Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
They’re tech-savvy multitaskers known to be motivated by instant gratification and recognition. By now, you’ve likely heard about the characteristics of the millennial generation, but how much do you really know about their home buying preferences or how they could affect your businesses?
Jill Waage, editorial director of home content at Better Homes and Gardens, will be one of several featured keynote speakers at the NRHA All-Industry Conference who will discuss this and other trends that could affect how you run your operation.
Joining Waage at the Conference is David Crowe, chief economist at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Pat Murphy from the International Society of Social Media and a slate of other notable and respected industry experts who can help you become better, more profitable merchants.
The Details
The Conference, held in conjunction with the National Hardware Show® in Las Vegas, is free to all retailers and will showcase the theme “Trend Spotting.” NRHA has worked closely with the National Hardware Show to create a dynamic opportunity for retailers.
In addition to the extensive educational lineup, which will take place on the NRHA Village Stage, the NRHA All-Industry Conference will feature more intimate breakout sessions so retailers can speak candidly about topics that matter most to them. The Conference also will spotlight a series of special events, including the Young Retailer of the Year program and Top Guns Award Ceremony.
More into Millennial Trends
On May 7, Waage will make her debut on the NRHA Village Stage. She will present data from the Better Homes and Gardens’s sixth-annual exclusive survey on the attitude and spending trends of homebuyers, revealing millennials’ preferences for their next homes.
Waage will present the groundbreaking findings she and her team discovered after surveying more than 3,200 prospective homebuyers. The survey asked them to share their thoughts on home improvement spending and the importance of personalization and technology in increasing their homes’ values.
“Millennials are swarming into the home marketplace armed with information, ideas and a passionate desire for personalization,” Waage says. “Home builders, designers and remodelers should know this generation expects you to work with them as collaborators, not just contractors.”
Waage will reveal how millennials use a range of media platforms, including social media sites such as Pinterest and Instagram, among others, to express their personality and share ideas on home design and style.
“This generation wants homes that reflect its individuality, and its sheer size will reshape the home market for decades to come,” Waage says.
“NRHA is excited to welcome fellow publisher Better Homes and Gardens to speak at its annual conference. This particular topic is one we have noticed greatly affecting retailers around the country, and we think will be very powerful for attendees,” NRHA president and CEO Bill Lee says.
General Trends and Leverage
Crowe’s presentation on the current state of the housing market will offer additional information as he discusses forecasts of the future states of the economy and home market.
He will focus on the state of the nation’s economy and its effect on housing and the outlook for employment, housing prices and starts (single-family and multifamily) and remodeling. He’ll also analyze the strength of the housing sector, incorporating findings from NAHB’s surveys.
Murphy will discuss how to leverage new trends through multiscreen marketing tactics. As an expert in social media marketing, he will teach attendees not only how to get the most from new advertising media but will also discuss the importance of a comprehensive plan to target the latest trends.
Want to Attend?
The 2014 NRHA All-Industry Conference will be May 6-8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and is co-located with the National Hardware Show®. The Conference includes a series of free educational seminars and breakout sessions designed to give retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers and industry professionals an inside look at news and trends in the home improvement industry.
Attendance is free, but you must be registered with the National Hardware Show to participate in seminars and breakout sessions.
For more information and a list of seminars, sessions and speakers, visit www.nrhaconference.com.
Want to learn more? Contact Allison DeWitt at 317-275-9414 or adewitt@nrha.org.
