Helping business boost productivity while reducing costs through strategic planning and training

Hello to new subscribers!  Welcome.  I welcome feedback and would love to hear what you think of my posts or what is your burning problem that I may be able to address!

I was visiting a designer’s website tonight and I have to say, I walked away from it confused. I also looked at another website for sales training and…same thing.  I was not exactly sure what this designer did and what set her apart. Kevin Nations who is a fantastic marketing expert says “If value is a mystery they will not open their wallets”.  I so agree with this.  But don’t think you are alone.  I had to work on my marketing message many times until I got it down to what I now believe tells people exactly what I do. 

Sadly, with so many businesses going out of business it’s really time for us to get lean and mean!  And I don’t mean laying people off, I mean getting your message crystal clear!

I get quite a few inspirational blog posts in my inbox..but I wanted to share this one about the power of words. http://www.wimp.com/powerwords/

It is amazing how words make such a difference in your success. A clear message conveys to your client, customer and even your staff why people should do business with you.  WIFM (What’s in it for me (the client/customer).

 We are now selling in an economy that’s barely on its feet and the people who have survived that economy are crazy, busy people. On my last blog, I mentioned my new favorite person Jill Konrath who wrote Snap Selling and talks about getting in front of the right people with the right message and quickly or you lose them. You have to get your message of value across to these people in less time than we have ever had to in the past.  If your message is confusing, you leave that business on the table, which you may or may not even realize. 

It’s a new year and it’s really time to take inventory of your efforts in business.  Whether you are a sales person, interior designer, showroom or even those OUTSIDE of my beloved business of interior design.  But for those who love the creative side of design (and who doesn’t) we need to also exercise that left side of our brain, so here are some ideas of how to communicate your value effectively.

(1) Differentiate yourself from your competition.  That means you must KNOW your competition.  Oddly, I have seen companies that know exactly what sets them apart, but they do not articulate it clearly. I have also met people who say they do not need to know their competition….yes you do!  So take stock of what you do and what makes you different.

(2) ALL, yes ALL your messages need to now reflect your USP.  If you blog (and that’s such a great way to grow your market share and it’s still free for the most part), state your USP, any collateral needs to reinforce your USP.  Research shows that you need to get in front of your perspective clients 7 – 13 times before they take action. Therefore everything you put out there has to reflect your value and what differentiates you from your competitors.

(3) DO NOT be a generalist.  You have to really hit your target market with precise measures. And then convey that to your target market. This seems to always be one of the most difficult things product companies, sales people and designers have to do.  Everyone is AFRAID of the business you will miss.  Let me tell you, first hand, if you do not focus and “lean into your strengths”, and then convey that with a stealth message you will leave a ton of business behind.  If someone has to figure something out…they won’t.

So clean up your message..make it incredibly clear and convey that to your target market and you will see how your business will change for the better. 

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Building strong futures through sales training and marketing strategies

This post is from my heart.   It is truly my hope that you will learn a thing or two and be inspired like I was this week.

This has been one tough economy that has gotten to us all and beat some of us down. I never want to use that as an excuse, but I needed inspiration.  I absolutely love what I have been doing for employers for 20 years and now on my own for 10.  But this economy even took me down for a while.  I think my instinct kicked in after losing most of my accounts in November 2008 and I started to do THINK DIFFERENTLY, which now will become my montra. 

So I got a couple of clients by thinking differently and got back into my old routine of helping clients live their dreams by growing their businesses.  Mine?  Oh, for the most part, it got put on hold again.  Oh don’t get me wrong I did some marketing, networking, online stuff, I definately changed my business model,  but it just wasn’t giving me the results I was looking for!

So in one of my mastermind groups someone mentioned a woman by the name of Jill Konrath.  I looked at her site and downloaded some freebies.  Lo and behold, her story was EXACTLY like mine, but she was a consultant for large businesses, Fortune 100 companies. She had to totally rebuild her business too.   This resonated with me so much, I wanted to contact her.  So I emailed her..no response..something told me to try again..did it and she answered. 

So I spoke with Jill for 1 hour 15 minutes.  And it began to turn my thinking on it’s head!  How I have to approach and market to new clients.  How I have to call and email these people SO much more than before in this crazy busy world!

