them that Wooster is the way to get there.
Industry News
Above and Beyond
Wallcovering Installers Association Honors Members’ Achievements
At its national convention and vendor showcase in Cincinnati, the Wallcovering Installers Association recognized innovative work completed by its members. Taking home first place in the Specialty category was a project from WIA member Michael Baughman that took more than a year to complete and required the dome, soffits and walls of a chapel to be covered in parachute cloth, painted and then surfaced with an adhesive. The end result was a breathtaking room that honors the chapel’s history and mission.
In the Small Spaces category, Baughman triumphed again for his work on a custom home theater. The room incorporates leather wallcoverings that required special blades and cleaning protocols to manage.
It took an 18-page design plan and a 40-foot semitrailer loaded with material to nab first place in the Commercial category. Baughman took home first place for his work in a pediatrician’s office that included 64 separate wallcovering pieces. When all was said and done, 3D jungle canopies made this doctor’s office a kid-friendly destination.
In the Residential category, Heidi Mead took first place for her painstaking work on a client’s formal dining room that included 67 separate French panels inset in the walls. Mead calls the finished work “one of the most complicated inventory and installation diagrams” of her entire career.
For more information on the WIA, visit the official website at wallcoveringinstallers.org
At its national convention in Cincinnati earlier this fall, the Wallcovering Installers Association honored its members for innovative design achievements in four separate categories. WIA member Michael Baughman won in the commercial category for his work in a doctor’s office.
PPG Launches New Service for Commercial Paint Connections
Paint manufacturer PPG is launching PPG Services, a digitally enabled platform that connects national businesses with multiple facilities to connect with seasoned professional painters. The service also allows users to schedule and manage painting maintenance projects.
Paint & Decorating Retailer spoke to Divya Thadani, general manager of PPG Services, to learn more about how the program will serve the industry. She says after a year of internal testing, PPG Services is ready to go live.
Paint & Decorating Retailer: What motivated the launch of the PPG Services platform?
Divya Thadani: PPG acquired Paintzen in January 2018. Paintzen began in the consumer space to sell a tech-enabled paint solution for consumers looking to get their homes or apartments painted. Paintzen learned there was a lot of value in that type of arrangement.
We’ve spent the last 12 months refining that value proposition and figuring out how to launch PPG Services in a way that creates value for PPG, painters and national accounts. With a centralized approach and one point of contact,
there is a lot of efficiency and speed in getting paint jobs done for national accounts customers.
PDR: How will Paintzen and PPG Services coexist going forward?
DT: Paintzen will continue to operate in the B2C space. But moving forward, PPG Services will focus exclusively on serving national accounts customers. The goal of PPG Services is to reach managers of multisite, national facilities, specifically in the retail and hospitality spaces.
PDR: How will independent paint and decorating retailers benefit from PPG Services?
DT: One of the values of PPG Services is the speed and efficiency of getting a job done, which comes from our network of distribution points, whether that’s company-owned stores or retailer partners. Our retailer partners are a crucial part of this program’s success. It’s about optimizing those points of distribution to any job PPG Services undertakes in order to provide a truly streamlined solution.
New Ruling Expands Overtime Eligibility
Under new guidance from the U.S. Labor Department, approximately 1.3 million more U.S. workers are now eligible for overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act, according to NPR.
Under current law, most workers making about $23,660 are eligible for overtime pay. Starting Jan. 1, 2020, however, that threshold to be considered “salaried” will rise to $35,568.
“For the first time in over 15 years, America’s workers will have an update to overtime regulations that will put overtime pay into the pockets of more than a million working Americans,” acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella says in the article. “This rule brings a common-sense approach that offers consistency and certainty for employers as well as clarity and prosperity for American workers.
Benjamin Moore Selects Its 2020 Color of the Year
Benjamin Moore has announced First Light 2102-70 will be its 2020 color of the year.
A soft, rose-colored hue, First Light asks painters to reexamine their living spaces as a new decade begins, according to the company.
“We selected First Light as our Color of the Year 2020 to represent a new dawn of idealism, design and living,” says Andrea Magno, Benjamin Moore director of color marketing and development. “First Light reflects a new definition of the home—a shift in mindset from the material to satisfying the core needs in life: community, comfort, security, self-expression, authenticity and ultimately, optimism.”
In addition to its color of the year, Benjamin Moore also named other colors as part of its Color Trends 2020 palette, including White Heron OC-57; Windmill Wings 2067-60; Buxton Blue HC-149; Thunder AF-685 and Crushing Green HC-125, among others.
First Light 2102-70
Richard’s Paint Names Justin Richard to Regional Sales Manager
Richard’s Paint Mfg. Co. Inc. recently announced the appointment of Justin Richard to the position of regional sales manager. Company president Eric Richard made the announcement in late August and indicated Justin’s promotion will serve to support the strategic sales plans and growth of the company.
Justin began his career with Richard’s Paint in 2004. His early years were spent learning the ins and outs of the warehouse and manufacturing side of the business. In 2006, Justin was promoted to inside sales with Richard’s Retail Division, building on his knowledge of the product and developing his sales abilities. In 2007, he was promoted to the position of dealer sales representative, and throughout the last 12 years has relocated, with his family, to Warner Robins, Georgia; Houston, Texas; and Melbourne, Florida. With each move, he has grown the existing territories and built lasting relationships, proving his dedication to his trade and to the company. In his new role as regional sales manager, Justin will oversee sales in Florida, Texas, and the Caribbean.
Old Masters Launches New Website
Old Masters, a division of Diamond Vogel, recently launched a new website: myoldmasters.com The new site offers easy-to-navigate product resources, as well as project inspiration and how-to tutorials for consumers.
