VFTI 2025: Marketing

NKBA’s VFTI Conference at KBIS 2025 offers a compelling slate of CEU-qualified learning sessions designed to develop stronger businesses, skills, and strategies.

By Dianne M. Pogoda

The Voices from the Industry Conference, NKBA’s highly anticipated professional development program at KBIS 2025 in Las Vegas, offers more than 70 seminars and webinars full of valuable information covering the latest trends, marketing techniques, and business strategies shaping the future of the industry. Attendees may earn CEU credits, with options for on-site training or on-demand viewing after the show.

The VFTI series is generously sponsored by Floor & Decor.

Subject Matter Experts will share their deep knowledge during the upcoming edition, Feb. 25 to 27 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Seminars and workshops are organized into six tracks: Building & Remodeling, Design, Hot Topics, K&B Trends, Leadership & Management, and Marketing. KBIS attendees may purchase a package including the Expo pass plus a conference pass for all on-site VFTI presentations and unlimited access to on-demand sessions throughout 2025. All sessions are CEU-qualified, earning 0.1 CEU credit for each hour of instruction.

Here’s a closer look at the 13 sessions in the Marketing track.

Tuesday, February 25

The Interior Strategy: Maximizing Social Strategy, the Gen Z Way
8:30 – 10 am
Instructor: Nicholas Lindsey, Interior Strategist, Presenter, The Interior Strategist
Ability Level: Intermediate

Learn to create a strategic approach to enhancing influence among Generation Z through a tailored interior design marketing strategy. As both an interior designer and marketing strategist, Nicholas Lindsey understands the importance of merging creativity with digital fluency to captivate this audience. Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012, values authenticity, visual appeal, and sustainability — making them a prime demographic for our efforts on Instagram and YouTube.

Architectural Photography Creates Magazine-Worthy Photos
10:45 – 11:45
Instructor: Adam Gibson, CMKBD, President, ASD Market Week Educational Series, Adam Gibson Design, LLC
Ability Level: Intermediate

You put major effort into creating great projects, but do you employ photography that best represents your exquisite designs? Do your images compare to those in design magazines? This program will explain the difference between hiring a photographer and hiring an architectural photographer. Translating your vision into imagery is a detailed process that directs the viewer’s eye to what you want them to see. Whether exteriors or interiors, you’ll learn how some get it wrong and how to avoid those mistakes. Learn from a Certified Professional Photographer with a dual career as an architectural designer.

Community Engagement Strategies: Amplify Your Brand Locally
12:30 – 2 pm
Instructor: Anneke Huisman, Senior Designer, Presenter, KSI Kitchen and Bath
Ability Level: Beginner

This insightful workshop will demonstrate how to expand your company’s marketing impact through community involvement. Discover why partnering with local non-profits and organizations is key to boosting brand awareness and fostering meaningful connections within your community. Learn effective strategies for engaging with organizations of all sizes, both national and hyper-local, and best practices tailored to your company’s size and goals, including outreach and sustainable engagement.

Picture Perfect: How to Photograph Your Projects Like a PR Pro
2:45 – 3:45
Instructor: Alexandria Abramian, Founder, Presenter, The PR Collaborative
Ability Level: Advanced

When it comes to marketing your work, photography is quite literally make or break. With the right photos, your design work not only shines in its best light, but also attracts future clients, leading editors, and design competition judges. This presentation illustrates exactly what kinds of images have the highest portfolio and PR value, as well as how to hire the right photography team to capture them. Learn the secrets of which rooms, which angles and what kinds of styling elevate your designs, so you stand out, get noticed and grow your business.

Protecting Original Design and Authenticity in an Age of Knock-Offs
4:15 – 5:15 pm
Instructor: David Adler, President, Presenter, Adler Law
Ability Level: Intermediate

Design is about creativity and collaboration. Successful designers and manufacturers know the steps to take to protect their designs, their businesses, and their profits. As more designers develop signature styles, protecting original design is more important than ever. Simultaneously, technology and social media are blurring the lines between inspiration and replication. This discussion will address issues about responding to someone who claims you copied their design, what to do if you think someone has knocked off your design, and how to protect yourself and avoid future problems.

Wednesday, February 26

Beyond the Showroom: How Virtual Tools Drive Appliance Sales & Mitigate Returns
12:30 – 1:30 pm
Instructors: Dave Chace, President, Cogent360; Peter Vossler, Senior Manager Home Appliance Product Training, LG Electronics
Ability Level: Intermediate

Today’s demanding consumers are driving record-high return rates. To break this cycle, the industry must move beyond traditional sales approaches. This session will showcase the power of virtual product demonstrations and educational tools and explore a compelling case study demonstrating how interactive media and 3D technology transforms large appliance purchases. Boost confidence in purchase decisions with interactive tools to showcase features, functionalities, and dimensions, reducing buyer’s remorse and increasing satisfaction. Discover how these innovations can enhance customer engagement, reduce returns, and elevate the overall buying experience.

