I hinted at it on the Home page. I’ll come right out with it here: I have this deep, incurable passion for Design. In all its facets. I swoon over fabrics. Textures. Colors. Aromas. (Rich, genuine leather? Nothing better!)
Mostly, I love the creativity the Industry demands, and the brilliant people it attracts. If I didn’t, there is no way I could have been involved in it for so long, absorbing, learning, getting to know the business from the inside out.
While working as an Interior Designer in the Marketing end at interior design companies and in retail, I discovered another passion: Sales and Management. The whole crazy, beautiful process of it all. I was able to see firsthand what practices increased business – and what held it back. Like some people collect Limoges plates or little piggy figurines, I was stockpiling a wealth of knowledge. Information. Experiences. I started formulating unique methods, techniques and strategies that I knew, in my heart of hearts, so many flailing companies desperately needed to survive. I was bursting to share it all on a broader scale! So, after two decades, I took the giant leap and founded Dialogue Consulting.
What was my big, overarching idea? The revolutionary concept that has set me apart from others of my ilk? Simply this: Sales teams must shift away from a product-centric approach and turn to one that is client-focused. This is the cornerstone upon which long-term client relationships are built, and positions every sales representative as a trusted advisor. It is the guidepost that informs everything I teach. Obvious, huh? Apparently not. Can’t tell you how many “Aha!” moments I’ve witnessed in my own clients when for instance, during an exercise, they realized that the goal of it was (gasp!) to be “client-focused.”
SIDEBAR:
Sound advice bites: My five quick closing tips:
1. Focus on the customer, not on the deal. Putting the customer needs first increases the likelihood the customer will buy.
2. Research a customer before each conversation. It’s difficult to put the customer’s interests first and expose the relevance your product may have to that customer if you don’t know much about that client.
3. Accept that “no” is okay. It actually gets you closer to the sale. If at first you don’t succeed, get up and try again.
4. Always have a clear and scheduled next step. Nothing screws up a sale more than not having a clear and scheduled next step.
5. Get feedback constantly. Try to get constant feedback from your prospects throughout your presentation. This helps keep everything conversational.
I share the strategies I’ve cultivated by offering the kinds of services that give me the biggest charge of all: Training. Coaching. Workshops. Speaking. I’ve gone and will continue to go wherever I’m called. NeoCon in Chicago. IIDEX in Canada. Design centers across the U.S. Wherever I’m needed, I’m there. Ready to inspire, motivate. And oh yeah, make ya laugh!
One more thing you should know about me: I live for challenges. Bring ‘em on! We’ll tackle them together from unexpected angles to come up with solutions customized to your company. Having worked with legions of clients, seeing them turn what they’ve learned into action and then witnessing their businesses revive and thrive…is nirvana. Your success is my success.
So, what’s your problem? I’m all ears. And ideas. Call or email me and let’s get a Dialogue going.
But enough about me.
Here’s what some of my favorite clients say about me:
Having an expert in the interior design field coach and train my team on improving our sales approach has been substantially more effective than any “outside” trainers used in the past. The techniques and skills learned from Dialogue Consulting have had a decidedly positive impact on my sales results”.
Matt Hare, E.M. Hare & Assoc., Inc. aka Kravet Showrooms
“We’re still talking about your presentation as it was one of the great highlights of the Brentano sales conference. Each and every one of us were able to take something away from your inspiring oration and I already find myself using some of the tools that you spoke of”.
Melissa Villa/ Pollack Associates
Deborah’s input was remarkable for my business. I learned to let go of my old ideas and approach my clients with an “expert” attitude. Becoming a perceived expert around the products I sell puts me steps ahead of my competing vendors and instills a subtle confidence in the minds of my clients. She also taught me how to arrange my appointments in such a way that I wasn’t “spinning my wheels” ~ Time really is money. Knowing which clients are truly an A or B account is subject to the amount of orders they produce each year – not because a certain client may be reputable and therefore would “seem” to be a time-worthy appointment. Deborah’s seminar was indeed thought provoking and instrumental in the way I conduct business. She really does have this down to a science”
Tamara Honza/Honza Group-Independent Representative