Brad Schweig of Sunnyland Outdoor Living in Dallas posed a simple question to the Outdoor Furniture Independent Retailers Group on Facebook — “Would anyone be interested in starting an advertising co-op?”
Several retailers from around the country reported back that they were interested in this idea, and now Schweig is taking the idea a step further. He is inviting specialty outdoor retailers to a virtual discovery meeting at 2 p.m. CST Thursday, Jan. 30, to explore the concept and collaborate.
For small, family-owned businesses like Sunnyland Outdoor Living, Schweig says creating high-quality marketing content to rival big-box stores and top retailers can be an uphill battle.
“It’s not for lack of effort,” Schweig says. “We’ve improved our marketing, but top-tier production and content creation come with significant costs. Smaller businesses can’t always afford that level of quality.”
As a member of the Home Furnishings Association, Schweig turned to its Solution Partners Directory and connected with Linnihan Foy Advertising, a Minneapolis-based, 30-person, full-service marketing agency specializing in retail furniture.
With over a decade of experience, Linnihan Foy works with Top 100 brands like Hudson’s Furniture, Schneiderman’s Furniture and direct-to-consumer companies like By the Yard.
Together, they began exploring the possibility of independent retailers pooling resources to create high-quality content without bearing the full financial burden.
“By collaborating with retailers in different markets, we could pool resources to create high-quality content for TV and digital platforms,” Schweig says. “Consumers would still see localized campaigns, but we’d all benefit from shared production costs. It’s a way for smaller businesses to compete with bigger players without breaking the bank.”
The discovery meeting on Jan. 30 will be a 60-to-90-minute virtual session, where retailers can discuss shared challenges, identify collaboration opportunities and outline a path forward. Schweig is looking for eight to 12 retailers from different, noncompeting geographical markets to join the initiative.
Schweig encourages interested parties to email him directly to join the call and help shape the future of this collaborative effort.
“This is about working smarter, not harder,” Schweig says. “By coming together, we can create something none of us could afford individually — and that could make all the difference.”
For more information or to RSVP, email brad@sunnylandfurniture.com.
