Ways to share gratitude without breaking the bank or being cliché.
This time of year, it can be all too easy to feel pressured to button everything up — finish projects, finalize billing, and, if possible, get a little time off for the holidays. Somewhere in there, you’re also trying to figure out how to let your team and business associates know you appreciate them. It’s tough to get it all done.
Here are some things you can do to show your team and work associates that you appreciate them and that won’t break the bank or take time you don’t feel you have.
Home-Baked Cookies
At KMB our annual tradition is to make and send cookies. It takes a couple of days to prep, bake, and ship the packages, but it always feels so good to take our stack of boxes to the post office. Pro Tip: Click & Ship is the ONLY way to go. We live in a rural area but even still, I save my list and every year all I have to do is log in, make any needed updates, and print away. I call ahead to make sure it’s convenient to drop 30-plus boxes off, which they always appreciate. Others in our circle make baking day an annual event for those who participate.
Shared Experiences
Gifting people experiences has become a popular option and I’m a big fan. Someone in my circle was recently glowing about being gifted a spa treatment for two, another had been taken to dinner and a concert of their choosing, while someone else commented that a team-building day at a driving school had been a hit with all. Gift cards for things people can do outside of work AND the time to do them provide versatile options that you can likely purchase in bulk. Smashhouses are also something that I’m hearing about, and what a great way for teams to release some pressure together.
Put It In Writing
I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears mentioning again. The long-term value of a handwritten note is immeasurable. I still have a framed card from Joey Kolchinsky of OneVision Resources and another from Mark Cishowski of Clarity AV from years ago. If that’s any indication, consider this a compelling option for your holiday communications. Let me warn you though, when I say “handwritten” I mean just that — a handwritten note, not just your signature repeated randomly on cards that have a stock sentiment imprinted in Comic Sans to look semi-realistic. Handwriting cards takes time and requires some thought to get the phrasing right. This is something you need to be fully committed to — don’t think you’ll knock out a stack of handwritten cards in 20 minutes before bugging out on a Friday afternoon. Plan for a couple of hours at least.
Better Yet — Break Bread Together
In the interior design world, one of the most coveted invites I’m aware of is the invite-only Thompson Traders soiree that takes place at the family’s home during High Point Market. The table layout and settings alone are a feast for the eyes, but it’s the love put into the evening that I’ve heard takes things to a whole new level. You don’t have to go this deep, of course, but inviting people into your home to enjoy a meal together is a great way to show how much you appreciate them.
Need More Ideas?
I shared some options last year in my December ’22 column, which are all still valid. Take a look and bookmark the page. Better yet, block your schedule for two hours and go do some online research, talk to a local retailer, and place your orders now so you can check that off your list. Then, all you have to do is start gathering thoughts for those handwritten cards. Maybe start stretching out those wrists, too, as your hand WILL get tired, but it is so incredibly worthwhile. Trust me!
Breathing Break
Okay, one more thing before you close the page — let me share one more bit of advice. Give yourself a break, breathe, do what you can, and let go of the rest. Most people are feeling totally overwhelmed right now, but taking a breather and lowering the bar will help get you through the end-of-the-year hustle. Oh, and about THAT. My friend Maddie Ringer’s Mad Yoga YouTube channel is a great place to go to learn how to stretch and let go of stress. Give it a try!
Until next month, cheers to the (almost) end of the year!
A 25+ veteran of the residential tech & AV integration industries, Katye McGregor Bennett is the CEO of KMB Communications, a boutique communications firm that anchors the intersection of technology + design by connecting brands, buyers, and prospective audiences through creating compelling content and conversation that elevates and amplifies. In addition to co-hosting Design Uncut with Veronika Miller, Katye hosts two popular podcasts, Connecting Tech+ Design and AV Trade Talk. She is part of the DesignHounds influencer group and also serves on the NAHB Custom Technology Work Group, is a strategic advisor in the CEDIA, HTA, and AVIXA communities, a frequent contributor to Residential Systems, Connected Design and founder of the AV Yoga group.
