Page 91 - Lighting Magazine March 2018

involved in the retail business, we discovered how pro table and rewarding it could be. Our show- rooms are much more focused on margin than volume. It’s not unusual to get margins of 45 per- cent or more on lighting — much more than we see on the plumbing side.”
BENDER’s long history was a tremendous asset when opening new categories. “We had already added several other categories before we got into lighting in 2015,” Bender notes. “We knew the looks we wanted and what would coordinate well with our existing product — and we wanted innovative lines. That helped us narrow the list of vendors we wanted to partner with. Thanks to our established track record, vendors were pre y open to giving us a shot.”
Despite increased competition from online sources, BENDER has experienced continuous growth. “Our philosophy is full transparency,” Bender comments. “We don’t play SKU-hiding games because that’s not how we want to be treat- ed. All of our pricing is at, or below, Internet pricing. We’re not looking for a ‘one-hit wonder.’ We want customers to have a great experience because we believe that is what will drive more of their friends our way.”
manufacTurInG opens new markeTs
When distributors expand their product o erings, it doesn’t just bene t their customers. It also gives manufacturers the opportunity to grow their sales. Buying groups have been a key avenue for light- ing vendors and plumbing distributors to create partnerships.
Lighting industry veteran Steve Falk of Golden Lighting credits Luxury Products Group, which is a liated with Omni Corporate Services, for helping Golden open new markets with plumb- ing showrooms. Falk believes showrooms “should use the entirety of their available space — oors, walls, ceilings — to display product and add to their sales potential.”
from mechanIc To desIGner
A er studying art in college, spending nearly a de- cade in the Air Force as a mechanic, and working in the music industry, Joann Mills of Ellen Lighting & Hardware in Texas entered the lighting community on a friend’s recommendation.
“It’s kind of an odd combination of technology and art that led me to lighting,” she recounts. “Once I got
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STEVE FALK SHARES THREE PIECES OF ADVICE FOR PLUMBING SHOWROOMS INTERESTED IN LIGHTING:
Have a “lighting champion” — someone who is passionate about lighting and can drive new business. “It usually works best to hire someone with previ- ous experience to get the process started because it involves a lot more than just ordering a few lighting xtures and hanging them up.”
Connect with manufacturers you trust to hold your hand through the introductory stages. “Look for people who have the heart of a teacher.”
Give your team the resources to learn everything there is to know about lighting, from the bulb on up. The American Lighting Association (ALA) o ers a series of 20- to 30-minute training videos. “As manufacturers, we want you to be successful, so it’s in our best interest to do everything we can to get new customers o the ground.”
new MarkEts
into lighting, that was it; I was sold.”
Mills initially worked for a distributor, and later a
manufacturer, before moving to Texas. “I decided it was time to branch out a bit, so I went to work for Morrison Supply, which is where I learned plumbing, hardware, and appliances,” she explains. “That ex- perience helped me see the advantages of multiple product o erings.”
When Ellen Lighting & Hardware was building “The Showroom,” a 10,000-sq.- . campus in a Houston suburb, its executives o ered Mills the job of showroom manager, gave her a budget and, “let me have fun!”
“Lighting can be daunting when you’re starting out,” Mills comments. “Salespeople sell what they know, and customers can tell whether or not you know what you’re talking about. So if a manufacturer doesn’t educate the showroom sta , they won’t make an e ort to sell the product.”
Mills’ experience at Morrison played a signi cant role in designing The Showroom. “It is set up a li le di erently than most lighting showrooms,” she notes. “I saw how important a greeting area is, so it’s very open as you walk in. There is a seating area with a sofa and chairs. We have a large hand-built bar table that is perfect for designers and their clients to spread out their project plans. We also have a working kitchen and o en provide lunch or snacks,” she adds.
“Our vigne es are eclectic, and not your typical
March 2018 | enLIGHTenment Magazine 89