MARKETNET ASSOCIATES DIVISION

The Webert 360 Kitchen Faucet is new to the U.S. Be the first... on Twitpic

2011-12-02T09:55:00.000-06:00

The Webert 360 Kitchen Faucet is new to the U.S. Be the first... on Twitpic

Creating a Website for Today’s Kitchen and Bath Consumer

2011-11-15T12:55:00.000-06:00

Interline Creative Group, Inc., a top business to business marketing firm in Palatine, Illinois, will conduct a webcast to teach designers and showrooms how to position their website to successfully market to today’s educated kitchen and bath consumer.

The Kitchen and Bath Design News (KBDN) webcast, sponsored by Cygnus Business Media, a top business-to-business media company reaching millions of professionals annually, explores how designers and showrooms can create their websites to differentiate themselves and stand out among the many kitchen and bath websites on the Internet, and use it as a strong marketing tool to help increase their business.

“Your website should be the focal point of your entire marketing strategy,” says Jim Nowakowski, president of Interline Creative Group, Inc. and facilitator for the marketing seminars. “It’s a challenge to not only capture but also keep consumers’ attention today especially when they are surfing the Internet. They are overloaded with information, pressed for time, and when on the Internet difficult to persuade. You must create your website to seize this small window of opportunity to gain consumers’ attention and keep it for as long as you can.”

The 20-minute web presentation will take place on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. EDT and address the following:

· Who is today’s consumer? Who are your consumers?

· How do you find and define your value?

· Turning Value into Differentiation

· Using Differentiation for the website to delight the consumer.

· Integrated Marketing Drivers

For more information, contact: Interline Creative Group, Inc. at 847-358-4848 or to register online cut and paste this link into your browser: https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=368753&sessionid=1&key=F65E6C3351F0B580083EC7EEA5E54E90&sourcepage=register

Interline Hosts Standing-Room-Only CEU Sessions at its K/BIS Booth; Conducts Research with Designers; Shows Represented Product Lines

2011-05-13T12:15:00.000-05:00

A few marketing companies sent representatives to the 2011 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (K/BIS^®) in Las Vegas. But Interline Creative Group was the only one to exhibit at K/BIS, which attracted thousands of interior designers, architects, builders and attendees from across the U.S. and Canada—all of whom came to see what’s new in the kitchen/bath market.

“What’s new,” says Jim Nowakowski, president of Interline Creative Group, “is a marketing organization such as ours that is redefining its mission and making positive strides to combat this tough economy. We’re not just a marketing group, although we do offer marketing services. We’re problem solvers, and that means stretching the boundaries of what we do and who we are.”

Toward that end, Interline had numerous objectives in mind when exhibiting, including:

hosting its NKBA-approved CEU, “Staying in Front of Your Customers,” as well as other marketing-related sessions to help designers build business;
surveying attendees about why and how they choose product brands for their kitchen and bath designs for a report that will provide manufacturers with important insights into designers’ purchase decisions;
and showing products from three of the manufacturer lines that Interline’s sister company, Marketing Representatives LLC, represents in select regions of the U.S.

These three manufacturers are: Longleaf Collection, a U.S. manufacturer of door and cabinetry hardware and bath accessories; Oregon Woodmeister, which produces high-quality architectural millwork, such as fluted columns, cabinet/drawer fronts, and mouldings, in its U.S. workshop; and Webert Kitchen Faucets, which offers beautiful, high-end, Italian-made faucets.

During his presentation of the “Staying in Front of Your Customers” CEU, Nowakowski uncovered simple methods to help designers gain exposure in today’s economic climate, including exploring what the best ways are to accomplish that and defining what “staying in front” really means. Nowakowski also presents this material in a series of webinars; visit events.interlinegroup.com to see the schedule and register.

“Our marketing sessions proved to be very popular with designers and were, in fact, standing room only at times,” says Nowakowski. “Attendees were highly engaged and interested in hearing key marketing advice on how they can improve their businesses through public relations, advertising, social media and other tactics.”

For manufacturers interested in learning how they, too, can build their businesses, Interline Creative Group’s on-floor research will be invaluable. “We conducted in-person surveys with more than 200 qualified attendees who make kitchen and bath purchase decisions. What these professionals had to say about what they like—and moreover, what they don’t like—about the information, product support and service they currently receive will astound manufacturers.”

