Tuesday, April 2, 2013

The Tile and Stone Industry, Social Media and the Value of Pinterest




Pinterest logo

Pinterest has grown into a social media phenomenon that inspires people, projects and most importantly for business, verified revenue through purchases, as well as increased website and blog traffic.

Through increased exposure via Pinterest, designers, architects, stone and tile businesses, retailers and distributors are allowed access to millions of inspiring projects and settings they would never have seen before unless they conducted specific searches.

Still not convinced of Pinterest’s prowess? Then take note of these two recent Pinterest-inspired events:

  • Car manufacturer Buick put a social network spin on its 2013 Encore luxury car by reinventing its interiors and exteriors based on a Pinterest board.
  • A couple of weeks ago, Daltile had asked their Facebook users if any of them had switched over to the new format. I left a comment and thought nothing of it, until they responded by asking me what I would like to see on their boards. Whoa. A major corporation asking me for my opinion? I commend them for not only asking and responding, but for taking action! Here’s the conversation that took place and the result of it. 


Daltile responds to its Facebook fans' request
Daltile used Facebook to develop a new Pinboard by engaging with its fans. 

Therefore, it shouldn't be surprising that Coverings, always a step ahead of other industry-related shows, took the power of Pinterest and literally ran with it! You see, Pinterest is not just for recipes or beautiful settings, fashion trends, and so forth. It’s a business tool that brings attention to what a business offers, the company’s personality, its philosophy, and its interests. Basically, it humanizes entities and people alike. And that, my friends, is the secret to Pinterest’s success!

Of course, it was only natural that Coverings picked up on this growing trend and took it to a new level by hosting a Pinterest contest, as well as including this hot topic into its comprehensive list of educational sessions, and all for no charge. The rules of this contest were simple.

First, you had to have a Pinterest account for yourself. Then you had to follow Coverings’ pinboards. Once you were setup, and let Coverings know you were interested in the contest, they would start a pinboard in your name where you were encouraged to collect pin-worthy images of tile and stone products, installations, and materials. All they asked in return? “Promote your Coverings board to your friends and followers through your own social channels. In order to preserve copyright and trademark integrity, please pin only photos that can be attributed properly.” But how do you know what’s copyrighted or trademarked? Well, that’s where this panel discussion’s importance comes into light.

Finally, the top four winners were determined by who attracted the largest number of followers to their individual Coverings boards by March 22. Let me assure you the competition was stiff. Each participant dedicated many hours and tactics in trying to secure their place within the top four.
Thanks to Bill Buyok of Avente Tile, I will be on this panel discussion together with three talented, hardworking individuals. Moderated by Paul Anater, Social Media Manager, Coverings - Ultimate Tile and Stone Experience, here are the details of this session and the participants:

Avente Tile's Pinboard for Coverings
Avente Tile's Pinboard for Coverings


Crossville's Pinterest board for Coverings
Crossville's Pinterest board for Coverings


Signature Cabinets' Pinterest board for Coverings
Signature Cabinets' Pinterest board for Coverings


Tile Sensations' Pinterest board for Coverings
Tile Sensations' Pinterest board for Coverings

Promoting with Pinterest
May 1, 2013 (10:45 to 11:45 AM)

Pinterest is all the rage but how do you jump on board?  How can you use it to promote yourself and your business? Where do you find what to pin and how do you pin?  Join our panel of expert pinners, all gathered through the Coverings 2013 Pinterest promotion, as they discuss the ins and outs of how they use Pinterest to promote their brand and business. Plan to actively participate by bringing your questions and ideas -- this is your chance to unlock the mysteries of Pinterest and show your Pinfluence!


I hope you can join us for what is to be one of the hottest, most-talked about sessions on the Coverings education schedule! See you in Atlanta!


3 comments:

CB Whittemore said...

Arpi, congratulations! I'm so thrilled for you and can't wait to hear the insights from this session at Coverings!

See you soon.

Best,
CB

Bill Buyok said...

Hi Christine, Thanks for stopping by! This discussion will be a great opportunity for folks to see how Pinterest can be used to engage, communicate, and share with your audience.

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for your encouragement, Christine! I'm beyond thrilled to share what I've learned! See you in two weeks!