PRIME: Does Consumer Confidence Aid Sales?

Our PRIME advisory panel includes some of the remodeling industry’s top professionals. This month we asked, “Have consumer spending habits changed your sales process?”

Technology-based advancements

The sales process has become more about technology. We are using iPads to execute our sales presentations. We also have the ability to easily show the homeowners what their problem areas are with pictures and videos of their home while we are on the jobsite. Marketing is more Internet-based now as well, so a majority of our consumers are finding out about us from websites and search pages more and more.

Joe Smith, President
LeafGuard Exteriors, Granger, IA

Educated consumers

The biggest change I have seen over the years is that customers are much more educated on the products and have a better idea of what they want. This is due to their use of the Internet to gather information. Although the sales process itself has not changed, the ability of the salesman to gain the confidence of the customer hinges on selling the ability of your company to do the job in a timely and professional manner. Both parties must have a clear understanding of what the details of the job entail. If you leave any doubt in the customer’s mind that what you are offering does not fit their vision for the project, you will not make the sale.

Rob Levin, President
Statewide Remodeling, DFW, TX

Quicker response time

Our sales pace, cycle time, and response time has quickened for everything. We respond promptly to website leads and first appointments. Our return visit cycle time is condensed for design meetings and presentations. We work diligently to keep consumers engaged and interested in their projects before something else distracts them.

Scott Mosby, President
Mosby Building Arts, St. Louis, MO

Offering diverse options

One of the major changes we made to the sales process is by offering more options of windows as opposed to our previous mindset which was, “We know windows best, you need to buy from us, and that’s what we are here to sell you.” We now offer three different options of our windows and work with the client to choose the right window for their needs and their budget. We have carried this sales process throughout our product lines. This has made the consumer feel more in control of the process, but at the same time we’ve improved our overall sales performance.

Nick Cogliani, President
NEWPRO, Woburn, MA

Adjust sales recipe to client’s needs

These changes have required us to be true students of sales. The entire world is now in hyper-speed mode and we have to keep up. I used to say, “Don’t dare change the sales recipe.” We are now making more small adjustments as we learn new methods. We need these adjustments to deal with the new fear homeowners are feeling about all this change.

Jay Cipriani, President
Cipriani Remodeling Solutions, Woodbury, NJ

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Joy Kilgore is president of Executive Business Approach LLC, PRIME and PRIME Alliance Summit. For more information, visit executivebusinessapproach.com.

The Professional Remodeler PRIME Advisory Panel 

PRIME brings together the best-of-the-best minds in the remodeling industry. This premier council of industry leaders sets the trends in today’s economy for tomorrow’s success.

2014 PRIME ADVISORY PANEL MEMBERS: Bill Baldwin, Hartman Baldwin Design/Build; Jay Cipriani, Cipriani Remodeling Solutions; Nick Cogliani, NEWPRO; Chris Edelen, Consultant; Sal Ferro, Alure Home Improvements; Tom Kelly, Neil Kelly; Joy Kilgore, EBA PRIME; Rob Levin, Statewide Remodeling; Emily Lindus, Lindus Construction; Gary Marrokal, Marrokal Design & Remodeling; Scott Mosby, Mosby Building Arts; Bill Simone, Custom Design & Construction; and Joe Smith, LeafGuard of Central Iowa.

This month we asked, “Have consumer spending habits changed your sales process?"