How Consumer Habits Are Changing with Abby Murray
03/15/21 • 43 min
Your customers are online. Period. The shift was happening before Covid hit, but since Covid the rapid expansion of online shopping and buying has been exponential. Abby Murray, CEO and founder of Mortarr, joins me to chat about how consumer habits are changing and our sustainability responsibility.
Mortarr is an online platform designed to bring the commercial construction and design industry together with the ideas and resources needed to get projects off the ground. Essentially they are an online source for commercial project inspiration, products, and professionals.
Abby started the company off as a branding and design firm but quickly realized that there was a need for a more collaborative and inspirational space to source ideas from. She went to work, with her team, to create Mortarr and they now have a mobile app as well.
As the world shut down, the need for inspirational content soared. Abby met that need.
Listen as we talk about the need within the industry to move the buying, selling, and design process online and meet customers and consumers where they are. We also chat about sustainability and the growing responsibility of manufacturers and dealers to responsibly source and dispose of products and materials.
Abby has so many amazing ideas for the industry and is leading the charge into the future of the post-Covid contract interiors world. Listen to learn more.
In this episode:
[02:20] Welcome to the show, Abby!
[02:40] Abby shares a little about herself.
[03:17] Listen as Abby discusses what her company Mortarr is all about.
[05:36] Abby speaks about the journey from the idea of Mortarr to the launch.
[07:35] Abby shares what it was like to build a technology platform.
[10:28] Mortarr is a B2B platform, and most of their traffic comes from a desktop.
[14:15] Abby discusses the pro section and brand sections of their website.
[17:20] Mortarr now has green dots to designate the green products.
[20:53] They wanted to make sure their platform was inclusive and not just targeted toward the large companies.
[24:22] Listen as Abby speaks about how consumer habits are changing.
[29:29] Being on social media and having a website does not equal a digital marketing strategy.
[32:36] Abby discusses the shift in accessibility that the new decision makers expect.
[35:53] Abby shares how important she believes sustainability is in the industry.
[39:12] Abby speaks about Mortarr is doing for the dealer community.
[42:55] Thank you so much for being on the show!
Links and Resources:
Connect with Abby:
Mortarr
Connect with Sid:
www.sidmeadows.com
Embark CCT on Facebook
Sid on LinkedIn
Sid on Instagram
Sid on YouTube
Sid on Clubhouse - @sidmeadows
Subscribe to my LinkedIn Newsletter. https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/inside-contract-interiors-7298489501159460865/
The Trend Report introduction music is provided by Werq by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4616-werq License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Your customers are online. Period. The shift was happening before Covid hit, but since Covid the rapid expansion of online shopping and buying has been exponential. Abby Murray, CEO and founder of Mortarr, joins me to chat about how consumer habits are changing and our sustainability responsibility.
Mortarr is an online platform designed to bring the commercial construction and design industry together with the ideas and resources needed to get projects off the ground. Essentially they are an online source for commercial project inspiration, products, and professionals.
Abby started the company off as a branding and design firm but quickly realized that there was a need for a more collaborative and inspirational space to source ideas from. She went to work, with her team, to create Mortarr and they now have a mobile app as well.
As the world shut down, the need for inspirational content soared. Abby met that need.
Listen as we talk about the need within the industry to move the buying, selling, and design process online and meet customers and consumers where they are. We also chat about sustainability and the growing responsibility of manufacturers and dealers to responsibly source and dispose of products and materials.
Abby has so many amazing ideas for the industry and is leading the charge into the future of the post-Covid contract interiors world. Listen to learn more.
In this episode:
[02:20] Welcome to the show, Abby!
[02:40] Abby shares a little about herself.
[03:17] Listen as Abby discusses what her company Mortarr is all about.
[05:36] Abby speaks about the journey from the idea of Mortarr to the launch.
[07:35] Abby shares what it was like to build a technology platform.
[10:28] Mortarr is a B2B platform, and most of their traffic comes from a desktop.
[14:15] Abby discusses the pro section and brand sections of their website.
[17:20] Mortarr now has green dots to designate the green products.
[20:53] They wanted to make sure their platform was inclusive and not just targeted toward the large companies.
[24:22] Listen as Abby speaks about how consumer habits are changing.
[29:29] Being on social media and having a website does not equal a digital marketing strategy.
[32:36] Abby discusses the shift in accessibility that the new decision makers expect.
[35:53] Abby shares how important she believes sustainability is in the industry.
[39:12] Abby speaks about Mortarr is doing for the dealer community.
[42:55] Thank you so much for being on the show!
Links and Resources:
Connect with Abby:
Mortarr
Connect with Sid:
www.sidmeadows.com
Embark CCT on Facebook
Sid on LinkedIn
Sid on Instagram
Sid on YouTube
Sid on Clubhouse - @sidmeadows
Subscribe to my LinkedIn Newsletter. https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/inside-contract-interiors-7298489501159460865/
The Trend Report introduction music is provided by Werq by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4616-werq License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Previous Episode
The Importance of BIFMA to the Office Furniture Industry
All industries need regulation and compliance standards. For the office furniture industry, that organization is BIFMA. BIFMA stands for the Business + Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association and they are a non-profit membership community designed to help standardize processes throughout the industry.