“We are excited to have consumers and dealers explore the new site to learn about our unique product offerings, find support and technical data, view our color offerings and learn from our informational videos in our Learn section,” says Robert Reints, general manager of Old Masters.
“Consumers now have a great resource to learn more about our products and how they can enhance and simplify their wood-finishing projects. Dealers also benefit from this new site with the launch of our enhanced Store Finder that guides consumers to Old Masters’ extensive network of retailers. Dealers can also use our informative Learn section as a training tool for staff who are looking to expand their knowledge of the woodworking process.”
In addition to product information and how-to guides, myoldmasters.com makes it easy to connect with Old Masters technical services staff via phone or email to help with product or general woodworking questions. The website also connects users to Old Masters’ Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube channels for additional product inspiration.
Justin Richard
See the Porcelain-Like Finish for Yourself
New HOLLANDLAC Brilliant 98 is a high-performance, marine-quality enamel, unequaled in its ability to offer maximum protection and depth of color. Now with a higher sheen, new HOLLANDLAC Brilliant 98 Gloss Enamel possesses a mirror-like luminescence, which may be used subtly or dramatically to create focus, space and light. Its densely pigmented formulation provides superior coverage and hiding power. High concentrations of costly, color-fast pigments result in fade-resistant colors. New HOLLANDLAC Brilliant 98 White is virtually nonyellowing. However, even the highest quality white oil finishes will yellow in the absence of ultraviolet light, for example, inside a closet or room with little direct sunlight. (See EUROLUX for nonyellowing gloss white).
New HOLLANDLAC Brilliant 98’s unique self-leveling and filling properties result in a finish that dries to a beautiful, durable, porcelain-like surface whether applied by brush or spray.
Although all paints perform best when applied over a Fine Paints of Europe Oil Primer and Undercoat, New HOLLANDLAC Brilliant 98 does not require primer when applied over clean, previously painted oil finishes that are in good condition. Surfaces that have been painted previously with waterborne paint should be lightly sanded and primed with Fine Paints of Europe Oil Primer and Undercoat before being painted with a HOLLANDLAC finish.
By Melanie Moul
The 2020 Operations Handbook
A Brief Guide to Get Ahead in Your Business
When the calendar flips to 2020 in just a few short weeks, will you be ready? You may think next year is just like any other year, and for most people and their businesses, that may very well be true. But there’s something about starting a new decade that makes the desire for change, for improvement, for growth even stronger. Think back to where your business was at the start of 2010. It may have been the first time you took a breath as the economy showed signs of recovery after the recession. You may have made business calls on your
new iPhone 4 and then heard about this brand new app called Instagram from your 20-something millennial assistant manager. You may have wondered how to sell Pantone’s 2010 color of the year: turquoise.
On the following pages, use this operations handbook to give yourself and your team a fresh outlook on the upcoming decade. Invest in training to become more knowledgeable, explore new technology to make marketing a cinch and learn which responsibilities you can hand over to your millennial store manager to prepare the next generation for success.
5 Reasons to Take Training Up a Notch
No matter the size or scale of your operation, training is a key component to success. Even if it’s just you and your long-time sales manager, there are new products, new technologies and new customers that come into your business every day and require your attention.
Training can be the difference between stagnation and growth, a three-star reputation or dozens of five-stars. Read through these five reasons to discover why training is a crucial component of operations best practices that you should implement in 2020.
1. Empower your employees.
The more knowledge your staff has about your business and the industry, the more connected they feel to their roles. Everyone at your store—from warehouse worker to sales director—should receive the same training opportunities so they are all on a level playing field. An engaged and educated warehouse worker today may be your succession plan tomorrow.
2. Boost add-on sales.
When your sales associates know the products that work together and those that don’t, they can more readily recommend the right combinations to customers. Instead of just being asked to mix cans of paint, a sales associate with thorough training can sell the primer, the appropriate applicators and all the cleanup materials right alongside.
3. Improve your reputation for service.
As an independent business, you may say your claim to fame is service. But if your staff doesn’t have the same knowledge you do, is everyone truly getting the same level of service? Pass along the knowledge and skills you have so you can be sure your reputation is carried on.
4. Become an employer of choice.
When employees receive training, they are more engaged and more committed to their roles. Making an investment in your team members builds your reputation as an employer of choice. In this challenging hiring environment, be sure everyone knows you are committed to providing an engaging and supportive workplace.
5. Grow your operation.
When you invest in comprehensive training program, the result is growth. Customers will share their experiences with your knowledgeable team, sales associates will continue boosting transaction sizes and more people will want to learn about career opportunities. Providing every employee well-rounded training is the first step to securing your operation’s future.
Not Sure Where to Start?
The Paint and Decorating Retailers Association has you covered when it comes to training. Learn more about training program opportunities your association makes available to you and your staff at pdra.org/education Call 800-737-0107 to access it today.
5 Loss Prevention Tips to Share With Your Staff Today
Loss prevention is not only the job of your security team or your operations manager. Keeping the business, staff and customers safe from loss prevention incidents is everyone’s responsibility. Read through this list of loss prevention best practices to be sure you know the basics and all team members are on the same page.
1. Stay aware.
Don’t rely only on security cameras or the bell on the door that rings when someone enters the store. Engage with every person who comes in, even if it’s just to tell them you are available to answer any questions in between serving other customers. Be sure people know you have seen them.
2. Stay safe.
If you find yourself in a worst-case scenario and need to resolve a loss prevention incident, do not follow the perpetrator outside the store. Managers should have a process in place for documenting incidents and alerting law enforcement to follow up. Be sure everyone on staff understands the expectations and is committed to safety.