And then that got me thinking of the old Steve Jobs Apple ad about thinking differently.  If you haven’t seen it in a while, take a quick look.  It’s always been so inspiring..enough to sell a ton of computers! 

So I want you all to be inspired to think differently!  This world of design and sales that we’re in is pretty stubborn about keeping things status quo.  I have seen way too many business in the industry close thier doors and I don’t want that to happen to any of you..so I say think differently.

Today..learn something new..read a book or a blog that will help you with new ideas and inspire you.  Try to get out of your own “crazy busy” world long enough to begin to think differently.  When you do you will be surprised at the ideas that will be born.

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Building strong futures through sales training and marketing strategies

First I want to thank and WELCOME my new subscribers!  I hope you find this blog REALLY helpful.  That is my true commitment to you! If you ever want me to cover something you’re not seeing..feel free (and I encourage you) to write me a note in comments!

I have been at a couple networking events and a couple of client meetings this week and it seems that we are all falling down that rabbit hole again.  Our outlook is getting gloomy again and our faith and trust are waning.

Well I am not a Pollyanna by any means, but I do know there IS business out there, there ARE busy people making money in our industry.  I am making a short video which will be posted soon on my website and it shows both people in our industry and outside of our industry that are not only surviving but flourishing.  This isn’t meant to make anyone feel badly, just to say..there is business out there!

I know it’s tough, I know the sales cycle is longer, it’s taking people longer to make a decision, but there is business out there. We just need to find it!  I know you know that, but I am just reminding you.  We need to just turn over more stones uncover our clients real needs and then SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS! This is a value based economy and people want to know they can HAND things off and it will get done!  They don’t have time to think about the process.

AND dig DEEPER not WIDER!  We truly have to define what we offer so our potential clients are CRYSTAL CLEAR about what they are getting!

Lisa Sasavich is one of my favorite online trainers and she says to make your presentation 20% HOW and 80% RESULTS!  That makes so much sense!

So here are a couple of reminders of what you can do right now! (I always love reminders because sometimes I forget those core skills while on our hamster wheels!)

(1) ANALYZE:  See if there is ANY other business from your current client base.  Find that core of loyal people.

• 20% of customers provide 80% of margin
• 85% of margin comes from only 4 products
• More than 50% of the customer base uses only one or two products

SOURCE: accenture, The Point, Vol. 4, Issue 4

(2) ANALYZE Can you “value engineer” your services or products.  This is a tough economy and you DO NOT want to bring down your prices on your top of the line items, but value engineering is a very familiar way of giving your clients something that might be more “budget friendly”.

(3) GET IN FRONT OF PEOPLE!  Nothing sells like getting in front of people.  They may not give you business right at the moment, but believe it or not, this too shall pass.  You will then be on the top of their minds when their business picks up! There are those that disappear until there is business…people see right through that.  Who will they be loyal to?  The ones who were loyal to them through thick and thin!

(4) SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS!  All of the above tactics should be used in ANY economic time good or bad, but now is the time to sharpen those skills.  If you want a FREE white paper on my 10 TOP TIPS TO SELL MORE NOW,  log on here and just fill in the contact form and they will magically appear in your email!

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Business and sales growth solutions for the Interior Design Sector

I have been so lucky to be giving my sales training workshop to sales people looking to increase their value and sales in these troublesome economic times.  I cannot say sales are not more difficult, but I can say they are out there..we just have to dig deeper and be more effective on every single presentation.  And for my interior designer followers…don’t click off..because this applies just as strongly to you! If you cannot sell your ideas…oh my…how do you get business?

So I am going to dedicate my next few blogs  to being  a more effective sales person (or interior designer looking for business).

So often the word presenting or presentation is used instead of selling.  How many people have you heard say I am going to go and SELL.  Instead most say I am giving a presention today to (fill in the blank), right?

TIP 1:

There is a VAST difference between presenting and selling..

The definition of presenting is:   Show or offer (something) for others to scrutinize or consider

The definition of selling is:    To exchange or deliver for money or its equivalent

See the operative word  MONEY!  Something I think we have all heard of..you know, pays the bills!

