What Kind of Reps do you Staff?
Most vendors’ have reps, but many do not have a clear definition of what their rep’s job function is. Is the candidate a sales rep or an account manager? Or, are they expected to be a hybrid of these very different things depending on the day? After all, account...
Which Metrics Drive Correct Behavior in Your Dealership?
We’ve said it a million times: If you don’t measure it, you can’t manage it. Having great dashboards for your kitchen and bath business allows you to keep the pulse on your operation. With that tidbit comes the warning that the wrong metrics can drive bad behavior....
The Only Thing We Have To Fear Is Change Itself
With apologies to FDR, we paraphrased his wartime comments and hijacked it for the cabinet industry. After all, change is not exactly something that’s embraced in our industry. For a business whose last big innovation was the roll-out tray, things pretty much hold the...
How to Hire Your Next Customer
It may seem counter-intuitive to consider your next customer as a new hire. But, after all, this is the cabinet business. Your highly configurable product needs proper representation at the consumer level; and it’s not always easy to get. I need another line Some new...
How Amazon Could Rule This Industry – Part 2
Morningstar recently published a paper on how there are certain industries that the giant can’t touch.
How Amazon Could Rule This Industry
We’re one innovation removed from the commoditization of the kitchen and bath space.
Why Sales Hates Marketing Leads
Let’s face it, sales lives in the moment. “What’s In It For Me” is pretty much the anthem of any aggressive sales person. Marketing leads are from never land; you know, that make believe place that doesn’t worry about killing to eat. For a lead to be real to a...
Avoid these Three Salesperson Time Sucks
Selling remodeling jobs and kitchen and bath projects is not easy work. It demands all of a salespersons time since there are too many ways to make a mistake. Yet, many remodeling companies ask their salespeople or designers to wear multiple hats, dividing their time...
Bad Kitchen Design and the Curse of X-Ray Vision
House hunting can subtly shift from bold, new adventure to the inevitable pain-in-the-ass move that you’re about to encounter. Since I’ve finally sold our Michigan home after nearly two years in order to move to Charlotte, I’m over the new adventure part. So, as...
Does your Marketing Target the Generation Gap – Part 2
Back in April, I attended Tammy Erickson’s KBIS presentation, “The Influence of the Generations on the Kitchen & Bath Market.” In part one of this post, we discussed how she broke down five generational groups and the influencers of each time period. Since...
How to Scale Your Remodeling Business Sensibly
We’ve talked a bit about Frugal Fatigue, or that pent up demand that consumers will be looking to release once the sun and the moon align. Recent solar events indicate that the time is near for that demand to be released. When it hits, will you be ready on every...
The End of Frugal Fatigue
The Dow hits 15,000 for the first time ever. Jobless reports point to continued economic growth and indicate 165,000 jobs added last month alone. Even the dollar has strengthened recently. What does all of this mean? We’re sick and tired of being sick and tired Our...
Does your Marketing Target the Generation Gap – Part 1
I had the pleasure of attending Tammy Erickson’s presentation on “The Influence of the Generations on the Kitchen & Bath Market” last weekend at KBIS. Ms. Erickson sure knows her stuff. She broke down five generational groups and tied them back to a marketing...
KBIS in a Nutshell
As this year’s show kicked off, optimism seemed to be the keyword. From Gary Vaynerchuk’s opening address on “The Thank You Economy” to the New Orleans marching band and ribbon cutting ceremony, attendees were upbeat. Walking through the exhibits, I even overheard...
What Cabinet Manufacturers Can Learn From the Music Business
Most consumers would tell you that the music business is about making music. Most business people would argue that it is about making records (you remember records, right?). Their business is not really about music, it’s about the delivery of that music to consumers....
Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery (Yeah, Whatever)
Over the years, we’ve had our taglines “borrowed,” products and services copied, business models imitated and a whole host of disappointing actions that could literally fill a book. Some time ago, we released an eBook titled Showroom of the Future....
How Important is the In-home Measure? – Part 2
In part one of this article, we discussed some important components of the in-home measure (find those here: How Important is the In-home Measure – Part 1), but there’s more – hence, part two! Take a look at these other details regarding the measure phase: Using the...
How Important is the In-home Measure? – Part 1
Many of you know that we consider the ability to get into the consumers home one of the best ways to place yourself in the running for getting the work. After all, the home is an intimate space that many people do not want to open up; getting there first may mean less...
Customer Relationship Management (Part 1)
Some of you have a CRM front end for your operation to track your contacts and, more importantly, your touch points and forecasting. Since it also costs significant dollars to get a consumer to cross your threshold, you would want to track the source of the...
You Didn’t get Our Email?
My wife is one of those people that considers bill paying akin to religion. Me? Let’s just say that I’m more of an “I’ll get around to it when I get around to it” kind of guy. When you have a customer who wants to pay you, it’s a good thing, right? Not so much with...
4M – Climbing Through the Sales Attic
We know when we win a deal, but do we ask why when we don’t? If you miss this step for your business, the potential for improvement of your kitchen sales process will not take hold. “Take this content, make it your own, and follow up…” The questions...
Do You Make Your Customers Price Sensitive?
Much of the complaints that we hear today from dealers and remodelers have to do with consumers being so dang price sensitive. But it takes two to tango here; what part do you contribute to this price sensitivity? It’s All About the Approach If you are using...
Still Using a Tape Measure?
That’s so 2011. For those designers that like to jump on the band wagon early in the world of all things electronic, instead of using dinosaur techniques, download MagicPlan. While we don’t endorse products here on the Dealers Voice, we were impressed with the...
Why Traditional Co-op Doesn’t Work
Manufacturer’s co-op programs are mostly ineffective in the kitchen and bath industry. You place some newspaper ads or circulars, perhaps a radio or TV spot, and mostly end up with a lot of wasted dollars, (or worse yet, a pile of swag) at the end of the year. Some of...