As part of its new retail support program, Elevate, Armstrong Flooring has developed a comprehensive program to help specialty flooring retailers grow and capitalize on the burgeoning Main Street Commercial business.

Since Main Street is about prospecting for new business, a proactive approach requires a new way of retailing, which is where Armstrong Flooring comes in, according to the company. Main Street offers a wealth of opportunities for the specialty flooring retailer who has an educated sales staff and the range of products that can handle many varied projects, from local dentist offices to boutiques to hair salons.

“In conjunction with our distributor partners, we are aggressively engaging the specialty flooring retailer in Main Street,” said Lisa Kronmuller, channel marketing manager, Main Street Commercial. “From training to customized in-store display systems and support materials that cover technical aspects and product details, we offer a targeted program that will help our retail partners build a robust Main Street business.”

One thing to note, said Kronmuller, is that much of Main Street Commercial is done outside of the showroom. Armstrong Flooring has the relationships, specifications, products, programs and selling tools to help dealers expand their sales and their business. The new Main Street Market Development Initiative centers on a playbook of best practices for the retailer.

“Our goal is to help them maximize their return on investment by assisting them in understanding trends, market dynamics and product category shifts," she said. "Working together, we’ll capitalize on these shifts and magnify their sales and profits."

In fact, the Armstrong Flooring team met one-on-one with retailers to develop the plan to ensure that the voice of the customer was seamlessly integrated into a comprehensive program to meet retailers’ needs.

In addition, Armstrong Flooring offers a brand new Main Street certification program. Once completed by the business owner, the retailer’s business is identified as Main Street Certified on the company's website.

What’s also significant about the Armstrong Flooring Main Street program is that the company offers a diverse product assortment that draws from its extensive residential and commercial portfolio. Products for these spaces range from low-cost, high performance options like vinyl composition tile (VCT) to Medintech homogeneous flooring which is backed by 30 years of performance in sterile and aseptic areas within medical environments.

Within Main Street, luxury vinyl tile (LVT) is currently trending, but so are durable and well-designed products like 12mm laminate and performance hardwood which offer great looks and the durability needed in light commercial environments. Fashion also has become more prominent to the small business owner, and is a major influence on the buying decision. With so many styles, colors and patterns available, Armstrong Flooring offers a wide selection and has developed a carefully curated display that matches the right product with the application.

“We consider the specialty flooring retailer’s success to be the basis of our success and we are committed to [doing] all that we can to help their sales grow and businesses succeed. Our goal is to help retailers grow their business in the segments they currently participate in and to make it easy for them to expand into new ones, including Main Street,” said Kronmuller.

For more information, visit armstrongflooring.com.