Furniture Marketing: 102

· · · why web

In Furniture Marketing 101 I introduced you to brand development and the importance of "image." Furniture Marketing 102 focuses on Web site development for producers marketing furniture to the retail sector. A successful site will address three primary objectives:

  1 - Communicating with existing retailers
  2 - Finding new retailers
  3 - Directing consumers to your retailers

If you chose your graphic designer wisely, they will offer a Web site design that incorporates marketing strategies for all three objectives. If your designer is more interested in displaying their visual and technical wizardry rather than selling furniture, you will have a problem. Your company needs to express its creativity in the look and feel of your Web site, but not at the expense of your marketing objectives. Discuss this issue with your advisors and evaluate your competitors Web sites. Put in writing a set of clear objectives you wish your Web designer to meet. Considerations for each objective are described below.

· · · how to accomplish priority 1

  · Provide an on-line catalogue to inform retailers of new and existing products.

  · Have product and technical data sheets for easy download in PDF format

  · Include access to secure .htaccess information about invoices and shipment dates.

  · Make effective use of Web graphics and plug-ins such as Macromedia Flash , etc.

  · (Retailers are a captive audience for detailed information and will not be concerned about slow-downloading files.)

· · · how to accomplish priority 2

  · Ensure your Web site address (URL) is widely available on Web sites frequented by retailers, i.e., trade show Web sites, directories such as Yahoo and furniture-specific on-line directories (see below).

  · Use a large percentage of HTML text with key words and phrases that reflect your business sector: residential, office, hospitality, RTA, institutional, etc.

  · (A Web site containing too many slow-downloading files may drive impatient customers away.)

· · · how to accomplish priority 3

  · Follow 2 and place emphasis on search engine visibility, especially Google .

  · Eliminate frames or Flash because they are not search engine friendly.

  · Include a large percentage of HTML text with key words and phrases to attract consumers surfing for general furniture information.

· · · but they aren't compatible

Some of the objectives above (especially between 1 and 2 or 3) are at odds. Your marketing policy needs to reflect your priorities. An experienced designer will be able to design a site that has fast-downloading opening pages to entice the consumer to go to the next page level where larger graphic files will be tolerated.

· · · only half the battle

In many ways designing and developing your Web site is the easy part (this may come as a surprise). The "challenge" comes in thinking of strategies to make it visible among the millions of others, keeping it up-to-date (maintained) and assigning budget and staff to respond to the queries it generates. Spending thousands on the design of a Web site and little on promoting it (all too common in my experience) makes no sense.

Your next priority should be obtaining a high ranking in Google, the best (and free!) search engine. In addition consider paying for listings in furniture sector directories - essential if your site is not search engine friendly - such as: furniturelink.ca, design addict, HomeFurnish.com and maybe Yahoo. In the next issue of VCR, Furniture Marketing 103 will have more information about administrating your site and Google ranking.

Finally, always remember to seek good advice and learn from your competitors.