I sat in on one of two recently held ProSource webinars to learn more about the exclusive integrator-focused education track that is designed to give members a major boost into the lighting category.
ProSource Lighting Advisor David Warfel was joined by Mark Langston, his partner in the business, “Light Can Help You”, and ProSource’s Andy Orozco and Sherry Dantonio in a seamless presentation on the Lighting Technology Certification program.
David Warfel
Said Dave Warfel, “The profit potential is staggering. Designers report fixture sales averaging above $65,000 for a typical custom home, and it takes just 15 of these projects to add a million dollar revenue stream to your business. With many projects hitting the $130,000 mark, that brings the total to just over seven homes per year to hit $1m. And if 20 percent of ProSource members see success in this category, we will have created a new $100M category.”
The Lighting Technology Certification program, or LTC, was greenlighted by the ProSource Board of Directors just months ago. The first level of certification is now live on ProSourceU.
The comprehensive and focused training experience is designed to help integrators learn the essentials of light and methods for sharing light with customers. The LTC combines basic knowledge with integrator-specific content on how to deal with existing competition and how to navigate the often complex world of lighting. There are three levels of certification planned so that integrators can grow their knowledge in the years to come:
Level 1 Certification, available online now (and currently free for ProSource members through September), consists of eight foundational training modules and six vendor-specific training modules. The foundation modules average about an hour in length each and have video, slides, and quizzes that are instantly scored for direct feedback. The foundational modules are:
M1: Lighteracy 101: Client Foundations (how to talk about light with clients without killing them with technical terms)
M2: Lighteracy 201: Integrator Foundations (the killer technical terms, explained and explored)
M3: Happier & Healthier: Light & Wellness (From snake-oil claims to the deep science of light and health)
M4: Designer’s Brushes: Lighting Fixtures (downlights…and linear, utility, landscape, track and more)
M5: Designer’s Canvas: Lighting Plans (how to evaluate lighting plans and avoid common mistakes)
M6: In the Zone: Controls (lighting controls and zoning from a designer’s point of view)
M7: The Industrial Complex (the players in the lighting industry including competitors and partners)
M8: Purchasing & Stocking (the ins and outs of making the sale)
The LTC Level 1 Certification goes beyond these foundational training modules to include vendor-specific content from six partner manufacturers. The goal is not just education, but education that empowers the integrator to rapidly enter the category and make smart sales.
Uniquely curated and in all in one place, the vendor modules complete the training and bring success closer for the integrator. Colorbeam, DMF, ProLuxe by American Lighting, Savant/USAI, Vantage, and WAC Lighting, each a Platinum sponsor of the LTC, have online modules ready for learning within the LTC framework.
Level 2 Certification will be live training in a custom-built experience center to go beyond the online learning. Conceived as an immersive Experience Lab, integrators will learn sales scripts and see first-hand the difference between good and bad lighting. The purpose-built showroom will feature carefully integrated lighting in residential settings and allow for hands-on exploration of fixtures, common installation issues, and even final aiming and adjusting. Level 2 Certification has been delayed due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and associated safety concerns, and updates will be announced as soon as possible.
Integrators who master both levels of certification and complete an additional year of continuing education from trade show tours, factory visits, and education from organizations such as the American Lighting Association will be eligible for the highest level of certification, Level 3, which clearly identifies them as industry pros.
Said Dave Warfel, “There are two obstacles between integrators and incredible success in the lighting category: knowledge and experience. We saw that it was possible to gain both of these by navigating your way through the educational offerings already out there, but recognized that the costs and time involved would be off-putting to many members. Why spend thousands and take years to get there? The opportunity is now. That’s what the LTC does—it delivers what the integrator needs to know and needs to experience, in a deliberate, clear, focused way.
“This kind of custom training is only possible with the cooperative force of ProSource. The Board of Directors saw the opportunity and dedicated funds to get the initiative off the ground and was joined by generous vendor partners to lift it into the stratosphere. There is nothing out there quite like this.”