In the world of surfaces, and in my experience working with homeowners, I often encounter the same questions over, and over, and over, and over..... In this day and age with so much data at our fingertips, and with consumers getting smarter and more educated prior to shopping for their kitchens, why do we hear repeat questions on the regular? Could it be that humans have over saturated the information highway?
How do I choose a countertop fabricator?
Should I seal my countertops?
What should my countertop seam look like?
What material should I choose for my kitchen?
Natural Stone or Engineered?
These common questions can be answered many different ways because in our industry everyone has an opinion. I like working with groups like Stone Fabricators Alliance, ISFA, and Natural Stone Institute because at least when we hold a conversation most of us can be on the same page. TCNA is another good one if we start talking about floor & wall installations. My preference is to follow the Dimensional Stone Design Manual issued by the Natural Stone Institute when i get questions on countertop & stone design, and TCNA Handbook for Ceramic, Glass, and Stone Tile Installation for wall or floor installations. Following groups like SFA Facebook feed is also helpful to see how day to day install situations are executed.
One successful method for a business to qualify customers prior to a sales appointment is utilizing MARKETING. People are often so confused by Marketing. "Where should i post" "What should i post?" "How should i post?" Our partner company ACCM, can help you, if you'd like more information, visit www.alphacolores.com. But for today's topic, let's focus on Rep Methods & ACCM's FREE Marketing tip!
Utilize YouTube by making small instructional pre-selling videos for your YouTube channel. A client - Georgia Kukoski - hired ACCM to turn her cell phone footage from job sites and customer inquiries into real, tangible short selling videos showcasing real life project / installations. Each video features a particular design element that can be difficult for the average homeowner to make a decision. The designer chose to highlight selling features which are up-selling her brand and letting the homeowner bring the up-sell directly to the appointment. By making pre-qualifying selection videos and having the customer browse prior to the first appointment, she allowed the homeowner to take the difficulty of up-selling and decision making out of the equation. This also allows us to up-sell and direct the customer in the direct we want them to go because now they are informed as to all the options we offer and we've qualified our business strategy, technique & specialty.
Check out this FREE "How to select a countertop fabricator" video telling customers about the various size and value of fabrication businesses. Small, Medium or Large Fabrication shops are ALL important. There is a job for every size fabricator. There is a customer for every shop. Not all shops are equal and not all shops want to service the same consumer! All shapes, sizes & technology levels in stone fabrication have value. It's up to the homeowner to make a well researched, educated decision based on interviewing multiple shops in order to find the right installer. In the end, all consumers need to go with their gut and based on the relationship they develop with their project manager or salesperson. In our line of work, making this selection process easy for your customer and providing expectations (and limitations) up front make for happier customer experiences. Enjoy and leave us some feedback! We love to hear from YOU! If you need help training your sales team how to create better customer experiences & win more sales, Rep Methods is here for you!
Comments