Jennifer Wammack and David Panning from BIFMA join me today to chat about what they do, who their members are, and why their organization is a huge player in the industry.
While BIFMA doesn’t do the actual testing of furniture and equipment, they do write the standards that the products should adhere to. There are differences between standards and the guides that are published by BIFMA. Listen in to hear David discuss them and what they both mean for manufacturers.
Becoming a BIFMA member is certainly not a requirement but it does lend a strong sense of credibility to the overall business of manufacturing in the industry. Listen as Jennifer shares more about their new program called BIFMA Compliant and how it could possibly benefit your business. Once testing is complete and a company participates in BIFMA Compliant, the conformance of their products must be verified by BIFMA and then they can use the registered trademark. Once product testing is complete and, a company participates in BIFMA Compliant, the conformance of their products must be verified by BIFMA and then they can use the registered trademark.
This was a fantastic conversation. Look out for more from Jennifer and David on the podcast in the future as we continue the conversation about responsible manufacturing and disposal within the industry.
This was a fantastic conversation. Don't forget to tune in next week!
In this episode:
[03:06] Welcome to the show, Jennifer and David!
[03:27] Jennifer shares who she is and what she does at BIFMA.
[04:01] David talks about who he is and what he does at BIFMA.
[04:37] Listen as they discuss who BIFMA is and what they do.
[08:09] David explains what BIFMA standards are.
[09:04] David shares the difference between the standards and the guide.
[11:10] Jennifer speaks about why they have guides instead of standards for every product.
[13:04] After touring a testing facility, I realized how fascinating the process is.
[15:25] They discuss the pros of being a member of BIFMA and why a company might not want to be.
[19:35] Jennifer highlights their Level program, what it is, and what it does.
[24:26] Jennifer talks about their new program called BIFMA Compliant, an industry wide registery.
[28:26] David speaks about the key elements of the BIFMA Compliant program.
[33:23] Jennifer shares how people can find out what products are BIFMA Compliant.
[36:06]
Connect with Sid:
www.sidmeadows.com
Embark CCT on Facebook
Sid on LinkedIn
Sid on Instagram
Sid on YouTube
Sid on Clubhouse - @sidmeadows
Subscribe to my LinkedIn Newsletter. https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/inside-contract-interiors-7298489501159460865/
The Trend Report introduction music is provided by Werq by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4616-werq License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Next Episode
Leveraging Financing To Grow Your Business with Jim Wall
Why don’t we as an industry offer more financing options for our furniture? Per Jim Wall, there is a certain element of risk, but in times like these offering financing options could be a game changer for your business. Listen as we talk about all things financing and contract interiors.
Jim is a strategic account manager at Marlin Capital Solutions and has been working to help our industry better understand the ways they can and should use financing in their business. Rather than fear the unknown, Jim helps dealers and brokers better understand the benefits in financing both to their customers and to their bottom line.
For instance, did you know that offering financing options can actually equal tax benefits for your customers. Listen in to learn the basics on this.
Plus, offering a financing option can seriously reduce overall sticker shock for your customers. Instead of looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars for furniture and other office materials, you could be showing them a sticker for a few thousand dollars over time.
You customers need your solutions regardless. The worst that can happen is that you continue to make as many cash sales as you currently do, but by offering financing you could bring in even more business.
Listen as we discuss the pros and cons of financing and why now really is the time to start offering this solution.
In this episode:
[02:26] Welcome to the show, Jim!
[02:53] Learn about his background, his business, and his journey in the industry.
[05:25] Why the furniture industry has never really embraced financing.
[08:32] My views on the lack of financing in the industry.
[10:53] Did you know that financing also provides tax benefits to your customer?
[14:07] How financing can alleviate sticker shock.
[16:16] Listen, as Jim tells us why it’s never a bad time to have a financing conversation.
[19:36] Jim wants you to ask the tough questions up front and then be ready with a solution.
[22:32] Fear of the unknown is why Jim believes companies aren’t offering financing more often.
[25:12] The customer says no thank you, I’ll pay cash is the worst thing that could happen if you suggest financing.
[27:10] The take away from this episode is that the dealer needs to find ways to increase sales and be positioned to offer solutions.
[28:37] Jim shares some next steps for dealers.
[30:56] Thank you for being on the show!
Links and Resources:
Connect with Jim:
Connect with Sid:
www.sidmeadows.com
Embark CCT on Facebook
Sid on LinkedIn
Sid on Instagram
Sid on YouTube
Sid on Clubhouse - @sidmeadows
Subscribe to my LinkedIn Newsletter. https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/inside-contract-interiors-7298489501159460865/
The Trend Report introduction music is provided by Werq by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4616-werq License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
If you like this episode you’ll love
Personal Trainer Podcast | Online Trainers Podcast | Fitness Marketing & Business Talk
The CRM Sushi Podcast, With Inbound Marketing Expert Wes Schaeffer The Sales Whisperer®
Get a Job, Here's How
Shailey & Katie's Lemonade Stand: Design Moms Finding the Happy Balance as Work-from-home Entrepreneurs
Manager Tools - New Managers
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/the-trend-report-117650/how-consumer-habits-are-changing-with-abby-murray-12511019"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to how consumer habits are changing with abby murray on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy