By Vicki Matranga, Design Programs Coordinator
Learn how to develop and launch the right products for the right customer—with the right methods! Be sure to attend some of the free executive-level educational sessions at the Innovation Theater. These programs will give you a fresh perspective as you walk the Show and will inspire, inform and improve your business.
The four days of the 2015 International Home + Housewares Show will be packed with events and educational sessions. To help you plan your valuable time at the Show, we preview the 21 presentations that will take place in the Innovation Theater in the Lakeside Center. Don’t miss the chance to meet the speakers in person and the opportunity to ask questions relevant to your work. All programs are audio-recorded and will be available on www.housewares.org after the Show.
Improve Your Marketing ROI: Measure What Matters with the Latest Marketing Measurement Tools
Monday, March 9 11:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.
Innovation Theater, Lakeside Center, Room E350
Today we are speaking with Kent Panther, vice president for business development at Wray Ward Creative Marketing Communications, based in Charlotte, N.C. In more than 25 years, Kent has learned how to measure the results of marketing tactics and expenditures and how to tie marketing to sales. He has focused on bringing the right measurement tools to the home and building categories. Kent works closely with teams responsible for developing marketing communications plans with built-in metrics for tracking progress and demonstrating effectiveness. In addressing industry audiences, he shares ways to improve marketing ROI by identifying targets’ most significant activities, and he identifies the top tools with which to measure results. Helping clients maneuver through ever-changing markets, he has worked with Hunter Douglas Window Designs, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Mohawk Flooring, Rheem Gas Furnaces, Springmaid Home Fashions, Sunbrella and VELUX Skylights. Before joining Wray Ward in 2004, Kent worked on many brands, including Michelin, Mr. Coffee, McDonald’s Restaurants and Coca-Cola. A graduate of Miami University in Ohio, he earned a B.S. degree in business with a major in marketing. He is originally from Louisville, Ky.
Kent, what is the most exciting or rewarding part of your job? What inspires your passion in your work?
Marketing communications is constantly evolving across the spectrum, from owned to earned and shared to paid media. The types of measurement tools available in marketing communications and the power of these tools are evolving, too. I get to learn on a regular basis, which is fun, exciting and rewarding.
In the past few years, what has changed most in your business? How has your company met these challenges in the way you do your work?
The biggest change in our business has taken place in the digital space. Online information sources have multiplied, and use has skyrocketed. Now it’s not a matter of whether a company should be aggressive with digital efforts — it’s a matter of how aggressive it should be. B2B and B2C research consistently shows retailers, buyers and designers are using online media more frequently and across more diverse platforms than ever before.
In recent years, we’ve overhauled our business. Digital and online campaigns including websites, videos and social media account for 40 percent of our firm’s revenue, up from 15 percent several years ago. As part of the transformation, we have hired half a dozen professional videographers in the past three years as content has become an effective and popular way to tell stories. We’ve expanded our digital services to include developers with broad skill sets as well as specialists including a digital measurement manager and a dedicated SEO/SEM expert. Finally, to stay on top of technology, we’re spending more time on training and bringing in great talent.
Why did you choose to speak at the International Home + Housewares Show?
Our business is deeply intertwined with those of many housewares brands. These brands spend substantial amounts of time and money on numerous marketing communications tactics, and by extension, they seek ways to measure the results of those expenditures and efforts. An expanding and prosperous industry benefits us all. We want the industry to be as successful as it can be and hope our participation serves as a small contribution toward that effort.
Tell us what you will be speaking about and how and this topic is important for Show audiences.
Corporate executives and marketing professionals at all levels struggle to determine exactly what they are getting for their marketing dollars. As the need to demonstrate the value of marketing efforts has increased, so has the importance of finding the right tools and accurate metrics for the task. The good news is that today’s marketing measurement tools are more powerful and easier to use than ever. Focused on home and housewares industry professionals, this presentation includes the latest tools for measuring earned, owned, paid and shared marketing tactics including public relations, traditional and online advertising, social media, customer feedback, direct marketing, retail channels and more. Attendees will learn about tools that can be immediately implemented and will leave knowing how to measure what matters.
This is your first time presenting at our Theater. What are you looking forward to most from speaking at the Innovation Theater?
While I speak at numerous association conferences each year, I am very excited about presenting at the Innovation Theater. To me, the best presentations are those that are interactive and provide real takeaways without being self-serving. I really enjoy sharing information and seeing attendees take copious notes, but I also learn from the attendees; that is what I’m looking forward to the most.
What do you see as consumers’ biggest concerns regarding housewares products?
I believe that the biggest concern surrounds the question of whether the return on their investment – however they define it – is going to be worth it. Will the product help me solve a problem; save me time or money; help me enjoy my family or friends more? In my opinion, products that make it easy for consumers to understand their ROI will alleviate concerns at the start.
What are some of today’s trends or issues that new product development professionals and/or retailers face in the housewares market?
Americans’ changing lifestyles, as well as the differences in generations and what they seek in housewares products, make it a challenging yet exciting time in the housewares market. From styles and technology to benefits and price points, very rarely does one size fit all. New product development professionals and retailers that either appeal to niche audiences or offer products that meet the needs of their specific customers will likely fare best.
Thank you, Kent, for sharing your insights with our readers. Your presentation on Monday, March 9 at 11:30 a.m. will surely reveal to the audience many new ways to identify and impact their markets. We look forward to your recommendations for action.
To contact Kent for more information:
Kent Panther
Linkedin.com/in/kentpanther
