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| We Can All Become Better Salespeople. But How? |
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This month, let's begin with some thoughts on Selling from Control the Universe Publisher (and URC Director of Corporate Communications) Jon Sienkiewicz:
"We have a guy here at URC who is such a good salesman that I once said he could sell an arrowhead collection to General Custer's widow. I won't mention his name, but I'll tell you a little bit about him, and what makes him a good salesperson:
- He asks good questions, and he listens carefully to his customers' answers.
- He anticipates objections, and prepares polite and reasonable ways to overcome them.
- He knows his subject matter (our products) inside and out, upside down and backwards.
- He has a sense of humor but doesn't try to make a joke out of everything.
- He enjoys helping people buy things, and his sincerity is natural—and obvious.
"We're all salespeople, in one way or another. Some of us are good, and some of us not so good. But one thing is certain: we can all become better salespeople."
This month's newsletter is dedicated to selling. We hope you find the articles helpful.
And as always, we'd like to hear from you. Please drop us a quick e-mail at editor@universalremote.com and let us know what's on your mind—such as, how can we improve our newsletter? Please tell us what you like or dislike about Control the Universe.
Enjoy the heart of the fall season!
– Your friends at URC
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D-Tools System Integrator Users Gain Enhanced URC Specification Support
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D-Tools last month announced that detailed information on the entire family of URC products has been updated in D-Tools' product database. That means that integrators who use D-Tools' System Integrator software are now better enabled to specify URC products.
D-Tools also announced today the finalists of its PROJECT: Success contest. Second prize in the contest is URC's own MX-5000!
While we're on the subject of D-Tools, they run their own fine newsletter. If you're interested in signing up, or just checking out D-Tools' newsletter archives, click here.
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Cat (Fowler) Toomey Joins URC
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We're pleased to announce that Cat (Fowler) Toomey has joined the URC all-star team as our new Director of Marketing. A seasoned senior executive with 19 years of high technology, consumer product and electronics sales and marketing experience, she is now responsible for URC marketing strategy, including all branding, advertising and promotional activity.
Many of you already know Cat. She served for seven years as Vice President of Marketing, Inside Sales and Customer Service for ELAN Home Systems, and previously she held executive positions with AMX and Escient. Most recently, she took a slight detour out of the custom channel as Vice President of Marketing and Client Care for ChaCha, a technology company serving 32 million users per month.
Now Cat's back in the channel where she belongs, and in her new position at URC, you'll be hearing a lot from her. Cat is extremely well-connected with CEDIA dealers and keen on your success. She intends to spend a lot of time speaking with you at industry events, in person, and on the phone, discussing your challenges, best practices and concerns. She's especially excited about helping you with unique programs and capitalizing on the many new forms of media to promote and grow your business.
"What a great time to join a company that's rock-solid and clearly on the rise," says Cat. "URC is already the overwhelming market leader in intuitive custom remote controls. Now we are poised to become a leader in whole-house control with our much-anticipated Total Control line. I look forward to working with this incredible team to share the URC story."
"At this juncture in our company's development, we are thrilled to add an executive of Cat's caliber to our URC team," says URC Senior Vice President and General Manager Doug Cole. "Cat will work relentlessly to further raise our profile and communicate our message, offerings and values to the marketplace."
Cat's predecessor, Jon Sienkiewicz, is tackling the newly-created position of URC Director of Corporate Communications. He's now responsible for URC Corporate marketing, Technical Support and Reverse Logistics, and he continues to publish this very newsletter.
Cat can be reached at ctoomey@universalremote.com or 317-514-5546. Jon can be reached at jsienkiewicz@universalremote.com or 914-835-4484, x343.
We welcome Cat, and congratulate both Cat and Jon on this exciting new phase in their careers.
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URC Product of the Month: Total Control TKP-2000
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Total Control TKP-2000 Advanced Graphics In-Wall Touchscreen
When you provide URC Total Control to your clients, you can now provide in-wall touchscreen control too.
The Total Control TKP-2000, available soon, will remind URC dealers of our popular Network Series product, the KP-4000. Unlike the KP-4000, the TKP-2000 works in a Total Control installation, and is limited to Total Control-certified dealers.
The TKP-2000 in-wall controller provides convenient graphic-based access and enhanced operation. Ideally suited for any room in the house (and especially at home in the kitchen), the TKP-2000 is the perfect companion for URC's family of IP surveillance cameras.