 So many times we just dive into our products or services with a potential or exsisting client without even considering to whom we are presenting.  Do we know what THEIR needs are? If not..what the HECK are you selling to them.  Something they cannot ever use?

If you think that’s a silly statement, I have to tell you that I have actually heard a sales peron during a presentation say “oh I know you probably will never use this product, but I just wanted to show it to you”.

REALLY?  You want to really tell someone you are going to waste your time AND theirs?

So practice SELLING instead of presenting. 

In my next post I will give you some proven techniques taken straight from my workshop on how to get from presenting your products or ideas to selling!

To get more information on my workshop, and a free white paper on 10 tips to increase sales right now! please click here: Results Driven Sales Workshop

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Building strong futures for the interior design sector

One of my very favorite websites is Givemore.com.  I found this a couple of years ago and just love all the products and the philosophies they espouse.  I am all about sound business strategies, strong skill sets to make our businesses successful and teaching, coaching and motivating people to just do one thing better every day!

What Givemore says is that  at 211 degrees water just simmers.  At 212 degrees, just ONE degree more, water can power a locomotive with steam from the water.  That so reseonates with me.  So I am going to dedicate the next few blogs on how to stop the hamster wheel and decide to take the time to learn one new thing and change in one new way each day. 

The first step to grow a business or grow your sales is to STOP!  Just STOP what you are doing and take one day to analyze your efforts.  Clear a space, no papers except what my freind and FAVORITE networking expert,  Liz Lynch calls a Sandbag List.  That is a blank sheet (I actually type the title sandbag list on the top and print it out) where you can write down any ideas you get during this analyzing period. 

This will help stop you from multi-tasking which, in my opinion. is a complete waste of time! And now research backs that up..so STOP!

Then do the following..(don’t skip this or you will stay on that hamster wheel forever!)

One of the problems with generating more sales vs. time is focusing on those who are revenue generating! Sounds simple, but I have often seen sales people and design professionals  in hamster wheels, and when the economy gets bad, they go faster.  More activity is NOT always BETTER and does not always end in actual sales! To generate sales it takes forming that relationships. In the end, clients will buy from someone they know, trust and like. That takes time and what sales people sometimes do not do is spend enough time and effort with clients that are your base (or what is typically called “A” accounts-those most likely to buy your product or use your services – not just take up your precious time).

 That means it will take a bit of analyzing which, so often, is overlooked.  If you can isolate 5 – 10 clients who have, in the past, been fairly consistent clients and when you visit them have current projects where your services or product can be used (don’t forget that step, either), they are what I call a “fan base”.  That is they use your products or services and like you or the company or both. This becomes the foundation of your business. And these are not one time Joes.  These are consistent clients. These are ones that automatically think of you! 

What I see is that sales people will sometimes mistake of calling on the “who” of the design industry. In other words, the usual suspects that are big names.  But are they truly YOUR clients?  That is, will they buy your product or your services? Are they currently “married” to someone else?  There is a time to try to “break the cycle”, but your job is to generate revenue!  The other takes more time! 

So please take the time to go over your current list of clients and ask if it’s really worth your time.  It may sound harsh, but you are running a business or you are a sales professional.  Wasting time means lost revenue!

So here’s your homework:

• Print out your current client list.
• Look at which of your clients has purchased on a consistent basis.
• Look at the product or service they have purchased.
• Target those clients, at least, 3 -4 times a season with product, lunch or other things. ( For sales people,these have to be actual sales calls, not drop offs). 
• When you contact them, it has to be meaningful to them.  Please do not use the words “following up”. That has no value to your prospective client. If you do,  you just become a sales person, not a trusted source!(I will cover other networking ideas in another blog, stay tuned!) 

So remember JUST ONE DEGREE!  Turn yours up!

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Building strong futures for the interior design sector

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  The largest percentage of my clients are product companies that sell to interior designers.  That said, I have also been doing presentations and workshops for designers, too.  And I realized this as I was going to my third meeting with a potential client today.  That as much as I have been harping on designers to choose a target market to define their value, the same holds true for vendors, showrooms, design centers, sales people and EVEN McDonalds and Starbucks.

