Selling, leading, and succeeding were the buzz words at the inaugural Extreme Sales Summit, held Sept. 25 and 26 in Chicago at the InterContinental Chicago O’Hare. More than 300 top home-improvement executives and sales professionals gathered to network, learn the latest in consumer buying trends, and simply elevate their game.
The summit was hosted by SGC Horizon’s Professional Remodeler, the media brand serving owners and executives of residential remodeling firms, and PRIME, the premier council of leading and high-volume remodeling professionals.
Summit sessions were led by successful entrepreneurs, sales legends, and business-growth strategists. Michael Gerber, author of the best-selling E-Myth books, delivered the keynote speech, “Selling E-Mythology—Selling is a System.” Gerber has been dubbed “The World’s No. 1 Small Business Guru” by Inc. magazine.
“No one in the remodeling business does it like you do,” Gerber told the audience. “To go to work everyday in your company without the dream, vision, purpose, and mission of becoming the one in your remodeling universe is like waking up everyday with the desire to be ordinary.”
Mark Richardson, author of “How Fit is Your Business” and the recently released “Fit to Grow,” explained the differences between an amateur salesperson and a professional salesperson. Richardson encouraged attendees to take his sales fitness check-up to see where they stood.
Brian Elias, principal of 1-800-HANSONS, shared his journey from canvasser and door-to-door salesperson to industry leader and CEO of a $50-million window business. In 2011, 1-800-HANSONS was named replacement contractor of the year and, in 2012, Elias was recognized with the Fred Case Remodeling Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
D.S. Berenson, one of the country’s preeminent experts in the field of home-improvement law and financing, showed how class actions, Attorney General investigations, BBB citations, and state license violations are on the rise due to the industry’s ongoing use of improper in-home sales practices. Berenson used numerous examples to help attendees understand what they can and cannot say in their sales presentations.
Mark LaLiberte, co-creator and partner of Construction Instruction Inc., encouraged remodelers to become a house doctor in their sales process and increase their sales while establishing themselves as an expert. LaLiberte advised learning how to sell building science in order to enhance the company’s bottom line while doing the right thing for the customer and the environment.
Slated to be held again in 2014, “The Extreme Sales Summit fills a void in the residential remodeling and home-improvement industry,” said Tony Mancini, group director and principal of SGC Horizon. “Along with PRIME, we decided to provide an annual venue that offers remodelers the opportunity to network, recharge, boost sales, and increase closing ratios.”
Related Stories
Peppermill Finish
The Neal’s Way Means Putting People First
For Neal’s Design Remodel, company culture is more than values on a wall. It’s everything.
Selling Your Company to Your Team
From company valuation to terms of the transfer, here’s a look at how three different remodelers made the deal work
Pro Remodeler’s 2024 Pinnacle Experience Reaches New Heights
The sold-out event covered leadership, lead gen, sales, and technology
Brian Gottlieb Receives Remodeling Mastery Award
Presented by industry icon, Mark Richardson, the award celebrated Gottlieb’s extraordinary impact on remodeling
What's Beyond the Hammer?
Working with Brian Gottlieb on the book Beyond the Hammer provided a masterclass on how to build an aligned team
How to Eliminate Boring, Languishing Meetings
Leff Design Build ensures maximum productivity and efficiency through these straightforward methods
5 Counterintuitive Strategies to Improve Your Business
Follow these strategies to inspire employees, instill trust, and beat the competition
Couple Act As Much More Than General Contractors
How LBR Partners uplifts and educates their Spanish-speaking trade partners
Artificial Intelligence Meets Design
An architect looks at the pitfalls of using technology to take over human design tasks