3. Stay communicative.
Consider implementing a code-word system that alerts other employees about possible incidents. Instead of shouting something like “Red alert!”, try using phrases or names that won’t arouse suspicion with customers, such as “Have you seen the red primer?” or “When is Ruby coming in today?”
4. Stay polite.
Even though it’s important to keep your guard up, you should never be so suspicious that it leads to delivering poor customer service. Some people just prefer to have a quick in-store experience, but that doesn’t mean they deserve a lower level of service or are stealing.
5. Stay informed.
Whether it’s with regular team meetings or through written memos, share recent reports of loss prevention incidents in your area with the staff. It’s also a good idea to connect with other businesses in your immediate surroundings so everyone can share the responsibility of keeping the neighborhood safe.
Don’t Lose Your Way!
The PDRA has your back when it comes to implementing loss prevention best practices in your operation. When you become a training member, you have access to comprehensive resources, like Trainer’s Toolbox. Check out the Loss Prevention Trainer’s Toolbox resource today at pdra.org/education
Delivering Profitability
Airlessco Sprayers Help You Grow Paint Sales
As a business owner, it’s important to make strategic decisions that best serve your customers in order to maximize profit and keep the business growing. You’ve built your business and earned the trust of your community by selling quality products, offering excellent service and providing your customers with an exceptional experience.
As a local paint and decor retailer, it’s important to offer the tools necessary for your customers to get the job done right. Sacrificing quality should never be part of the value equation—especially when choosing the right equipment for the job. Airlessco sprayers offer the opportunity to increase profits while continuing to provide your customers with a unique combination of quality and value.
Differentiate Your Business
Including airless paint sprayers as part of your product offering is a proven strategy to increase paint sales. Choosing to stock Airlessco sprayers provides an excellent opportunity to differentiate your business while offering your customers a complete line of quality products at a great value. From smaller residential repaint projects to spraying texture finishes to striping a parking lot, Airlessco has a quality product to meet the application needs of every customer.
As a value line of products made by Graco in the U.S. with global components, Airlessco sprayers deliver a higher level of quality than the competition by capitalizing on a long history of industry-leading manufacturing and quality control. Airlessco sprayers are built with an ultra-durable DC motor and select models include an exclusive Pro-Duty pump design that delivers the longest pump life solution in its class while allowing customers to extend pump life with easy on-the-job packing adjustments.
With unmatched performance in their class, Airlessco sprayers outshine other competitive spray equipment while providing longer life and low-cost maintenance. Every Airlessco sprayer is backed by the best warranty in its class—including a lifetime warranty on the electric motor and drivetrain and a free repack kit and pump rod when it’s time for the first repair.
Unmatched Quality and Support
Airlessco sprayers are backed and supported by Graco, the No. 1 brand in spray equipment. In addition to delivering the highest quality, this provides distinct ongoing support advantages to Airlessco retail partners.
Retail partners are able to grow their paint sales by including Airlessco sprayers as part of their equipment offering. With premium performance and reliability, Airlessco sprayers provide the quality needed to keep spraying longer and applying more paint. Airlessco helps facilitate in-store sales with a complete line of marketing and program support materials.
When it comes to in-field support, Airlessco is second to none. Instead of dealing with agencies that represent a wide variety of product offerings from different industries, Airlessco retail partners experience the highest quality infield sales support from dedicated manufacturer direct spray experts who provide the necessary support to help maximize profitability and grow their businesses.
To learn more about the opportunity to become an Airlessco distributor, call 800-223-8213.
5 Marketing Must-Dos in 2020
You may have updated your marketing budget to be a little slimmer next year, or you may be looking for some unique advertising opportunities. As you’re creating your marketing strategy for 2020, consider these top five methods that should definitely make it to the top of your to-do list.
1. Social media.
If you don’t have a professional Facebook page, aren’t posting on Instagram and haven’t explored YouTube, 2020 is the year for you. Consumers are more often turning to online resources and social media platforms to research businesses and products before they head to the store to purchase. Be sure your company has a presence to catch their attention and convert followers to paying customers.
2. Print media.
Print isn’t dead. It’s still a vital marketing tool; it just may take some creativity to bring customers in the door. Find out if your local circular sends out monthly coupon packs or new resident packages you could put a coupon in. Also, consider putting together some simple bag stuffers to advertise new products or services you offer that customers may not be aware of.
3. Local media.
Do you want to boost attendance at events? Are you having a customer appreciation event? Have you told your local news channel about it? Have a press release template ready to go for anything that may get your business a signal boost. Local media outlets love to cover local businesses, so make connections to stay top of mind.
4. Word-of-mouth.
This method is still one of the most valuable marketing tools, and it is consistently effective. Most people talk about good service and are happy to pass along referrals when they have a great experience. Consider hosting a promotion that rewards word-of-mouth recommendations. Hand out referral cards to your professional customers in exchange for a discount or ask your Facebook followers to share your company page for a chance to win a gift card.
5. Community outreach.
Team up with other local businesses to share the cost of advertising. Consider getting all the business owners in your plaza or strip together to film a TV ad or purchase a full-page ad in the newspaper. When small businesses support each other, it elevates everyone.
Is Your Face(book) On?
Throughout the year in the pages of Paint & Decorating Retailer, we have supplied tips to digging into social media. Turn to Page 42 to read about marketing best practices and find out where to download a year’s worth of resources.
5 Ways to Keep the Humanity in Human Resources
You likely didn’t become a business owner to be someone’s boss; in fact, you may have taken this path so you could be your own boss. However, as your business grows, so does your responsibility to your staff to be a leader. Share this list with your new managers and tack it up in your own office so you can remind yourself about the basic principles of managing other people.
