Leathercraft Lead Times – NOW Program 30-Day Shipping

As we mentioned in a previous post, furniture shipping lead times are improving. As a result, Leathercraft lead times are also looking better. We are happy to announce that their NOW Program furniture is shipping in 30 days.

The NOW Program is offering 30-day turnaround times on select frames and leathers. (And, considering what we’ve had to deal with for the past couple of years, 30 days is about as close to “now” as some of us can hope for!)

Leathercraft NOW Program Sofas & Sectionals

Manhattan Sofa

Shelley Sofa

Sectional Styles Available in 30 Days

NOW Program Leathercraft Recliners

Three Styles of Recliners Shipping in 30 Days

NOW Program Chairs

Three Styles of Chairs Shipping in 30 Days

Leathercraft NOW Program Features and Options

Who is Leathercraft?

“For over 50 years, Leathercraft has manufactured the finest leather seating available. Located in the highlands of Western North Carolina, an area with the greatest concentration of skilled craftspeople in the country, these skilled people are the backbone of Leathercraft’s enduring quality.

Our goal is to produce upholstered furniture to the highest standards possible utilizing the best materials and employing true tested manufacturing techniques. In doing so, we want to simplify the ordering process while providing you the opportunity to specify the product that fulfills your requirements.”

For more on Leathercraft fine leather furnishings and their 30-day NOW Program… Contact TD Fall today.

Creating Effective Sales Copy & the Know-Like-Trust Factor

Does the thought of writing sales copy for your business intimidate you? Do you lose sleep at night wondering how you can use the written word to entice prospects into becoming clients? Have you finally decided creating effective sales copy is just not part of your skill set?

You're not alone!

There are innumerable entrepreneurs and business owners out there right now who are feeling overworked, overwhelmed, over-stressed, and exhausted. When you feel like that, the thought of sitting down to write a compelling message about the products or services you offer can be just too much. There’s just too much other stuff that needs your attention, your energy, and your focus.

How can you write anything, let alone an effective marketing message, when there is too much that is demanding your attention?

And yet…

Compelling Content Improves Your Marketing

And yet, somewhere in that wonderfully creative entrepreneurial brain of yours is the understanding that creating compelling sales copy will improve your marketing and could even save your business.

Effective copywriting enables you to truly connect and engage with your target audience. It lets your prospects know you have something valuable to offer; a product or service that will help them in a specific way. It also sets you apart from your competition, enhances your reputation, and builds trust.

In other words… they will get to know, like, and trust you – instilling a type of faith that you have exactly what they need at this moment!

That’s a Big Job and, if you are unable to create that copy, and you don’t have anyone on your team who can do it either, that’s OK. There are other solutions, and we have some tips to help you get started.

6 Principles of Effective Copywriting

First, we’d like to share the six principles of effective copywriting. This should make it easier for you to kick start your efforts at creating the sales copy you need.

Effective copywriting and content creation follows six principles of persuasion: 1) reciprocity, 2) consistency, 3) consensus, 4) scarcity, 5) liking, and 6) authority. These principles have been scientifically proven to increase persuasion ethically.

• Reciprocity is feeling an obligation to give something in return when you receive a gift.

• Consistency is expected and appreciated in what we do and the things we say.

• Consensus (or Social Proof) is when people look to the actions, words, and behaviors of others to guide their own choices.

• Scarcity is the desire of wanting more of the things we either don’t or can’t have. (If you need an example, just think back to the spring of 2020 and the crazy run on toilet paper!)

• Liking we are more likely to say “yes” to people or brands that we like. Strong relationships are essential to building your successful business.

• Authority people instinctively trust and follow credible experts.

In the contemporary – and incredibly competitive – world of online marketing, every business can benefit from quality copywriting and content creation. In fact, 74% of companies said that copywriting and content creation increased both the quantity and quality of leads they receive.

We realize that not every business owner has the time or inclination needed to learn how to write good sales copy. We sure don’t. That’s why we use a professional copywriter when we need to share a compelling message about our products and services. If you’d like to know more, or simply want a little additional guidance, we can hook you up, and Ted is available for business consulting to the trade. Simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Shipping Lead Times – The Light at the End of the Tunnel

With shipping lead times of eight to nine months as recently as this spring, supply chain issues put unprecedented pressure on manufacturers of luxury furnishings. And, since bad news rolls downhill, these delays placed even higher pressure on interior designers and higher-end furniture retailers.

