CHANGING THE GAME
More Than a Landscape Business: How Chalet Evolved Into a Lifestyle Brand
By Jill Odom
CHALET, BASED IN WILMETTE, ILLINOIS, HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS for 105
years.Yet they don’t let the company’s age keep their brand trapped in the past.
“Brand is not just a name of the company, rather it’s an experience that continues to be relevant to our customer’s ever-changing needs,” says Lawson Thalmann, e-commerce and technology manager for Chalet. “We strive to present Chalet in one cohesive voice through each customer touch point – website, store merchandise, to virtual customer experience. From a positioning standpoint, we are all about being the source for making your home beautiful inside and outside through our obsession with nature.”
UNDERSTAND YOUR CUSTOMER BASE Historically, the company has wanted
to be seen as aspirational, trustworthy and classic yet fresh. “We want to be a lifestyle brand, not a traditional ‘garden center’ or ‘landscape’ business,” Thalmann says. “We’re the one-stop shop for every- thing you need to make your home beautiful through nature.” He says Chalet wants to be a life- style brand because they understand their customer.
“Our customer is a middle-aged woman with kids that has a robust social life and plenty of style,” he says. “Our product expansions are natural adjacencies to that customer’s lifestyle. For example, we’ve always sold ‘home
and holiday décor’ for our customers who entertain during the spring, sum- mer or holidays. We have tableware and accents for the home, like candles, lotions, welcome mats, couch pillows and blankets. After some success, we knew our customers looked to us for creating comfort at home, so we of- fered comfy sweaters and socks along with ‘garden wear.’” To ensure they better understand
how existing customers and prospects perceive the company, Thalmann says they are taking the time to conduct consumer research as well. One of the ways Chalet engages with the community is through their various events and classes they host throughout the year. “The events like the kids sitting on Santa’s lap and our pet parade are great for our family atmosphere to establish loyalty,” Thalmann says. “Our
30 The Edge //January/February 2023
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