Events like CEDIA Expo provide excellent opportunities for you to share what you saw so that people outside of our industry see, hear, and better understand what we do.
When it comes to marketing, a question many often ask is, “How can my company reach more prospective clientele right now with the limited time and resources we have?” I have got a very simple answer for you that’s based on the extensive time I’ve spent working with brands, firms, and associations in the AV industry. Want to know what it is?
Photo by John Staley
Stay with me here, because what I’m about to tell you might just make open your eyes to a new opportunity to reach a broader, very targeted audience that is more likely to buy what you are selling.
Every day, people in our industry meet or talk to people who have never heard of the products we sell or the experiences we provide. The sad reality is that the vast majority of the population still has no clue about what we do. Yet, those same people — and many, many more like them — enjoy music, movies, and entertainment and are seeking a heightened experience.
They’re bombarded with ads and influencers trying to convince them to buy, try, or learn more, and you know what the common theme is? Messaging appears where those people spend their time (social, web, digital advertising, etc.), and, more importantly, the language is simple, the visuals are snappy/poppy/pretty/compelling, and there’s a clear call to action: BUY NOW. TRY IT TODAY. LEARN MORE.
Sometimes, these all appear in sequence within the same message, and there’s a science to that. Every integration firm and every brand in the channel, with very few exceptions, can incorporate this strategy without spending a significant amount of time doing it. The more that do help rise the tide, and that’s the point of today’s conversation.
How do integration firms and tech brands tap into the vast ocean of opportunity? I’m a communications pro, so my answer comes from what I know best. Reaching a new audience is as simple as combining clear, concise messaging with catchy visuals that are both relevant and familiar. Re-read that sentence. The messaging you’re putting out there and the visuals you’re using need to be relevant to the audience you have and that you’re trying to attract. Keep it simple, make it fun, and it will, in turn, be more “sticky.” Meaning, your message is more likely to “stick” in the mind of the viewer, and, when that happens, they are more likely to click. If you’ve done your job well and have a library of content for them to peruse and engage with that’s of a similar nature, that’s when you get the golden ticket. Conversions!
Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn have strong advertising options that can float your message in front of a much larger audience. You’ll pay extra for this, but it is well worth the effort and investment when you intentionally build the audience by targeting interests, lifestyles, career choices, income, and more. Vintage car lovers, wine aficionados, and fans of real estate, architecture, and live music often have an interest in tech and want it in their homes and offices. Align your brand with those interests and use the advice in this article, and you will absolutely, positively, appeal to a new audience that hasn’t seen or engaged with your brand before.
It’s quite simple. When you speak a common language and show people something that is both remarkable and unforgettable, they will pursue you, your brand, and your offering. Converting them should then be easy, as you’ve already stirred their emotions. You have the expertise, your team is solid, you work with great brands, and you provide excellent service and support. Add this to your messaging and show how people enjoy what you’ve done. Now, you’re making it easy for people to see why they should click, engage, and buy from your company.
With that in mind, let’s go back to the main point of this piece. Whenever you travel to an industry event or have a chance to see tech in action, share details about it afterward publicly! It really doesn’t take long to learn to craft catchy captions that pair well with good-looking images, but it does take diligence. Commit to carving out time to write a quick blog and share, in common terms, what people should know. More than anything else, use common words and phrasing like what you see in the mainstream rather than the language of our industry. That’s what makes your message sticky and that’s what makes it a whole lot easier to craft. Eliminate hyperbole and just speak naturally. Add an image that shows people enjoying a relatable, relevant experience rather than a side view of products, and definitely stay away from tech specs, acronyms, and other language that most won’t know how to process or act on.
Last year, I brought a mid-30s friend to CEDIA Expo who happened to also be the one that led AV Yoga at CEDIA Expo. What resonated with her was how brands like Leon showed relatable rooms, staged to feel friendly and pitched with language that felt familiar. As I approached the booth, she looked up from their new look book and squealed, “I love this company!” That was her first introduction to the brand, and she’s mentioned it now to no less than 10 friends (who likely told friends, who told friends). This year, I brought her back and not just to teach yoga. She also took over KMB’s Instagram account to share the show through her lens and is helping us better understand how to share what we see. Take a look at @kmb_communications on Instagram to see what Maddie Ringer saw and how it resonated.
