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5 Tips For More Business!
February 22, 2008

The latest Western Reporter, that advertises itself as the Journal of the Western Home Furnishings Association, has some interesting ideas for increasing your business.

 

These are not just one-shot solutions for a temporary bump in sales, but new habits that will pay off keep you in business year after year.

There’s this one from Kim Barriga, president of Design House Furniture:  Do ”Drive-bys”.  Drive around affluent neighborhoods that have the type of homes that typically use design services.  ”(We) write down all the addresses of the homes and then we will send our postcards to them.  By doing this, we are targeting the people that are most likely to shop in our store…”  You know what’s even better.  After you have scouted out an area, go to the library, and find the book from “Contacts Influential” that not only lists the address, but the name of the resident.  Then you can personalize the cards.  Each time you go, you can Xerox a few pages that will keep you mailing cards for weeks at a time.  If the library doesn’t have the book, check with your stockbroker.  He may have the book in the office.

Brad Huisken writes in the same magazine an article entitled Master Your Destiny as a Salesperson and as a Sales Manager.  He lists 15 ways to increase sales.  I liked these:  

1.    Make telephone calls to your existing customers with a customer benefited reason for the call.  For example: new merchandise arrivals, special events, anniversaries, birthdays, etc.
2.    Ask every customer for a referral.  Who else do you know that may be remodeling soon?  Who else do you know that is moving into a new home?  Would you mind giving them one of my business cards?
3.    Ask every customer at least two add-on questions.  For example: What other special events do you have coming up?  When are you planning on remodeling the guest room? How often do you entertain?  What furniture do you dream of having next?

Melissa Dressler editor of Western Reporter, encourages you to “Sell Fashion, Not Price.” 

We always say that our industry is a fashion industry, but I rarely see stores selling fashion.  Instead, we focus on price.  We advertise special prices for holidays, no payments until 2013, etc.  While price is important, when it comes to fashion, image is what sells—especially during this tough market.  You are competing with many other commodities for the consumer’s dollar, so you need to focus on selling the image of furniture.

Dressler points out that the average American household spends $2,027 on women’s and men’s fashion apparel each year.  She suggests we stress the importance of incorporating fashion in our homes.

Thoughts???  Share them with us by emailing me at landfair3554@comcast.net

Posted by Mike Landfair on February 22, 2008 | Comments (0)