Accountability Information Management, the research arm of Interline, is preparing the report, which will offer a wealth of information about what manufacturers can do to gain more business from design professionals. Interline had conducted this survey during the 2010 K/BIS show and can offer samples of that research to interested parties.

“In all, K/BIS was a phenomenal success for Interline,” says Nowakowski. “We exhibited for the first time at the 2010 show. For 2011, we doubled our booth size. We will exhibit at the 2012 show and will double our booth size yet again. Companies that don’t think a show such as K/BIS is worth their time or money are really missing a prime chance to get in front of the kitchen/bath design community and take advantage of sales and marketing opportunities.”

Interline Creative Group, Inc. is a part of comprehensive, full-service marketing organization based in Palatine, Illinois. Interline capabilities include advertising, public relations, Web development/e-commerce, social media, direct marketing, fulfillment, business development, strategic planning and analysis, and industry research for business-to-business and business-to-consumer clients. For more information about Interline, call 847-358-4848 or visit www.interlinegroup.com. Interline is located at:

553 N. North Court, Suite 160, Palatine, IL 60067

For more information on Interline seminars and webinars, go to events.interlinegroup.com or call 847-358-4848.

®KBIS is a registered trademark of the National Kitchen & Bath Association Corporation.

Tile Murals Add Artistic Flair into Kitchen and Bath Design

2011-05-10T14:17:00.001-05:00

Adding art to the bathroom, kitchen or spa area is as easy as incorporating tiles into your design. Use tile murals from LMT Mural Tiles to embellish bathrooms, showers, kitchens and spas. Designed by professional artist, El-Notan Abramov, and available at MarketNet, these tiles are just what you need to add a fabulous finish to your design.

Embellish backsplashes.

As some style to spas with abstracts.

Peppers add pizzazz to the kitchen!

Make a spash in the shower with this dolphin tile mural.

For the complete line of LMT Tile murals, go to http://www.marketnetnetwork.com/.

What Makes a Good Designer Great? Making the Common Uncommon

2011-05-05T09:48:00.000-05:00

It's facinating when an interior designer can take a common space and make it uncommon... it's what differentiates the good interior designers from the great interior designers.

When Liz Murray was asked to design the bath spaces for the exercise room and pool house of a client’s 10,000 squarefoot

home, she offered them an uncommon idea: the concealed tank and carrier paired with a wall-hung toilet.

“I had been familiar with Geberit products ever since I graduated from design school,” Murray explains. “Because I traveled throughout Europe and was familiar with Geberit – for example, besides homes, many German and Swiss hotels use the Geberit concealed tank system – I had many ideas to draw from. The client was looking for new ideas, and I brought the concealed wall-hung toilet idea to their attention. My client, who preferred European design, instantly fell in love with the entire concept of taking the toilet ‘off’ the floor!”

The Concealed Tank and Carrier System is from Geberit North America, part of the Geberit Group, a European market leader and global provider of sanitary technology. “There is no question about it being a more sleek design; with no tank sitting there, exposed,” Murray points out. “A toilet tank continually fights with designs. Geberit solved that problem by putting the ‘tank’ in the wall.”

For the complete story, go to http://www.geberit.us/pdf/GNA7093.pdf

Survey of Kitchen/Bath Show Attendees: Product Choices Driven by Practicality

2011-05-04T15:19:00.000-05:00

Survey of Kitchen/Bath Show Attendees: Product Choices Driven by Practicality

INVESTING IN TRADE SHOWS PAYS DIVIDENDS

2011-05-04T10:12:00.001-05:00

Standing room only while Jim Nowakowski works ICG booth at KBIS.

Interline Creative Group, Inc., a Chicago area marketing communications company and exhibitor at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas (K/BIS) for the past two years, encourages trade show exhibition.

“We exhibited at K/BIS for the first time in 2010, and our investment paid dividends. We interviewed over 200 designers for their insights, presented our CEU ‘Staying In Front of Your Customers’, and finalized a communications package with a major manufacturer,” says Jim Nowakowski, President of Interline Creative Group. “We had increased success as this year's show. Our booth featured CEU and marketing seminars, product demonstrations, marketing research, and more…all in all a very active, planned booth!”

The KBIS “brand” helps minimize the risk in trade show investments. What makes any trade show a success and pay dividends is the belief that exhibitors must participate and work the show. Follow up after the show is equally important. There are over 2500 trade shows in the United States alone—recent indications are that attendance is up overall in 2011—with revenue and exhibitors also at an increase.

