Daily News

From Home Furnishing Business

High Point Virtual Market Begins Final Week

May 26, 2020  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Industry   

“We’ve seen record levels of engagement on IMC’s website as well as strong and consistent use of Catalog Connexion as a sourcing alternative during the first two weeks of the High Point Virtual Market Experience,” said Bob Maricich, IMC CEO. “As we head into the week three, we look forward to continued participation in our final slate of digital programming and offerings.”

Week two featured the launch of IMC’s first-ever Virtual Showhouse, a project in which six well-known designers used 46 IMC exhibitor products to “build” their ideal rooms. The Virtual Showhouse comes to life during a week three webinar titled “Virtual Showhouse – Build the Room Designer Discussion,” 1 to 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 28. During the hour-long presentation, designers Libby Landgon of Libby Langdon Interiors; Corey Damen Jenkins of Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates; and Jason Oliver Nixon of Madcap Cottage, will detail the ideas and inspirations behind their respective living room, library/home office and dining room selections. To learn more about the project and to see the designers’ finished rooms, visit http://www.imchighpointmarket.com/virtual-showhouse.

Use of IMC’s Catalog Connexion, a keyword-searchable catalog library, continued to increase in week two, with more new vendor catalogs being loaded on the site and more leads generated. By the end of week two, 53,866 visitors had viewed 281,070 catalog pages.

IMC exhibitor Sagebrook Home has seen immediate results with Catalog Connexion, citing tangible increases in buyer interest thanks to the new tool.

“We are seeing a significant uptake in leads due to joining IMC’s Catalog Connexion,” said Serena Martin, marketing director for Sagebrook Home. “Additionally, our web traffic has increased, new trade account applications have nearly doubled and we’re receiving more phone calls from buyers who have found our digital catalogs via Catalog Connexion.”

The final week of High Point Virtual Market will present three webinars and a slew of exciting programs, including the continuation of IMC’s popular Instagram Takeover. Instagram Takeover went online with 15 leading designers and tastemakers taking over the DesignOnHPMkt Instagram account to share their favorite IMC exhibitor products and trends. To learn more about the program and the designers, visit https://www.instagram.com/designonhpmkt/.

A complete schedule follows, and information and registration for these free sessions is available online at http://www.imchighpointmarket.com/webinars-and-events/. Recordings of the sessions are available at http://www.imchighpointmarket.com/previous-webinars.

Monday, May 25 
Memorial Day – No programming 

Tuesday, May 26 
Crafting and Communicating Your Brand Messaging Wrap-Up
Diane Falvey (Furniture, Lighting and Décor) and Panel Discussion
3 – 4 p.m.
In partnership with Furniture Lighting & Décor
Share your insights and what you’ve learned in this group forum webinar. We want to know how you’ve benefited from these Think Tank seminars and give you an opportunity to share your insights on the subject as well. Join us for a lively discussion to wrap up two weeks of in-depth dives into crafting and communicating your brand message.

Wednesday, May 27
Trendwatch Part 3 - PENTHOUSE 
Julie Smith Vincenti (Nine Muses Media)
1 – 1:30 p.m.
IMC's popular TrendWatch program offers the final installment in its three-part webinar series. Home furnishings trend forecaster, editor and curator Julie Smith Vincenti of Nine Muses Media offers an inside look at trends shaping the home furnishings industry.

In TrendWatch’s PENTHOUSE, the decade opens with renewed interest in neutrals, especially luxurious interpretations that emphasize finishing and form, so sparkle and shine meet sophisticated curation.

Thursday, May 28 
Virtual Showhouse – Build the Room Designer Discussion
Libby Langdon (Libby Langdon Interiors), Corey Damen Jenkins (Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates), Jason Oliver Nixon (Madcap Cottage) and Cindy Hodnett (IMC)
1 – 2 p.m.
IMC Virtual ShowHouse designers Libby Langdon, television host and founder of Libby Langdon Interiors, Corey Damen Jenkins, owner and designer of Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates, and Jason Oliver Nixon, co-founder of Madcap Cottage, will discuss their inspirations and creative process around their virtual rooms. Cindy Hodnett, IMC director of communications, will lead this lively and fun overview of the IMC-High Point Virtual Showhouse.