TV Commercials????

[Sandy]

Ok, all of you Home Reserve Fans out there, we need your input once again.
We are thinking of doing some TV commercials and we would like to know what you all think would be a good idea for them. You know how annoying some of them can be... what would you like to see? How about some ideas? Who knows you might become a famous TV writer! And just think I could be a star.... well I can dream can't I? So put your "thinking caps" on and either post your ideas here or send them to [e-mail]. I can't wait o see what you all can come up with.

[Shanski2k]

Sandy, that vid I just saw here of the "make a sofa in one minute" was excellent!! funny and great. I'd try to do some camera work to show the pieces going together a bit more, but that one is a winner just the way it is.

I call it "sofa in a box", so I'd push that. the other thing to consider is pushing the new fabric angle. for instance, have a purple fabric then show them changing the room and having the fabric stick out like a sore thumb and then getting new fabric that makes the sofa look perfect in the new decor!!

I think that cuz that's what I'm doing right now LOL

[Bob Davis]

I just went throught the same thing..same furniture, different fabric.

Don't forget the under seat storage! We downsized big time when I retired... from 3200 sq ft to a 1200 sq ft cabin in the Delaware State Forest. Any and all hidden storage is appreciated!

[bossbruin]

I really didn't like your utube commercial. put together in 60s... it was obviously rehearsed and very phoney. I'd rather see you do some real life stuff like Oh my god our doorways are so small, or holy cow my dog puked here three times but i washed it and it looks like new .... hehehe.... btw if you use my ideas i get 10% off my next purchase ok?

[Sandy]

I know I know! That was our first attempt. Kind of hokey huh.We just wanted to get your opinions on the kind of commercials you would watch or if you would go to the fridge while they were on.Thanks for the "real" comment.

[troy mckneely]

Big selling point for me was the price but the main thing is the under seat storage, I think your the only company to have that and it is a selling point.

Also how easy it is to wash the fabric. I never seen that on any other sofa in my life.

[Twirly Girly]

Obviously, you want a commercial that is going to generate more business. To do that, I think you need to address the most common concerns potential customers might have about your furniture.

Although I can't afford to place an order right now, I am planning on buying furniture from HR within a month or two. I have done a LOT of research on HR furniture over the past couple of weeks. The two most common concerns seem to be "durability," and whether the furniture looks "cheap" once assembled and arranged by the customer in their home. (I've already been satisfied on both counts, as a result of my research).

A good commercial, then, should address both issues. It should show HR furniture is available in fabrics and styles appropriate for use in a variety of settings - a dorm room, an apartment, a room in an "average" home, and in the upscale living room of an expensive home. You might even show how, by changing covers, HR furniture is able to "grow" with the changing needs of the average customer - a piece originally purchased, for example, as seating for a dorm room doesn't need to be tossed and replaced when the customer moves into an apartment or home; it can be recovered to fit in with a new environment and/or to serve a different purpose (from dorm room study chair to accent chair in formal living room). In either case, you'd want to stress quality of the frame and available fabrics, as well as the range of fabrics offered to suit many different tastes, needs, and decorating schemes.

As far as the issue of durability, are you able to provide statistics comparing the average life of an HR piece to pieces offered by other manufacturers - pieces that are either comparable in price to HR, or more expensive (that would be better!)? Or, perhaps by using testimonials from actual customers who have had HR pieces for several years?

I would be impressed if I were to see evidence of HR furniture being more durable than already assembled furniture in the same price range. Honestly, I don't *know* what I'd see if I ripped the fabric off of some of the other pieces I've looked at a local furniture showrooms offering "discount" furniture. A comparison of those to your furniture might be very enlightening!

Hope some of the ideas help....

Twirly Girly

[Blaine]

Twirly,

I was so impressed with your comments for our commercials that I printed them out and will use them as a check-list guide to all our ad developments. Thanks for taking the time and for all the great ideas!!!

Blaine
(President of Home Reserve)

[Twirly Girly]

You're welcome, Blaine.

When I spoke with Sandy on the phone yesterday (I called to ask her a question about the arms on various styles), I told her my 13 year old daughter and I are both wheelchair users. When I am able to afford to buy the loveseat and chair I've selected, we are planning to put the pieces together ourselves, and I'll let you know how it went and whether we needed any help. If *we* can do it ourselves, *anyone* can....(another selling point!).

I noticed something when doing my off-site research. When I've seen photos of assembled pieces on blogs and forums, sometimes it appears the fabric covers for the furniture frames aren't lying smoothly - there may be wrinkles or gaps (especially at the corners). I'm going to try and analyze this issue when assembling my own furniture (when I am able to get it) and try and figure out if this is due to the design of the covers OR if it's simply an issue of them not being adjusted properly by the individual assembling the piece. (I think it's more likely the latter, BTW). In either case, I may be able to offer some suggestions (perhaps something to be added to the assembly instructions) which would alleviate the problem, resulting in higher customer satisfaction.

Oh - and one other item.....as I'm sure you're aware, many of the fabrics you sell are fabrics that have a "nap" - if they are placed on a piece with the nap running in one direction, the color will look darker (or lighter) than if placed on a piece with the nap running in the opposite direction.

I watched a customer submitted video on your site, and saw some still photos submitted by another customer - in which it is very obvious a seat cushion on their pieces were placed with the nap running in the opposite direction of the other cushions - giving the appearance one cushion was made out of a different color fabric than the others. Is the matter of "nap" mentioned in the assembly instructions? If not, perhaps it would be a good idea to add something about it, especially since not everyone is knowledgeable about fabric. There might be some customers who install a cushion "upside down," but then think HR cut the pieces for one of their cushions from a differenct dye lot of fabric, when they notice a color difference!

Ok, I'll stop yapping now! (grin!)

Twirly Girly

[Sandy]

Ahh.. I remember talking with you. We talked about the back cushion too. Guess what, we are going to be adding videos called "beauty tips" which address the "tweaking" of the fabric, cushion placement etc. So as you can see, we agree with you 100%. As for the nap issue, there are some fabrics that can only be cut in one direction, and some fabrics have natural shading, such as the Mission fabrics. (if you run you hand over them one way,they look lighter) Sounds like you and your daughter are going to have a blast putting the furniture together. No need to stop yapping :)

[Twirly Girly]

The issue of nap is probably true of the faux suedes, too. Those of us who know about fabric understand this, but those who don't may not. It might be something worth mentioning in the "beauty tips" (which is a GREAT idea, BTW!).

I'm going to try and find the video I saw in which I noticed this problem, and the still photos as well, and I'll send you the links in an email to the support addy. Maybe something included in the "beauty tips" for people to be aware of - probably they just have to flip the cushion over to correct it!

Twirly Girly

[Sandy]

Thanks, we'll check it out.

[Twirly Girly]

You're welcome!

I'm *not* as much of a perfectionist as my comments may make me appear - I am just detail-oriented (there is a difference...I *don't* sweat the small stuff in my REAL life....) (grin)

Twirly Girly