“The delays have been so bad for so long,” as explained in an article at the Business of Home website, “that designers have gotten used to a new way of working: Order the big pieces first, assume a yearlong wait for [them] and fill in the rest as you go. Oh, and definitely double-check your shipping costs.”

Lead Times Trending Downward for Many

So, is there good news, you may ask. Based on an “informal survey” by BoH, manufacturers are beginning to catch up on their back orders while retailers are quoting shorter lead times to their customers. Rather than months, lead times are being quoted in weeks. In fact, some of these dealers and manufacturers are quoting as few as three to five weeks for delivery, though most are in the 10 to 12 week range.

While we may not have fully recovered quite yet (some plants in China have closed due to excessive heat), “at the very least, no one’s turnaround times are getting longer, suggesting that the worst is over and the crisis has bottomed out.”

Further, demand has moderated since early this year, relieving the pressure on foam manufacturers and those with labor shortages. Lower demand in some categories has allowed suppliers to catch up on orders and improve their production and distribution.

Ironic, much?

Psychology Matters

While it may seem counter intuitive, after a couple of years consumers seem to have adapted (and even accepted) extended delivery times. This change in mindset from instant gratification to lowered expectations means that “Long lead times are not a deal breaker anymore.”

In other words, the definition of “reasonable” has been altered by the unprecedented circumstance of the past few years. This enables dealers and designers to return relying on the adage, “Under promise and over deliver”.

Granted, we’re not quite out of the woods yet but, for the first time in a couple of years (at least), the trend in definitely positive.

We’re also happy to let you know that a number of our suppliers have been conforming to this trend with shipping lead times improving for them, as well. If you’d  like to know more, Contact TD Fall today.

Client Attraction Tips - Do You Know Who Your Ideal Client Is? (Or Should Be?)

What is the key to client attraction?

Regardless of past success, client attraction remains an important element of your business, leading to increased referrals and long-term growth – as well as a steady revenue stream.

Attracting new clients requires two basic steps: creating or enhancing your brand; identifying and appealing to your target audience. Being recognized as an expert in your niche, one who can offer solutions is critical to your success. However, it’s just as critical to understanding the needs, wants, and desires of potential clients. In other words, HOW you present yourself is as important as WHAT you have to offer while knowing WHO to target is as important as knowing WHY they will benefit from your services.

First, let’s focus on creating an ideal client profile, shall we?

Identify Your Ideal Client

To become a client attraction magnet for your business, you have to be able to step into your ideal client's head. If you can create a clear profile of who they are and what they need or want, you’ll be able to speak to them in a way that will make them WANT to work with you!

You can repeat this process over and over again when creating new products or services. The result is marketing materials you can use in multiple ways.

To accomplish this, there are several questions you’ll need to answer:

• Who is your Ideal Client?

• What are their Pain Points?

• What are your Solutions?

• What do they need to Know/Learn/Do to find a Resolution?

• What is their Ultimate Why for Seeking your Help?

• What is their Ultimate Outcome?

• What will Success Look Like?

Ultimately, your goal is to answer the most basic question of all for them, “What’s in it for me?” If they can’t identify a benefit from working with you or from buying your product, they won’t.

When you’ve completed your Ideal Client Profile, develop one simple sentence to put it all together, what’s often called an “elevator statement”. When you’ve finished, you’ll discover a stunning type of clarity around who you want to work with and what you can do for them! Your elevator statement can then be used in multiple ways: in conversation with a potential client, in networking situations, as material for your home page – and as inspiration for blog posts, articles, newsletters, and list-building materials.

If you have more than one ideal client, work your way through this process again to create a new profile. It’s just that easy, and that hard.

Once you’ve created your unique, identifiable brand and developed your ideal client profile, you can begin to generate content that enhances your identity and speaks directly to your target audience, enabling you to enhance client attraction to a new level.

