Concrete Showrooms

Video: Concrete Showrooms
Time: 00:59
Learn about the benefits of creating a showroom for your concrete company.

In the growing field of decorative concrete work, you want to make a name for yourself. A showroom is an ultra-effective method of marketing and selling decorative concrete. It will establish you as a leader and expert in the decorative concrete field. It will build your credibility as a businessperson-which is the backbone of all marketing. Creating a space in which the customer can imagine your work in their home or office will benefit your business greatly. There are so many style options and paths to take when planning a showroom that we thought we'd give you some direction on how to take on this project.

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Benefits of Having a Concrete ShowroomA showroom can be a very beneficial marketing tool for your decorative concrete company. According to Jim Peterson, president of the Concrete Network, "Showrooms are central to standing out from the crowd." Many contractors, who have already opened a showroom, have been amazed at what it has done for their company.

Following is a list of what a showroom can do for your company:

• Give you the opportunity to showcase your work.
• Portray that your company is well established.
• Help potential clients view you as a leader in the industry.
• Give your company instant credibility.
• Educate clients about what you offer and what they want.
• Help customers to visualize your product in their home.
• Save you money and time since the customer is coming to you (less sales calls).
• Create a professional meeting place for potential clients, business associates, designers, architects and contractors.
• MAKE YOU STAND OUT ABOVE THE CROWD!

Find out why Bob Harris of the Decorative Concrete Institute believes having a showroom can win over clients: Show and Tell

Concrete Showroom Design Options and Planning TipsPutting your best foot forward with any business venture starts at the beginning. "You really want to feature what you do," says Jim Peterson, president of the Concrete Network. You should always have a plan thought out ahead of time and make sure you have a team to help you accomplish your goals. Once you have a design plan down on paper with all the components together, and dates for each step of the project, you're ready to delegate the work. Keep in mind to remember what type of audience you want to reach. If you do more commercial work you may tend to want to go larger on your design plan. Whether you are doing a large or small scale showroom having a plan and a good team of people to work with always applies.

L.L Geans Construction in Mishawaka, IN Colorado Hardscapes in Denver, CO

Here is a list of design ideas for planning a showroom:

• Have tangible items that the customer can look at in the showroom or take home (i.e. brochures, sample pictures, sample items, etc.)
• Color samples
• Tile sized samples
• Finished work: floors, mock up designs (kitchens), etc.
• Photos
• Have brochures telling about past projects
• If you do outdoor and indoor decorative concrete find a way to showcase both
• A showroom reflects you as a business person so remember to be clean and neat
• If you're working on a smaller scale, you can use your home to display your talents
• Remember you don't have to always go big to make an impression, you just have to know what the customer wants and how to display it in the best possible manner

Get more tips for planning your showroom from Dan Watton of Northern Concrete Inc.: Using a Decorative Concrete Showroom as a Selling Tool

Determining the Best Size for Your Company's ShowroomShowrooms come in all sizes and shapes. Jim Peterson, president of The Concrete Network, has seen both large and small scale showrooms serve as an effective marketing tool for concrete companies across the country. When considering what size showroom you want for your company, take into account the type of clients you are trying to attract and how much time and money you want to invest.

Colorado Hardscapes in Denver, Co.

The perfect example of a large showroom is Colorado Hardscapes' beautiful design in Denver, CO. This 14,680 square-foot center includes office spaces, conference rooms, a plan room, a model-making studio and a sample-making bay. Decorative concrete is the focus of the lobby floor and countertop, a portion of the conference room, and in a huge open space that houses hundreds of samples. "Seeing it in tangible form makes a huge difference... this has an impact and is a tremendous sales tool," says Teresa Unruh, marketing coordinator. The center is also used for meetings with clients and designers, and for business presentations.

Large Showroom:

• 3,000 sq ft, or more
• Appeals to commercial or industrial clients: hotels, theme parks, restaurants, etc.
• Should include a meeting room for clients, designers, contractors, and more
• Shows that you are an established company that is capable of doing large scale projects
• Provides a location to do live product demos
• Requires a large investment of time and money

Video: Visit a Contractor's Showroom
Time: 02:03
Watch this video from the Bob Harris "Floor Me" series to see examples of showrooms.

Small Showroom:

• 10' x 15' or 150 sq ft
• Appeals to residential clients
• Gives your company credibility
• Should include a table to meet with customers
• Photos of past work in brochures, or on the walls, are a simple way to make a good impression
• Can be done on a budget of $5,000
• Can be used as an office, meeting room, and showroom
• Can be ran by appointment only, cutting down on time commitment
• Perfect for a new or existing business wanting to make a good impression
• Example: L.L. Geans Construction Co.

How to Manage Your Concrete ShowroomWhether you are a large or small business, professionalism, organization and a great staff are all very important when managing a showroom. You want a showroom that will not only bring clients in but bring them back. Jim Peterson president of the Concrete Network says, "When customers come to your showroom they get a chance to meet and know you." Making a good first impression to your clients will bring your company great benefits. This will only happen if you set an organized plan into action.

L.L. Geans Construction in Mishawaka, IN

Here are some helpful tips on running a showroom:

• Be organized. Whether it's just you or a whole staff running the show, make sure you stay focused and in check of all your work
• Have an administrative assistant. Someone to run the showroom, answer phones, make appointments, etc.
• If staffing is an issue, have all showroom visits set by appointment only
• Always answer your phone
• Be on time
• Be professional, friendly and approachable
• Be hospitable, offering your potential client coffee or tea when they come in to your showroom

If you do these simple things, clients will recognize that you are a dependable and legitimate, and you will surely stand out from the crowd of contractors.

Showroom Examples by Region

Western U.S.

Super-KreteEl Cajon, CA

Concrete ConnectionBakersfield, CA

DC Custom ConcreteSan Diego, CA

Central U.S.

Colorado Hardscapes8085 E. Harvard Ave. - Denver, CO 80231
(303) 750-8200

The Stamp StoreOklahoma City, OK

Details Decorative Concrete, IncNew Braunfels, TX

East U.S.

L.L. Geans ConstructionMishawaka, IN

Create an Image Decorative ConcreteHaymarket, VA

Surface, LLCAnn Arbor, MI

Check out the showroom of Italian concrete company Ideal Work: Now that's a Concrete Showroom