By Joseph Haecker
In April 2024, on the final day of the Hospitality and Design Expo, I found myself at the coffee bar for a much-needed caffeine fix. That’s when I struck up a conversation with a woman who turned out to be the VP of Marketing for a prominent tile retail showroom. As we chatted, she shared her company’s current challenge: recently acquired by an equity firm, they were under pressure to "perform better." The passion she and her team had for the industry seemed at odds with the cold, numbers-driven focus of their new owners.
Then she dropped the big question:
“We’re redesigning our flagship store. How would you design our tile showroom?”
My response?
“I wouldn’t.”
The Problem with Traditional Showroom Design
Her confusion was palpable. “Huh? But that’s what we’re looking for!” she said.
So, I asked her to step into her audience’s shoes.
“Let’s say you’re an interior designer or contractor—your target audience. It’s Tuesday. Do you need tile?”
“Maybe not,” she replied.
“Okay. It’s Thursday now. Do you need tile yet?”
“Probably not.”
That’s the crux of the problem. Showrooms, as they are currently designed, cater to an audience that might only need tile a few times a year. And when they do, the showroom isn’t necessarily the first place they think to go.
But what if the showroom became more than just a place to browse tile?
The Post-COVID Gap in Meeting Spaces
During COVID, we all witnessed a dramatic shift in how businesses operated. Starbucks, for example, pivoted to drive-thru and grab-and-go, realizing it was more profitable. Post-COVID, their stores removed tables and cranked up the music to discourage lingering. Other coffee shops followed suit.
This left interior designers and contractors—many of whom work from home—struggling to find professional spaces to meet with clients.
And therein lies the opportunity.
The Solution: Transforming the Showroom Experience
Here’s what I proposed:
1. Engage Local Designers
Invite 15-20 local interior designers to each create a vignette in the showroom. These spaces would represent their unique design styles and serve as meeting spaces they’d personally use with clients.
2. Showcase Creativity
Designers would be required to use a minimum of 10 of the showroom’s tile and flooring products in innovative ways, demonstrating versatility.
3. Make It Shoppable
Each vignette would feature a QR code linking to an e-commerce page where visitors could purchase the showcased products directly.
4. Tell Their Stories
Conduct interviews with the designers, exploring their process and the inspiration behind their vignette designs. Film these stories and share them across social media, creating buzz before the showroom even opens.
5. Host Events
Use the vignettes as backdrops for launch events, panel discussions, and design workshops, keeping the community engaged long after the grand opening.
Why This Works
Community Buy-In: Designers become invested in the showroom’s success, as it also promotes their personal brands.
Increased Foot Traffic: Designers and their clients naturally frequent the space, turning a rarely visited showroom into a bustling hub.
Content Goldmine: Each vignette provides endless opportunities for social media posts, videos, and campaigns, cutting down on traditional ad spend.
Collaborative Networking: The showroom becomes a meeting point for designers, contractors, and vendors, fostering relationships that extend beyond a single sale.
Long-Term Loyalty: By providing designers and contractors with professional meeting spaces, the showroom becomes an indispensable part of their workflow.
That's Not The Complete Strategy, There's More
Even though this sounds like the full plan, trust me—it’s not. This is just the appetizer. Email me to learn about the ‘next phase,’ which dives into operations, launch strategy and how to make your showroom the go-to destination for professionals in your market.
I may have only scratched the surface of the strategy, but one thing is clear: by shifting the focus from product to people, showrooms can transform from static spaces into vibrant community hubs that build loyalty, generate buzz, and drive long-term success.
Ready to Rethink Your Retail Space?
Let’s talk. Email me today to learn how we can implement this strategy—and the next phase—to help your showroom outperform expectations, build community, and create lasting loyalty. I promise, you’ll never look at retail the same way again.
Joseph Haecker
Fractional CMO
Booking link: https://www.josephhaecker.com/booking
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