1. Be flexible.
Things change and unforeseen circumstances arise in life. Being a flexible manager when employees need it most can help create a culture in the operation that makes people
Find Your Next Partner
The PDRA works with a variety of organizations to help you manage the day-to-day operations parts of business ownership. Read more about NexGen Partner Services on Page 44 to get an HR boost and then head to pdra.org/business-services to see other vital service partners.
want to do their best work. Understanding the difference between one missed alarm and inherent irresponsibility is key to retaining strong team members.
2. Be consistent.
In this industry, small business often means family business, but it’s important family members aren’t shown preference or given unwarranted opportunities. When it comes to following process and procedure or giving our discipline or praise, be sure everyone is held to the same standard, no matter their relation.
3. Be open.
Having an open-door policy for employees to share their successes, ask questions and express concerns is the best way to build up a culture of trust and confidence in company leadership.
4. Be yourself.
We don’t always share everything about ourselves and our personal lives at work, and that’s OK. But it makes for a welcoming work environment when the boss is comfortable sharing their experiences so other people can learn and get to know who you are. It’s also great to have a vested, genuine interest in your employees.
5. Be willing to outsource.
It’s OK to admit you can’t juggle everything that comes along with being a business owner. There are service providers that can help if human resources isn’t something you can manage well. Connect with your association to learn more.
OWN THE DIRECTION OF YOUR BUSINESS
A One-Stop Shop
ICP Offers a Broad Range of Products Under 1 Roof
Located in Andover, Massachusetts, only thirty minutes north of Boston, ICP Building Solutions Group aims to bring customers premium coatings from a single source, eliminating the hassle of dealing with multiple vendors.
A long way from its days as the home of California Paints®, ICP has since acquired several brands and positioned itself as the go-to source for architectural and specialty coatings, which include Storm System®, FixALL®, Duralux Marine Finishes®, Fiberlock® and Dry-Treat®, among many others.
“ICP BSG is a compilation of industry-leading brands that deliver high-performance professional products and services for the building envelope, flooring and cementitious, and sport surface markets,” says Jim Smith, vice president of architectural sales. “We are focused on bringing architectural, specialty, and performance coatings to the independent dealer market. Through acquisitions, ICP BSG has grown its product offering to meet various needs across the industry.”
FixALL has been trusted by professionals everywhere since its creation in 1883, offering multiple solutions for a wide range of applications, including enamels, mold-resistant coatings, rust primers, concrete sealers, metal primers and more.
Choosing precisely the right wood finish can be a confusing task. The Storm System was created to change all that. Developed to simplify the stain selection process, Storm System offers a full spectrum of beautiful finishes, all neatly organized in five easy-to-understand categories.
ICP offers a wide range of products needed to complete a project, including California Paints House Paint and Interior finishes, Dry-Treat Stain-Proof Original Premium Sealant for natural stone and Storm System Category 2 semitransparent stains.
From Category 1 clear finishes—which protect wood substrates while maintaining their most natural look—to more dramatic Category 4 solid-color stains, the Storm System offers any look customers want…as well as the protection to Weather Whatever.
“The categories aim to meet specific needs from clear to solid finishes—from light moisture protection to heavy UV protection and beyond,” says Smith. “Storm System provides a full spectrum of finishes for exterior wood surfaces.”
Originally developed for commercial or pleasure boats, Duralux coatings has expanded to include most any onshore and offshore application where marine-grade protection from harsh exposures is required. Duralux is available in colors to satisfy the most discriminating boat owner’s eye. Duralux offers a complete line of high-performance and competitively priced products that are regarded as the industry standard.
By Diane Franklin
Teamwork in Kelowna
How to Create a Frictionless Customer Experience
Husband-and-wife team Rob and Gaia Mueller have achieved success with their retail paint business because they are focused on one central goal—to give everyone who enters the door the ultimate customer experience.
The Muellers are owners of Benjamin Moore Kelowna, in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, a two-store paint operation. With services ranging from in-home and in-store consultations to expert color-matching and job-site delivery, the Muellers and their employees put everything they have into meeting and exceeding their customers’ expectations.
“Our staff is very customer-centric,” Rob says. “We do a lot of events for our professional customers, such as painters’ breakfasts, and we also focus on the little things, like making sure our fridge is stocked with bottled water and beer. We also have a pretty eclectic music playlist that customers comment on regularly.”
The Muellers’ main store, located in the heart of Kelowna, is about 5,000 square feet. The second store, located in the main shopping district of West Kelowna, is about 1,800 square feet. Both stores carry architectural and industrial coatings, lacquers and specialty products as well as wallpaper and window coverings.
Over the years, the Muellers have focused on building relationships with professional painters, and those efforts have really paid off.
“When we purchased the business, it was mainly a retail store, but now we do over 70 percent commercial business, with 5 percent industrial and 25 percent retail,” Rob says. “For our professional customers, we’ve managed to foster a real sense of community among them through our painters’ events. They all know each other, and it’s nice to see them chatting and networking with one another.”
Gaia says she and Rob find themselves using a particular word repeatedly when talking about the customer experience.
“We always try to anticipate the needs of the customer before they even know what they need.”
—Gaia Mueller, Benjamin Moore Kelowna
“It should be frictionless,” she says. “We get a broad mix of customer types in here. We get some high-end retail customers who have high expectations as well as large-volume contractors who are interested in getting the right products for the right price as quick as they need them, so we make every encounter in its own way friction-free.”
There are strong selling skills involved in each interaction as well.
“We ask a lot of open-ended questions,” Gaia says. “We always try to anticipate the needs of the customer before they even know what they need. We’re not trying to upsell them—we’re just trying to make sure they get the products that are best for them at the time.”