As always, I’m here to help. I know this stuff can be daunting, but me and my team can get you on a path that makes it easier and takes less time. Drop me a line at [email protected] and let’s start the conversation!
Reaching People
In an article I wrote for Residential Systems called Putting the Social Back in Social Media and in another called The Value of Human Interaction I touch on the need to be real when choosing words, being genuine, and using language that’s understandable by the masses. If you’re not familiar with these, give ‘em a read as they provide a bit more detail and will help you make better sense of the social “sphere” as I like to call it.
A 25+ veteran of the residential tech & AV integration industries, Katye McGregor Bennett is the CEO of KMB Communications, a boutique communications firm that anchors the intersection of technology + design by connecting brands, buyers, and prospective audiences through creating compelling content and conversation that elevates and amplifies. In addition to co-hosting Design Uncut with Veronika Miller, Katye hosts two popular podcasts, Connecting Tech+ Design and AV Trade Talk. She is part of the DesignHounds influencer group and also serves on the NAHB Custom Technology Work Group, is a strategic advisor in the CEDIA, HTA, and AVIXA communities, a frequent contributor to Residential Systems, Connected Design and founder of the AV Yoga group.
Design professionals want to include tech and are eager to learn, but are still leery of the lingo.
As many of you know, I’m on a mission to help integrators and interior designers do better business together. What I’m finding, still, is that our tech integration community is making inroads, but we need to stay the course and be present, pleasant, and extremely supportive.
This was perfectly illustrated during the NKBA Design + Tech Summit held in July at the Flagship Samsung 837 building in NYC, where I was invited to speak on a panel titled “All Together Now: Creating a Design and Tech Strategy That Works for Everyone.” I was there alongside trade professionals like lighting designer Sara McElroy, founder and president of Silver Shoe Design, and interior designers Toni Sabatino of Toni Sabatino Style and Sharon Sherman of Thyme and Place Design, as well as integration pros Will Breaux of CASA Companies, Ed Gilmore of Gilmore’s Sound Advice, and Amanda Wildman of TruMedia. We were joined by Greg Barrett of Savant Systems and others from the design and tech integration worlds. After spending the day with attendees and listening to their stories, it was abundantly clear that design professionals want to establish meaningful relationships with integrators so they can be more confident when including tech in their projects.
In fact, in a live poll conducted during the event, 58 percent of attendees said their clients are looking for a technology package for their homes that includes advanced lighting, motorized shades, and home cinema. During one of the sessions, Sarah Larsen, Samsung VP of marketing, home electronics, noted that “71 percent of consumers expect their products to be customized and personalized.”
Think about that for a minute. If designers are saying that 58 percent of their clientele want automated lighting, motorized shades, and a home cinema experience, and if 71 percent of consumers expect their tech to be customized and personalized, how much business is potentially being left on the table by not engaging with designers?
Technology integrators have the ability to give people more of what they want and need. One of the most memorable comments of the NKBA Design + Tech Summit came during a session with event sponsor Samsung talking about its product lines and connectivity with mobile devices. The audience physically leaned in when Claudia Santos, Samsung director of product marketing, shared some of her favorite home technology automations that are triggered by her activities. She shared the benefits of alerts telling her about open fridge doors and how when she lifts her phone off the nightstand in the morning that the bedroom shades open and the lights come on, preparing her for the day ahead. Every designer in the audience energetically asked questions about this, as though it was a new subject being broached for the first time.
Of course, integrators do this sort of work every day, but that is exactly my point. The reaction of the design community to simple yet functional home automation routines illustrate the need to keep things simple to start with — many are unaware of the benefits of an automated home and how easy it can be to have it when the right professionals are involved. They want it, they just don’t know how to get it in a manner that works for them and their clientele.
