By Jim Mayo

I wanted to extend a quick thank-you to all of you who visited the Samsung booth at CEDIA Virtual Expo 2020. Understanding it is tough to have the same level of engagement in a virtual show, we still feel as though we had a strong show and brought the install community some great value.

One of the highlights of the Samsung booth was our display area showcasing new products, including the Crystal UHD 4K Pro TV and The Terrace QLED 4K UHD HDR Smart TV among other great new products. We presented three stunning product training videos that are must-view for every Samsung dealer. Our Welcome to the 2020 QLED Lineup video walks you through the entire 2020 QLED Lineup and helps the installer understand where and how we see them integrated into your clients’ homes. The Introducing the 2020 Lifestyle Lineup talks about the latest innovations across our groundbreaking Lifestyle line including Terrace, Frame, Sero and Serif. And finally, Samsung B2B Solutions take you from the Samsung House to the Samsung Experience at the Dallas Market Center to learn about the latest in commercial installation technology that we have to offer.

You can find all of our content on our dedicated 5 Star CI portal site www.samsung.com/custominstall so please take some time to watch a few of these brief videos. We were careful to keep them all short and easy to watch.

I think dealers who visited the Samsung booth really came away impressed with our commitment to innovation in the Video display space. Our 8K technology, Lifestyle products, and the range of commercial products we are now offering were all highlighted. Our CI Team and Rep Firm network of dedicated professionals continue to hear from CI’s across the country that selling 8K and Lifestyle TVs differentiates them in the marketplace. Our growing categories of “Lifestyle TVs” starting with everyone’s favorite, The Frame, really drives home how Samsung is trying to grow your sales with your clients. Despite all of the disruption in the marketplace this year, Samsung has managed to add a line of Outdoor TVs, with our Pro Terrace and Terrace TV/Terrace Sound bar assortment and also a line of short throw projectors, “The Premiere” with both a single and triple laser models. If you haven’t checked them out yet, please do.

Samsung is proud to announce that we won three awards from CEPro for Best Product! The Wall, our 85-inch Q950 8K QLED TV, and the 65-inch The Terrace TV were judged on innovation, functionality, competitive advantages and benefits to the installer by industry leaders and the editors of CEPro. We are also proud to announce that we won three awards from Residential Systems and TWICE for Best in Show! Residential Systems chose the 85-inch Q950 8K QLED TV and our No-Gap Wall mount, while TWICE honored the No-Gap Wall mount as well.

At Samsung we have worked hard to bring you the best products, programming and support we can this year, and we just completed our strongest quarter ever in the CI Channel!

I can’t tell you how thankful I am for your support and how proud I am of the product Samsung continues to bring to market. Our Reps and CI team here at Samsung commits to working hard every day to earn your continued support. Please take some time to read the articles we put together here in this our 10^th edition of “Connections”.

It’s been a challenging year for all of us, but here’s to a bright future together full of health and growing businesses. I hope you are all staying safe, and I wish you all a great and prosperous Fall/Winter season,

Sincerely,

Jim Mayo

Sr. Director Custom Install Sales and Strategy

Large-format displays have become the center of family entertainment, artwork and photograph collections, a trusted fitness partner, a meeting space with your co-workers and business colleagues, the schoolroom for children, and an invaluable source of news. In other words, as screen sizes continue to grow, the display becomes the cornerstone of how a family interacts with each other and the outside world. These luxury display systems are perfect for all family members and beg for superior surround sound and dependable networks to deliver the ultimate in immersive experiences.

And into this luxury marketplace, at a time when many families are revisiting their great room entertainment options, Samsung is proud to introduce The Premiere – two incredible ultra-short throw 4K UHD Ultra-Bright projectors that are packed with features in an all-in-one compact, space-saving design that fits a wide variety of living room settings and arrangements.

Let’s Take a Closer Look at Key Features and Selling Benefits

Samsung has taken the lead in over 70-inch TV display market share, in part due to our incredible picture quality, but also due to the stunning look and feel of our TVs and remotes. All of the performance and features that make Samsung TVs inviting to interior designers and architects are now complimented by the new Premiere 4K UHD projectors.

LSP9T 

This flagship projector has it all, from the 4K UHD Ultra-Bright Triple Laser with HDR10+ and 2,000,000:1 contrast, to the 0.189 throw ratio and compact minimal design featuring premium fabric from Kvadrat. The Smart Features include multiple voice assistants, Samsung OneRemote and Tap View, the very latest in how to show off videos, enlarge picture and video-calling family on the big screen. The audio portion has Dolby® Digital Plus and a 40-watt 4.2 channel sound system for spaces where additional audio might not be necessary or available.

