Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.
Issue link: http://kitchenbathdesign.epubxp.com/i/239138
Market Pulse { Readers' opinions on industry-related issues } Designers Discuss How Social Media Usage Enhances Their Businesses Kitchen & Bath Design News recently posed the question to dealers and designers in the kitchen and bath industry. "Do you use social media to market your frm? Which sites do you use? How do they improve your business?" I use LinkedIn to promote our local NKBA chapter events. I also have a newsletter I send out to my e-mail database and I am on Houzz. Most of my leads now come from Houzz, in addition to my referrals." Jan Neiges, CKD owner/designer Jan Neiges, CKD, LLC Denver, CO R ight now we use Facebook and have uploaded many of our pictures. We have been asking our customers to check out our Web site and pictures on Facebook. We are also connected to LinkedIn, and are in the process of setting up Houzz as well." Lisa Valitutti, v.p. Better Bilt Cabinet Co. Mt. Clemens, MI I use Facebook and Houzz. I get more leads from Houzz and consider Facebook a way of keeping my potential customers engaged in my business as well as ofering them a place for them to see the fun and human side of my business, too." Denyne Sanville, owner Denyne Designs, LLC Dunstable, MA W e use Facebook and Houzz and have several new leads as a result. Houzz allows our potential clients to add digital images of their favorite photos and ideas directly to an 'idea book.' Many of our project photos will have comments on why they were selected. This provides great insight to what's desirable in kitchens." Christine Fitzpatrick owner/designer Fitzpatrick Design, Inc. Westchester County, NY W e do use social media and we are on several sites, but the most efective has been Houzz. We have had several clients contact us from this site. We ask clients to look at the site and tag the photos of projects they like most. We then distill the essence of what they are looking for to create their own personalized space." Sharon L. Flatley, CMKBD, ASID, RID Flatley Design Dallas, TX 8 | Kitchen & Bath Design News January 2014 I have a very developed profle on LinkedIn with several photos, and I'm planning to add to my two existing slide shows. My Web site is in development, so this is a great place for potential clients to view my work, see what products and services I ofer, and to learn more about me and how I work." Toni Saccoman designer/principal/owner Toni Saccoman Designs Chestnut Ridge, NY S ocial media is now a part of everyday business. We post photos on Facebook regularly, including those of fnished projects, projects in progress, materials, our showroom, our employees…anything to pique the interest of our fans. If anything, it makes people aware of the cool stuf we do. We also have a blog where we post more in-depth articles about all kinds of things related to our work." Nicolette Patton, AKBD designer/project manager Nar Fine Carpentry, Inc. Sacramento, CA W e use Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. We are approached by many people who say they enjoy following our wide range of content interests and they look for our posts. This is providing awareness activity that we believe will bring in clients." Pam Goldstein, pres./chief designer CMKBD, CAPS, Allied ASID Master Kitchen Bath Designer, LLC Canton, GA W e are creating a new Web page and are working to enhance our search engine position. From there, we hope to initiate eforts to use social media. Thus far, we have not used social media and we need to upgrade our marketing eforts in this arena." Paul R. Knobel, CKD, CBD, owner Kitchens & Baths by Knobel, LLC Wilmette, IL I use LinkedIn. I think it may improve my business by allowing those who care to look deeper to read testimonials from actual clients and peers." Cara Leigh, owner/design consultant Interiors and Functional Design Santa Fe, NM W e have not used social media to a large extent to this point. Being from the old school, this is all new to me. We recently designed and implemented an exciting new Web site that is already paying dividends. Now we are in the process of learning and being more active on social sites and search engines." Dayton Leadbetter, president Kitchen Art Cabinetry Richmond, VA S ocial media is an important part of our business and we will be focusing more time on it once our showroom is completed. We currently have a presence on Facebook, Houzz, LinkedIn, Angie's List and Behance." Denise Quade, CMKBD Denise Quade Design, Ltd. Madison, WI W e have a Web page and post several times a week on Facebook. Our Houzz page is up and active and we participate in discussions and connect with other professionals on LinkedIn." Vickie Hrabal owner/principal/designer Oak Hill Interior Design Hagerstown, MD W e have toyed with social media for about a year, but over the last few months we have really amped up our eforts. We use Facebook and Houzz primarily. Larger companies are driving people to use social media to shop or learn about their company or product. We are a smaller company, but it impresses our customers each time they learn about our social media sites and are able to use them. There is also no better advertising than when customers post pictures of their new kitchen or bath on Facebook and talk about how great our team is. It can also help a designer and a customer understand each other better. We don't have to spend multiple appointments trying to fgure out exactly what the customer is looking for. We can send them to Houzz to browse for ideas, then share them with us. It also helps when they see us on Houzz." Brad Merritt, owner Kitchens By Woody's Barboursville, WV