On the Right Track

We all know that builders love recessed lighting, but too often these fixtures are installed in a general grid pattern instead of a carefully laid out lighting plan that takes into account how the room will be used. Similarly, it is not uncommon to walk through a residence and see track lighting that “came with the house” being used incorrectly. Lighting showrooms have a unique advantage over other forms of distribution: expertise. Recessed and track lighting are effective tools that can truly enhance the ambiance of any room – if used properly. There is not a lot of educational information out there for consumers to access, which is why a consultation with a lighting specialist can be one of the best investments a homeowner can make. Lighting stores that do not promote themselves as experts in these areas are missing out on a profitable opportunity. In this issue, we will show you the latest products in the track, recessed, and cable/rail categories plus keep you up-to-date on the newest lighting sources on the market. Customers have more choices than ever before – in decorative finishes, variety of sizes, quality of light, color temperatures, light sources, and energy-efficiency – and they are looking for guidance. It’s up to lighting showrooms to share their knowledge of today’s innovations and demonstrate the lighting effects that can be achieved by matching the proper recessed, track, or cable products to each application. Homeowners will probably never think of visiting their local lighting showroom for help unless the store makes an effort to make its expertise known. The big home centers spend a lot of money advertising that practically any home improvement is a DIY project. When it comes to recessed and track lighting, however, there is much more involved than simply picking up a product of the shelf and putting it in a shopping cart. Lighting showrooms should consider hosting a seminar that demonstrates the effects that can be achieved with the proper use of track and recessed products plus explains the science behind each choice – beam angles, color temperature, comparison of light sources, etc. Take a tip from Hacienda Lighting in Scottsdale, Ariz., which does a great business in these categories (see story on page 44), and devote a portion of your showroom to not only showing track/cable and recessed products, but effectively demonstrating the lighting effects that can be achieved by each. Also in this issue (page 62), merchandising expert Denis Caldora offers ideas for presenting a track and recessed selection when you don’t have the space for a designated lighting lab. If you have a proven technique for selling these categories in your showroom, please tell me all about it at linda@bravointegratedmedia.com