If you don't know how to exhibit or need a plan, Interline Creative Group can help. The marketing compnay can also provide lead follow up after the show.

Interline Creative Group, Inc. is a part of a comprehensive, full-service marketing organization based in Palatine, Illinois. Interline capabilities include advertising, public relations, Web development/e-commerce, social media, direct marketing, fulfillment, business development, strategic planning and analysis, trade show development, and industry research for business-to-business and business-to consumer clients. For more information about Interline, call 847-358-4848 or visit www.interlinegroup.com. Interline is located at: 553 N. North Court, Suite 160, Palatine, IL 60067.

A Bathroom with Scenery and a Minimalistic Design Provides Ultimate Pampering

2011-04-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

How fantastic would it be to soak in the tub at night with all the lights of Vancouver, British Columbia right in front of you? Amenities in the bathroom do not usually include a view other than the necessities, but we found one worth a mention. This bathroom provides ultimate pampering by bringing scenery together with minimalistic design while even hiding the toilet tank.

Shangri-La Hotel and Condominium Complex, Vancouver

The legendary Shangri-La Hotel branched out into North America with it's five-star, 119-room luxury hotel and 420 unit condominiums-making it the tallest building in Vancouver. This luxury hotel's accommodations overlook downtown Vancouver. Not only can the city scene be viewed from the hotel's common areas, but many of the guestroom bathrooms also provide a phenomenal view of the city.

Beside the lovely scenery and fantastic accommodations, an interesting part of this hotel is the bathroom's toilet! It is secured to the wall and floats above the floor with the tank hidden in the wall. Many hotels use this type of toilet, and it's very trendy in residential bathrooms. It is a perfect solution for small spaces or areas where you want to make the toilet more aesthetically pleasing with a clean, minimalistic design.

You can see the toilet in the second photo on the bottom right. It's interesting how the toilet hangs on the wall. Geberit makes the Concealed Tank and Carrier System which secures the tank to the wall. Hiding the tank gives the bathroom a minimalistic and clean look as you can see in the above photo. More information on the Geberit Carrier System visit www.geberit.us.

For more bathrooms around the world with a view, go to Travel and Leisure http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/best-hotel-bathroom-views and AOL travel news at http://news.travel.aol.com/2010/09/09/bathrooms-with-a-view/.

Twitter Contest for KBIS 2011 Attendees

2011-04-12T14:20:00.000-05:00

This is really exciting! Here is a contest for the attendees at 2011 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) from April 26-28th. Check this out.

The rules are simple. First you have to attend The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas, April 26-28. Be on the show floor from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

When you find something that you deem a MUST SEE on the show floor, Tweet where you are, what you found, and add #KBMUSTSEE to the Tweet to be entered into the giveaway.

Each hour during the show, one Tweet will be randomly selected to win a Starbucks gift card. Selected winning tweets will be announced via our twitter account @kb_resource. Prizes can be claimed at the KB-Resource/Interline booth C6623.

Don't know where to start at KBIS? Start with these KB-Resources listed companies and make sure to connect with them on twitter as well.

COMPANY	BOOTH	Twitter
Federal Brace	C7283	@federalbrace
Grothouse Lumber	C6578	@Glumber
Kichler Lighting	C4151	@KichlerLight
Sugatsune America Inc	C5652	@sugatsune
Teakworks4U	C6498	@Teakworks4u
Warmly Yours	C6629	@WarmlyYours

Want extra exposure at KBIS? Join kb-resource.com now for free.

Get Ready for KBIS 2011 Las Vegas and the MarketNet Product Lineup

2011-04-07T10:44:00.000-05:00

We are all ready for KBIS! If you haven't made your plans, hurry before it's too late! Here are a few products we will be featuring at the show. Make sure to visit booth C6623 to see and feel the high-quality of our products.

Longleaf Connection and the Bob Timberlake Line - This is an exciting time for MarketNet as Longleaf adds Bob Timberlake to the lineup! Check out his logo on the hardware. Bob Timberlake, renowned furniture expert, adds a feeling of comfort to the Longleaf Collection.

Oregon Woodmeister hand-crafted millwork makes a house a home. Samples of ornate artisan woodworking pieces will be showcased at nooth C6623. You have to see it to appreciate the fine details.

