Alan Wogan, Furniturelink International, participated in ISME Skillnet’s SME Sales and Marketing Management programme, provided by Griffith College Dublin and partially funded through the network. Furniturelink International was founded in 1983. The company is now a leading player in the Irish furniture import and distribution industry, employing 65 people.
As part of the programme, Alan completed a company-related project to develop a strategic sales and marketing plan to design fabric upholstered sofas in Ireland, manufacture them in Asia, and sell them to a worldwide market. From what he learnt on the programme, his project mentor and his company’s vision, a highly comprehensive plan was put together based on strong market analysis.
The Plan:
- Product Development – Furniturelink to design its own new products
- Market Development – Sell products in new global markets at minimal extra financial risk or outlay
The Return:
- Earlier this year, Furniturelink bought a UK wholesale company and began trading directly in the UK wholesale market. The company moved to a large 90,000 sq. ft. premises with its own showrooms. A separate showroom in this facility has also been set up just to cater for customers to view the ‘container only’ ranges and make purchases.
- Furniturelink has been very successful in the UK market already and has appointed a specialised sales agent in the UK who has brought a significant number of large UK buyers to the showrooms in Ireland.
- New and repeat business has been developed from a standing start to shipping up to ten containers per month within less than 12 months.
- There has also been success in Australia, with container sales into Western Australia and Tasmania.
“The course came at an opportune time. We were already planning something along these lines, but with what I learnt and the direction from my mentor, we were able to put a clear structure and rationale on it, and push it through sooner and with a much more comprehensive strategic plan than may otherwise have been possible.”
Alan Wogan, Furniturelink.
Alan Wogan with his fellow graduates of the ISME Skillnet Advance Business Programme and SME Sales and Marketing Management Programme and with Liz Carroll and Mark Fielding, both ISME Skillnet.
This article was featured in our biannual newsletter (Skillnets News) in April 2014.
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