Material Impact Podcast with Kendra Griffin, National Account Director at Wood Floor Business

Prefer the highlights? Key takeaways and summary below.

TL;DR – Key Takeaways

Trade media isn’t optional—it’s where your buyers already are. Kendra makes it clear: industrial buyers are engaging daily with trade content. Visibility here builds familiarity and trust.
Print still matters. In wood flooring, 52% of readers engage with print only. That stat hasn’t changed in 7 years.
Suppliers often forget this is a relationship game. The most effective campaigns happen when advertisers collaborate with trade media reps, not just send in assets.
Consistency beats size. Four quarter-page ads are more effective than one full-page ad if it means you show up more often.
Don’t skip brand basics. Many B2B suppliers overlook clean logos, consistent visuals, and defined brand tone—Kendra sees it constantly.
Get digital too—but do it holistically. Mobile-friendly content, emails, social, podcasts—customers are everywhere. Trade media helps unify that presence.
Start small and grow smart. A single email blast or quarter-page ad can build into a long-term presence if you track and evolve your plan.
Quote to remember: “I want to act as your advocate, your consultant, and really guide you to what’s going to be most effective. We all win that way.”

Meet the Guest

Kendra Griffin is the National Account Director at Wood Floor Business magazine, the leading B2B media platform in the hardwood flooring industry. With 14+ years in trade marketing and a background in marketing and retail merchandising, Kendra brings deep insight into how industrial suppliers can elevate visibility and trust. She works closely with both large brands and family-run operations, helping them craft effective, results-driven ad strategies. Oh—and her grandmother’s spaghetti and meatballs? Unmatched.

Episode Summary

1. Why Trade Media Still Works

“Your prospects are already engaging here.”
Kendra outlines how niche B2B publications like Wood Floor Business attract highly targeted, job-relevant audiences who return daily. These platforms are more than ads—they’re trusted sources of insight, news, and community. That makes visibility within them more credible than random digital placements.

2. Print Isn’t Dead—It’s a Competitive Edge

52% of their readers engage with print only. These are on-the-ground contractors and installers, often mid-50s in age, flipping through trade magazines during breaks on job sites.
“The guys love having the magazine in their truck,” says Kendra. It’s a real use case that digital alone can’t replace.

3. Modern Trade Media Is Holistic

Beyond print, suppliers can now tap into:

Targeted email campaigns using detailed subscriber data
Social engagement and reader-generated content
Podcasts and mobile-friendly blogs
Live demos and sponsored content
Together, these create a unified brand presence across how buyers actually consume content.

4. Frequency and Consistency Win

Kendra’s advice? “I’d rather see four quarter-page ads than one big splash.”
Why? Because people need to see you again and again before they act. Consistent presence across issues builds brand recall—even more than budget-heavy, one-time ads.

5. Branding Is Still a B2B Blindspot

Most industrial suppliers don’t think about branding beyond a logo. Kendra encourages companies to:

Define a simple brand guide (colors, logo, fonts)
Stick to it across print, email, social, and web
Focus on people and expertise—not just products
Because “everyone’s offering a product—what makes you different?”

6. Track What You Can, Trust What You Can’t

Digital stats are easy: open rates, click-throughs, web traffic. Print? Not so much.
That’s where tools like ad recall surveys come in. Kendra’s team uses third-party data (via Baxter Research) to measure recall, design feedback, and interest in featured products. Suppliers can—and should—leverage this kind of insight.

7. Start Small, Just Start

New to trade marketing? Kendra’s advice is simple:

Start with a call. Define your goals.
Test with a small ad or email.
Build consistency and track results.
Don’t wait for perfection—just begin.

Notable Quotes

“Marketing is about being top of mind when they’re ready to buy.”

“Don’t be afraid to start small. Just start.”

“Legitimacy is what trade media gives you instantly.”

“Everyone offers a product—what makes you stand out is your expertise and your people.”

Learn More / Get in Touch

Visit → https://10-Twenty.com
Email → mark@10-twenty.com

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