• by Sarah Mahoney , December 8, 2016

Lowe’s is determined to help people love where they live and is committed to evolving along with its customers’ increasing DIY expectations. In a presentation outlining new strategic priorities for analysts and investors, the Mooresville, N.C.-based retailer detailed its plans to establish market leadership, both for the amateur home-improver and construction pros.

Plans include “empowering customers across the more relevant moments of their project journey, and advance customer experience though our omnichannel assets,” says Robert A. Niblock, Lowe's chairman, president and CEO, in remarks prepared for the presentation.

Using data to study the way customers typically tackle home-improvement projects and figure out what usually goes wrong, it has increased targeted digital ad spending, and stepped up content that it hopes eliminates pain points, positioning it as the project authority from initial inspiration, shopping and planning convenience, and of course, expertise.

That includes a bigger presence on social media platforms, especially Pinterest, Facebook and YouTube. It has developed a video series called The Weekender, where DIY bloggers offer five projects to transform someone’s space completely by Monday. In the comical offerings from DIY Guy, it helps explain tool basics to Gen Y. Seasonal social pushes include its sweet Ginger Deer, a long video about a misfit cookie who finally finds his people, and simply useful, like how to make a Christmas wreath bow.

Execs reiterated the forecast for increasing sales between 9 and 10% for the full fiscal year, with comparable-store sales gains of between 3 and 4%.

The presentation comes just weeks after the company reported disappointing results for the third quarter. "While we expected moderation in the second half of the year, traffic slowed more than we anticipated in August and September before improving in October,” Niblock said in announcing those results. "While we have made progress in driving productivity in recent years, we are in the process of evaluating meaningful incremental opportunities to drive shareholder value while continuing to meet customers' needs in an omnichannel environment."