From Calgary to Kelowna
The Muellers have been paint store owners in Kelowna for almost a decade. At a population of nearly 200,000 people, the Kelowna market is the third largest metropolitan area in British Columbia and the biggest city in the Okanagan Valley, Canada’s premier wine country.
The staff at Benjamin Moore Kelowna is committed to providing top-notch customer service to everyone who walks through the door. Whether it’s high-end retail customers or business-focused contractors, everyone gets the service they want.
Continuing to Lead and Innovate
To Pick Up and Deliver...CHYLYN Is Engineered for Success
Today’s paint manufacturers are reformulating their products to reduce VOCs and drying times. With the use of advanced flagging, Arroworthy has developed a new brush filament engineered to hold and deliver more paint. The new Oro series of paintbrushes composed of CHYLYN filaments is the perfect complement for today’s latex or oil/alkyd paints and stains.
Research shows the CHYLYN filament with its unique tapered and modified synthetic fibers provides far superior performance than conventional filament blends.
In the hands of the professional painter, the Oro paintbrush delivers a tremendous amount of production because of its ability to hold and release paint as well as being able to maintain sharper paint lines for cutting in.
Research and development along with field testing is critical to making a superior paint product. Arroworthy teams up with
professional painters providing vital feedback to develop and manufacture a superior handcrafted paintbrush that delivers exceptional value.
In the Long Island, New York, facility, expert brushmakers with over 55 years of experience are responsible for handcrafting the Oro series brushes. These brushes have raised the bar for what the professional painter demands in working with today’s paints.
Arroworthy has also developed a high-capacity PolyMicro roller cover, perfect for textured interior and exterior surfaces. This unique blend of polyamide and microfiber creates a rugged material that stands up against rough surfaces while still holding and releasing more paint for faster and more efficient finishing. Manufactured in the U.S., the PolyMicro is unmatched in durability and performance.
Prior to moving to Kelowna, Rob was a paint store owner in Calgary, and Gaia was a high school English teacher. Rob first got involved in the paint business in 1992 at the encouragement of his uncle, who owns stores in southern Alberta.
“At the time, I was pursuing a career in architecture and wasn’t really all that interested in the paint business, but when things softened up in the economy, there wasn’t a lot of work in architecture,” Rob says. “My uncle said I would be good at this, so I gave it a second thought and concluded that this might not be a bad business to get into because it’s nice and recession-proof.”
After owning one store for several years, Rob expanded into a second location, then eventually bought two more store locations. In 2010, he learned of an opportunity to purchase an existing store in Kelowna, which is 600 miles west of Calgary. He bought the store, and then in the spring of 2011, he and Gaia made the decision to move to Kelowna. By 2013, they had sold their Calgary locations and were focused on the operations in Kelowna.
Gaia admits it was a difficult decision to give up her teaching career to join Rob at the paint store.
“But his business was growing so fast that both of us really needed to be here,” she says. “Initially I was worried I would not find this job as meaningful as teaching students because I very much enjoyed that.”
However, she soon discovered owning a business, with the impact it has on employees and customers, is very rewarding.
“Not only are you providing a living for your staff, but you’re also having meaningful interactions with your customers,” Gaia says. “Making them happy by helping them choose colors or by giving good product recommendations so they’re successful in running their painting companies is actually more meaningful than I anticipated.”
A Multifaceted Partnership
Being partners in married life and in business has worked out well for the Muellers.
“They say building a home together is a test of any relationship, but I would say that building a home together while also owning a business together is an even greater test of a relationship,” Gaia says.
Fortunately, the Muellers have filled their roles in the business without being too rigid about it.
“I would say there is a definite fluidity,” says Gaia. “We each have certain areas of responsibility, but for the bigger decisions, we work together to come to a consensus.”
Gaia’s areas of responsibilities include human resources tasks, including hiring, scheduling and managing the staff. She also manages ordering and keeping track of inventory, organizing the salesfloor
Team members are trained in a variety of tasks so everyone has the knowledge and skills to serve all customer types. From mixing paint to answering customers’ questions over the phone, all staff can take on any task.
and building relationships with the community. Rob, meanwhile, handles the accounting and financial aspects of the business, while also tending to many of the technical paint aspects of the business.
“One thing that is really impressive about Rob and Gaia is how well they balance each other out,” says Nadine Clements, the Muellers’ Benjamin Moore territory representative. “They make a really great team. Both bring strong assets to the table and strive to be masters at what they do. Gaia runs the staff and is very organized and detailed, while Rob has a lot of good relationships, paint knowledge and is an industry expert.”
While Rob and Gaia have their share of administrative duties, they both spend plenty of time on the salesfloor as well, taking orders and making paint. Rob says it’s very much a hands-on ownership style, but the two of them also stress they wouldn’t be where they are without their staff.
Currently the Muellers have 12 employees, several of whom have been with them since they opened the Kelowna store.
“They are a large part of our success that we greatly value,” Rob says. “We all work as a team, and we foster a family atmosphere.”
Among the long-timers on their staff is Jordan Strilaiff, who Gaia describes as “the Buddha of the tint room.”
“He oversees the tinting in our main store and is very proficient with all types of coatings,” she says.
Other veteran staffers are Todd Tavendar and Kristina Blancher, who Gaia says are both very good with customers and with the technical aspects of the business. In fact, all of the employees at the two stores have that type of versatility.
“They can all do color consults and can mix paint,” Gaia says. “We don’t relegate people to any particular part of the store.”
Nadine has been impressed by how conscientious the Muellers are about educating their staff, including sending them to Benjamin Moore training sessions and also providing them with in-store training.