With more than 25 years of experience in the trade, Ted can offer you valuable client attraction tips as your business consultant. Simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Jaipur Living – Meet the Urban Curator Trend

Design trends come and go (which is kind of the definition of a trend, right?), but when they’re hot, you need to be able to respond to meet the needs of your design clients. The latest “trend du jour” is known as Urban Creator, according to our friends at Jaipur Living.

As they explain, there are “3 Steps To Mastering The Trend: Urban Curator Traditional foundations mix with modern styling in this of-the-moment design trend.”

Step 1: Layered Interiors

“Layering textures, patterns, and colors creates a look that’s organic yet polished. ‘I love developing a design around a piece that a client may already own,’ says Sam Cram of eponymous firm Sam Cram Design. ‘Maybe it’s an antique chest, a vintage light fixture, or a favorite Persian rug. Urban curator means timelessly fusing old and new while bringing pieces from different styles to elevate the look’.”

Jaipur woven rugs and fabrics offer the perfect foundation for layering spaces in traditional looks without sacrificing modern styling.

Step 2: Curate Each Space Individually

“Old with new, traditional with modern, smooth with textured—it’s all about the mix. ‘It’s elevated yet approachable—a comfortable lived-in vibe that feels welcoming and warm, not stark,’ says Urbanology Designs‘ Ginger Curtis of the urban curator trend. ‘Think old meets new, and incorporate items that feel lived in or vintage to complement and create a relaxed modern aesthetic’.”

“Then comes the curation. Pay attention to silhouettes, textures, colors, and the like, the styling duo recommends, to achieve the professionally polished yet effortlessly tossed together aesthetic. ‘Keep your eyes out for something odd, adding something unexpected creates a visual tension that is important to the look’, says Lori Paranjape, founder of Mrs. Paranjape Design + Interiors.”

Step 3: Finesse the Look and Feel

“With collected, layered decor comes the need for a sharp edit. Read: Choose your focal point, and choose it wisely. ‘I love mixing old with new,’ says Bonnie Ryan of Ryan Haus Interiors + Design. ‘The juxtaposition of a traditional or vintage piece next to something bold and modern is so stunning and it makes both pieces more interesting.’ In the end, she recommends, ‘bring in something bold and modern next to something organic and older’ for ultimate eye-catching appeal.”

“ ‘When it comes to mixing styles like modern, traditional, and vintage,’ House of Hipsters‘ Kayla Herbes concludes, ‘you’re really just mixing pieces that speak to you. Somehow, some way, when you decorate with pieces you love, it just works. There are no vital ingredients or rules except sticking to a color palette.”

Jaipur Wovens from TD Fall

Having worked closely with Jaipur for decades, we u understand how their hand-woven rugs and fabrics can be used to build a foundation for any space, as well as for accents and flow, as explained in the Jaipur Living article.

For more on Jaipur rugs and other products… Contact TD Fall today.

Reputation Management Tips - Use Other’s Bad Ideas to Build Yours

As participation in online marketing continues to grow, and as more people declare themselves “experts” to their audience, bad ideas, misconceptions, and just plain stinkin’ thinkin’ proliferate. While such ill-conceived thinking can be problematic for consumers, these poorly conceived and misunderstood areas can be a great opportunity for you to enhance your reputation management techniques – as long as those bad ideas are not yours!

When you realize that the majority of self-proclaimed “experts” online deal in little more than clichés, platitudes, and simplistic solutions, the potential for making a real difference in the lives of your audience will easily double or triple.

In other words, by debunking popular misconceptions, errors in judgment, and poorly explained answers to common questions, you will build your reputation as an expert in your field. And, as your reputation grows, so will your audience, your subscriber list, your list of leads, and your conversions!

Build and Protect Your Online Reputation

In many ways, your online reputation is your greatest asset. In fact, it represents the unified mental construct everyone who “meets” you online shares about you; a mental image of who you are and what you have to offer.

Of course, the clearer that image is, the stronger their perception of you and the more valuable you become to them.

This makes building, protecting, and managing your online reputation of paramount importance for both the short- and long-term success of your business.

