Coverings 2016: More Than ‘Just a Tile & Stone Show’
In just three short days, the doors to Coverings 2016 will swing open to the impatient crowds who have come to experience the latest patterns, styles, colors and designs available from a bevy of global tile and stone exhibitors.
This year’s edition of Coverings, to be held in Chicago’s McCormick Place April 18-21, will feature more than 40 countries being represented on the show floor, with thousands of architects, designers, builders, remodelers, distributors, retailers, installers, contractors and fabricators in attendance.
That being said, Monday the 18th is going to be a busy one for us! First, there’s a conference session you shouldn’t miss:
Topic: Online Visual Success with Houzz, Instagram and Pinterest
Speakers: Arpi Nalbandian, Tileometry; Christine Whittemore, Simple Marketing Now, LLC
Time: 10:45 AM – 12:15 PM
Location: Social Media Lounge – Booth 4031
As the cliché goes, pictures are definitely worth more than a thousand words! In order to succeed, it’s essential for your tile and stone business to be well-represented on visual social media platforms such as Houzz, Instagram and Pinterest where 80% of potential customers begin the buying process! This not-to-be-missed session will explore the ins and outs of these three visual social networks, offer proven techniques for delivering inspiration to your followers, share organizational tips for visual tile/stone thought leadership, and methods on how to continually evaluate your progress in planning your digital success.
Then, later in the afternoon, there’s the Coverings Insider’s Tour!
Coverings Insider’s Tour
Time: Monday April 18th, 3:00 – 4:30pm
Location: Social Media Lounge – Booth 4031
The goal of the Coverings Insider’s Tour is to offer show attendees an inside look at this year’s show, and sharing that insight via social media (using the #Coverings2016 hashtag) — you know, to make your co-workers jealous of the gorgeous Italian or Spanish tile you discovered while on the tour. But I digress.
The guided Coverings Insider’s Tour is geared toward attendees who are not familiar with the show or need a refresher. Coverings Ambassador Alena Capra will lead the tour, and will be joined by your friendly tile influencers, Christine Whittemore and I.
Together, we’ll be highlighting key show floor programs, trend insights, and need-to-know tips for making the most of your Coverings 2016 experience. You’ll also get an overview of the various pavilions (Spain, Italy, North America), which is perfect for scanning and noting what you’d like to go back to see in more detail.
Safe travels to everyone attending Coverings. Also, remember to follow Tileometry on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and Instagram for live updates from Coverings 2016. Hope to see you there!
About Coverings
Coverings is the largest and most important ceramic tile and natural stone trade fair and expo in the United States. It features exhibitors from more than 40 countries and is the stage for introducing some of the most innovative tile and stone products in the world.
The exposition serves as a valuable resource for continuing education for all segments of the industry, with more than 75 informative, accredited seminars and live demonstration sessions throughout the show, all free of charge. Coverings attracts thousands of distributors, retailers, fabricators, contractors, specifiers, architectural and design professionals, builders and real estate developers, as well as journalists and bloggers who cover this vital and dynamic industry.
Sponsors of the show are The Ceramic Tile Distributor Association (CTDA), Tile of Spain/Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturer’s Association (ASCER), Ceramics of Italy/Confindustria Ceramica, National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) and the Tile Council of North America (TCNA). The show is managed by National Trade Productions.
For more information, visit coverings.com or contact National Trade Productions, Coverings Show Management, 703-706-8257.