An Amazing Month!

What a month this is turning out to be....

First, invigoration and inspiration from Blogs: Conversation and Connection Enablers.

Next, John Moore from Brand Autopsy pairs Flooring The Consumer with Brand Autopsy in Marketing Bloggers Bracketology. That rocks!

Then, I discover [belatedly] that Mack Collier, author of The Viral Garden, in celebrating his one-year blog anniversary on 3/26/07, included a really special banner - that Drew in Perspective -- the bright side of blogging and CK in Thanks for a heck of a year, Mack capture - with "pics of 32 people that have helped grow The Viral Garden into what it has become." Mack, I am honored [and well surrounded!]. Congratulations, and here's to an amazing year ahead!

To make matters even cooler, Ken Ryan, Executive Editor of Floor Covering Weekly, mentions my Surfaces presentation [Why Amazing Shopping Experiences Matter] in his Viewpoint Editorial in the March 5/12, 2007 issue of FCW. He writes:

Another FCW columnist, Christine Whittemore [aka C.B.], delivered a terrific seminar at Surfaces titled "Why Amazing Shopping Experiences Matter." She made the point that being the cheapest is no longer sufficient, that uninspired experiences are unacceptable and that "amazing experiences" are a must.

Whittemore, who is the director of in-store innovation for Wear-Dated Carpet Fiber, noted that retailers like Starbucks, Anthropologie, and Whole Foods have successfully created amazing experiences.

Flooring dealers can create amazing experiences as well, according to Whittemore, who suggests engaging the senses: play soft classical music, create the appropriate lighting, bake cookies or make cappuccino.

Don't sell the steak, sell the sizzle.

Now, Ken was a real sport during the presentation when I called on him. Thanks, Ken!

I'm doubly pleased because Ken also refers to Christopher P. Ramey, formerly with CCA Global and now Chairman of The Luxury Marketing Council of Miami, and his article titled "What Do You Stand For?" Be sure to check out The Luxury Marketing Council of Miami's website which is chock full of terrific resources, references and research.

To top it all off, the 3/26/07 issue of FCW includes my article "Walk in her shoes" in a section now called "flooring the consumer" as well as an article by Maya Avrasin titled "Appealing to your female consumer" that Maya interviewed me for. I will definitely capture this latest article in a separate post, and refer to Maya's article in another.

I am so totally jazzed!

Technorati Tags: Floor Covering Weekly, marketing to women, retail experience, Brand Autopsy, The Viral Garden, Drew's Marketing Minute, CK's Blog, The Luxury Marketing Council of Miami