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· · · the start
As a small furniture manufacturer, you know that your business depends on the strength of your ideas - ideas that have forged a range of products that people need. Customers cannot buy what they don't know about, and so the need for marketing is created. Your products are probably not inexpensive (you're not producing huge amounts), but you're not competing on price alone. Savvy smaller-scale producers are offering "uniqueness," and it's this advantage you need to communicate to the world. This "marketing guide" is provided for Canadian manufacturers wanting to increase sales through established retail outlets.
· · · the name
First, you need a name and an image (if you're into buzz words, you're about to develop a "brand"). Your company name should reflect the essence of what you produce and should be reinforced by a phrase or two (tag lines) that provide more detail about your "style" or "mission." If a Web site is part of your strategy, the name you choose must be available for registration as a domain in the appropriate category. For example, the descriptive and furniture relevant domain name/s, chairform.com and chairform.ca were available (at the time of writing). Finding a domain 
· · · the image
Choosing words and phrases that "work" leads to developing graphic elements for your brand identity. To accomplish this task, beg, borrow and steal advice, but when that fails - pay for it. This means hiring a professional graphic designer with a marketing background - working with amateurs will often produce amateur results. Finding a good designer 
· · · the pause
Before you go any further, remember your communication strategies have two distinct targets - the consumer and the retailer. Who is your actual customer? Is it the retailer who sends you cheques and therefore pays your bills, or is it the consumer who ultimately purchases your product? Think through this conundrum carefully. Discuss it in-depth with your designer and other advisors before deciding how to allocate your promotion budget.
· · · the result
Having established your priorities, you should consider some of the following as tangible elements for your brand development:
· Product photographs 
· Product brochure (for consumer)
· Product catalogue (for retailer)
· Web site
· Business cards and stationery
· Tradeshow support graphics
· Packaging (stickers/decals)
· Invoices/purchase orders
From my experience, I have ranked this list in priority order, but, remember, not being "average" is what it is all about.
In the next issue of VCR, furniture marketing 102 will explore establishing a Web site. |
If you are serious about selling to the US, a .com Web site address is essential. There are some cases where a .ca name will work better, and often a combination of the two will work best. Get good advice. Canadian domains can be searched at CIRA; for US domains DirectNIC provides a useful search interface.
Ask colleagues, visit art/design school grad shows, check the Graphic Designers of Canada and BIV Web sites. Your designer needs to have experience in print and Web design and have contacts to other specialists, i.e., photographers, programmers, marketing consultants, etc. Don't get distracted by design only for the Web - the Web is not a substitute for traditional printed promotional materials. The Web actually generates more demand for these materials.
If I had to name the one marketing element most undervalued by small business, it would be product photography. Product images sell products - it's as simple as that. Photography must work for both high-resolution print catalogues and low-resolution Web sites. Images should be set against a white or neutral background with a consistent camera perspective.
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