Now, one of my most popular posts to date is the one about what Starbucks and McDonalds have in common with interior design.  I wrote that two years ago and yet it remains my most read post.  So to my delight, I was reading on a blog about, guess what? Starbucks vs. McDonalds.  Now these are both MEGA companies…billions of dollars in sales and could they be wrong?  My answer is unequivocally NO.  And can we ,in the design industry, learn from them?  Another unequivocally YES!

Here’s the blog post if you would like to read for yourself.

http://money.msn.com/investment-advice/mcdonalds-or-starbucks-who-wins-brush.aspx?GT1=33036

What I gleaned and wrote about nearly two years ago is that you need to know your target market and then work backwards.  As anti-intuitive as that may sound, it works. 

 So back to my meetings…guess what I talked about in EVERY SINGLE ONE…(even though they were all three product companies)you need to understand and focus on your target market. 

 Both Starbucks and McDonalds fully understand their market.  Does that mean they are not competing for business from each other.  Certainly not!  Just as you will be in competition with other designers, sales people and product companies.  The difference is, as can be seen in the article,  McDonalds brings out product similar to Starbucks, but because they know their customers (what we, in the industry, call clients) are price sensitive, they know the price has to be a first consideration.  So they are introducing all kinds of  new product, similar to Starbucks to get that coffee drinker’s money,  but it is all price sensitive.  And Starbucks, in introducing more products like McDonalds (has anyone seen the “McMuffin” Starbucks in now selling?)  needs to be  more upscale than the McDonalds McMuffin for their target audience. And they can sell it at a higher price and get that business without batting a coffee ground!  That’s how it works!

So you see, even other, much more financially savvy than me agree!  You need to define who you are selling to.  You will then make your offerings, collateral, marketing and your VOICE ,to potential clients, speak with authority and value! 

People are buying value today.  They need to know, “What’s in it for me?”  How will this help me?  How will I benefit from spending this money? What pain will this take away?  What will this do for me to make things better?  If you do not know how to answer those questions, you better go back to the proverbial drafting board!

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Building leaders in the Interior Design Sector

Good info to follow…but please allow me to thank ALL my new subscribers!  I am so glad you like what I have to say!  Stay tuned lots more to come!

As people in the interior design field we are feeling the same crunch as the rest of the economic world.  It’s a great time to visit core skills that we all need to practice in good and bad economic times.  I think there is an intrinsic tendency to either forget or try to ignore these skills because they might push us out of our comfort zone.  After all, we are talented designers, showroom owners, sales people, isn’t that enough?  It does work on some level, but is that really enough? 

 Times have changed.  There is more and more chipping away at our business including higher end retail, more designers in the marketplace and of course that big, bad economy.  So what to do?  All is not doom and gloom.  As a matter of fact, it’s an exciting time to hone our skills, maybe learn more and really think outside of the box. It can even be a really creative time.  It will help build our business in bad times and allow it thrive in good.

Three years ago, I would have said, what the heck is a blog and why should I know it?  What the heck is Social Media? What is Facebook?  What is Linkedin and WHY is it important to me?  I had to step out of my comfort zone, study (A LOT! and continue to learn new, valuable techniques), learn to use these tools effectively and efficiently because it DOES MATTER!  A skill that I did not have three years ago, is now easy peasy to me and became my NEW comfort zone!  And now I am finding new clients who also want to learn about it! 

 We need strategies that can be easily incorporate and we will be able to implement them as naturally and easily as choosing the right fabrics, furniture or that perfect accessory to complete the perfect room.  There are many selling techniques which can be learned; however we first need to know who we can use for these techniques, right?

 We need to build our brand so that when clients are thinking of hiring a designer or using a particular line, our name comes to the top.  I believe, before the GREAT CRASH of 2009, way too many of us relied on momentum instead of creating our own momentum.   

I believe we have to now, as the economy is breaking, not get all tied up in BUSINESS AS USUAL, but we need to provide value in our services and products.  There has to be a reason someone is coming to you…you are attracting these clients!