Rob and Gaia Mueller (far left) own and operate Benjamin Moore Kelowna in Kelowna, British Columbia. They say they couldn’t do it without the help of their knowledgeable, dedicated staff, who are all committed to customer service.
“I think the reason they are so successful is their attention to detail,” she says. “They take advantage of every single program we provide, plus their passion is a huge part of their success as well. They’re very passionate about selling paint.”
“I think it’s important to give back to the industry, and personally it’s a good networking opportunity that allows me to get a bigger-picture view of the industry.”
—Rob Mueller, Benjamin Moore Kelowna
3 Decades of Change
As he approaches his 29th year as a paint store owner, Rob is in a good position to talk about the changes that have occurred in the industry over the past three decades.
Rob cites a compelling example: “Back when I started in ’92, retailers with fax machines were a bit of a rarity, but currently we have staff who wonder what a fax machine even is.”
The advancement of technology has been huge for independent business operators, according to Rob.
“It’s made small business better able to compete with the larger box stores. There’s nothing they have in technology that we don’t,” he says. “It really levels the playing field.”
One area in which small businesses can stand toe-to-toe with larger competitors is social media. Staff member Jessica Mills manages the company’s Facebook and Instagram pages, which is a great way to get the word out about the quality products, services, promotions and customer appreciation events they offer.
Because the industry is changing so rapidly, Rob and Gaia find it beneficial to belong to several industry organizations. They are members of the Canpro buying group, which not only helps them buy right but gives them the opportunity to have conversations with other retailers about what it takes to succeed in today’s market.
In addition, Rob is a long-time board member of the Paint and Decorating Retailers Association, currently serving as director-at-large. Being involved with the association serves a two-fold purpose.
“I think it’s important to give back to the industry, and personally it’s a good networking opportunity that allows me to get a bigger-picture view of the industry,” he says. “There are clearly commonalities of the business, but there are also some big regional differences, such as what products are favored in different regions.”
Cultivating connections in the industry through the association also gives the Muellers insights into the challenges and successes of other retailers, which Rob says are fairly similar no matter where an operator is based. Ultimately, the Muellers use that information to further their goal—give the people who enter their stores better customer experience than ever before.
“The competitive nature is a constant with the industry, whether it’s a large or a small market, and all of us also have the same issues in dealing with the public,” he says. “That’s why it’s so helpful to get together and compare notes.”
The salesfloor at Benjamin Moore Kelowna is set up to maximize the experience of any customer who comes in the door. It invites retail customers to explore color and new products and gives professionals easy access to the tools they need.
Benchmark Your Business
2019 Cost of Doing Business Study Includes Paint Store Finances
For more than a century, home improvement business owners have counted on the annual Cost of Doing Business Study to compare their operations’ financial performance against typical and high-profit peers.
Produced by the North American Retail Hardware Association, the Cost of Doing Business Study contains critical information that allows business owners and managers to pinpoint areas of their business they can improve to make their entire operation more profitable. From sales per customer to sales per square foot, each line of the study helps retailers bring their business to new heights.
A Focus on Paint Operations
For the first time, the Cost of Doing Business Study included financial information on paint stores alongside hardware stores, home improvement centers and lumberyards. The composite data shows clear distinctions between typical paint stores and high-profit operations (those in the top 25 percent of study respondents for net profit before taxes).
High-profit retailers are reporting 6.1 percent net profit before taxes compared to 2.3 percent of typical stores. That discrepancy seems to be fueled by two main factors: better expense control and stronger inventory productivity at high-profit paint stores.
That metric is not the only instance of high-profit paint stores outperforming their peers. High-profit stores have lower overall operating expenses as a percentage of overall sales. High-profit locations averaged about $360 in sales per square foot, whereas typical operations managed $143 in sales per square foot.
As this was the first year the study included information on independent paint retailers, there isn’t historical data on all line items to compare operations and see trends develop over time.
However, paint retailers who provided financial information for both 2017 and 2018 saw an 8.9 percent increase in sales year over year.
Take the Next Steps
This is just a fraction of the data available in the full Cost of Doing Business Study To access the full report, visit pdra.org.
Deeper Look at Paint Store Financials
Typical High Profit SingleMultistore
Typical Paint Stores at a Glance
Fresh Coat
Failure to Launch: 5 Tips to Get Your Social Media Marketing Soaring
YouTube. Pinterest. Facebook. Instagram. Twitter. Just the mention of these social media giants can create dread in retailers who know they should use them but don’t know where to start. Here are five tips for a successful social media launch, then head to pdra.org to download a year’s worth of tips to getting the most out of each platform.
1
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Consider your objectives. Before creating a social media plan, retailers need to define their goals. Whether creating business awareness, driving online sales or growing in-store traffic, be sure to define your main objective before creating a measurable campaign.
Stick with what you know. Retailers should use social media posts to highlight expertise, skills and knowledge. From Facebook Live to Pinterest, social media outlets are good for sharing trends and ideas, demonstrating products and showing behind-the-scenes activities and store tours.
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4
Be cautious. Avoid letting your social media accounts become forums for complaints by being cautious about posts. Get potential marketing ideas in front of a variety of viewers and seek feedback before making anything permanent.
Be consistent. Social media can use up your time, if you let it. Consistency is more important than frequency. Utilize social media management tools, like Hootsuite or Sprout, to schedule your posts ahead of time and track your promotions, freeing up your day for other responsibilities.
5
Learn from experts. From big-box companies and general merchandise stores to social media influencers and marketing experts, there is guidance everywhere for how to frame your own social media presence. Look at the feeds of the biggest names in social for ideas and tips.