The TKP-2000, which features a 3.5-inch color touchscreen display with six customizable, backlit buttons, displays two-way metadata for URC Total Control and select third-party devices. When used with our PSX-2 and an iPod, your client can quickly scan playlists and view album art on the TKP-2000.
This attractive new controller installs in a standard dual-gang box (not included) and is powered via Ethernet cable (PoE). Like the rest of the Total Control series, it can be programmed off-site via the internet and our MRX-10 Advanced Network System Controller.
Check out the TKP-2000, along with the rest of our ever-growing Total Control line, at our website.
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Hank's Tip of the Month
By Hank Eisengrein
URC Regional Training Manager, East
In my extensive travels, I often encounter dealers who are technically proficient but not as skilled in the art of selling. The biggest issue for you, the custom installation professional, is to sell your skills and services to clients.
You must do this to set yourself apart from those who sell on price alone. We're all painfully aware of the flat panel TV "race to the bottom" in retail prices. I fully expect to see "Black Friday" sales this month featuring 32-inch TVs for $139 retail. You know everyone is comparing prices in real time on their smart phones. So my advice is, don't play that game.
In the past three months of live trainings I've conducted, I've seen two distinct types of dealers. The first group sells service and their companies; these dealers tell me they're booked up into next year with jobs. The second group sells on price; they're having a very tough time. So always be selling your company and your services to survive, especially in today's economy.
I'm always selling URC, and my full-time job is to teach you how to do the same. Unless you sell extended warranties, the URC custom programmed remote control is the most profitable thing you can offer your client today. I meet dealers who say they love selling URC because the result is always a happy end-user. The remote control is the interface that clients use every day. It's your job to set yourself and your company apart by actively pushing that fact to every customer.
I recently spoke with a dealer at a national distributor location who said, "Your remotes are too expensive for my customers." I replied, "So you buy a remote on Amazon for $138, program it online and sell it for $139?" The dealer said, "Yeah, pretty much that's what I do."
Now we can all laugh at this guy, but he is the norm and not the exception in today's market.
His first mistake is underselling his customers. I often show a photo in my classes of an expensive stove. I ask everyone how much the retail price is. People are shocked when I say $33,000.
You cannot sell from your own wallet or pocketbook. Young people don't think about how much old people like me are willing to spend. Young guys will spend $2,800 on wheels for their cars (Dubs), while middle-aged people like me will spend $65,000 on imported bathroom tile for their homes.
Now more than ever, you need to sell upscale items that really add value to the customer's experience. The custom programmed URC remote is that item.
Customers don't know the value of ease-of-operation until you, the dealer, expose them to it. I learned a long time ago at Bose Corporation that "when customers are exposed to technology, they opt to buy." So always show your clients how your company can improve their entertainment experiences.
Step back and think of ways you can grow your business and create happy customers at the same time with every remote sale. Don't take this for granted, because only you can sell upscale products designed just for your client—something they can't buy online, because you created their custom interface.
URC's ever-growing product line is gaining three new CCP models at different price points. Now you can choose from $1,500 retail all the way to $150 retail. Include a URC remote control for every room and every family member to create loyal customers while increasing your bottom line.
Practice this skill every day, and master it. Remember, you are building a loyal customer base while you build your company.
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Mitch's Musings
By Mitchell Klein
URC Director of Business Development
The competition is FIERCE out there! It's likely that things still haven't returned to "normal" for you, as potential customers continue to squeeze their budgets, secure multiple bids, and shop your quotes on the Internet. Let's face it, this is the NEW normal. How are you going to raise yourself above the noise and stand out in your marketplace?
There are certainly many strategies to discuss and deploy, but for now humor me as we explore a very obvious yet frequently neglected or overlooked tool readily available to you: Your IDEA BOOK.
Your Idea Book is your very own reference guide that shows all your prospects exactly how good you are, and what a terrific resource you'll be for them beyond providing a box, a wire and a connection. It will show your impeccable taste integrating technology into a variety of homes and businesses. It will let pictures speak for themselves and drive leads right to your door! Your Idea Book will clearly demonstrate why you're a much better option for their technological requirements than their favorite online supplier.
This will be a "living" resource, because you will post, maintain and update it on your website. You will enable people to subscribe to your Idea Book, so every time you update it with a new project or with progress shots of projects in the works, they'll receive email notification to come back and check out your Idea Book. You'll feature one of your Idea Book projects in the e-letters you send out regularly.
If this sounds like a lot of work, well, in a way, it IS. And it isn't, either.