And what’s that first step to a successful sales plan?   Take time to analyze. This may seem like a waste of time, but I have found it is the foundation of strong sales.  We need quite time to reflect on what we are doing, and where we should be going.  We need think about:

• What is working?
• What is not working?
• Why is it not working?
• What could I be doing that is different?
• What new skills must I learn to become more relevent?
• How do I define my value?
• What skills do I need to learn and incorporate ?
• How do I become more effective for more business?

 Only then can we come up with a game plan or strategy.  If we do not take the time to analyze our situation, moving forward we may repeat learned behaviors that may not always be helpful.  But we can learn new techniques that do work!  However, the first step is slowing down.  Well thought out plans are usually most successful.

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Building leaders in the Interior Design Sector

I am talking again about bringing value to your clients to sell your product or services.  Last time we covered value.  Now step two is, again, in one word!

ENGAGE AND…LISTEN! I have ,unfortunately, witnessed too many times people go into a presentation, asking a few, what I would consider, obligatory questions and then DIVE into a presentation.  That fails on so many levels.

• It puts all the attention on the product or portfolio NOT on personal relationships and engaging, and that’s what sells!



This is what is really happening and deters from landing that sale! 

• You have not uncovered the real need of the client or what’s important to them,  so that you cannot answer that need, and that’s what sells!
• You have not been able to position yourself as an expert, and that’s what sells!
• You have not been able to become valuable so that follow up flows effortlessly, and that’s what sells!

I am a talker, (as some of my friends know so well!) so I have to be aware of ACTIVELY listening.  I ask lots of questions, but the other half to that is the most important..listening.  AND you must be authentically interested in what the answers are.  As I often say, when you ask the right questions and ACTIVELY listen, the client hands you your presentation on a silver platter.

The sales cycle becomes shorter and much more client-centric.  Two things that add up to success!

So take a look at what you’re now doing and see if you can just tweak that a little every day.  I guarantee you make more money and be a whole lot happier!  And for those who are regular readers…you did not think you would get away without the message of knowing who your TARGET MARKET is!  It’s SO important!

Welcome to my blog!  If you like it, please sign up for the RSS feed that is in the top right hand corner.  That way, you will get my blog in your email, just like a great magazine subscription!  I promise, I will only write about techniques that are proven through my experience of helping build businesses in the Interior Design industry..because I think this blog is about YOU not ME (yes I really practice what I preach!).

Also..feel free to submit comments on what YOU find difficult.  What obstacles are your faced with when trying to sell more product or your services!  I will incorporate those into my blog posts!

Also..please join my Facebook fan page!  Lots of great tips and keeping current with great ideas! Oh yeah…I will also post freebies on sales and business building! Facebook.com/DialogueConsulting

Building strong futures for the interior design sector

Oooo, is that too harsh?  But we do, don’t we? Well here’s the surprise hint!  It’s NOT about the service or products you sell!

And I can sum it up in one word: VALUE!

Oh, please don’t worry, I am not talking about cheapening your services or products.  I would NEVER suggest that. In fact, I have written about not lowering your fees even in rough economies like the one we are currently just peeking out of.

When we went through another deep recession in the late 80′s, I did not have the luxury to “name that price”!  Remember, I spent my entire interior design career in selling very high-end services and products. I was selling beautiful product, but the price remained the same!  So how did I sell during those times?

Looking back at my successes, and now, as a business planning consultant, I realize I brought every one of my clients VALUE. And I continued to sell even in really bad economies.

There is a very successful businessman, Kevin Nations, who says:  If value is a mystery, people will not buy. I not only agree with this, I have seen it at work.  We have all been sold something we were on the fence about, but the message was so compelling, we thought it would add value to our lives and we just could NOT live without it and we bought it..and it wasn’t inexpensive!  Can you say, IPAD?

I know many of us are very emotionally attached to our services or products.  It’s hard getting out there and selling!  The rejection factor is palpable!  And it’s great to be a little attached as that should turn into passion and as I always say in my sales presentation training workshops:  PASSION SELLS!

However, we also have to realize there are many people out there selling “the same product or service” as you. Or at least that’s the reality of perception (and perception is reality).  It’s called competition.    As much as I always thought the product I sold was amazing (and it was!) there was someone else that came in after me selling beautiful product (and sometimes even less expensive).