And debuting...Webert Italian Style Kitchen Faucets - never before shown in the U.S.!!! You can see it first hanad at KBIS.

For more information on all of our product lines and services, visit http://www.marketnetnetwork.com/ or call 847-358-6884 for more information.

The American Affluence Research Center

2011-03-16T10:40:00.000-05:00

The American Affluence Research Center

The Ultimate Kitchen Luxury

2011-03-16T09:04:00.000-05:00

Elle Decor Features The Ilve

Luxury comes in all shapes and sizes, but in the kitchen there is none other than this Ilve. Featured in the March issue of Elle Decor, this range is part of the Majestic collection and imported into the US from Italy by EuroChef. It can be purchased through MarketNet Division.

Elle Decor writes:

"Part of the Majestic collection by Italian brand Ilve, this versatile 60" dual-fuel range allows you to juggle multiple culinary tasks. The cook top features a removable griddle, which can be replaced with a grate for large pots or a grill (not included); there are two spacious ovens - one is outfitted with a spit-style rotisserie - and a warming drawer. Pictured in midnight blue, the range comes in six other colors and three trim options, including chrome, shown."

Pre-Register Now for NKBA-Approved Seminar at Upcoming KBIS Show

2011-03-08T15:38:00.002-06:00

INTERLINE CREATIVE GROUP OFFERS “REPEAT PERFORMANCE” OF SUCCESSFUL NKBA-APPROVED SEMINAR AT UPCOMING KBIS® SHOW AT BOOTH #C6623

Building on its presentation at last year’s KBIS® show, where hundreds of designers visited their booth for their NKBA-approved CEU “Staying in Front of Your Customers,” Interline Creative Group, Inc., the Chicago-based marketing company, has expanded their booth at this year KBIS show in Las Vegas for a repeat performance.

“This year we will be offering it twice a day for each day of the show,” says Jim Nowakowski, President of Interline and creator of the course, which will be presented April 26, 11:00 & 1:30, April 27 11:00 & 1:30, and April 28 11:00 & 1:30. “Attendees will be able to review their value proposition on what makes them unique and gain an increased understanding of some of the techniques used to communicate that value to their customers and prospects.”

Nowakowski says that one of the reasons for the success of this program at the last show was that it touched on the nerve of the economy – “and that nerve still has the jitters,” he says. He points out that designers, showroom managers and others in the kitchen and bath space will be able to assess their unique value, and then translate that assessment into actionable tactics to communicate it. Question and answers throughout the CEU will be used to evaluate performance.

“He who has a thing to sell and goes and whispers in a well is not so apt to get the dollars as he who climbs a tree and hollers,” Nowakowski says, “and staying in front of your customers is

not only what you put in front of them, but when, how much, and how often. It will make for a very informative session.”

For more information on pre-registering for the sessions at the show, go to events.interlinegroup.com or call 847 358 4848.

®KBIS is a registered trademark of the National Kitchen & Bath Association Corporation

The Geology of a Content Marketing Strategy | ClickZ

2011-02-17T08:31:00.001-06:00

The Geology of a Content Marketing Strategy ClickZ

Interior Designer Makes Bathroom Magical with Geberit

2011-02-14T09:27:00.001-06:00

Tess Giuliani Transforms Her Bathroom into the Beautiful and Serene using Geberit

It’s no accident that designer Tess Giuliani positions herself as a beauty aficionado. Educated in the U.S. and abroad, her fascination with world cultures spans a lifetime of absorbing what is around her and then transforming it into objects of beauty. From the time she became the first woman jeweler for Cartier in New York to her receiving the prestigious Viking Inc. Award as the first Featured Designer of Distinction in America, Giuliani’s designs have won national acclaim, allowing her to emerge from her journey as a designer’s designer.

So when she decided she wanted to live on water in her New Jersey home, and it wasn’t happening fast enough, she transformed her less-than-55-square-foot bathroom into something, well, magical, using all of the skills she has acquired over the years.

“I wanted a bathroom that gave the feeling of an elegant powder room,” Giuliani says, “but with all amenities of a full bath. When I was a designer in Tokyo, my apartment overlooked a beautiful Japanese garden. It was calming and peaceful. This garden and the many serene gardens I visited throughout Japan were my inspiration for this project.”

