St. Cecilia and Opalescence Granite Now Available In Our Group A Colors!
Good News!
St. Cecilia and Opalescence granite (2 of our most popular selling colors) are back in our Group A pricing structure.
St. Cecilia
Opalescence
Check out our Promotions page to view all 12 of our Group A colors, or stop by our showroom to view our slabs. We are happy to help with all of your countertop needs.
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Granite, Marketing on June 16th, 2010 by Barb | | 0 Comments
Practice The Art of Networking…
When it comes to sales, networking with others has always been important. Before the technological age, word of mouth, was “the way” others heard about you, your business and product. While these days, there are endless ways potential customers may hear about you, networking with others still plays an intricate role. In fact, with more competition, networking may be more important than ever.
I recently read, “ABN: Always Be Networking,” an article found in the March/April 2010 issue of Selling Power magazine, that I found interesting. According to the article, “informal networking can happen almost any time, anywhere, and savvy business professionals should put themselves in position to meet influential individuals whenever possible.”
Following are 10 Ways to maximize networking efforts I wanted to share from the article:
- Practice the art of the speedy turnaround. After meeting someone, it is a good practice to follow up with them (24 hours is ideal) with an e-mail, or hand written note, expressing how you enjoyed you conversation, etc.
- Open the lines of communication. Keep new contacts informed about your activities, promotions, sales, etc.
- Prop yourself up. Establish yourself as a person of integrity, and a professional. Share your accomplishments, and those of your company.
- Become a networking catalyst. Create opportunities for contacts to get together, whether on-line or otherwise.
- Be yourself. People are more likely to be drawn to you for who you are than someone you might pretend to be. Let your personality shine through.
- Stay attuned. Let people talk about themselves. Get to know them.
- Getting to know you Focus on the person, not just a potential customer. Relationships are huge when it comes to sales.
- You have 2 ears and 1 mouth. Listen twice as much as you speak. Ask questions to learn more about a person.
- What’s a next step? Exchange business cards, and possibily set up a lunch meeting, etc.
- Stay upbeat. Always smile and let your positivity show. Positive breeds positive!
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Industry News, Marketing on May 25th, 2010 by Barb | | 0 Comments
Add Value To Your Sales Visits…
Today more than ever, it is important to stress value when selling. While anyone can offer a cheap price, it is important to differentiate yourself from the competition, and having a good sales staff can play a huge role in the whole process. In fact, “a salesperson’s skill can add as much as 50 percent to the perceived value of any product or service,” that according to “How To Add Value To Every Sales Call,” an article found in the March/April 2010 issue of Selling Power magazine.
That’s huge! That’s why many companies are stringent about hiring qualified individuals, and are willing to pay more for those that can perform. Many companies also carefully groom their sales staff and offer extensive training for them.
“Everything you do is either increasing your perceived value, or detracting from it.” Following are 10 Ways To Increase Your “Perceived Value” rating from the article I wanted to share:
- Be well dressed. It is important to dress neat, and clean. Remember, perception is everything.
- Invest in expensive or good quality accessories. Again, perception! (e.g. a nice pen, briefcase, watch, etc.)
- Have a neat, wll-groomed appearance. Customers will appreciate your attention to detail.
- Practice impeccable manners, politeness, and courtesy. Alwasys try to put your best self forward.
- Never knock the competition. You decrease your own value by doing so.
- Be on time and deliver everything you promise. You are building your reputation.
- Never argue with customers. They may not always be right, but they are always the customer.
- Look for opportunities to so something extra. Small gestures can go a long way and can be very meaningful.
- Plan and prepare each appointment in advance. Organization is key and always promotes a professional image.
- Write thank you notes to each new customer, or prospect. It doesn’t cost anything to say thank you and people appreciate it.
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Business, Marketing, Uncategorized on March 30th, 2010 by Barb | | 2 Comments
Persuasive, Persistant Selling Pays Off…
Today more than ever, it is important to have a good sales force. While closing sales is key in business, having a pushy sales person can sometimes backfire. Often times, a more persistent, persuasive approach is more beneficial in the long run. I recently read, “Don’t Pressure, Persuade,” an article found in the Januray/February 2010 issue of Selling Power magazine that had some interesting information I thought would be useful for those people out there in sales.
- Make sure you listen 80 percent of the time and talk 20 percent. Try and use open ended questions that will keep prospects talking to you.
- While it is important to open new accounts, keep in mind that the close should be the beginning of a long-term selling relationship, not just a one time commission sale.
- Be persistent, and let your prospect know that their business is important, and that you’re ready to serve them now, or later.
- It is important to present product features selectively, based on each individual customers needs.
- Don’t just talk discounts. Real sales professionals talk about value and emphasize how the quality and durability of their product will benefit the customer.
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Marketing, Uncategorized on February 12th, 2010 by Barb | | 0 Comments
Learning Links: 01/28/10 Best Books To Read in 2010
Today as I was paging through my January/February 2010 issue of Selling Power magazine, I came across a section titled, The Best Books to Read in 2010, that I thought might be of interest to some of you out there. Although I haven’t read any of them personally yet, it looked like a good list to share and might be of value for business owners, sales people, etc.
Following is the list:
- ProActive Sales Management
- The Optimal Salesperson
- Coaching Sales People Into Champions
- The Market Has Changed Have You?
- The Funnel Principle
- Playing Bigger Than You Are
- B2B Street Fighting
- Becoming The Vendor Of Choice
- Listen To The Dinosaur
- http://www.sellingtozebras.com/
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Learning Links, Marketing on January 28th, 2010 by Barb | | 0 Comments
