MOHAWK DRAWS RECORD CROWD FOR ANNUAL ALIGNED RETAILER CONVENTION IN NASHVILLE 

SOLUTIONS 2012 CELEBRATES SPIRIT IN ACTION

 

DALTON, Ga. Dec. 1, 2011— A weak housing market and slower than hoped for flooring sales have Mohawk’s aligned retailers hungry for Solutions. Mohawk’s aligned retailer convention sold out weeks in advance, putting Solutions Convention 2012 on pace to be the best attended event yet. This year’s convention theme, Spirit in Action, focuses on targeted and measurable ways Mohawk Floorscapes and Mohawk ColorCenter retailers can connect with consumers and motivate them to buy flooring now rather than later.

 

“Last year, our Solutions convention focused on the Spirit of the Entrepreneur. We concentrated on providing our aligned retailers with tools and training that ensured they weathered the economic crisis,” explained David Duncan, senior vice president of marketing at Mohawk. “This year we are taking that concept to the next level. Our aligned retailers are effectively surviving the downturn. Now they need specific tools that will position them for future success. A retailer with a Spirit in Action isn’t just thinking about tomorrow. He or she is thinking about business five, 10, even 15 years down the road.”

 

Mohawk has identified four attributes that represent Spirit in Action: Commit, Connect, Focus and Inspire. Duncan says all of the products, programs, training and tools unveiled at Solutions 2012 encompass those four elements. Continuous concept renewal remains an important part of the aligned retailer program, but as retailers move into 2012, they will notice Mohawk is taking a more targeted, quality-oriented approach to continuous concept renewal. The company is introducing only the products, programs and services that will elicit the most consumer interest, increase traffic at the aligned retailer’s store, and ultimately, help close sales.

 

“It’s the whole idea that less is more, and that quality is better than quantity,” said Duncan. “Our Advisory Council members have told us that today’s flooring retailer can’t implement everything. We listened to their thoughts and have tailored our focus for 2012. If we’re talking about it at Solutions this year, we really believe it is worth the aligned retailer’s time and investment.”

 

Today’s consumer is incorporating more than one type of flooring in her home, and this presents an opportunity for the aligned retailer to connect with the consumer and procure future flooring sales. Mohawk has created an Innovations and Design Center for Solutions 2012, which is certain to be a hot spot in the showroom. Aligned retailers can tour the center and see firsthand how various Mohawk flooring types and styles work together to create a beautiful, comfortable living space. Mohawk interior designers and HGTV stars Taniya Nayak and Chip Wade will be on hand, sharing their advice, which will help retailers become more comfortable talking to consumers about product integration from a fashion and design standpoint.

 

“We hope that this will inspire our aligned retailers to look at their showroom as one big Innovations and Design Center,” explained Duncan. “Taniya and Chip will be there to teach retailers how to create captivating and inspiring vignettes—as only they can. This integrated approach to design and fashion is a key way Mohawk Floorscapes and Mohawk ColorCenter retailers can differentiate themselves from the big box competition and motivate consumers to shop at their retail store.”

 

Mohawk’s Aligned Retailer Benefits Area is back by popular demand for Solutions 2012. The company has set up kiosks to ensure aligned retailers are taking full advantage of every opportunity available to them. Benefits will be presented in four key categories: Services, Training, Peer-to-Peer, and Product.

 

“There is real value in being a Mohawk aligned retail partner, now more than ever,” added Duncan. “Mohawk is offering our aligned retailers the industry’s most innovative new products, exciting exclusive partnerships and measurable lead generation tools. Combine that with world-class instruction from some of the country’s most knowledgeable speakers, and you have the Solutions needed for a successful 2012.”

 

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Mohawk is a leading supplier of flooring for both residential and commercial applications. Mohawk offers a complete selection of carpet, hardwood, ceramic tile, laminate, stone, vinyl, rugs and other home and business products. These products are marketed under the premier brands in the industry, which include Mohawk, Karastan, Columbia, Century, Dal-Tile, American Olean, Quick-Step, Lees, Bigelow and Durkan. Mohawk's unique merchandising and marketing assist our customers in creating the consumers' dream. Mohawk provides a premium level of service with its own trucking fleet and over 250 local distribution locations.