According to an article at Entrepreneur.com, there are threes areas of focus for creating a positive online presence – and keeping it intact:

• Create great content – The paradoxical nature of content creation as it relates to online marketing is that, while you’re creating content with the hope that it will eventually help convert, the best content is rarely created with that in mind. Keep in mind that consumers today are pretty savvy and expect a certain level of effort to be put into any content they consume, especially if it’s designed to turn them into paying customers.

• Social media presence – It’s hard, if not impossible, for your audience to care about your social media accounts if you’re not using them. So, if you want to turn your business into an online authority, you’ll need to be ahead of your competition when it comes to social. That means having a consistent posting schedule, using a variety of different social media platforms and, most importantly, actually engaging with your audience.

• Testimonials, reviews, and perceptions – Known as “social proof”, what others think of you will make a huge impression on your audience and potential clients. Digital word of mouth is one of the most persuasive forms of marketing to the modern consumer, and it tends to be a massive aspect of the decision-making process for the average person because people trust other people. And, if an unbiased third party tells someone your business is not to be trusted, then you’d better believe people are going to have some reservations. Then again, a few positive reviews can lead to increased engagement (at worst) and inspire more conversions (at best).

Ultimately, the key is understanding how to be successful in leveraging the tools and techniques of reputation management to effectively build your online reputation, enabling you to meet your business goals.

With more than 25 years of experience in the trade, Ted can offer you valuable reputation management tips as your business consultant. Simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Massaging Your Message – Get Your Content Write

When it comes to your marketing message, getting it right is as important as any other area of your business. In fact, massaging your message properly may be the MOST important. (Certainly, getting it wrong will have lasting consequences.)

Since we’ve addressed the issue of messaging before, we thought it might be a good idea to also look at the how of it, not just the why. For us, it begins with content marketing, which is the process of identifying your target market’s pain points and creating content that helps your target audience address them. It’s not a sales pitch. It’s high-value information that benefits them!

Messaging and Content Marketing

It was more than a century ago – well before internet marketing (or even the use of computers) became a thing – that the concept of content marketing was developed and implemented.

That’s right. As early as 1895 John Deere published a lifestyle magazine for farmers called “The Furrow”. What was it about? The one thing it was NOT about was Deere company products. “It did, though, increase brand loyalty. Increased sales were just one happy byproduct (of many) from the valuable content John Deere provided for its customers.” (SearchEngineJournal.com)

Fast forward to 1900 when the tire company Michelin published its first “Micheline Guide”. Again, the Guide was not published to sell tires. Although, “While it included tips on changing your tires and where to refuel your car, it also featured a list of places that hungry travelers could eat. And it was a massive success. It’s a great example of a business targeting their audience with content that they would find helpful without overselling their products.” (DreamHost.com)

As a slightly more contemporary example, and one which some of us may actually remember, Betty Crocker became the “feminine” face of the food company that would eventually become General Mills. The cookbook that bears “her” name has sold more than 75 million copies since it was introduced in 1950. And, while the book known as “Big Red” frequently suggested the use of the company’s products, it has always been the recipes that most consumers have valued. (Wikipedia)

Appealing to Human Nature

Are you beginning to get a sense of how content marketing works, and how it can also benefit you? Even though it’s not all about you and your business, and it’s not solely about your products. No, it’s about helping your current or potential clients.

• This is how you build a following.

• It’s how you inspire trust and loyalty.

• It enables you to engage with prospects and build relationships.

• This generates leads and leads can become conversions.

Yes, it’s a process but that is how effective marketing is done in the internet age. For example, our blog. It’s not always about the product – or even how cool we are! It’s about helping you become the best interior designer or furnishing retailer you can be.

When it comes to massaging your message, getting it right can be challenging. That’s why getting in touch with Ted for business consulting to the trade can be so valuable. To find out more… Contact TD Fall today.

The 5 Most Common Online Marketing Questions – With Answers!

Along with some help from one or two online resources, and based on our own experience, we'd like to offer a short list of the most common online marketing questions.

Let’s not waste any time and get right to it, shall we?

5 Online Marketing Questions

1. “How hard is it to build my own website?” Well… It’s hard! Especially if you've never built a website before, the task can be daunting. Using WordPress certainly helps because they offer ways to simplify website construction (and WP is very Google-friendly!). You can even get a free website from them but, they won't allow you to monetize one of their free websites. (It can be a great solution for a blog-only site though.)

