Recent research shows that the company story is one of the most misunderstood steps in the selling process. Most companies presume that it should be structured around the history of their business; however, the company story must be about the prospect. Steps in a Modern Company Story Determine the prospect’s value system; Identify the potential […]

A homeowner’s right to cancel or rescind a new contract should not be defined as a quick prescription for buyer’s remorse. Despite this, many salespeople interpret it this way. A homeowner has the legal right to cancel a contract within 72 hours or three business days. It’s an inevitable—and manageable—part of doing business if you’re […]

The foundation of a healthy sales culture is a company-wide commitment to increasing revenue and delivering an exceptional customer experience. Most industry companies are not earning the revenue or net profit that they are entitled to. Start by evaluating your processes across four core areas: Ensure Salespeople Have Essential and Modern Tools  Providing your reps […]

“Business is booming.” “Revenue is at an all-time high.” “We have never had more success in finding and creating interested prospects.” This is a sampling of the feedback we have heard over the first 5+ months of 2021. Yes, it is a great time to be in the home improvement and remodeling industries. Yes, forecasts […]

Closing the sale isn’t something that happens at the end of a presentation or after you’ve quoted the price. It is an ongoing process that is introduced upon your first contact with a prospect. Imagine if you knew what the prospect was really thinking, what their future plans for their home were, or the extent […]

I want to begin by stating that this blog post is not an assault on companies who utilize price breaks or discounts as an incentive to close a deal. There is no question that homeowners respond to advertised discounts or incentives to “buy now.” However, the issue that is negatively affecting many companies is what […]

When the issues of customer feelings or values are raised, many salespeople get uncomfortable (you may be included), assuming that we’re moving into areas often deemed “touchy-feely” or an invasion of privacy. Yet those same people want to build trust and create rapport in their customer relationships. So, remember—rapport is a state of mind, which […]

Sell is a four-letter word (like care). If that word or the actions of some salespeople seem reprehensible to you—be cautious. In your effort to produce best practices, you may overlook the selling concepts that build rapport rapidly and eliminate many price objections which make it easier for the prospect to say “Yes.” To achieve […]

What is step selling and its purpose? “Step Selling,” which we introduced to the home improvement industry in 1962 (originally titled “Six Sales to a Sale”) has a simple (and provable) purpose and one that is unchangeable: “the mind can only deal with one idea at a time.” It is reinforced by the premise “people […]

“Customer Satisfaction Selling” identifies ways to build rapport and turn the sales call into a cooperative exchange of information. This can be accomplished with modern sales techniques, which require thought and guidance in preparation, training and coaching to make them operative. Here is a common example of inept practices: A “couple” goes shopping at the […]