light source magazine feature_intheknow

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Like any other market, lighting trends ollow the ever-changing pulse o the nation.

Last year saw its share o unexpected ups and downs, creating a new trendeven or

trends. The hardest part is trying to determine trends, says Dave Director, presidento CT Lighting Centers and Restoration Lighting Gallery. Its a really odd market out

there. Were not seeing trends the way were used to seeing them.

Whats hot

With a slowly stabilizing economy, retailers can expect to see a shit in 2011 rom DIY, inex-

pensive and interchangeable fxtures to more permanent contemporary fxtures.

Shaded fxtures are substantially slowing in sales, adds Director. Shaded fxtures are

nothing new; 20 years ago there were shaded fxtures, but I think that as the economy

changes, were going to get back to some basic designs and back to non-shaded pieces. When

times are tough, the shaded fxture added a way to change your design without it being ter-

ribly expensive. In 2011, the lines are simple, the use o shades: less; glass: more. For the

frst time, were selling chrome chandeliers and seeing success with much cleaner designs.Overall the big trend is to oversize big pendants that have a metal shade, says Barbara

Crowhurst, a retail makeover specialist. As it is with every trend, you will have your early

adopterspeople who grab on to the new product the second it hits the market. Pendant

lighting with metal shades are not necessarily new to the market, but its the evolution o the

look thats taking center stage in 2011. Instead o a stark, industrial composition, this look is

ormed by sot metals like chrome and brushed nickel.

I like to call the look organic modern, says the 25-year retail veteran, who loves the way

this trend looks great in either an urban or rural setting. Trends take a long time to evolve,

and this is really bringing that outside in. The lighting is very simple and its directional.

Although the trend o large, metal pendant lighting is versatile or many environments,

Take a closer look at 2011s coming attractions.

By Kity Alpet

Cashing in

Current Trendson the


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Crowhurst stil l advises, Although trend always drives the excitement o the sta themselves,

they need to be aware and completely have a working knowledge o who their customer

is. As a retail store designer, when I look at it rom the point o view o what will sell, it al l

comes down to the retailer. Even beore they look at trends, they have to truly understand

their customer.

While some customer bases may shy away rom anything deemed trendy or edgy,

that doesnt mean retailers should shy away rom introducing these new products. Bringing

trendy product into your retail environment helps show customers that you are a leader inthe industry; that you know whats going on. Having an assortment o the latest product can

give you a very critical edge in a competitive market place. But that doesnt mean abandon-

ing your traditional customer base.

Crowhurst recommends staying true to your core clientele, since they are the business

that pays the bills, but still investing in a ew trend products to keep your show room

progressing and displaying your industry knowledge. When I do budgets or my clients,

in order to satiate whats new, I always recommend that they spend about fve percent o

their buying budget on the hottest, edgiest trends.

Director agrees, adding that the biggest advantage an independent lighting retailer has is

education and customer service. He adds, A big mistake we all get sucked into is wanting

Expect to see cleaner designs

and oversized lights in show-

rooms this year. Forget the

industrial look; metal will show

its softer side through chrome

and brushed nickel.


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to have the hottest item, but the bottom line is that we still have to

make sales.

L-E-D-ing thE markEt

Retailers can expect to see LEDs saturating the market in 2011.

Although it is not necessarily a new product, the vast amount o new

applications this technology will expand to in the years to come make

this one trend retailers cant orget.

2011 will likely be the big breakthrough year where energy-

efcient lighting will begin to be the frst choice o consumers and

builders, says Joseph A. Rey-Barreau, architect, lighting designer,

associate proessor o Interior Design at the University o Kentucky

and education and training consultant or the American Lighting

Association.

This is being driven by the new energy codes that are requiring

these types o fxtures in new homes and by the new ederal require-ments that will begin phasing out incandescent lighting over the

next two to eight years. We are in the midst o the greatest lighting

changes in residential lighting in over 130 years.

What this means or buyers and retailers is that customers will be

looking or more and more decorative green products that carry the

Energy Star label, including chandeliers, wall sconces, ceiling fxtures

and pendants with either CFL or LED light sources. This will require

a working knowledge and close amiliarity with the requirements o

programs like LEED or Homes rom the U.S. Green Building Council and the Department

o Energy and the Energy Star rated homes rom the Energy Star program.