Discreetly positioned on the first floor as part of an addition to her home, the bathroom’s tight space required all of her creativity to achieve her vision. And that vision takes a fresh breath of life on the floor, which is painted as a continuous sea of water with swimming Koi fish.

“Geberit was the perfect solution for several reasons when it came to the fixture,” Giuliani says. “Of course, the first was the limited space. With the tank in the wall, the toilet becomes very discreet and entirely opens up the room. The floor — where my Koi swim — is easily seen because the toilet is off the floor, which is enabled by the Geberit concealed tank and carrier. Nothing touches this floor except the shower in this room. Aesthetically, Geberit was the perfect solution, giving the bathroom a clean, warm and Asian flare.”

The Geberit concealed installation system, also known as an in-wall carrier, allows this kind of flexibility in design. The frame system, as evidenced in the Giuliani design, can be used in the tightest of spaces, producing stunning bathrooms without compromise. Because the carrier includes an integral toilet tank located behind the wall, the decorative flush actuator plate attached to the wall is the only visible component of the Geberit system.

“The actuator plates are removable for maintenance access to the concealed tank and flushing mechanism. The plumber who installed it was particularly delighted at this,” Giuliani points out. Installation of the carrier involved bolting the carrier to the floor, placing it within the studwork, and then bolting it to studs — only four connections in all. Toilet carriers have been tested to withstand a maximum weight of 880 lbs.

“Geberit allows everything else in my bathroom to take center stage,” she explains. These elements include the cherry with teak countertop to the lighting underneath the vanity to the artwork on the floor, custom-painted in a fresco technique on 12” x 12” honed limestone tiles by long-time friend and artist Ornella Muth.

“We’ve worked together for many years, and when you walk into my bathroom, there is the magical reality of walking on water,” Giuliani adds. “I wanted my mural on the floor exposed, and taking the toilet off the floor, well, gives me maximum exposure.”

Each day, Giuliani gets her wish: She walks on water and continues to draw inspiration from the beauty she has created in her home. To see Giuliani’s design portfolio, visit www.tessgiuliani.com.

For more information on Geberit In-Wall Tank and Carrier Systems, visit http://www.geberit.us/.

A Quick Ten for the Interior Designer's Marketing Toolbox or Any Business

2011-02-03T15:51:00.001-06:00

QUICK 10

Write some articles for your local newspaper — you're the expert, aren't you? Put down the do's and don'ts of planning a kitchen or bathroom design and send it to your newspaper. They are always looking for content like that.
Speak at a local group or join a local design community chapter. Why not share the article you just wrote in a speech to the local Lion's Club meeting?
Hire an agency — really want to step up your marketing penetration? Seek professional help with a full-service agency like MarketNet. But be careful: they are not all the same.
Pool your marketing resources with other local kitchen and bath firms — carpenters, plumbers, retailers, they all need to market. Why not contribute money and resources together to get some traction?
Get involved with a local publication. See if your community magazine needs an expert columnist. Don't have a local magazine? Start one.
Place an advertorial in a local publication — not an ad, but an "advertorial." This is a page that looks like the editorial of the publication instead of an ad, and it could be the same content you gave them to publish in the newspaper (item #1) that they rejected!
Work with Realtors in your area for cross-marketing opportunities — have you seen the vacant homes in your area? Guess what they need before they sell: a kitchen and bath face lift. Get involved with your Realtors and partner with them to make it happen.
Sponsor a baseball team or golf outing in your community — placing your logo on the back of events goes a long way to showing people "you're in business."
Update your website — make it easy to use, and informational. You can't go wrong with sharing these days.
Call your old customers — things change, people change. Maybe it's time to renew acquaintances with the people who know your work. Who knows, they may be in a position to hire you again — or know someone who needs you.

Salesman - Is There Such a Person Today?

2011-02-02T17:38:00.026-06:00

Svadilfari's photostream Flickr of

a vintage photo of a horse drawn carriage

in Worcester, Massachusetts.

"In the olden days" salesmen would come knocking on the doors of homes to sell a product. The good ol' traveling salesman; the man who held the true art of selling close to his heart and did it well. Is there such a person today?

Do you remember the encyclopedia salesman? He would show up with his suitcase filled with volumes of knowledge only to convince the consumer that they needed an entire set of encyclopedia's for their home reading pleasure. It didn't matter that the library was down the road. He was adamant about convincing you that you needed your very own set. Still around, the encyclopedia salesman is still calling on schools.

