LED products and the connected home are continuing to revolutionize the lighting industry. New opportunities are being created every day and it is ALA's role to help train, educate, and share how members are taking advantage of this new, connected world we live in. When you look at the rapid development of the cell phone and tablet industries, consumers rush out to buy the newest device to help maximize their personal experience. The same opportunities are in front of the lighting industry and the experiences that lighting can create are even greater.
The ALA-member showroom is the best resource for consumers who want to understand how their home lighting can create a unique experience that will impact their emotional and physical well-being and health. Knowing this will help you develop an entire lighting plan that will exceed your customers' expectations.
In my travels over the past weeks, I was excited to hear from members who understand how this LED revolution has provided tremendous growth opportunities for their companies and is allowing for additional add-on sales opportunities by increasing their lamp, lighting, ceiling fan, controls, shading and experience-driven products.
I encourage you to make sure your staff is well trained and utilizing ALA's lighting and sales training webinars/courses. By doing so, you have an opportunity to set the stage for an exceptional customer experience.
ALA Education
Sales Training
ALA has now released the first three Sales Training Courses in a 10-part webinar series. Each webinar will present the fundamental and foundational information needed in the retail selling process.
The first three courses:
Lesson 1: Success Mindset
The Salesperson's Role in the 21st Century
Lesson 2: Today's Customer
Pre-selling: The Unseen Preparation Prior to
Customer Engagement
Lesson 3: Consumer Driven Process
Starting the Sales Process
Each sales training course is $39, or $100 for all three.
Webinars
ALA has a full plate of live and on-demand webinars scheduled. Upcoming live webinars include:
- How Showroom Sales Teams Use Social Media to Boost Sales
- How Consumers Shop for Lighting
- Luminaire and Retrofit Bulb Patent License Program
- Landscape Lighting Success Strategies: Proven Techniques for Selling and Designing LED and Low-voltage Lighting Systems
A list of on-demand webinars, as well as a detailed schedule of all webinars, is available at page left. For more information or to register, click here.
ALA Joins the Americans for
Affordable Products Coalition
ALA has joined the Americans for Affordable Products Coalition to help fight a potential Border Adjustment Tax (BAT) proposal being considered by the Trump Administration and the 115th Congress. ALA has joined the coalition with the National Retail Federation, Retail Leaders Industry Association, National Grocers Association and many other organizations who are concerned that the BAT will be part of a comprehensive tax reform package. If such a BAT tax is enacted, the cost of items such as lighting, food, gasoline and clothing products will increase significantly, and ultimately have a negative impact on the lighting industry and the American economy.
As formal legislative proposals move forward, ALA will join the fight across industries to make sure our concern is heard by lawmakers and administration officials.
To write your local Congressman or Senator, please click here to make sure your voice is heard.
To see what some of America's top economists, investors, business leaders and legislators think about the BAT, click here .
If you can attend the ALA Washington, D.C. mission, May 17-18, note that trade and the BAT issue will be our main topic of focus during our meetings on Capitol Hill. To inquire or RSVP, please email Michael Weems .
Manufacturers' Sales Survey -
Free Member Service
ALA is now compiling data to produce the Manufacturers' Sales Survey and Distribution Report. Both reports will now be produced annually. ALA has moved to an electronic data submission, and manufacturers are currently submitting their 2016 data. Survey results will be released to participating manufacturers in early April.
Showroom Operating Survey Coming Soon
ALA will soon be emailing our Showroom Operating Survey to showroom members. ALA members can participate for free. By participating and completing the survey, showrooms will receive a Showroom Performance and Profitability report, a personal Profit Improvement Profile, and a Profit Dashboard. These reports will provide industry data and help members improve their showroom's profitability and performance.
An Excel version of the survey can be downloaded here . To complete the survey, save the file to a hard drive, close the browser, then open the spreadsheet.
Look for an email to come soon about the Showroom Operating Survey.
ALA Launches Merchant Discount Program
ALA has partnered with Total-Apps on a merchant discount processing program to offer ALA members low rates on credit card processing. Total-Apps is a payment processing and merchant account provider offering dedicated customer service, fraud protection and payment expertise. Total-Apps offers ALA members wholesale rates on Visa, MasterCard and Discover processing, regardless of sales volume. To receive a complimentary, no-obligation analysis to see how much you will save, please click on www.total-apps.com/ala or call 818-987-5367.