For a commercial website, you’ll need to pay for a hosting service, buy a domain name, and discover tons of patience. (Better get ready for a pretty steep learning curve!)

There are also multiple site-building apps available online. These tend to make all of their sites look alike but, if you're looking for the cheapest solution for building a business website, one of these may work for you – temporarily, anyway.

2. “What about a blog? Do I really need one?” Like most things, that depends: on your goals, your products or services, and whether you hope to be found through organic search or are willing to pay for ads and clicks (PPC). (Did we just hear a big “Huh?”)

It is almost always important to educate your target audience about what you have to offer them, be it a unique product or a helpful service(s). After all, they have no idea who you are and why you believe you deserve their attention, not to mention their hard-earned dollars. So yes, having a blog on your business website is a great way to educate and stay connected with your target audience in a real, relevant way. It also keeps your site fresh with new content helping to boost your SEO (see below). Some website owners write their own content, while others outsource the task to experienced professional copywriters. (We can help you there, no problem.)

3. “Oh, Kaaay… What do you mean by organic and PPC?” Being found online is always a challenge. The information you share on your website is regularly “crawled” by the search engines which then “index” and “rank” your site. The more fresh, relevant, and timely your blog content is, the higher you’ll be ranked and the more easily prospects will find you. This is known as “organic” search engine optimization (organic SEO).

Or, you can pay Google, Bing, or Yahoo to put your website at the top of their search results (SERPs). Based on the relative value of certain key phrases you use (your keywords), they will charge for every “click-through” from their SERPs. (That’s why it’s called “Pay Per Click” or PPC.) Depending on the number of clicks you receive per month, this can get pricey. Also, whether that click-through results in a sale is moot to them. They charge you for sending a prospect to your site. What happens then is irrelevant to them.

4. “What about social media? Do I have to use it for marketing my business? No, but…Yes! The real question for an entrepreneur is where to engage your target audience on social platforms. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and many others have such massive audiences that it becomes imperative to have a presence on at least one or two of them.

Choosing the best platforms for your business depends on a few things (at least): what you're selling, where your target audience is most active, and where your competition has built a following. If your offerings are best described visually, Instagram and Pinterest may be your best choice. If you need to educate your audience, Facebook and its audience of two billion subscribers may be your best bet. As for Twitter, well, if your audience has a brief attention span, yeah. Maybe. (Can you tell we’re not huge fans of twitting? Oops, we meant tweeting.)

5. “I've heard email marketing is dead. Is that true? OK, that’s a big NO! Email remains one of the most effective marketing tools you can place in your toolbox. The brief explanation is that you need to first build a subscriber list of email addresses, which is one of the most valuable business assets you can acquire. Then, you can begin to engage with them through an email nurture campaign, enabling you to generate more interest, enhance your reputation as an expert in your niche, and begin building trust.

Once they get to know and trust you, you can lead them toward conversion; that is, entice them into doing something that will benefit them, such as watching your free videos, they optin to another informative gift or something else of value. Soon, you should be able to guide them toward buying from you, whether a solution-based service or a product.

As you can see by this brief list of the most common online marketing questions, making an impression out there – not to mention making sales – is challenging indeed. In fact, it may be more demanding than becoming an expert who has something valuable to offer.

We know this is a lot to take in from a single blog post, and it can be intimidating. That’s why we have a couple of ways for you to get more answers to the most common online marketing questions. Research the links we shared above or get in touch with Ted for business consulting to the trade. To find out more… Contact TD Fall today.

Without Purpose, Your Mission and Vision Will Go Unrealized

Not to get all deep here but, a business without purpose is like a rudderless ship, pushed in directions beyond the Captain’s control. So, even if Ole Cap understands his mission is to get the ship from Point A to Point B, and he has the vision to make it happen if at all possible – if he lacks purpose he’ll likely fail.

Vision and mission come from purpose; that is, the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. (Lexico.com)

While purpose is the natural foundation of the two most commonly accepted business branding steps, your Vision and your Mission will have little value if not based on a purpose.

