Page 38 - Lighting Magazine February 2020

Outward bound
“It’s a growing category that I think will become huge.” —Coley Herrin, PDI
PDI
8 locations
Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina
Coley Herrin, President and CEO of PDI – a pri- vately held Georgia-based plumbing and lighting distributor with locations in several states – says there has been a significant increase in consumer demand for greater attention to detail in their out- door spaces.
“Homeowners across a broader price range have become inspired by online resources with articles and pictures, which has piqued their interest in cre- ating unique environments in their homes that are reflections of their personalities and lifestyles,” he comments. “And of course, seeing something cool at friends’ homes is always a motivation to make some changes.”
Just as spa-like bathrooms have been very popular in recent years, many consumers are now looking to create that same type of relaxing envi- ronment outdoors. This trend presents PDI with a great opportunity to grow the business across these categories.
“We got into lighting in 2001 through an acqui- sition and went through a learning curve over the next few years,” Herrin recounts. “We decided the best way to go forward was with the services of experts who either already had experience in light- ing or would be dedicated to lighting sales. I think it says a lot about our commitment to that market that several of those initial people we hired are still with us. That decision also earned us a great deal of credibility and respect in the field.”
Herrin theorizes that PDI’s lighting expertise would enhance their customers’ outdoor living en- vironments. “We know that homeowners will enjoy their outdoor spaces to the fullest when they are well-lit. The lighting we provide goes far beyond traditional flood and entry lights. We can create a whole new aesthetic that turns the exterior into living spaces they can enjoy,” he says. “When you add the technology component to this equation, it opens up even more possibilities for homeown- ers — and for us. Much of the outdoor lighting we sell is Bluetooth-enabled, which means it can be controlled by a cell phone and offers mood lighting options for greater ambiance.”
Herrin expects that outdoor lighting and living spaces will continue to be prominently featured
online and on TV shows and will remain a growing market in the years to come.
“I think we are still in the infancy stages and just on the cusp of where things will ultimately go with the outdoor living market,” he predicts. “It’s a grow- ing category that I think will become huge.”
Offering visual displays is one way to inspire con- sumers in their outdoor living plans. “Our displays are only a tiny snapshot of what we have access to; it’s really about starting the conversation,” Herrin says. “We want to give customers enough to spark their interest, and then our sales team will take that opportunity to develop the conversation. It’s inter- esting to drive through neighborhoods throughout our market. We’ll see subdivisions where every house’s elevation and landscape lighting looks ex- actly the same, and others where every home is unique and different. We have the products and expertise to sell to them all.”
OppOsite page bOttOm:
This residential spa area was accomplished with the help of professionals at PDI in Georgia.
36 enLIGHTenment Magazine | February 2020
www.enlightenmentmag.com