Then there was the Kirby Vacuum Cleaner salesman. Now this was and still is a die-hard salesman with a unique approach that holds success still today. He would convince the consumer that he could show how superior his vacuum cleaner was to the one they were currently use. He would go to his car, grab the vacuum cleaner - he just happened to have it with him, cart the entire vacuum cleaner up to the house, then proceed to clean your carpets comparing the cleaning with the current household vacuum cleaner. He had one chance to make the sale.

I'm not saying it's a right or wrong approach, as some would say it's pushy, but it has been a successful approach. There is certainly a timely sales pitch involved. The Kirby Company, still in business over 100 years, is a subsidiary of the Scott Fetzer Company, part of the Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate overseen by Warren Buffett.

What I am talking about is the "Art of Selling" - the oomph behind the sale - taking time to make a sales pitch. Nobody seems to be selling anything anymore.

According to Jim Nowakowski, President of Accountability Information Management, it's a bullet point society where people want quick-hitting summaries and sound bits, the professionalism of the sale - the rigorous steps that need to be followed - give way to "instant gratification." There is still need for a salesperson. "If you examine successful salespeople, those who achieve success take time to sell," said Nowakowski.

Have you seen any good salespeople that you feel continue the Art of Selling - giving it all - time and energy with passion to make the sell? Let us know in our comments below. We'd like to know if there is such a person still out there.

Three Steps Toward Successful Branding

2011-01-24T09:14:00.001-06:00

There's a lot of talk about a company and its "brand" these days. In fact, there is a lot of money being spent on what people call "branding."

Companies are no different than ranchers when it comes to managing their brands. A brand on a cow identified the ranch where the cow was raised. It was a symbol of quality. Companies, too, try to "brand" to build awareness and assurance that the products they carry offer quality and reliability.

A brand is intangible, just like you are. Who are you? Are you your work? Are you what you eat? Are you what you do? Just as the definition of "you" includes all these things, brand is everything around your company. Branding goes well beyond finding the right image or logo to put on a sign or piece of paper. It's what's behind the image that counts as well.

Here are three steps toward successful branding, according to Jim Nowakowski, president of Accountability Management Inc, Palatine, Illinois.

Educate Your Customers

Much of the quality you provide for every transaction to your customers is hidden. Your job is to educate them. Reveal your quality. Does your customers know the quality of the products you sell? Whatever you do to train them will pay off dividends in the long run.

For example, I walked into a rug store in my hometown to buy a throw rug for the front door. A man in a suit approached and began to "educate" me about all the different types of rugs, even though I told him I was only in the market for a throw rug. For 20 minutes, the salesman had store employees pulling rugs off the racks and spreading them out on the floor for me to see and feel this quality as opposed to that one. He weaved stories of where the rugs were made, and how they were made. When I said, "You don't have to do that," the salesman replied, "It's my pleasure, don't worry." He was selling by educating.

When he was finished, he walked away and let me talk to my wife in private. We bought a much larger rug than we attended. His education paid off dividends.

Look For Branding Opportunities Everywhere

There are opportunities to brand your business everywhere. It's not just about changing your logo. It's about looking for opportunities to be of value; to show the quality of what you have to offer.

Here's how one entrepreneur missed a branding opportunity. There was a coffee shop outside of the security area in an airport. The owner of the coffee shop sat behind the counter watching the line move inch-by-inch. He was disappointed that no one wanted to leave the line to purchase coffee, because they did not want to lose their place in line. It took people 40 to 60 minutes to get through the line to security screeners. He missed a golden opportunity!

Bring the coffee to them. Do you think people would have purchased coffee and paid a premium to have the coffee delivered to them in the line? Instead, the coffee shop owner sat blaming security for his loss of business.

Use Project Photos and Case Histories

Persuade your customers to do business with you by showing them what you can do. Your customers want to know one thing - will they be happy doing business with you? Prove it by exhibiting photos and stories of successful projects to both those you know and first time customers.

With every transaction you create your company's brand. You either reinforce who you are or you harm it. You must brand yourself every day by who you are and what you offer. It's not just about changing your logo image. It's about what's behind that image and how others perceive you, your value and the quality of what you offer.