LED lighting is changing so rapidly that new products and updated technologies are being

introduced almost daily, adds Barreau. One o the challenges is that as the technology changes,the older products become obsolete. It will thereore be extremely important or retailers to

work with their manuacturers to understand the implications o new product introductions.

shoWing off

Once the new product is in the door, simply throwing it on the walls o your showroom isnt

going to cut it, says Crowhurst: Retailers, whether they realize it or not, are in the running

stream o home ashion.

The average consumer is typically trapped, trying to fgure out how to walk in to a retail

environment and pick items that will work in their homes with confdence. When a show-

room is up to date with the latest trend colors and styles, customers are more likely to get

the vision o how the new product could work in their home.

Crowhurst likes to think o a retail environment as a theater platorm. In theater, the setsare always changing to meet the demands o the play. The same is true in a showroom, she

says, it has to be a changing canvass; a changing environment.

When working with a client, Crowhurst typically goes in to the showroom and paints

all the walls a neutral color, like Behrs Creek Bend gray or Valspars Jekyll Club Cherokee

Tan, then she picks out roughly one, three or fve ocal walls (depending on the size o the

showroom) to paint with the current hottest color.

Gray is huge right now in neutrals and putting a neutral on all the walls and is a great

way to make the merchandise pop out when the accent color is on the ocal wall, she says.

When I connect with a really savvy retailer, we change the ocal wall color seasonally

because it changes the mood o the shop.

Todays consumers have more

choices than ever before.

Providing a wide range of

options is crucial in keeping cus-tomers coming through the door.


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As if attracting and retaining good

employees werent challeng-ing enough, the trick today is

attracting Millennials, a generation ofemployees brought up with the worldat their fingertips. As it is with anygeneration, Millennials characteristicswere influenced by multiple factors,which in this case includes personalcomputers and the Internet.

Understanding these influences canhelp employers create an environmentthat attracts and retains talent from

this generation.The key message to attract Millennials

in any job posting or interview is that theywill be able to use their creativity andprovide input, with the understanding that their participationhas meaning in greater context, says Merri Mai Williamson,founder and chairperson of Application Researchers. Theirloyalty to an employer will result if they are provided withflexible schedules (including time off without pay), the oppor-tunity to participate in focused projects within a group frame-work and communicated outcomes which can be measured.

When it comes to hiring Millennials in a lighting

retail environment, its important to know

how this generation is wired, Williamssays. Some workplace factors affectingMillennials include: Authority: Where as a Baby Boomer

challenges authority, Millennials are unim-pressed by authority, so employers shouldkeep their retail environment filled withmutual respect. Work styles: Millennials believe that

change is equal to improvement, making thisgeneration great when seeking new ways toimprove business or display inventory.Work/life balance: Millennials rarely

sacrifice their free time, so giving themample time to enjoy their social lives willpay off when it comes to having a bright

worker in a lighting environment. A good team: Williamson notes, A Millennial is looking

for their next career move and will find it outside an organiza-tion if employers dont map out paths for them. Employerswould be wise to include this generation in continued educa-tion opportunities and trade shows, while clearly communicat-ing their on-going role in the lighting industry; specifically inthe retailers store. KA

In a world where nearly two billion people use theInternet, finding customers online is more importantthan ever. Using the Web to attract new business

can open storefronts that were once considered locallyexclusive to a world of online customers.

Its easy to find customers online, the challenge is get-ting their attention, says John Arnold, author, speaker,marketing consultant and owner of www.johnarnold.com. Arnold says that customer leads come from threedistinct sources:1) Complete strangers2) People who know you but havent made a purchase yet3) Your customers

E-mail marketing, text messaging and social mediaremain the best ways to reach current customers, but

in order to reach total strangers, retailers need to beout in front while potential customers are online. Ilike to use search engine marketing, blogs and onlinedisplay advertising for acquiring new customers.

While Facebook and Twitter are all the rage in the

online marketing world, Arnold warns retailers not to getcaught up in chattering. Social media users are lookingfor much more than updates about the new paint color onthe walls, they want rewards for being your friend or forfollowing you.

If you want to be successful marketing on social net-works, you need to run real honest-to-goodness marketingcampaigns, advises Arnold. For example, advertise-ments, contests, sweepstakes, rewards programs andcoupons. KA

UsE THE WEB TO fINd NEW cUsTOmErs

hiring miLLEnniaL EmpLoyEEs

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