Page 31 - enLIGHTenment Magazine - December 2015

LESSONS FROM

THE ALA

CONFERENCE

(MORE OF WHAT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED!)

There was plenty of “new” at this year’s American

Lighting Association Conference in Huntington Beach,

Calif. — including new manufacturers, service providers,

and a endees.

I

n addition to the new format at the 2015 American downloading the app (available for iPhone or An-
Lighting Association (ALA) Conference, there were
droid), the customer selects an “Application Room”

a lot of fresh faces at the gathering. From the TED from among the choices readily available within the
Talk-like sessions and targeted roundtable discussions app and can view a vast catalog of available styles.

to an increase in networking opportunities and new A er selecting an item, the consumer can move the

exhibitors, this year’s convention had a endees talk- product around the room, and even resize it to get
ing long a er the event closed.
the scale right. Items can be “ ipped” to see a reverse

view or the customer can tap it to nd the price, SKU
NOW THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT!
number, and other details. The Your Décor app also

Glenda Milam, who co-founded Lighting Emporium allows users to take photos with their phones or tablet

in Arkansas 24 years ago with her husband Ron, has and view the items literally in their homes.
gone to many ALA Conferences before, but this year “Using the Your Décor app actually shortens the

she took on a new role — as an exhibitor with a new sales time,” Milam states. “The original method in-
product to unveil to her peers.
volved pu ing pen to paper, measuring rooms, driving

The most common question Milam and her sales to the job site, making selections in the showroom,

associates have heard more than any other has been, following up on the decision, and then writing the
“How do you think this will look in my home?” With the order. We are able to o er builder take-o s and con-

development of a new product – a mobile app called struction details. The ‘scale to size’ feature has been
Your Décor – Milam is able to answer that question incredibly well-received. We’ve had clients become

with a visual so that customers can see for themselves.
loyal customers, buying other categories that we o er

This year, a er developing and using the Your because it’s so easy.”
Décor app in her own store, Milam has made the Lighting retailers interested in having the app for

app available to her fellow lighting distributors. A er
their store should call Milam at: (479) 957-1070.

December 2015 | enLIGHTenment magazine 29