Influence Scoring Platforms Duel for Relevance | ClickZ

2011-01-21T08:04:00.000-06:00

Influence Scoring Platforms Duel for Relevance ClickZ

Business Marketing: You Should Touch Your Data

2011-01-13T13:31:00.001-06:00

With the flu season upon us, the warnings are out - don't touch anything due to risk of infection, advertisers should take heed: You risk everything if you fail to touch your data. Touching your data results in amazing discoveries, the main one being accountability. Here are a few case studies to prove my point.

My company once received a desperate call from a publisher's representative regarding a magazine we were working for at the time. "The advertiser threatened to pull the schedule. There aren't enough inquiries. What can you do to help?"

We examined the ads that were running. The product being advertised was an American With Disabilities Act product. We obtained the leads that were generated and looked at them, running some demographic profiling methods we use as well.

One of the inquiries came from a person with the title "A.D.A. Consultant." The company he worked for was one of the five leading trucking companies in the U.S. We touched further by calling him up. It turned out this guy was in charge of renovating every property owned by the company to meet the (at that time) new A.D.A. legislation.

We prepared a presentation centering on this individual (and other fine leads) that the sales rep then faxed to the advertiser. The advertiser, which had not touched the data, phoned the rep within 15 minutes and invited her to California to discuss next year's schedule.

On another project we studied five batches of leads for five advertisers for one publisher. In the first batch, we found David E. David listed himself as working for a state agency with a title of administrator. We merged/purged that batch with the second batch and were surprised to find the same David. In fact, David turned up in all five batches. Curious, we called David and talked to him. Then we interviewed the five advertisers to find out if they know what we now knew about David.

Two of the five called David a literature collector because the lead reports they received said David circled more than 10 numbers. These advertisers didn't even fulfill David's request for information. The other advertisers were unaware of David or any other of the names they had generated because they had no analytical system in place.

As it turned out, David was a literature collector: He collected it for about 10 departments for the state where he worked. He was a mechanical engineer with the responsibility for finding out "what's new." You couldn't begin to sell into the state unless you passed through David first.

Studies have found that the more numbers an individual circles the more likely his is to be a primary trigger puller in a buying situation.

If you touch your data and touch it often, you will be rewarded with remarkable discoveries.

By James Nowakowski

James Nowakowski is a president of Accountability Information Management, a Palatine, Illinois-based marketing communications research company that provides services to companies and publishers. For more information on data or to request a Free, no obligation consultation, call 847-358-8558.

How To Launch a New Product in Eight Steps

2011-01-11T10:16:00.001-06:00

One of your manufacturers is planning a new product introduction and is depending on you to move the product through the pipeline. The manufacturer will supply all sorts of help: counter cards, inventory consideration, special spiffs and direct mailers. All you have to do is sit back and watch the product launch like a rocket.

Right? Wrong.

You've survived other new product introductions, so you know it's supposed to work that way - in theory. But it never does.

One reason new product introductions often don't meet manufacturer and distributor expectations is because distributors aren't taught how to make the new product "their" product or how it can boost their return on investment (ROI).

As much as manufacturers put into research and development ad as diligent as manufacturers are in undercovering product characteristics that meet customers' needs, the distributor makes or breaks a new product introduction. Why? The distributor controls the customer.

More than the manufacturer or rep, distributors control customer interaction and the ultimate sale. Consequently, more than anyone else, the distributor must develop a strategy to introduce new products that transcends what the manufacturer will do. Without this strategy, the manufacturer's work around the introduction can never be as effective as it could be.

Jim Nowakowski, President of Interline Creative Group, Inc., a business-to-business marketing firm in the Chicagoland area, gives eight steps for distributors to be successful when it comes to a strategy for launching a new product:

Meet with the manufacturer's representative and invite him or her to conduct a training session at your facility.
Look for immediate cross-sell opportunities.
Announce the product to your customers.
Mail the same announcement again.
Track every customer who purchases the new product.
Review the customers who purchased the product and find the common denominator.
Take the common thread and start weaving your plan.
Write your proposal for the manufacturer outlining objectives for the marketing plan, your expected results and the expected participation from the manufacturer.

The next time a product introduction comes along, don't just sit back and wait for something to happen. Take a proactive role in getting that product to market. You'll be rewarded with additional revenue and sales opportunities through your interaction with manufacturer, end user and customer.