As in life, purpose in business offers direction; it motivates; it is the very reason your business exists. It also helps when making decisions, both minor and major.

Define Your Business Purpose

Your purpose for starting a business does not have to be based on some grand universal design for saving the world, or even humanity. (Most of those are self-indulgent and impossible anyway.)

However, it should be about something that does reflect your values; those things that matter most in your life. It can even be something as simple as, “My purpose is to create wealth for future generations of my family”.

Since we don’t have the space to examine every possible purpose each of you might outline for your business, we’ll simply offer this little exercise in purpose building to help you articulate it for yourself.

As an exercise to help define your business purpose: Write about how you feel – and think – of and about your business. Try journaling with a pen and paper, or grab your laptop, open a doc, and just start writing. Write about how you truly feel and what you want out of life. Then, imagine how you might be able to Captain the ship of your business in the direction that will get you there.

Remember that no one is going to read this but you, so don’t be afraid to express your thoughts and feelings. Then, reduce it to a single sentence or two and create a Purpose Statement for your business that reflects your conviction to make it happen.

And there is the secret to this exercise, and to discovering your business purpose. Unlike a Mission Statement or Vision Statement which should be published on your website, your Purpose Statement belongs to you alone.

It’s a way to clarify both your mission and your vision, with a solid foundation for future growth.

Doing this will also help to provide clarity about exactly what you and your business are capable of providing, within the framework of what you have to offer.

Finally, your Mission and Vision Statements must reflect your business purpose, but without a published “Statement”. That is a private guide for you as a business owner and/or your team.

If you're searching for help articulating your business purpose, Ted remains available with real-world experience as a business consultant to the trade. To find out more… Contact TD Fall today.

Getting People to Buy Once They’re Ready

Once you get the answer to the  question “Why do people buy?”, you still have to ask yourself, “How do I get people to buy from me once they’re ready?” To get that done, you must help your target audience learn about the products or services you have to offer in a way they can relate to as the answer to the age-old question, “What’s in it for me?”

In other words, regardless of the features (or the number of them), what they care about more than anything else is what they will gain from doing business with you; the benefits your products or services offer them. These are the only things your marketing message should be about.

Saying this is one thing but how it works in the real world takes some explaining.

Real-World Sales Tips

• Sales Example #1: Auto sales is a great real-world example because the product can be loaded (even overloaded) with features, yet most consumers will take those things for granted. The technology of the engines, transmissions, and electronics used in modern vehicles has become so reliable that buyers rarely ask about them these days.

What contemporary car buyers tend to care about most are comfort and price. They usually want every luxury item available while paying the basic price. Of course, wanting both of these things makes little sense so the question becomes, how can the sale be made when the potential buyer wants all the extras but is only willing to pay the minimum price?

The answer to that one is impossibly simple yet seemingly impossible. Building value in the features the customer wants is the only way to defeat this type of thinking because value overcomes objections about price. In fact, it’s the only thing that will. And that is the key to making a sale – when the value is greater than the price, the sale is made.

• Sales Example #2: Personal and business coaching have become incredibly popular in the age of internet marketing and virtual services. From life coaching to nutrition coaching; from personal training to health and wellness coaching; and from career coaching to business start-up coaching as well as many others, the number of online coaching services has grown exponentially over the past couple of decades.

The best online coaches can offer services packed with features yet, if the benefits of these features are not clearly defined, few prospects will be willing to buy. Again, if the value of the benefits exceeds the price, your prospect becomes a buyer.

Creating a Marketing Message

Back in the day, when pretty much all selling was done face-to-face, the message was far easier to convey (at least in theory). It was easier to build trust when looking someone directly in the eye, just as it was easier to show one’s expertise. By contrast, and with something like 2 billion websites worldwide, today’s virtual world is impersonal and detached.

This is easy to forget for those of us who work virtually on a daily basis, so it’s important to remember that such an environment requires extremely personal messaging if you hope to build trust and value. And, if you want to get people to buy, that message must be heavily benefits-based.

How can you put the ideas in these two sales examples to use for your benefit, as an interior designer or furnishings dealer?

If you're searching for help with answering that question for yourself, Ted remains available with real-world experience as a business consultant to the trade. To find out more… Contact TD Fall today.