By Matthew Spieler
LAS VEGAS—Business conditions may be tough, but at the upper stratosphere of the market consumers are still buying, and retailers are positive about how things will be going forward. Just ask the members of the International Design Guild (IDG).

At its Winter Summit held here prior to Surfaces ’08, the buying group reported that even after a record 2007, purchases are up double digits since October. Krista Eliason, president of the CCA Global Partners division, said retail sales for the group surpassed an all-time high of over $400 million last year. “IDG and its members have continued to show growth in a diminishing economy.”

She added the “lucrative luxury market,” the area where IDG members concentrate their business, is projected to continue growing in 2008, and this year’s summit was designed to “build on that growth and evaluate new opportunities” as well as industry best practices that can be leveraged collectively by the group. “Our membership has never been more powerful.”

Though members are enjoying success in their local markets, IDG wants to make sure that continues so it launched a comprehensive local marketing initiative to help stores in all markets effectively reach their target customer. “Basically, we’re working with them on a local level to enhance their marketing efforts,” said William Beaulieu, IDG’s e-commerce and marketing manager. “It’s a more hands-on approach from us whereas in the past, we gave them programs and they [ran with them]. We’ll be more active in working with each member on his spending and implementation.”

Recognizing that members still have opportunities to increase their profits without necessarily having additional customers, IDG has been working with each member on Individual Business Analysis Assessments. These “are comprehensive assessments that analyze a showroom’s current operations, budgets, finances and sales performance,” Beaulieu said. “Basically, we go in and evaluate all aspects of their business to help streamline and implement best practices.”

Speaking of best practices, one of the summit’s running themes among the membership was IDG’s networking elements. As a group, they feel the membership itself is the best resource for information regarding any number of challenges each member faces.

To help encourage each other to keep communicating and drawing from the years of experience they share, four members— Dale Miller of Austin Fine Floors in Austin, Tex.; Barbara Schottenfeld of Floors Beautiful in White Plains, N.Y.; David Truett of Truett Fine Carpets and Rugs in Dallas, and Ron Alleger of M. Austin Designer Floors in San Diego—led a best practices seminar. These particular members had growth of 20% to 77% over the past year.

Along with stressing the networking advantages of IDG, they discussed how the group’s Premier Professional—Designer Loyalty—program has helped them by being able to retain and attract designers while increasing purchases from these people through incentives, rebates and training.

Because of the program’s success, IDG announced enhancements at the summit. A new electronic tracking process has been implemented to make it easier for IDG and the membership to track designer participation and results. “We also created an easier application/ renewal process that will encourage thier participation through ease of sign-ups and renewals,” Beaulieu added.

In addition to program enhancements, the group also updated its exclusive Louis A. Dabbieri Collection. More than 200 products were added to the upper-end line, including the recently launched Dabbieri Custom Rugs, as well as to its hard surfaces offerings, including new leather products to capture one of the hottest trends in resilient flooring ( FCNews, Feb. 25/March 3).

While IDG’s summit was held prior to Surfaces, the group continued its meeting during the show with the first William Stampes Memorial Award in honor of the longtime IDG member, who Beaulieu called “amongst the most influential, respected and active participants within the Guild.”

Stampes passed away last March. The inaugural award was bestowed upon Ed Wallace of Hallmark Floor Company in Ridgewood, N.J. Eliason said Wallace has been an IDG member since 1998 and is one of the key individuals who serve on its advisory board.

For more information on IDG, call 800.450.7595.