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From A Rep's Perspective
Hi, I'm Mike Root, President of Furniture Sales of Mid-America, (www.furnituresales.biz) a furniture wholesale company in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain states. We have been recognized by numerous national furniture factories for sales excellence including multiple Salesman of the Year awards. I currently serve on the Executive Committee of the International Home Furnishings Representative's Association (IHFRA) as well as the CQRID Advisory Board of the Interior Design Society.
I see incredible opportunities for our industry to make a difference in people's lives. It is my intention to share with you positive stories and observations from around the country as they relate to the home furnishings industry. True, this is a blog for furniture representatives. But the reality is that we are all representing the home furnishings industry. Therefore I will write to and for reps, but hopefully the message will resonate with all throughout the industry. My perspective is one of a third generation furniture guy with past experience in retail, rental, and wholesale. I also have the good fortune of working with my father, Emmet Root, who is still active as a rep after almost 60 years.
We also operate a consulting business to help retailers and factories use innovative marketing to capture the attention of the end consumer through the use of direct response marketing and social media (www.GetCustomersRigthNow.com). More information about me can be found on my blog at www.MikeRoot.com. To contact me by email meroot@mikeroot.com.
The Green Jacket
Posted
by Mike Root
on 2013-04-18 13:22:37
Anyone who knows me knows I love golf. My wife thinks I sell furniture so I can pay to play golf and she may have something there. Those of you who are golfers know this past weekend was kind of the unofficial opening of golf season for us Northerners with the Masters in Augusta. The Masters is considered one of the four major golf tournaments of the year. The prize of winning the coveted Gree... Read More
Comments (1)Industries: Furniture People
It’s March Madness In More Ways Than One
Posted
by Mike Root
on 2013-03-26 13:57:16
March Madness for many sports buffs connotes college basketball and the NCAA annual tournament. We have just finished the first weekend and if you are like most people your bracket is now officially busted. Lots of upsets this year with plenty of good basketball still to be played.March Madness in many parts of the Midwest and Northern states can also mean the weather patterns. Here we are the... Read More
Comments (0)In Remembrance of Louie B.
Posted
by Mike Root
on 2013-03-01 16:12:35
This past week a true legend of the furniture industry passed away at the age of 93. No one person was more responsible for the success of Nebraska Furniture Mart than Louie Blumkin. I grew up hearing countless stories of Louie from my dad Emmet Root who was a supplier for almost 60 years, a close friend, and in later years a neighbor. I asked Emmet if he would share a few words with everyone a... Read More
Comments (0)What Can the Super Bowl Tell Us About Selling Furniture?
Posted
by Mike Root
on 2013-02-06 21:37:27
The Super Bowl is and event and for some even a tradition that celebrates the end of a long season for a uniquely American professional sport. There are two components of the event: the game itself and the hoopla around the game.This year the game comprised teams from both coasts — the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49er's. Many years the games are not exciting with winner determined wel... Read More
Comments (2)100 Posts and Counting…
Posted
by Mike Root
on 2013-01-04 22:11:13
My ending post of 2012 was my 100th post for Furniture Today. When I started writing for them I had no idea I would ever have that much to say. Amazingly many people are interested enough to comment or greet me at a market and tell me they either agreed or disagreed with my opinions. So thank you after 100 posts for your interest. I love your feedback so don't be shy about letting me know belo... Read More
Comments (3)The Real Story of Christmas!
Posted
by Mike Root
on 2012-12-21 18:42:19
I came across a great story as told by Gary Ryan Blair about how Christmas became such an incredible event in our culture. In the spirit of the season I thought I would share this as a way to wish you all a Happy Holiday and thank you for hanging out with me this past year on the Furniture Today blog.As the story goes the author - Charles Dickens - is the man most responsible for the modern celeb... Read More
Comments (1)How We Can Make Our World A Better Place
Posted
by Mike Root
on 2012-12-13 22:08:42
As my business travel for the year begins to slow down for the Christmas season, it now becomes time to reflect on what happened in 2012 and what I will look forward to accomplishing in 2013. But before I do that I want to reflect on all the blessings that I have being in this great industry, working with people I really enjoy working with both as suppliers and customers. The furniture industry... Read More
Comments (0)Are you hurting your own sales efforts without even knowing it?
Posted
by Mike Root
on 2012-12-03 18:00:36
I ran into a rep the other day who I had not seen for several years. Really nice guy who I am sure all the sales people really like because he will sit for hours and talk with them. I'm sure he knows his lines well and gives a good sales presentation or sales meeting.I asked him how his business was and he indicated not good at all. He proceeded to tell me all the things that were wrong with hi... Read More
Comments (4)The List
Posted
by Mike Root
on 2012-11-26 15:37:05
This last weekend I slowed down enough to catch up on some past reading including furniture industry magazines. On my reading list was the November 12 issue of Furniture/Today with the included supplement of "The List" of all the Top categories Furniture Today chooses to rank.Now I am not going to say the following because I write this blog on Furniture/Today. This is an unpaid non-pro... Read More
Comments (2)A Sales Rep’s Happy Thanksgiving with Happy Birthday Thrown In
Posted
by Mike Root
on 2012-11-19 20:40:21
This Thursday is a truly American holiday. Its purpose was to give thanks for those great blessings our country has been given. In 1863 during the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens".According to Wikipedia "The event that some Americans commonly call the "First Thanksgiving&quo... Read More
Comments (0)Yesterday’s election was a big deal…
Posted
by Mike Root
on 2012-11-07 18:29:31
But in our personal lives I wonder how much impact it really will have.Over the next four years, what you do will have a larger impact on your income, wealth and happiness than what the president does. I got my first real job when Reagan was in office. I didn't do so well under Bush 1 but that wasn't his fault, it was a failed business concept. Under Clinton I did OK though I didn't like his mo... Read More
Comments (6)How this Presidential election could impact the furniture industry…
Posted
by Mike Root
on 2012-10-24 22:03:52
Yesterday the stock market tanked 243 points. The Wall Street Journal indicated that the stock market has lost $500 billion in value in three days. Yes, the stock market is up for the year. But the real concern is that third quarter numbers at publicly traded companies are starting to come in and are reflective of a weakening economy. The Fed has done what they can to print money and prop up t... Read More
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