A COMPANY providing kitchen equipment is tuning into more sales after adopting a musical theme for its stand at a major exhibition.
WS Westin Ltd, based at Phoenix Mills, Leeds Road, recruited Fixby-based singer Olivia Hutchinson to entertain visitors to the stand at the Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom Exhibition staged at the NEC in Birmingham.
The company had bought 1,000 copies of her debut album, Classics, to distribute to potential clients on its stand.
Westin also demonstrated the flexibility of its latest laser cutting technology by displaying a cooker extraction hood designed and made to look like the top of a grand piano.
Sales and marketing manager Ann Phillips said the stand’s jazz and art deco theme, Olivia’s singing and the curvy cooker hood had hit all the right notes.
The company won the award for best designed stand in its category. It was also rewarded with an increase in visitor numbers compared to its last appearance and a clutch of new leads and orders.
Ann said: “The exhibition happens every two years. This year, we wanted to do something completely different for the four days of the show. We went for a theme to increase our chances of attracting more visitors and getting more business.
“Olivia was fantastic in attracting the crowds and the ‘piano’ cooker hood showed what we are capable of doing following our investment in laser technology.
“Two years ago, we got 160 visitors to the stand. This time, we had 435 and we have already had three orders from it.”
But she stressed: “The show represented the team effort of the company with all staff involved in making it such a resounding success. With orders already coming in as a result of the show, all the hard work is really paying off.”
Ann said the company, which provides cooker hoods and splashbacks to architects, designers and kitchen manufacturers UK-wide, had been able to achieve sales growth and increased profits despite the recession.