In the OLD normal, clients beat a path to your door via referrals and other passive ways you had little influence over (other than doing great work with outstanding customer service, of course!). In this NEW normal, you have to actually MARKET yourself. Passive methods will no longer set you above the fray.
Granted, your Idea Book won't market itself without other efforts (fodder for upcoming blogs), but you need to get started. Allow me to oversimplify the process with some key bullet points:
- Make sure your website enables YOU to upload photos and entirely new "projects" without having to create, email and then pay some webmaster to do it for you. There are plenty of website resources available to let you do this.
- Make your "Idea Book" link easily found and featured on your home page.
- You go to your projects every day, so TAKE PICTURES. Your iPhone is pretty good and always with you. Perhaps you should carry a good DSLR camera with you at all times.
- Set up a weekly calendar "appointment" for you to upload a new picture or project every single week. Say, every Wednesday at 10:00 AM.
- Get different angles, viewpoints and rooms. Don't just show the home theater; show the kitchen, workshop, garage, powder room. Remember, this is an IDEA BOOK. You want to get people thinking about ways to implement, use and enjoy all this cool stuff you can provide.
- Shoot the small jobs. Show how you can work with all budgets.
- Shoot your commercial projects—bars, conference rooms, dentist offices. Show how versatile you are.
- Secure customer testimonials. Famous folk are nice to have, but the neighbor down the street's testimonial is probably more valuable in the long run.
- Shoot videos too. I've written about this before! Onsite videos let you provide virtual tours of your amazing integration capabilities.
- Combine photos, testimonials and videos to develop a powerful story that shows what a value-added resource you are, beyond providing shopping lists for clients to do their online shopping.
Yes, it's a lot of work, though most of it is done while you're already on the job. But it will pay dividends over the long run.
Want to see how some dealers are doing this right? Email me and I'll share some links with you.
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Marketing Yourself
By Jon Sienkiewicz
URC Director of Corporate Communications
You can't show off your installation jobs without great pictures. Fuzzy or discolored snapshots can do more harm than good. Videos can work, but they're hard to show to people unless you have a computer or iPad nearby.
You need clear, sharp, properly exposed images that are correctly color balanced and professional-looking. After all, you are a professional installer. You need to make a professional impression.
Unless you plan to shoot dozens and dozens of installs, or plan to make photography your next hobby, you may be better off hiring a professional photographer. Some occasionally work on a barter basis; others charge by the job or by the hour. Unless you have some photo editing software and the chops to use it, be sure to tell the photographer exactly what you plan to do with the photos—e.g., use them on your website, e-mail them to potential customers in a newsletter, print them in a brochure, etc. That way you'll receive images that are the appropriate size and resolution.
If you hire a pro (or if you decide to roll your own), have the images printed professionally 8x10 and put them in an album or in plastic sheets in a ring binder. Don't go the cheap route and get 4x6s, and don't print them yourself on an inkjet printer (unless it's a photo printer and you really know what you're doing). One company that has always done outstanding work for me is Mpix. They charge $2 for an 8x10 and the quality is second to none. If you have 20 or more images, get them printed in a bound photo book. Nothing impresses a client more than that.
You can buy a DSLR camera, of course, and do it all yourself. Be prepared to pay $500 at the absolute minimum. You'll also need a reasonable tripod and, depending on the lens that comes with your camera, you might need a wide angle lens (which could set you back another $400 or more). Most of the so-called "kit zoom lenses" bundled with digital SLRs these days are slightly wide, but realistically, they're not usually suitable for capturing the inside of an entire room.
Let's suppose you decide to tackle the project yourself and buy the camera, tripod, lens, memory card and editing software (remember to ask your accountant if you can write it all off as a business expense). Start by doing something you may have never in your life done before: read the camera's owner's manual. Especially study the part about White Balance, particularly Custom White Balance. All cameras are slightly different, so I won't attempt to explain how to do it—but take my word for it, it's important that you master that function.
Next month, we'll review the generic step-by-step procedure to follow when photographing a typical home theater. All installs are different, so you may or may not follow the steps exactly. But I guarantee they'll help you get in the right frame of mind to take excellent photos of your work.
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The Russ Report
By Russ Hoffman
URC Education and Content Development Manager
Allow me to share my vision of an ideal job.
I sit at my desk, and the phone rings all day. As soon as I've finished one call, another comes. Every person asks for the new JTY-200 (which pays me a hefty commission, by the way). There are no qualifications, everyone can use one, everyone wants one, and I'm the only one supplying these hot commodities to the public. Life is good. No, life is GREAT!
