If you are a flooring merchant, you know that competition is stiffer than ever. However, it's a great time to be in the flooring and tiling business, since homeowners are remodeling their existing houses in ever-increasing numbers. The poor economy and tanking real estate market have caused people to "nest" closer to home; those dollars that might have gone into a new house, then, are now being spent on remodeling jobs both extensive and modest.

The goals for merchants, then, are to attract and keep those customers and not only make the sale now, but become their flooring and tile retailer for life. One of the ways to accomplish both goals is through the successful marketing of your product using effective displays. Here are the 4 basic principles that will help you sell more ceramic tiles, stone, hardwood, and any other material you carry.

1. Your Display Must Attract Attention and Be Self-Contained in One Place

When you walk down the flooring aisle at a big box store or flooring discounters, all you see are rows upon rows of boxes that are stacked to the ceiling. For informational purposes, the store might have one tile hanging on each box so that the customer can know what kind of product is in it. This philosophy of display runs counter to a remodeler's tendency to want look over your wares quickly and easily! In order to attract attention, it is better to have striking displays which allow consumers to compare your offerings side by side and really get a feel for what's available without having to travel up and down long aisles or search through boxes.

2. Show Them What A Floor or Wall Might Look Like

Even with attractive displays, it may be difficult for some customers to actually visualize how a certain style of tile might look on a shower wall or on a floor. A rectangular kiosk-shaped display allows you to show up to 8 different styles of tile in patches of 6 x 6 or less depending on their sizes. With that visualization now in their minds, customers can get a better sense of what the tiles will look like in a "real" setting: and that knowledge translates to increased sales.

3. Make Your Displays Accessible

Many big box stores have their displays way up high due to floor space constraints. Displays that are featured at eye level make it much easier for customers to discern colors, feel the product, and easily leaf through your selection.

4. Allow Them To "Try Them Out" At Home

The acid test for any potential customer is if the tile will actually "work" in their own home. The customer may be vacillating between one color or another, one size or another, or even one style or another. Allowing him to take sample boards home and think about them and play with them for a few days in a non-pressured atmosphere may be just the ticket for closing that sale.

Let your displays do your marketing job for you by being attractive, easily accessible, and able to effectively market your products to your customers all on their own.