The deals will be magical on the show floor and the performances will dazzle you on the Lancaster stage!
Friday, TH
The Hometown Advantage Seminar 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Growing your business within the local community.
Sponsored by The Paint & Decorating Retailers Association and PPG
Presented by Eric S. Borden, President and Consultant at Pathfinder Consultants, Inc.
Consumers are increasingly concerned with what they are purchasing and who they are purchasing from. Learn more about the power of leveraging your independently owned status, the impact on the community and how you can use it to inspire your customers to “buy local”.
Lancaster Buying Show • 9:00am - 5:00pm
Lunch • 12:00pm - 1:30pm
The Magic of Lancaster Dinner & Entertainment
Featuring the magic of illusionist, Drew Thomas (semi-finalist from America’s Got Talent) and much more. 6:30pm - 9:30pm Sunday, 9TH
Put yourself on the right foot with an all-in-one business services partner heading into the holiday season and the new year.
The Paint and Decorating Retailers Association has worked with NexGen Partner Strategies for the last 10 years to offer association members credit card processing services. The company has recently expanded its services to include payroll processing, human resources management, insurance, working capital and telemedicine.
“NexGen serves business owners all over the country who are tired of having multiple contacts at different companies just to get the job done,” says Tim Morrison, director of sales. “We’ll help you operate smoothly, with just one point of contact for all of your business needs.”
NexGen is confident their services will make running your operation easier. In fact, if you don’t save money using their services, they will pay your PDRA annual dues.
In addition to providing comprehensive operations solutions, the company operates NexGen Giving, the charitable branch of NexGen Partner Strategies. For retailers committed to giving back, NexGen Giving donates 20 percent of each payment processing transaction to a nonprofit of the retailer’s choice. To date, NexGen has donated upward of $400,000 to hundreds of nonprofit organizations.
PDRA members receive special pricing on NexGen services. Learn more about what options make sense for your business at nexstrategy.net/pdra or contact the NexGen team at 888-680-4677 or info@npsaz.com.
Industry Calendar
Let It Fly
This year, the PDRA is encouraging you to extend the reach of the scholarship program by making it a community outreach opportunity. To help you spread the word about the program, the PDRA has created signage, bag stuffers, a large display sign and a press release template for you to distribute to local media outlets.
To download the materials, visit pdra.org/scholarship In your marketing materials, send your customers to pdra.org/cashforcollege so they can learn more about the program and the association that supports your operation.
If you have questions about the marketing materials or the scholarship program, contact Tina Sullivan by calling 800-737-0107.
Scholarship Shout-Out
Last month, the PDRA announced the nomination period is now open for its annual $5,000 scholarship program. This significant scholarship award, which is sponsored by the National Hardware Show, has changed the lives of students across the country for the last 13 years.
“I was pretty shocked when I heard I won. I won scholarships in high school, but nothing this big or prestigious.”
—Jennifer Fick, 2017 winner
“It’s exciting to have won a scholarship from the paint industry because I have been helping out at our store since I was in grade school.”
—Jeremy Keim, 2018 winner
“This scholarship will allow me to offset the loans I would otherwise need to take out for my senior year of college.”
—Emma Petri, 2019 winner
NOVEMBER 6-8
Home Improvement eRetailer Summit Kimpton Hotel Monaco Chicago Chicago eretailersummit.com
NOVEMBER 26-27
The National Paint and Decorating Show Ricoh Arena Coventry, England paintshow.co.uk
DECEMBER 5
NRHA State of Independents Conference NRHA Headquarters Indianapolis nrha.org/soic
FEBRUARY 7-8
Lancaster Florida Buying Show Gaylord Palms Hotel & Resort Kissimmee, Florida lancasterco.com/events
FEBRUARY 19-21
2020 PDCA EXPO
Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel & Spa Phoenix-Glendale, Arizona pdca.org/expo
MARCH 14-15
PACOA Spring Dealer Market Queens College Fitzgerald Gymnasium Flushing, New York pacoa.com
MAY 5-7
PDRA Paint & Accessories Show at the National Hardware Show
Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas pdra.org/trade-show
If you would like your event included in this list, email Melanie Moul at editor@pdra.org with the date, location and a brief overview of your event.
Get Ready for the Industry’s Biggest Event
If you’re looking for an opportunity to research new products, meet your industry peers and connect with the PDRA in person, the PDRA Paint & Accessories Show at the National Hardware Show is the place to get it all.
From May 5-7, 2020, one of the home improvement industry’s largest trade shows kicks off in Las Vegas. The National Hardware Show brings in hundreds of the newest brands to differentiate your business and the trusted names you know. Join the PDRA on the show floor for the three-day show, and make your rounds through the paint and accessories area to find the latest tools. Explore other categories, such as hardware and tools, storage and organization and some unexpected opportunities, such as tailgate, backyard and BBQ and pet products.
Learn more about next year’s event—the 75th annual National Hardware Show—at nationalhardwareshow.com . Check back in to Paint & Decorating Retailer magazine in 2020 for an exclusive registration code.
3 Reasons to Partner With a Digital Marketing Agency Guest Column Marketing
For many businesses, outsourcing has become a key benefit to growing their company. In fact, a hybrid combination of an in-house team and an agency is often a great solution for a business looking for a way to optimize and manage their budgets, expertise and time. The right partner can make an incredible difference—and here are three advantages to bringing that team on board.
1. Focused work. An agency usually has several people with specific skill sets on board. Instead of one employee juggling several hats, the agency will assign the right person for the right job on your behalf. You have someone specifically focused on that job, whether it be website development, graphic design, updating your branding and strategy, designing effective packaging, creating customized social advertising, tracking the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns and more. Budget-wise, the agency can offer different skill sets at an attractive price, without the overhead of providing benefits and physical space.