Suddenly, I awake, spill some coffee on my shirt and realize that I was, once again, lost in my dreams.
I've spent many years in sales, and taught countless classes on the subject as well. But still, sometimes I find myself wishing sales were easier.
Fact is, though, that sales is tough! And everyone needs to be sold!
So is sales a skill or a science?
If sales is a science, there should be a formula for success. Every salesperson would follow this formula, and we'd all be awash with a sea of sales.
If sales is a skill, well, this opens up all sorts of possibilities. With practice, anyone can do it. There are always methods to improve, and applying oneself almost always results in improvement. Simply put, if sales is a skill, we can always make ourselves better.
(Here's where I lose half of my readers over the next few months, but that's okay—at least half of you will be more successful...)
If you believe that sales is a science, and that you know the formula, then there's nothing that I, or anyone else, can do for you. You already close 100 percent of your sales and make maximum commission. Heck, I'm surprised you have time to read this. Good luck in your career, although you obviously don't need it.
From my experience, however, sales is a skill—one that can be developed, honed, perfected. But it takes work and practice. We learn as much from our successes as we do from our failures, but we always learn. We get better. We grow.
There's a saying: "The enemy of learning is knowing." If you feel that you know everything, it's impossible to open your mind and truly learn something. I can only hope, if you're still reading this, that you have an open mind and truly want to get better.
In the coming months, we'll explore many aspects of the sales process, digging deeply into each and finding ways to make your approach better and more rewarding. Next month, we'll outline the entire process, explain why we need one, and find out how to use the process for improvement.
Until then, good selling!
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Always Be Closing
By Lars Granoe
URC Vice President of Sales
Last month, I read an item posted on the URC Control Room forum by a frustrated installer. He complained that, all too often, he invests an hour or two interviewing a potential client at their home, and then another hour or two writing up a proposal, but isn't landing many jobs.
"I write a nice descriptive email, attach the quote, cross my fingers and send," he wrote.
Still, he's not closing many sales. In fact, on many occasions, he never hears anything at all from the prospect after he sends them the quotation. Ouch!
Based on his description of his process, it appears he's doing a lot of things right, but falls short of the mark in two areas. He isn't determining how much his customers want to invest in their new home theaters. And he's e-mailing his quotes to clients instead of delivering them in person.
Fortunately, other helpful forum members jumped in immediately (happily, this is typical of URC community members) and pointed out the error of his ways.
It's impossible to recommend a new A/V system (or just about anything else) without knowing how much the client wants to spend. And unless you deliver the quote in person or by telephone, in order to explain how and why you designed the system, you can't effectively close the sale.
Before you even think about putting a quote together, make sure you interview the customer. What type of music do they listen to? Do they like to crank it up every now and then? If they currently have a system, what frustrates them the most? Would they like to create some prime family time and set up a home theater? Do they entertain often? What are the "must-haves" and what are the "nice-to-haves?" Ask them, "What is your dream system?" What brand of mustard is their preference? (OK, maybe not that one.) These are lifestyle questions that will show your future client that you care.
Before you make your next sales call, create some package options that are generic enough to be used in most situations. For instance, a very basic home theater package might include a flat panel, Blu-ray player, soundbar and an MX-880. Add installation and programming charges and put a price tag on it. Add a receiver and surround sound and you have the midrange package. Get the idea? And leave your wallet in your pocket. It's their money and they want to spend it on a system. Your job is to sell the "wow" factor and your skills!
Once you determine how they spend their time, show them the most appropriate packages: one basic package, one midrange and one high-end. Assuming you have a photo album full of installations you've done, now's a good time to open it. I can't guarantee you'll close 100 percent of your sales pitches, but I know you'll improve your success overall.
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Tech Tips
By Joe Salvatore
URC Technical Support Manager
Whether on initial installation duty or a service call, your technicians represent your company and your business practices at all times. Once they enter your client's home, they're the most unthreatening of all to the client, considering they're there to help. So why not capitalize on the possibilities of your technicians marketing your services and going for that extra add-on sale?
Actually, your technicians can advertise without even saying a word. Simply list all of the technologies and services you provide on their company T-shirts. You do have one, don't ya? When your employees have that neat and professional appearance, it's inviting, and your clients are more likely to engage them in conversation. This can easily allow them to become more aware of other products and services you offer.