LSP7T

Boasting a 4K UHD Ultra-Bright Laser, a powerful UHD Processor, Gaming Enhancer, multiple voice assistants, Wi-Fi and Dolby® Digital Plus, this projector works perfectly for smaller rooms that need to be used as multi-purpose video experiences for the entire family.

When presenting these amazing projectors, focus on four selling points:

Sleek Design

Ultra-short throw projectors are popular because they fit almost any décor and are stealthy in their design. You will get immediate buy-in from homeowners and interior designers who want big pictures without the display dominating the room when in the off position. If you have demo space available, please invest in an LSP9T and show it off to your design-build colleagues.

Filmmaker Mode

Filmmaker Mode does away with post-processing motion smoothing, revealed by the UHD Alliance at CES 2020. The motion smoothing effect is present and turned on by default on numerous HD TVs, resulting in blurrier fast images and what the public now calls the ‘soap opera effect.’

As the name suggests, Filmmaker Mode is a viewing mode designed by the UHD Alliance for watching movies and shows. The mode disables the heavy motion smoothing post-processing effect and preserves the original colors, aspect ratios and frame rates, resulting in an image that’s much closer to the filmmaker’s original vision.

The Perfect Audio Experience

For smaller rooms where families want a large display but don’t have the room for free-standing speakers, make sure to package these projectors with Samsung’s line-up of soundbars that deliver big sound from a small enclosure. Again, please try to demonstrate a complete theater presentation to wow your clients.

The Perfect Screen

For optimal performance, choose a filmscreen that works depending on the light ambiance in the intended space. A ceiling mounted roll-up screen is perfect for ultra-short throw projectors, so when the system is off it is completely hidden from view. 

We recently caught up with Lou Foranoce, owner of Long Island, New York’s Sound Dimensions Plus to talk about their business and how they have remained a force in the CI channel. Lou gives some insights into how he got started in commercial integration and why his preferred TV is Samsung.

Samsung Connections: Lou, thanks for taking some time with us. Give us a little background on the company and how business is going as we move into fall of 2020. 

Lou Foranoce: Thanks and it’s a pleasure to catch up with you. I started the business in 1994 as a car detailing shop. Being on the Gold Coast of Long Island, our clientele expected us to pick up their cars and then bring them back to their homes. I had five or six guys out in the field and we got to know our customers and they would ask us about home theater and what we would suggest. So I told my brother we need to get into home theater. Long story short, we moved into residential technology integration and the business has been very successful.

The same happened as far as commercial. Our customers would ask if we could come to their office and suggest what type of network or AV conference room setup or whatever, and because of the faith our customers had in us – especially our customer service after the sale – we were able to move into commercial projects which is now a large part of our business. Today, we’re doing about 65% residential and 35% commercial in our work.

In fact, we recently wrapped up a commercial project that included 12 Samsung Pro 65-inch TVs (BE75T), six of the 50-inch Pro TVs (BE65T), and four of the 43-inch Pro TVs (BE43T). And we added one 85-inch residential TV for their conference room. The reason we choose Samsung Pro TVs is because they’re built to last and the images are excellent.

As far as our current business, we’re really busy and I think a lot of that on the residential side is because people have been stuck in the house during the pandemic and they want to revamp their AV systems and networks. With 80% plus people working from home, we’re seeing a lot of requests for bigger screens and better sound systems and improved wireless capabilities.

SC: Talk to us about Samsung TVs and how you position them with your clients.

LF: We have various customers who have different needs and expectations. Some of our customers do a lot of research and know just about everything when it comes to the latest technology. So for them, they gravitate towards Samsung 8K TVs. For our commercial clients, we explain that the better the TV, the longer it will last and the better your picture quality will be. So we are naturally selling the better end of Samsung’s product line and not only can provide a quality experience for our customers, but at the end of the day we enjoy better margins that allows us to reinvest in our customer service should anything ever go wrong with one of our installs or products we sell.

And the lifestyle aspects of Samsung TVs, like The Frame, really separates Samsung from the pack. There is a wow factor that captures people’s imaginations and they become must-have features.

SC: Sound Dimensions is renowned for their customer service. Is that a big part of why you are still around after all of these years?

LF: Definitely! You know, our business is very hands on and to be effective you have to reinvest in your company to make sure your people are properly trained and you’re taking care of your customers. An industry like ours is built on one’s reputation. So we prioritize customer service and that has always paid dividends for us in the long run.