2. Creative ideas. Sometimes a company can become stagnant with stale ideas—a “we’ve always done it this way” rotation of the same look with the same message. An agency team constantly stays updated on new digital technology and strategic marketing options, and has access to in-depth insights from advanced (and expensive) software tools. As they are constantly learning and gaining new perspectives, they can easily think outside the box and generate new, viable ideas for marketing that work for you and expand your customer base.
3. Efficiency. Employees sometimes take on so many responsibilities that on a daily basis, their priorities and tasks get pushed further and further away. Valuable opportunities can be lost! With an agency, deadlines are met due to their reliable focus on the work and their timelines. They work with your in-house team to ensure that all marketing campaigns are running smoothly and effectively. Once the campaigns end, they can also review the audience insights and provide guidance on strategies that provided the best return on your investment. It’s this efficiency that helps your marketing budget become even more effective.
To make the decision to work with a digital marketing agency, it’s best to meet with them and outline your company ethos, vision for the future and current needs. The right agency will understand your vision and strategically tune into your marketing to help build your brand with top-notch digital strategies. They can be your marketing department if you do not have an established team or work as a support system filling in gaps for your in-house staff. Wherever you land in this spectrum, the flexibility, creativity and affordability of a digital marketing agency makes it an incredible option worth investigating.
Monique Rogers
is the founder of The Hive 3, a firm focused on branding, marketing, research and social media engagement. Her previous experience includes management, financial planning, marketing and an emphasis on small business success.
Guest Column Shop Local
Shop Small Businesses to Support Local
3 New Year’s Resolutions for a Colorful 2020
New Year’s resolutions aren’t just for sprucing up your home or overhauling your diet. Next year, resolve to brighten your business and your entire community. Whether it’s a big idea or a small but meaningful tweak, resolving to improve your business will make the new year more colorful for you, your employees and your local community.
Here are three ways you can improve your business and focus on supporting other local businesses in your area in 2020 and beyond.
1. Build new roots.
Your fellow local businesses are calling—and this year, it’s time to answer. Buy-local organizations rely on passionate and involved small business owners to help the entire community thrive. These organizations bring local business owners, advocates and other leaders together to plan engaging campaigns that spread awareness of the importance of shopping local. They host downtown events, revamp city streets and network with political leaders.
In 2020, join a local Main Street organization to build new roots for your business.
2. Brush up on your skills.
Commit to your business by committing to your leadership. Small business owners have a vast array of resources available to them, from industry groups like your association, the Paint and Decorating Retailers Association, buy-local groups like Independent We Stand and even government agencies like the U.S. Small Business Administration. These organizations host webinars, online courses, networking events and more. While finding these tools can be easy, making time to use them is often a different story. Next year, set aside one afternoon per month to focus on learning new management, marketing and business skills.
3. Take on a community project.
As a paint and decorating retailer, your business occupies a strategic place in community beautification. Use your industry expertise and resources to have a local impact that’s right up your alley. Give a vacant Main Street building a facelift to make it more attractive to local investment or bring a new mural to your community’s downtown commercial district. For support, coordinate with a local Main Street organization to beautify the community while deepening your roots.
By committing to your small business, you’re committing to your entire community and its local economy. Keep your community colorful and your economy diverse by making 2020 a year of growth.
Bill Brunelle is the co-founder of Independent We Stand, which educates communities about the benefits of shopping locally. IWS inspires small business owners to celebrate their local status and community value. IWS is sponsored by STIHL, Do it Best Corp. and PPG Paints.
Shawn Karmo, Owner, Paint City, Ferndale, Michigan
PDRA EDUCATION INITIATIVE
WSurprise Your Customers Finish
ith so many options available on the market, selecting wood-finishing products is challenging. A retailer in the Northwest recently discovered SamaN’s stain line, amping up the retailer’s reputation for stain.
“SamaN is easy to share with our in-store clientele, which makes us go-to location for stain purchases,” says Juan Rios, the general manager for Mallory Paint Stores, which has 18 locations across Washington and Idaho.
Three years ago, Mallory Paints added SamaN Wood Finishing products to its inventory with plans to add it to all company stores eventually. They added SamaN One Step Seal, Stain and Varnish; exterior and interior stains; and polyurethanes, which Rios says have really taken off.
“We recommend the line for everything, from commercial wood finishing to homeowners,” says Rios.
He points out that high-end commercial users are the most common customers of SamaN products. “The poly blows them out of the water,” he says.
SamaN Waterbased Urethane Varnish offers a strong, clear finish with a quick-drying, anti-yellowing, self-leveling, low-odor formula. Rios says the environmentally friendly quality is important to their customers, too, especially in Washington state.
The popularity of the water-based varnish at Mallory stores is only surpassed by SamaN stains, which are available in 40 colors and apply in one coat with no odor.
“The lack of grain-raise makes them unique,” says Rios.
“But the Seal, Stain and Varnish is a game-changer.”
SamaN Seal, Stain and Varnish One Step shortens the application process, increasing productivity by allowing users to refinish cabinets without stripping or sanding. It applies with one coat, dries fast and is odorless.
SamaN has been manufacturing wood finishing products for 20 years. They offer a full line of interior and exterior products as well as cleaning and maintenance products. Learn more at saman.ca
from paint store to problem solver
The entire Benjamin Moore & Co. Family of Brands includes much more than interior and exterior paint. We offer coatings for virtually all surfaces, including metal, masonry, pools and parking lots.
Talk to your Benjamin Moore® representative to learn about the products that will transform your paint store into the ultimate problem solver.
