If you haven’t noticed already, home makeovers are happening all over the country. Keeping your inventory and samples organized is the key to staying out in front of this trend and capitalizing on this opportunity. Whatever the material, a custom sample binder can go a long way in helping you to showcase your inventory in the best light.
Being Organized Makes The Sale
When your customer walks into your store or when you’re showing a client options for a remodel, they will typically have a few ideas of their own. Depending on your customer’s personality, finding the correct style, material and combination can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. It is not uncommon for a client to call the day after he or she sign off on one design direction to ask if you remember the name of the rose colored swatch in the “bigger binder.”
Understanding trends, materials and the personalities of your clients will ultimately keep you in business, but keeping your swatches organized is going to keep you in the business. If your sample binders are old, tattered or out of date, showing your materials is going to be painful, embarrassing and problematic.
Types Of Sample Binders
Typically, swatches will be arranged in combinations best suited for each other. When it comes to arranging fabrics, it is customary that patterns are shown with their solid color coordinates. Special care should be taken to insure fabric swatches do not fray over time. Swatches can be labeled by adding a printed identification strip to the backs of your swatches or below the sample. Researching the best manufacturer of a sample binder will help to give you an idea of your needs and what company will best sits those needs.
Sample Binder Formatting
The most traditional formats for sample binders are either a binder of swatches laid out in rows or in a waterfall presentation. A waterfall presentation showcases swatches cascading from top to bottom (or left to right) in a stair-step fashion. A waterfall presentation is used when showing fabric swatches and allows your customer to see multiple swatches at once, providing quicker access to their desired color.
When showing tiles, depending on if you are showing materials in a store or meeting your client, it may be more efficient to showcase your tiles using swatch cards. Swatch cards can be customized to fit your size and shape needs.