For example, perhaps the client is petrified of coming home to a dark house, and wasn't aware of the possibility of event timers and automated lighting. The odds that your technician would find this out in general conversation after the initial sale are pretty good.
For that matter, why not encourage your techs to engage the client first to find out a little more about them? One URC dealer I know provides a questionnaire and checklist of preferences to the client prior to service that covers everything from hours allowed in the home to pets' names and even if they should bring a porta-john to the jobsite. Now that's service!
Another potential tactic is to allow your service techs to have the first initial contact with your customer. The customer may feel less pressured and more apt to listen to a sales pitch based on the simple fact that they're dealing with the person who configures the system instead of the one who sells it. Your salespeople can come in and sell the actual models and system components after the client understands what all the cool gadgets do and why they need them.
Another idea: Develop a checklist of every product category and/or service you offer, in order to show the client the overall progress of the job. Your techs can go over it with the client upon completion of each day to track progress. But a great side benefit is that the client is exposed to your other services inconspicuously—and on an ongoing basis for the duration of the job.
So don't forget: Your techs can be your "undercover" sales force too.
For further support on this tech tip, please email us at techsupport@universalremote.com.
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Consumer Conversation
By Debra Sharker
URC Director of Sales, Consumer Products Division
Yes, you too can have a profitable gift-giving section in your store or showroom. It's not just about the specials you advertise on big-ticket components. Not everyone can buy those, but everyone is looking for a great gift idea, one that works for females and males, one that works for all age groups, and especially one that's affordable.
The solution is URC's line of Consumer DIY Controllers that retail for under $25. We're offering special pricing on three models at three different price points, and all of them include batteries.
Your selections for Stocking Stuffers that Sell are:
- URC-WR7 (only $24.99 MSRP). This totally backlit remote replaces up to seven remotes, and looks and feels solid. It features macro capability for ON/OFF buttons, four Favorite Channel buttons and, best of all, the consumer can set it up in about 10 minutes.
- URC-A6 (only $19.99 MSRP). This gorgeous stylized unit is lighter-weight and fits every home décor. Macro capability is there for ON/OFF buttons and four Favorite Channel buttons, and it's simple to set up. It replaces up to six remotes.
- URC-SR3 (only $17.99 MSRP). Our Super Remote with big buttons is a fabulous unit for those in need of a big numeric keypad and larger system buttons. There is macro for ON/OFF system control, four Favorite Channel Buttons, and My Button for beginning the viewing experience on your favorite channel. It replaces up to three remotes.
We have it all for you, and this holiday season, it is on SALE. Contact your URC sales manager or sales rep today! Our special pricing is through November, and you want to be ready for Stocking Stuffers that Sell.
URC delivers more than just remotes. We deliver the total experience. See the Consumer Products Line at our site or contact me at dsharker@universalremote.com.
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URC Tool Box
App of the Month |
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| User Interface Sounds: Sampler |
Have you considered adding SOUNDS to your control programs? Audible responses enhance the end-user experience by providing just the right touch of feedback to assure the user that a command was successful. They also assist the visually impaired.
This free download from our friends at Guifx includes 25 samples of studio-produced user interface sounds, words and phrases. All sounds are delivered as .wav files that are optimized for URC remotes. Guifx also offers a few other fee-based files with an extensive selection and options.
To access this app in the URC Tool Box, log on to the URC Control Room.
Haven't checked out the Tool Box yet? What are you waiting for? Do it today! Just log onto the URC Control Room and click "URC Tool Box" on the left side of the home page.
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Tip of the Month
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Using URC remotes and trying to program a video projector? Don't forget that URC includes video projector code sets in the TV device category in CCP software, URC Accelerator for Total Control, and inside our standalone-programmed remote control products.
- Hank Eisengrein
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International News
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Our master distributor for Europe, BMB Electronics, announced the signing of a new URC distributor in Ukraine: Avero, which offers a closer look at URC Total Control on the front page of its Web site.
Meanwhile, BMB's Mark van Zon and Peter Schoon delivered URC training last month at BMB's Italian customer, Excel Music & Cinema.
We thank our friends at Excel and Avero (and of course BMB) for their interest and effort in bringing URC solutions to dealers and end users throughout Europe!
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Upcoming Events
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Stay up-to-date with our training and events schedule for November.
Click Here
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Links
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Wish I'd Said That
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"Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want a chance to change the world?"
- Steve Jobs (1955 – 2011); said by Jobs to John Sculley to lure him from PepsiCo to serve as Apple's CEO
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| Copyright © 2011 Universal Remote Control, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
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