Armstrong has launched the Advertising & Promotion Center for retailers.

Armstrong Floor Products is launching a new Advertising & Promotion Center (APC) as part of a multifaceted one-stop marketing hub created to give flooring retailers a competitive edge with tools and merchandising designed to close the sale and help drive more consumers to their front doors, according to the company.

According to Katie Raymond, Armstrong's independent channel marketing manager, the APC gives retailers everything they need to build their own professional advertising and marketing programs—specific to their local markets—without having to hire an outside agency.

“We want to maximize the retailer’s opportunity to make money utilizing the trust in the Armstrong brand," she said. "We do this by generating store traffic (the core mission of our award-winning web site), by providing products that customers want to buy and displaying them in ways that can help make the sale. We work hard to deliver customers to our retailers every day, and to give consumers confidence that they are dealing with retailers and products worthy of their consideration. These are great reasons for dealers to align with the Armstrong brand, and our new APC will help leverage the value of the brand in the showroom and use it to attract even more flooring buyers to the store.” 

APC is a web-based tool that enables dealers to create personalized, local marketing materials, build web pages, print in-store collateral and more. Dealers will be able to customize marketing materials to deliver directly to publications, printers or online media outlets. Images and logos are easily downloadable as well. 

“The site is easy to use, and will help make local marketing easier, so retailers can increase sales. For example, drive traffic to your own business website with a paid search program or target customers with direct mail campaigns," said Raymond.

APC does all of the leg work. With ready-to-use templates, a retailer simply selects a message and adds his or her store’s information. Armstrong has developed over a dozen templates as part of its new ad builder tool; these can be customized into counter cards, window clings, magazine ads, etc. with logos, locations, product lines, as well as special promotions or room scenes of the retailer’s choice. In just a few moments, a retailer can create a very polished looking promotional piece.

“Flooring retailers are busy. Most do not have the time or resources to run marketing campaigns so this tool will do it for them. And the site is completely free to use. We also supply print and postage if necessary at a very attractive price; the cost of a small print quantity will be affordable as Armstrong passes on our preferred pricing,” adds Raymond. 

"It’s no secret that consumers are doing more shopping and more research online than ever before," said Raymond. "The Internet is the most commonly used tool to learn about Armstrong floors and to locate a retailer that carries its products. In fact, the company’s Dealer Locator directs visitors to Armstrong retailers at the rate of one every two minutes, day in and day out."

According to the company, APC provides a comprehensive approach to online presence with three major advantages: custom design and website management, integrated search engine optimization, and paid search campaigns. If a store has an existing website and wants to incorporate Armstrong content into it, that also is an option.

"Starting a paid search campaign or building a webpage is as easy as 1-2-3," said Raymond. "Dealers can customize a single webpage or build an entire web presence. Plus, the store can elect to be registered in local directories to enhance natural search and to allow people using search engines, such as Yelp, Google, etc. to easily find them."

A redesigned ArmstrongConnect.com will become the destination for dealers to access the APC and also learn first-hand about Armstrong's new product offerings. The site will showcase a wealth of content, including: key product information, videos, sell-sheets, launch info, warranties, images and so much more, according to the company. The site will also act as a portal, allowing users to connect easily to Armstrong Assets, FloorExpert, and eClaims. Since information may need to be accessed anywhere and at any time, the site is completely mobile-enabled and can be viewed on several different mobile devices. While this offers marketing solutions for every retailer, there are different levels for Armstrong Elite and Premier Dealers, including access to the Preferred Partners Asset website and all product launch materials. 

Click here to register for APC.