Effective Salesmanship

Below is a ten part series of reminders. We want to remind our dealers of the essential elements of effectively selling Fleetwood, or for that matter, any luxury product. Some of our dealers find themselves frustrated for lack of Fleetwood sales because they promote Fleetwood in the same manner they promote other window and door products. Moderate success can be had that way, but explosive Fleetwood sales with excelling growth and real momentum demands thinking outside the box. More than just thinking outside the box, it demands a paradigm shift that manifests itself in "outside the box behavior.

Effective Salesmanship - Part I/X: The most successful Fleetwood dealers do not push standard products. The market is filled with customers who think they want "vanilla" products and it is therefore easy to close these sales as long as you're the cheap guy.  However, if your intention with every customer is to promote high end products you will end up closing many of those sales and keep customers from going to a long list of your competitors who promote vanilla.  You will have raised the "expectation bar" of your customer, making your "vanilla" competitors look even worse. We recommend directing those customers to Fleetwood's entry level products such as the Westwood 250 and Fleetwood 1000-1.  It only takes a few moments to ask your customer..."I know you came in to look at Brand Vanilla but can I have three minutes to tell you about the window industry's best kept secret, a company named Fleetwood?"  From there you will have modest success at directing them even further up into products like the Norwood 3070-EX and the Aspen 530.

Effective Salesmanship - Part II/X: Because the market is replete with people who think they want "vanilla" windows and doors, the market is also saturated with vanilla stores!  Every competitor you have reduces your chances of closing the sale. Think about that fact. In contrast, the most successful Fleetwood dealers DO NOT PROMOTE THE SAME PRODUCTS OFFERED AT HOME IMPROVEMENT CENTERS. The little guy, which is you by the way, will NEVER be able to compete with these volume stores. Self-preservation demands that you invest your time and money into promoting companies that are loyal to the specialty stores.  Guess who that is!  Fleetwood is one of the minute few window & door manufactures that refuse to sell to home improvement centers.  So, whose products do you promote?

Effective Salesmanship - Part III/X: Don't be cheap when it comes to your showroom.  You will not be successful in upgrading your clients to high end products if you are too cheap to display them in full size fashion. Also, dress the place up with attractive flooring and wall coverings. Paintings, bookcases and other "home" furnishings allow your customers to envision Fleetwood in their home.  They can see miniature samples anywhere!  We will work with any dealer who is willing to invest in their showroom.  Allow us the opportunity to help.  We are partners in a real sense and we have good ideas that can help.

Effective Salesmanship - Part IV/X: Perhaps the most important characteristic of successful Fleetwood dealers is that you must be willing to walk away from the sale! Too many dealers succumb to the frugal nature of their clients and roll over when that customer wants to put cheap products where they do not belong, or to mix cheap products with Fleetwood.  Customers respond to what we call the "quality integrity" of the dealer.  If the dealer will stand firm, e.g. "No, your home deserves much better than Brand Vanilla and I would rather lose the sale than compromise my reputation.."most consumers will respect that position and respond accordingly.  Many consumers think they understand quality, especially after they have done research. But, when a professional takes a stand and is willing to walk away from the sale, all will listen intently and most will follow your lead.  Keep in mind, there are many others who will sell them the cheap stuff.  Be one who stands out!

Effective Salesmanship - Part V/X: Successful Fleetwood dealers do not "dabble" in the product line. Instead, they have immersed themselves and their staff into the minutia of the product line. The latter have recognized that closing sales demands thorough understanding of the nuances.  These "little things" add up to distinguish Fleetwood from every other window and door manufacturer. A common thread among frustrated dealers is their lack of knowledge. They find themselves embarrassed when their competitor has educated the consumer in a way that has revealed their own inadequacies.  We invited ALL dealers to visit the factory at least once every year.  It is a day well worth the time and energy!  The successful dealers understand it and continue to do it.

Effective Salesmanship - Part VI/X: This is a huge one! Without question the most successful Fleetwood dealers are "creating market share" at the grass roots level of construction. They are NOT waiting for the phone to ring. They are NOT just hoping to get a shot at an existing Fleetwood specified job. What they are doing is hitting the architects that specialize in luxury homes and establishing a relationship wherein they have an inside track when the project hits the street. We have an exciting program that your Region Manager will explain in detail.  If you are interested in "creating market share" and moving up the Fleetwood family of dealers give him a call today.

Effective Salesmanship - Part VII/X: In Part V of this series we addressed the importance of product knowledge.  Along with that knowledge is the necessity for those selling to know how to close the deal.  We believe that for the most part our dealers have exceptional sales people but even the best need additional incentives.  We have found that good deal closers are those who are the most motivated.  Our product line is attractive because of its unique qualities for sure!  But, the most attractive aspect of selling Fleetwood is the potential to earn large profits.  Having stated that reality we want to remind you to give your sales people healthy incentives for closing Fleetwood deals. "Spreading the wealth" will only increase your sales, which ultimately can offer you better pricing which ultimately increases your bottom line!

Effective Salesmanship - Part VIII/X: Who has time to spare during a typical workday?  We sure don't and we expect you don't either.  So, let us remind you to spend your precious time where you have the greatest return on that investment.  Someone has said that time is the most expensive investment one can make in his/her business so we all need to evaluate our focus from time to time.  The most successful Fleetwood dealers do not waste time on customers who are not quality minded.  If they are "tire kickers" it is best to move them along to your competitor as quickly as possible because they will eventually go there anyway.  Unless you know you will be the cheapest guy, your time is otherwise wasted.

Effective Salesmanship - Part IX/X: We all appreciate the creativity of architects and designers.  These professionals are always "pushing the envelope" in their designs and Fleetwood is eager to accommodate those requests.  Part of this dynamic process is the increased need for installation savvy.  Our most successful dealers offer their customer a complete package of product and installation.  It is an effective way of limiting the competition and assuring your customer of a turn key project.  As well, Fleetwood dealers that staff a service crew can make the project flow smoothly by taking care of those minor issues that all too often become a major sticking point.

Effective Salesmanship - Part X/X: We understand there are more than just ten reasons why the most successful Fleetwood dealers are effective. The ten we have offered for your review are the most conspicuous. We hope you will examine these observations and perhaps find some of them useful in your business. The tenth observation we want to disclose is connected to number nine on our list. We have observed that the most successful Fleetwood dealers make regular visits to the project during installation and after installation. Additional presence to the site has assured the builder/owner that the Fleetwood products are top notch from beginning to end. Other benefits arise too, like getting additional opportunities to bid other jobs; meeting other key subcontractors who refer that dealer on other projects, etc.