SC: Does that mindset also reflect on who you choose to do business with?

LF: Of course. Samsung has always been innovative and things like The Frame and Ambient Mode and the overall look-and-feel of the products are incredible. But it’s really the personal side of our business that keeps us championing the brand of Samsung. Should we have a problem, our Samsung representative is there to resolve the issue – just like I have to resolve the issue with my client. So it’s a real partnership. And that extends to how the product is distributed and always readily available, as well as being a profitable line to offer.

SC: Any final thoughts you’d like to share with your fellow Samsung dealers?

LF: For me, I think it’s important to establish long-term relationships with your vendor partners. And it’s equally important to invest in your business so your people know what they’re talking about and doing in the field. And like we talked about earlier, customer service is incredibly important.

Finally, always show people the best you have to offer. You can’t sell up, but you can sell down if your customer can’t or chooses not to buy the best. I think you do a disservice if you aren’t showing the very latest technology and the cutting edge of what our industry has to offer.

SC: Thanks, Lou.

LF: My pleasure.

In an ever-changing world, you have to either be a follower or a trail blazer. At Samsung, we have chosen to be trail blazers by offering our CI channel partners TVs that cater to a wide range of uses and customer demographics. And now, as part of our Lifestyle portfolio that ranges from The Frame to The Terrace, we have a TV concept that is perfect for Millennial and Gen-Z audiences – The Sero.

First and foremost, the Sero is a Samsung QLED 4K TV through-and-through, featuring our Quantum Processor, Game Enhancer and Adaptive Picture™ technologies, so you know you’re offering your clients the ultimate in picture fidelity. Packed with Smart Features and Connections that include 802.11AC built-in Wi-Fi, the Sero produces an incredible QLED picture with a billion shades of color that come alive with Quantum Dot, making everything more brilliant.

Targeted for heavy social media users, the rotating Sero TV seamlessly changes from landscape to portrait mode, meaning you can be watching Hulu one minute and scrolling through your Twitter feed the next.

Mobile-Optimized Performance

The Sero is brilliantly designed to easily connect and share mobile content. When you demo content on the Sero, including social media, YouTube and personal videos, you can alter the display orientation seamlessly to smoothly and naturally show both traditional horizontal images, as well as vertical formats.

A mobile-optimized rotating screen elevates the Sero to more than just a TV – it is a powerful statement that packs Dolby® Digital Plus, multiple voice assistants, Game Enhancer and Tap View, which mirrors your mobile’s content within seconds. This is the TV that digital natives will be drawn to, and an effective demo will help you close more sales. Seeing is believing!

Go Beyond Smart TV

Now, families can have more fun sharing their daily experiences with our Universal Guide, which organizes your streaming live TV content while also making recommendations. Next-Gen apps, super-easy control and a host of enhancements elevates the TV-watching experience. Ambient Mode+ accentuates the immersive experience by turning a blank screen into décor, artwork, pictures and other visuals.

Sell More TVs into More Rooms

Let’s face it, families are spending more and more time at home and with Samsung’s complete line-up of lifestyle TV products, you can appeal to more people and more family members to give everyone exactly what they want. There is nothing like a simple demo of the Sero TV – you’ll see the lights coming on when your customers begin to imagine the fun they will have with this amazing display.

We recently caught up with Ryan Shelton, Co-Founder of Twisted Pair Media, a boutique audio, video and automation company in Nashville, Tennessee to talk about his relationship with Samsung and how Twisted Pair has been successful selling 8K TVs. 

Samsung Connections: Thanks for taking some time to talk with us. How’s business?

Ryan Shelton: Business is good. It feels wrong to say we benefited from the pandemic, but we’ve been busy. I think part of that is because our clientele wasn’t as impacted financially as most people were during the pandemic. And with people stuck at home, they are looking at upgrading their technology, or decided it would be a good time to remodel. So we have been consistently busy for most of this year. 

SC: Twisted Pair has been a Samsung dealer for a long time. What do you attribute that to?

RS: Yes, we’ve been doing business with Samsung for about 16 years, pretty much since we began the company. The brand recognition has always been strong. I remember back in the day people mentioning the name Samsung and how nice their TVs are, so along with great design and cutting-edge technology, the name Samsung has been recognized and well received by our clientele.

Additionally, Samsung has products to meet every price point and budget. Any size and design characteristic you need, they have it. So as we interview a client, we find out how much TV they watch and what priority that is for them in general. Are they sports fans, movie fans, or maybe really into music so not great TV watchers? Regardless, we are able to match their budget and needs with a specific Samsung product.