Be the resource that helps designers understand what’s available and how to make it happen and you will garner more of their business. According to Pamela McNally, SVP, marketing & digital for the NKBA, “What resonated most with designers was the detailed, step-by-step information provided during many of the panels…they still struggle with how to engage, hire, and work with integrators. Tech is still a ‘new’ area for many and they really don’t understand how it works, so anything that can help explain what they need to know (not hugely detailed) is a good thing and a major help.”
She also shared some great insights for integrators: “Speak the language designers understand. Tech talk intimidates designers and all too often and makes them feel as if they are being talked down to. It is also very important that integrators not come across as if they are going to take the lead on the project. Designers need to be reassured that they, not the integrator, are still the main point of contact for the client — in fact, several attendees of the NKBA Design + Tech Summit told me that even when something goes wrong, they’d prefer the client reach out to them so they are still the conduit.”
In talking to Amanda Wildman after the event, she shared, “The biggest takeaway for me from the Design + Tech Summit was that the designers are interested in the tech and if we, as Integrators, aren’t there to answer the questions, support their projects, and share our knowledge, they will get it elsewhere…which is usually either DIY or inaccurate information.”
She, like Ed Gilmore, Will Breaux, and many in our community, actively participates in events like the NKBA Design + Tech Summit to share the steps required to make smart home technology understandable, relatable, and an integral part of the design process — from the very beginning — that result in a successful and seamless outcome. Being present plays a critical role in helping interior designers and their clientele appreciate what tech can do to enhance the home experience.
Gilmore was quick to reiterate a very important point that he made during the event, and one that bears repeating. “After project delivery, the integrator is often the only other trade that has an ongoing relationship with the client, so being involved from the inception of the project leads to better historical knowledge, servicing, and ongoing client relationships.”
Interior designer Sharon Sherman shared this in closing: “The relationship I have with my integrator works well because we both respect each other’s professional space. We work together to enhance each other’s work to get the best result for the client. My integrator makes tech fun, functional, and playful, which I appreciate and my clients enjoy immensely.”
Sherman’s point about being playful leads me to my final point for this article. As a community, we need to do a better job of showing people how to play with their tech so they get more from their devices and enjoy more of what technology can do. When we do, we open people’s eyes to what’s possible, and, when that happens, future business is more likely to come our way, rather than the DIY way.
A 25+ veteran of the residential tech & AV integration industries, Katye McGregor Bennett is the CEO of KMB Communications, a boutique communications firm that anchors the intersection of technology + design by connecting brands, buyers, and prospective audiences through creating compelling content and conversation that elevates and amplifies. In addition to co-hosting Design Uncut with Veronika Miller, Katye hosts two popular podcasts, Connecting Tech+ Design and AV Trade Talk. She is part of the DesignHounds influencer group and also serves on the NAHB Custom Technology Work Group, is a strategic advisor in the CEDIA, HTA, and AVIXA communities, a frequent contributor to Residential Systems, Connected Design and founder of the AV Yoga group.
Here we go! CEDIA Expo 2023 kicks off Sept. 7th. Hear what attendees are excited to see, learn, and do while in Denver, CO for the show in this new episode of AV Trade Talk. Thanks for tuning in!
What’s this AV Yoga thing all about? AV Yoga @ CEDIA Expo is led by Maddie Ringer of Mad Yoga on YouTube and Sunshine Yoga in Red Lodge, MT. In this episode Maddie shares what to expect, what not to worry about, and what you’ll get out of it. TRUST ME, this pre-show morning practice will wake you up, re-energize you, and stretch you out, a perfect way to start the last day of CEDIA Expo.
Please note: AV Yoga @ CEDIA Expo takes place Saturday, Sept. 9th @ 7:30 in the Colorado Convention Center but is only open to registered, badge-holding attendees of CEDIA Expo. If you meet this criteria, please join us by registering via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/av-yoga-cedia-expo-tickets-695029571157
