New Home Model Merchandising 101: The Essential Blend of Market Research and Interior Design
Building magazine June, 2005

By Mary Olk
President, Designer Interiors, Troy, Michigan

In recent years, much has changed in new home marketing. Indeed, building industry sales tactics have become much more sophisticated. From use of the Internet to highly-targeted direct marketing, today's promotion is more personal and more effective.

It has to be.

While builders experiment with emerging marketing methods, one technique remains the bedrock for successful home sales, namely the presentation of enticing sales models. For house hunters, there is no better way to gauge a builder's vision and quality, or identify potential lifestyle opportunities than to visit the builder's sales model. For interior designers specializing in sales models, the charge to create compelling interior space is more critical than ever given today's intense competition for buyers. That fact is reflected in our recent industry nomenclature shift from "Interior Designer" to "Model Merchandiser." The new name underscores the need for designers to select and install interior furnishings and accessories that not only create a pretty space, but speak directly to the target market.

Choosing the right carpet to complement the window treatments is no longer enough. Successful builders should expect their interior merchandisers to provide powerful statements about their products and their unique abilities to satisfy buyers' demands. Whether it's in the kitchen pantry, the upstairs nursery or master bath, a model's interior décor and merchandise must be in-step with the visiting prospect's lifestyle aspirations. Can all interiors match each visitor's tastes? Of course not, but they can illustrate the home's possibilities in highly motivational ways.

So, if you're a builder, be certain your model merchandiser has a clear comprehension of your specific market. Quiz them on their understanding of that demographic group's likes and dislikes. Have they studied the group's buying patterns? Do they know where group members shop, and what they buy? What music do they listen to? What books do they read? What sports do they play, and what food do they eat? The answers should be reflected in your model's interior. Buyers not only want a home they can make their own, they also want a community of neighbors who reflect their lifestyle. It's also critical that your merchandiser be an active visitor to furnishings and accessories shows. The great ideas found at such expos, can be integrated locally with dramatic effect.

So, don't be afraid to ask more from your model merchandiser. They not only need to be great designers, they need to be perceptive market researchers. The pay-off for your community's home sales will be well worth it.