How do you become valuable?  Here are practical tips (oh yeah, and they work)!

• Know the person to whom you are selling and give them what they need! (that means you also need to know your target market! It’s truly the first thing I ask every single client I work with..that forms everything)
• Learn how you can  solve their problems?
• What can you bring to the table that will set you apart from all the “noise” out there?
• How will you address your client’s needs and help them?

It’s SO NOT ABOUT YOU OR YOUR PRODUCTS OR SERVICES and SO MUCH ABOUT YOUR CLIENTS NEEDS.

When I sold high-end textiles, I became SO knowledgeable about textiles, weaves, codes and uses, that designers I called on respected my knowledge and therefore, I became valuable to them and got “ABOVE THE NOISE”! My interior design experience added to that value, too.  I knew what my clients NEEDED and I DELIVERED (with spades, as they say!)  I was also (and remain so) sincerely passionate about teaching and helping people have an easier time.  It wasn’t ever about product (and design services are a product).

So, how do you do that? …now the cliff hanger to get all of you back!  That’s what we’ll cover in the next blog!

Welcome to my blog!  If you like it, please sign up for the RSS feed that is in the top right hand corner.  That way, you will get my blog in your email, just like a great magazine subscription!  I promise, I will only write about techniques that are proven through my experience of helping build businesses in the Interior Design industry..because I think this blog is about YOU not ME!

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Building strong futures for the interior design sector

Coming off a disastrous economy, probably one of the worst (hopefully) anyone of us will encounter, I have vowed that 2011 be a year of good news and real business building.  I will be covering real life stories of successes, optimism and tips on how to grow your business in 2011.  I will also be talking more about sales development.  One reason is that part of MY OWN target market are product companies and showrooms, but also…knowing sales is important for ANY service industry INCLUDING interior designers!!  So hold on!!

Today’s lesson, class, is networking!  And I have a real life success story from one of my closest friends who happens to be an amazing independent representative selling beautiful product to interior designers!

We were attending a motivational workshop at the United  Center in Chicago.  The center is where the Bulls and Hawks play, but it is a little off the beaten path.  So we got out of the all day workshop only to find we could not find a taxi to save our lives!

So we started to walk….and walk…..and walk!  I noticed a young woman walking in front of us and asked her if she attended the conference.  She said she did.  I started to ask how she enjoyed it and wasn’t it bad that we could not find a taxi.  She said she comes down to this area quite often, so follow her to find one..she knows all the best places.  I looked at my friend and we started to follow her.

We got a taxi soon after and all piled in.  I then started to ask what she did for a living.  Guess what??? She was an interior designer for a very famous and large restaurant/hotel group in Chicago.  WHO WOULD HAVE SEEN THAT COMING?

So I said..WOW, we are in the design industry, too!  My friend represents some great lines you might be interested in. I am a business strategist and help companies grow their bottom line.  She said great and we all exchanged cards.  BUT that’s not the end of the story of success….keep reading!

My friend called me to thank me for talking to this designers because  she not only got an appointment with  her, but she is working on a big project and  wanted to spend an hour with my friend because her products will fit in perfectly! (that kind of time given to a rep..almost unheard of!)

OK..you say, what is the lesson?

YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE YOU CAN NETWORK!

Networking is not done JUST at networking events.  You might meet people anywhere and you have to be prepared.

(1) Know what to say when asked what you do.  If you are an interior designer, it isn’t enough to say I am an interior designer..does not convey your value.

(2) Engage people in conversation.  You never know what you can learn.

(3) Ask lots of questions!

(4) Listen

(5) It may not be a direct correlation to your services or products, but may have other networking possiblities.

(5a) Networking is as much, if not more, about giving as it is getting.  See if there is anything you can give to make yourself valuable to that person.  You will be memorable and may come up in another conversation when you are not even present!  They can become your sales person!

Oh yeah!  And KNOW YOUR TARGET MARKET!  That’s when you can define yourself and your value.  You can learn how to do that in a very affordable way by clicking here and downloading my lesson on how to define your target market.

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