December 10/17, 2018: Volume 34, Issue 14
By Lindsay Baillie and Reginald Tucker
Orlando—The 2018 Mohawk Edge Summit kicked off with great fanfare here at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center earlier this month, as many of the roughly 500 retailers in attendance got their first glimpse of Mohawk’s all-new go-to-market strategy for 2019.
The comprehensive, wide-ranging initiative aims to achieve a number of objectives, from building closer relationships with retailers who demonstrate a commitment to the Mohawk brand to helping dealers generate more leads, close a higher percentage of sales via brand promotion and sophisticated digital marketing strategies.
“What we’re seeing here is the excitement of how Mohawk is creating demand and how it translates to our customers who are here at the conference,” Bill Gaddis, Mohawk’s director of national sales accounts, North America, told FCNews. “Edge is really resonating with dealers here and how they want to partner with us. They see how important it is to create that seamless experience between consumers shopping online who then come knocking on their doors.”
Following are some of the main components of Edge, coupled with dealer feedback about the various facets of the new go-to-market strategy:
A winning ‘Edge.’ Mohawk executives describe Edge as a novel go-to-market strategy, a new approach in the way the company does business with retailers. In her opening address to dealers at the Edge Summit, Karen Mendelsohn, senior vice president of marketing, said it represents a shared vision between Mohawk and high-potential loyal retailers.
What dealers are saying: “We think the Edge [go-to-market strategy] is going to be good for us,” said Roxanna Bennett, co-owner of Columbia, Miss.-based Quality Flooring, one of the original 10 Floorscapes dealers. “We’re expecting it will drive more leads for us.”
Omnify + Five Star. The revamped Five Star program works in conjunction with Omnify to bridge Mohawk’s online marketing messages with the language and imagery consumers see when they finally enter the store.
What retailers are saying: Tom Heffner, co-owner of About All Floors, with locations in Birdsboro and Wyomissing, Pa., is the poster child for the power of digital marketing. After already experiencing higher web traffic by incorporating Omnify several years ago, he’s looking forward to reaping the rewards of the latest enhancements. “There are new programs with respect to online marketing, and there’s additional co-op monies dealers can earn by being in the top tiers of Edge, so that’s really going to help our business.”
Chad Copeland, co-owner, Strait Floors, Sequim, Wash., is excited about the new online and in-store marketing. “I like the way they’ve introduced Omnify to our showroom to make it easier to shop for Mrs. Jones. The new showroom is very clean, and I like all of the new displays. Mohawk is modernizing them and really stepping it up.”
The power of Pergo. Pergo Extreme LVP, that is. Leveraging what is arguably one of the most recognizable brand names in flooring, Mohawk is seeking to give retailers an advantage by offering a resilient offering they will be able to market exclusively.
What retailers are saying: “Pergo Extreme brings a brand name out of the big boxes and back to the independent retailer,” said Deb DeGraaf, owner, DeGraaf Interiors, Grand Rapids, Mich. “The fact that it’s in LVP is going to make it even more successful. Some of the patterns are very unique, and that will draw in a lot of customers.”
Others, such as Tasia Green, sales lead and showroom manager for White River Flooring, a Mohawk ColorCenter dealer based in Searcy, Ark., agreed. “It’s going to allow us to really go head to head with the big box stores.”
Ditto for Monette Natus, co-owner of Hamernick’s Interior Solutions, a ColorCenter dealer based in Saint Paul, Minn. “I like the Pergo Extreme LVP; I think it’s going to sell very well. Overall, there’s definitely more of a wow factor in how Mohawk is displaying product here vs. two years ago.”
SolidTech sells. Jason Sims, brand marketing director at Mohawk, described SolidTech as a hero brand that carried Mohawk through the early stages of its entry into the LVT market. With additional investments the company has made to support the category, dealers now have a stronger story to tell. And with Marquee, a new resilient product, Mohawk seeks to elevate the game through improved dent, stain and scratch resistance.”
What retailers are saying: Kody Kemp, Kemp’s Dalton West Flooring, LaGrange, Ga. Floorscapes dealer, said, “I really like the wood visuals and the performance aspects of the SolidTech Marquee product. Its scratchproof technology is really going to be huge. And the fact that it’s made in the U.S. is exciting as well.”
Jeff Neighbors, co-owner of Middle Georgia Carpets and Interiors, Thomaston, Ga., can attest. “We like the innovations on the hard surface side, particularly on the solid rigid core vinyl. When the category first came out, the patterns didn’t simulate real wood all that well, but now they’re incredible.”
Spotlight on Karastan. Positioned as one of Mohawk’s “iconic” brands, Karastan is being further expanded to broaden its appeal.
What retailers are saying: “We just love the colors and patterns in the Karastan line,” said Troy Natus, co-owner of Hamernick’s Interior Solutions, Saint Paul, Minn.
The sentiment is much the same at DeGraaf Interiors. “We love the fact they are not just ‘me-too’ to the rest of the Mohawk line, and they are really trying to differentiate themselves in terms of style and design,” DeGraaf said.
Look for more on the Edge Summit in upcoming editions of FCNews.