Brother’s convention booth -- abuzz with positive activity!

It was the closest thing to a love fest that a leading sewing and embroidery machine manufacturer and its extensive dealer network could have. With a double-digit increase in dealer sales, new technology connecting with sewing and embroidery enthusiasts’ desire for creativity and affordability, and internal improvements in corporate response to dealer needs, the Brother International Corporation booth at the VDTA/SDTA Show was abuzz with positive activity.

One highlight was Brother’s Dealer Breakfast, where nearly 150 dealers gathered to hear Dean F. Shulman, senior vice president and head of the company’s Home Appliance Division, talk about industry trends and upcoming corporate projects.

“Business is still competitive and activity is building,” Shulman said. “General industry sales are up about three percent, and Brother’s dealers business is much healthier than that.”

Recent national media coverage of consumers’ increased desire to sew, including stories in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, and segments on ABC, CBS and NBC network programs, has set off a self-renewing wave of interest in sewing and embroidery. What’s behind this? Shulman pointed out that it is “a thirst for the satisfaction and fun that comes from being creative. It’s fashion! It’s the ability for people to say ‘I accomplished this. I did something for myself!’ It’s not construction anymore.”

Dealers also previewed a television commercial created by Brother to help them maximize on this increased interest during the current “Trade IN, Trade UP” sales campaign. The commercial is available to dealers in a customizable format for placement in local markets.

Back on the show floor, Brother drew crowds with several new and enhanced machine models:

• The QC-1000 quilting model, with 30 built-in quilting stitches, oversized extension table, pivot function and the Automatic Height Adjuster™ (AHA) feature that monitors and automatically adjusts for varying fabric thicknesses while sewing.
• The PE-750D, an embroidery-only machine with built-in designs based on Disney and Disney/Pixar characters.
• The GT-541 ink-jet garment printer from the company’s Industrial Products Divison showcases cutting-edge technology. The printer uses ink-jet technology to print highly detailed, soft-hand images directly from a computer onto cotton-rich fabrics.
• The BE-1201B-AC, a 12-needle, single-head embroidery machine stirred additional interest. Currently sold by the Industrial Products Division, the Brother Home Appliance Division will test-market the distribution of this model through the independent home sewing dealer channel starting this summer.

Brother’s introduction of its Super Dealer recruiting campaign increased the activity level at the booth.

With the Brother dealers’ positive response to new programs, technology and corporate efforts on their behalf, and the added buzz from a crowded booth and busy staff, Brother’s VDTA/SDTA experience is proof that in Las Vegas, success is earned, not left to luck.

To learn more about Brother, visit www.brother.com.

Reprinted from SQE Professional, May 2007