Information Overload

I was doing some crusin' on the internet this morning, and it just hit me how many people want me to DO something.  They want me to work at something I probably do not want because it gives me more to do...WHO HAS TIME? Sign up for this, take this survey... tell us how we're doing... get this free fill-in-the-blank... just sign up.  You cannot get on a website or make a call without them giving [...]

The NEW RULES of Selling in Today’s Marketplace

I have written about how the marketplace has changed, and we need to change our approach to selling to Interior Designers.  I've written a lot about why we have to change and what we have to change. In my last blog, I laid out the 7 CORE PRINCIPLES OF OPTIMIZED SALES, and yet many showrooms remain too afraid to change what they are doing.  They are afraid if they do anything to interrupt what their salespeople [...]

Salespeople and Companies Who Sell to Interior Designers, is it Too Late?

Warning..this blog is frank! Our industry has faced many outside challenges that have affected our sales.  We have faced natural disasters in the past 3 decades, two major recessions, and now the most significant test, COVID. Iconic companies have closed their doors like Donghia, Robert Allen/Duralee, Desin Fournier, Quatrain, Classic Cloth, just to name a few.  And by the time this pandemic is over, I believe others are currently on the ropes and will not survive. [...]

Change your Approach to Selling

When selling to interior designers, focus less on the product and more on value Salespeople ask me all the time: "How do I close more sales?" "How do I get more appointments?" "I work so hard, so why am I getting less-than-stellar results?" My answer to these questions is to focus less on the product itself, and more on the value you can offer. With the ever-increasing competition in the world of interior design, the way [...]

I am Calling all Salespeople Who Sell Products to Interior Designers!

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO INCREASE SALES (clue-not more product!) I am so excited to hear that more and more people are talking about providing solutions vs. just talking to our clients.  I signed up for an online sales summit comprised of top business leaders in industries like IT, insurance, financial, marketing, and sales. So many were speaking about selling solutions, not product or services. One of the speakers used the term “product dump” when speaking [...]