If you want this entire article or are launching a new product soon and need additional help, call Jim Nowakowski at 847-358-4848 to discuss your problem at a free, no obligation consultation. For more information on Interline Creative Group go to http://www.interlinegroup.com/.

Excerpts of this article taken from "How to Launch New Products," Electrical Wholesaling magazine, Jim Nowakowski, December 2003.

Hitting the Target with the Affluent Market

2011-01-07T08:50:00.002-06:00

Today is the day you should be thinking about your marketing. Actually, every day you should be thinking about marketing. It works better if you have a plan and a target. Every piece will fit together if you have the right knowledge. Research is a way to get that knowledge.

At MarketNet, we recently began working with the American Affluent Research Center (AARC). It is a resource to understand and reach the affluent consumer. It is a good fit for our company, because we have a division of the company that reps high-end luxury products - Webert Italian Bathroom Faucets, EuroChef Professional Ranges and Stoves, LongLeaf Hardware and Door Accessories, and Oregon Woodmeister artisan custom woodworking.

In working with AARC, we are able to learn about our target market. This enables us to hit the target with the affluent market. We can, therefore, focus our energy in a certain direction -saving time and money to get positive results - gain market share and continue to build our business.

This is true with any industry. You need to know who is buying your product and everything about them. If you are marketing to the affluent market, you can call us for The Affluent Market Tracking Study from the AARC!

“AARC’s latest survey is of particular interest to the kitchen and bath marketplace as it contains a series of questions to identify which segments of the affluent market are planning to spend money remodeling in the next 24 months, how much they might spend, and where they would make most of their purchases,” said Jim Nowakowski, President of MarketNet Division of Interline Creative Group, Inc. “Research is imperative when writing your marketing plan, especially if your business is struggling to recover from this economy. Too many times marketing and research is dismissed and that is detrimental to any business.”

The survey – The Affluent Market Tracking Study #18 – is a twice-yearly survey of the wealthiest 10% of U.S. households published by the AARC, a private research organization. The survey focused on the 11.4 million households that represent the wealthiest 10% of all households, as determined by The Federal Reserve Board, based on net worth.

“AARC’s surveys are conducted by direct mail on representative samples drawn at random of the precisely defined population of affluent households, said Ron Kurtz, President of AARC. “It is consistent with the research of the Federal Reserve Board. The sample, therefore, represents a significant difference from other affluent and luxury market research that is based on online surveys of panel of people who are compensated for participating in regular and frequent surveys.”

The 49-page/52-table, Fall 2010 Affluent Market Tracking Study #18 is now available for $395. With a full set of 133 tables of cross-tabulated data, the price is $595. To order, contact MarketNet Division, Interline Creative Group, Inc. at 847-358-6884.

”I found it very worthwhile to read your entire fall report #18. It provided interesting and counter-intuitive insights that will assist in my decision making over the next several months. Considering how much I’ve spent for similar research, your price at under $500 is quite remarkable.“

Christopher P. Ramey

Chairman, Luxury Marketing Council of Florida

President, Affluent Insights

For more information on AARC go to: http://affluenceresearch.org/

Staying in Front of Your Customers

2011-01-06T11:47:00.001-06:00

Staying in Front of Your Customers Webinar

Happy New Year! Ready to take your business to the next level and begin recovering from the "Great Recession?"

Staying in front of your customers should be at the top of your list. Did you know that it is less expensive to retain a customer than it is to find a new one?

So what is the trick to retaining your customers and making sure you are still servicing them to their expectations and beyond?

Your competition is prospecting today - sending information to your clients to potentially try to lure them away from you. If you aren't keeping in front of your customers, what are you doing?

When was the last time you actually picked up the phone and spoken directly to a customer? We often get too comfortable with sending emails back and forth. Though email is the norm and extremely effective, it cannot replace the personal touch of a phone conversation.

If you would like more help in getting tips on how to stay in front of your customers and why it is so important, you will want to review the webinar "Staying In Front of Your Customers" webinar that is sponsored by Interline Creative Group.

This free webinar is registered with the AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing or dealing in any material or product.

Check back often at www.interlinegroup.com/ to see when the next webinar will take place. The presenters will also come to your office! Special presentations of Staying in Front of Your Customers can be arranged for groups by calling 847-358-4848.

Interline Creative Group is a Registered Provider with The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems. Credit earned on completion of this program will be reported to CES Records for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for non-AIA members are available on request.