And to be honest, there is decent margin in Samsung TVs. Once upon a time, we would tell clients to go buy their own TVs so we didn’t have to deal with the responsibility of doing an install when we weren’t really making margin. But that has changed for the better!

I’d also say that we have formed great personal and professional relationships with the team at Samsung. They listen to us. And we see that feedback in products like The Terrace, The Frame and all of the lifestyle TV lines. And now The Premiere. So I don’t have to go to another brand for my outdoor TV or ultra-short throw projector. I even have access to light commercial products from Samsung for resi-mercial projects. 

Finally, it’s often the little things that you might overlook in how a vendor listens and takes the time and effort to put together policies that help dealers. Like the demo program. We use it religiously so we can play with the gear and show off the gear to our clients. It gets everyone excited. And the ability for our employees to get a discount if they want to purchase a TV from Samsung. It’s a nice gesture and helps to build loyalty to the brand across our entire team.

SC: Let’s talk 8K. How have you been successful selling Samsung 8K TVs?

RS: First of all, I don’t target that this is an 8K TV when I’m giving a client a demo. We’re selling best-in- class products. I simply explain that the processor inside is going to make everything better. In other words, “this TV has the best processing capability and so you’re going to get blacker blacks, less noise, and with bigger sizes an incredible picture.” And of course, when customers see the Infinity Screen and how beautiful a TV can look closely mounted to the wall, well, homeowners and designers love it. 

I also like to equate a Samsung 8K with whatever I know the customer can relate to. So if he’s a wine collector or watch collector or car junkie, he’ll understand and appreciate that what we’re showing him is a best-in-class product. Not for everyone, but simply the best. If our overall quote for a project is too much for a client, we can always step down in certain areas. So maybe we move from an 8K to a 4K product and make other adjustments to our bid to meet budget expectations.

SC: Talking about residential then, what size TVs are you typically specifying?

RS: From an 8K perspective, 75 to 85 inches – once a customer sees the best and they want it, what’s a little extra money to get the biggest thing the room can handle? But overall I’d say 65-inch is still the main screen size if you consider all of the rooms where we’re installing TVs.

Another great feature in selling Samsung TVs is that the install process is very uniform. We have our go-to mounting solutions and nothing about the Samsung TV line-up changes radically from year to year. I’m not really on the install side of the business, but what’s really nice for me is that I never hear bad things about Samsung installs from our team. In other words, no news is good news!

SC: Final thoughts?

RS: I value the personal relationships with the people I work with at Samsung. I recommend that every dealer leverages the people who Samsung has put into place, ask questions, take advantage of the demo program, and dive in and enjoy the Samsung products. They are fun to sell and get people excited. And once the customer sees the finished results, they are always happy. Which makes us happy.

The Terrace TV is a runaway best seller, and more and more families are interested in turning their patios into entertainment spaces. Make sure you’re maximizing your sales by offering two must-have Terrace Accessories – The Terrace Soundbar with Dolby® 5.1 channel surround sound and built-in subwoofer, and The Terrace Dust Cover, the ultimate protection for your outdoor TV.

The Terrace Soundbar HW-LST70T 3.0 Channel with Dolby 5.1

You wouldn’t put an ordinary TV outdoors would you? Of course not. So why put anything other than the new Samsung Terrace Soundbar into your specifications? After all, it’s designed for the outdoors just like The Terrace TV.

Not only is The Terrace Soundbar weather-resistant durability IP55 rated, but it is also optimized to deliver high-quality audio powerful enough for the outdoors and includes a center channel (3.0CH) for crystal clear dialogue.

We’ve even built in distortion cancelling technology that reduces distortion before it happens, for deep bass and dynamic audio. Your customers will love that they can stream music by connecting wirelessly to other new mobile devices via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth®. You can even enjoy the soundbar hands-free using voice control through your Alexa enabled device.

So make sure you optimize every Terrace TV sale with Samsung’s amazing Terrace Soundbar.

The Terrace Dust Cover

The ultimate protection for your outdoor TV, The Terrace Dust Cover offers an extra layer of protection from water, dust, scratches, UV rays and even flames with CPAI-84 flame resistance.

Did you add The Terrace Soundbar? Great, because you can protect that too with a simple Velcro adjustment at the bottom of the dust cover that keeps it safe from the elements.

The Terrace Dust Cover comes with two convenient side pockets to store your OneRemote and the dust cover’s storage pouch.

Make sure you take advantage of The Terrace Soundbar and Dust Cover when you accessorize The Terrace TV for your customers.