What Your Showroom Should Do in 2021 To Stay Ahead Of What’s Trending In Today’s Post-COVID Economy!
We know what you’re probably thinking when reading this title… We all know what happened in 2020, we don’t need to read more about it.
However, aside from the pandemic, social injustice issues, the U.S. political election from hell, earthquakes and wildfires, there were some events that occurred that weren’t as earth-shattering (literally), but that set a new trend for 2021 and beyond.
Like most businesses, many of our plumbing showroom and lighting showroom clients feared how these societal, political, and environmental changes would impact their business, brand and customer. Few of our showroom marketing clients expected the extreme growth they experienced. Businesses in the kitchen and bath showroom industry in particular are still wiping the nervous sweat from their foreheads, wondering how they dodged the same bullet that forced many other businesses to shut their stores and doors.
Why Did the Housing Market Boom During COVID-19?
So, this begs the question: During a year when job loss, unemployment, and business failure rates skyrocketed higher than the economic downturn in 2008, how is it that the housing market boomed?
Because quarantine and shelter-in-place orders forced many families to live, work, and school all in the same space, it quickly became apparent that living quarters were no longer cutting it. In fact, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), homeowners’ needs and issues such as functional space, increasing comfort, and home design flaws quickly became immediate priorities – which in many cases lead to the phone ringing, contact forms being filled-out, and wishlist submissions to be sent more for many of our brands, retailers, and clients.
A report published by Deloitte Insights highlights three key trends:
1. Higher wage-earners are driving real estate demand. Higher wage-earners in the top 50 percent, who were not financially impacted by the pandemic became interested in new or second-home purchases, which boosted demand and transformed the housing market from a buyer’s market to a seller’s seemingly overnight.
2. Record-low conventional mortgage rates making homeownership more attractive. Conventional mortgage rates fell below 3 percent for the first time in nearly a decade, sparking a significant increase in mortgage applications between December 2020 and January 2021. Even as mortgage rates begin to elevate slightly, brokers and experts believe rates will remain below 3 percent for the majority of 2021.
3. Millennials entering the housing market for the first-time are increasing competition. With higher wage-earners re-entering the housing market coupled with millennials entering the market as first-time homebuyers, competition became fierce. In many locations spanning across the country, sellers listing single-family homes and properties between $200,000 and $300,000 receive offers above asking prices in a matter of days.
More Money, Fewer Problems
In addition to the reasons outlined above, many individuals and families saved money on common expenses, such as entertainment, travel, and fuel due to shelter-in-place orders. Therefore, many families had more financial resources in reserve for housing upgrades, improvements, and advancements, or even purchasing second homes.
Furthermore, as time goes on, and as the housing market remains in high demand, housing prices will continue to increase. In turn, this means that both current homeowners will have more home equity and sellers will have lucrative funds available for home remodels, advancements, and improvements for the foreseeable future.
Become a Gold-Standard Showroom™ in 2021
All in all, the kitchen and bathroom showroom industry has 2021 cut out for them. However, with the remodeling industry booming, building materials will also become higher in demand, ultimately leading to an all-around increase in prices and demand for all product styles you bring to market.
If your kitchen and bath showroom or business as a whole isn’t yet taking advantage of having a predictable, repeatable business development strategy and system for monopolizing your marketplace through web and technology, now is your chance to become a Gold-Standard Showroom™ in 2021.
Timing has never been better for you to “win” more inquiries and sales through the web and control more market-share by dominating the first page of Google, and beyond with your My Plumbing Showroom digitized catalog, spec sheets, and website – powered by Bravo Business Media.
If you haven’t chatted with our Showroom Marketing Team to formulate a game-plan for your merchandise or collection of products, they’re ready, willing and very able to help your showroom lay out a strategy that will help you out-perform and out-position your showroom over your competitors each and every time.
Setting up a time to speak with John Gosselin, Director of the Showroom Marketing Team at Bravo Business Media is the easiest way to surge forward on taking your showroom to higher profits, and beyond for your company this year through the internet channel as a whole.