Video Marketing: Properly Capture Projects for Company Branding
2:30 – 3:30 pm
Instructor: Brian Javeline, Founder, Presenter, MyOnlineToolbox
Ability Level: Intermediate

Brian Javeline believes the best way to present your value proposition with emotion and passion is through video, which brings the message to your customers how you want them to hear it. Professional videos are obviously the best choice but videos by smartphone can be quality driven, too. In this session, learn to use videos to generate more quality leads, where to place them, and how to get your best 24×7 salesforce to promote your business.

Thursday, February 27

Which Marketing Channels Are Right for You?
8:45 – 10:15 am
Instructors: Jason Lockhart, Architect & Urban Planner, Kitchen & Bath Marketing Solutions; Debra Scarpa, Owner, Home Designer Marketing; Ashley Blaesing, Operations Manager, Home Designer Marketing
Ability Level: Beginner

This engaging panel discussion will shed light on a crucial truth in marketing: not every tactic is a one-size-fits-all solution. Three marketing experts will help foster understanding of your audience, knowing your ideal client and why this is the cornerstone of effective marketing. They will help you find the right opportunities and marketing channels that align with your business goals, and show how to build a plan leveraging AI in today’s digital age, to analyze data, predict trends, and create a marketing plan that’s not only smart but also actionable.

My Prospects Aren’t Buying and Many are Ghosting Me. What am I Doing Wrong?
10:45 – 11:45 am
Instructor: Duane Becker, Owner, Presenter, Sapre Training
Ability Level: Intermediate

If you’re challenged about how to get your prospects back to buy, you’re not alone — and this session is for you! Many designers have a difficult time re-engaging their clients after the first couple of meetings, and communication is lost somewhere in the ether. This session discusses ways that you can keep this from happening and keep your customer engaged right through to the sale.

Cultivating Connections: Integrating Online and Local Engagement for Business Impact
12:30 – 1:30 pm
Instructor: Shaun Ayala, Marketing Manager, Presenter, Pacific Sales Corporate
Ability Level: Intermediate

In an age where digital-first strategies dominate the business landscape, the importance of fostering relationships cannot be overstated. This course is designed to equip you with the knowledge and tools to effectively balance your online efforts with meaningful local engagement. By integrating the strategies from this course, you’ll discover the unique benefits of connecting with your community and enhancing your business’s impact, both in-person and online.

Turning Reviews into Revenue: Creating Unmatched Client Experiences
2:15 – 3:15 pm
Instructor: Megan Jansky McIntyre, Founder, Presenter, The Marketing Corner
Ability Level: Beginner

In this dynamic presentation, attendees will discover secrets to turning every review — whether a rave or a rant — into an opportunity for improvement and increased sales. Learn how to solicit authentic, impactful testimonials and leverage them to build trust and showcase your expertise. Real-life small-business success stories will illustrate mastering the art of turning client feedback into a competitive edge. From crafting the perfect follow-up request to showcasing reviews on your website and social media, this session offers strategies to connect with clients on a deeper level, foster loyalty, and ultimately, boost the bottom line.

Character Over Content
5 pm — On-Demand Only
Instructor: Shad Johnsen, CKD, Certified Kitchen Designer | Personality Kitchen Ideaz YouTube Channel | Visionary @ HingeWorks | Cabinet & Appliance Guru | 30 Years in the Kitchen & Bath Industry | Inventor, Presenter, HingeWorks
Ability Level: Intermediate

Landing clients and contracts is more dependent upon personal and company character than it is on details and a contract. Learn how to make compelling points when approaching client and contract opportunities. Shad Johnsen will share proven experiences to attract the right team members, clients, and more — as well as how to avoid some of his epic failures. Attendees will walk away with several great points of improvement to help their organization land contracts that may seem beyond reach.

Getting More Referrals With CRM
5 pm — On-Demand Only
Instructors: Bhargav Makadia, Managing Director, Estheteak; Nishi Bhoraniya, Junior Designer, Estheteak
Ability Level: Beginner

Satisfied clients are your best marketing tool. Your clients are most effective in building the company’s market value and community trust. Since most customers can be one-time only, many companies do not get in the habit of following up. This course will show how to leverage customer relationship management (CRM) for regular follow-up with customers, years after successfully completing a project. One Christmas card or a happy birthday greeting goes a long way to keep engaging with your customers.

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Early-bird pricing is available through Jan. 10, 2025. NKBA members pay $575, and non-members are $775. From Jan. 11 to Feb. 22, members are $675, non-members are $875, and for on-site registration, Feb. 23 to 27, members are $775, and non-members are $875. (Student and faculty rates are also available, click for more detail.) For more detail and a full schedule of sessions, click here.