If you happen to be graphic designer, a fan of fonts, or just a fan of movies, you will appreciate the following video. It’s amazing how pervasive one font can actually be and how overused it can become. There’s a lesson for the kids out there. Be willing to do something different to help you or your client stand out.
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Parc Entertainment is now in a new location in the heart of Five Points South. Our new address is 1312 20th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35205. We occupy the second floor of an old white Victorian house that backs up to Cobb Lane. Email addresses, phone and fax numbers remain the same. More exciting developments are in store for our company as we work on expanding our resources to help our clients execute their marketing strategies. Send us an email or give us a call if you are interested in video production, web design/development, or graphic design & identity.
Keith Krininger (left) received an extreme retail makeover
I was browsing through a back-issue of the Birmingham Business Journal and came across the following article by Lauren Cooper about a local business owner who saw his sales improve from a complete store makeover, including logo design, displays, advertising, and marketing. Many people like using the economy as an excuse to slash marketing and advertising budgets, but this particular case study demonstrates the value of good, solid marketing efforts.
Local businessman Keith Krininger said last week was a whirlwind at a few of his local Bedzzz Express stores.
With a film crew documenting every moment, representatives from mattress component manufacturer Leggett & Platt Inc. conducted an “Extreme Retail Makeover” of four of his eight stores – modeled after the television show Extreme Home Makeover.
Krininger was chosen from hundreds of mattress retailers across the country to be the Fortune 500 company’s test case in proving the industry can profit from touting the health benefits of sleep, said Mark Quinn, Leggett & Platt’s executive vice president of bedding sales and marketing .
Four of Krininger’s stores underwent a visual, marketing and process makeover, including logos, displays and advertising, to improve traffic and profitability.
And one week after its implementation, Krininger said he can tell a difference.
“Customers are responding to it,” he said. “Right off the bat, we’re selling the sheets (now offered), which I was skeptical about that.”
Sales of bed frames have noticeably changed as well, he said.
“We used to have just one, but now we have three choices and – amazing enough – if you give (the customer) the choice they’ll say ‘I don’t want the cheaper one, I want the one in the middle or the higher.”
And one of the most important shifts was in his 31 employees and sales associates, he said. The experience was exciting and invigorating for them and has expanded their thinking to new levels, he said.
Leggett & Platt’s Quinn said a lot of the credit goes to Krininger, who agreed to have his business totally up-ended.
“He’s been in business for 15 years and has been successful,” said Quinn. “But it’s a different time. If you are not willing to expand your comfort zone now, then you’re not going to do it.”
The makeover at Bedzzz Express is a great example of bringing new life to an old business plan, said Betsy Holloway, associate professor of marketing at Samford University’s Brock School of Business.
By differentiating himself and educating customers on the benefits of sleep, he’ll have a competitive advantage relative to other bedding retailers, she said.
“Before it was just the product, but now it’s the presentation, product promotion and personnel to articulate the benefit,” said Holloway. “He’s offering more value, which allows him to charge higher prices and create a higher volume. Sounds like a recipe for success.”
Krininger said his next step will be to implement the makeover in his remaining Bedzzz Express stores and to offer it to his nine licensed Bedzzz Express’ outside of Birmingham.
With that done and the national recognition within the industry he’ll get from the makeover, he’ll be able to concentrate on growing his license business beyond the state’s borders, he said.
Leggett & Platt’s Quinn said the video from the Extreme Retail Makeover will be shown at a large industry conference this spring, a Web site will be dedicated to the makeover and certain components will be offered to others in the industry.
Money, money, money. This is the one thing that most potential clients are concerned about when deciding whether or not to push forward with a marketing campaign. If you work in video production, web design, graphic design… well, just about any creative field, it can be frustrating when clients want more for less money. Somewhere along the way the true value of what we provide hasn’t been communicated. Maybe the fault lies not with the client, but with ourselves.
Let me explain. In a post last year I discussed the importance of knowing what you’re worth. As a freelancer and small business owner you need to be confident in the quality of your work and the value of your time. Your rates should reflect this view. However, during leaner times we sometimes find ourselves desperate to land the next job. And what do we do? We “low-ball” our bids in an effort to beat out our competitors. Over time, this approach has two effects.
Before you bid on a job, you have to decide what your ultimate goal is. If you simply want the job, so you can get something on your reel or in your portfolio, then you will probably try to undercut the competition. Keep in mind that if you cut your rates just to land the job, the client will expect more of the same from you down the road. They will continue to up the work load while trying to talk you down on price.
The alternative strategy is to let the quality of your work speak for itself. Communicate the value of what you will deliver. Tell your client that you want to provide them with the most competitive product, not a quick fix. Reinforce the idea that compromises both financial and creatively will ultimately compromise the end product. And if the client continues to balk at your bid, don’t be afraid to walk away. If the client’s entire focus is on money, then the relationship might not be a good fit for you.
