Obtaining knowledge and know-how
through archived articles
BY PETER SCHOR
Showroom specialist
As most of you are aware, I have been writing The Wholesaler’s monthly showroom column for two years. In September 2006, The Wholesaler enhanced their website presence by posting an Archive section for the sourcing of past monthly showroom columns.
I have been told by showroom leaders collectively that I possess some of the deepest knowledge of successful plumbing wholesaler showroom “models.” This is information I’ve gathered from 40 years “young” experience and traveling the U.S. and Canada learning from others. I constantly keep up on the most current, cutting edge trends, marketing techniques and knowledge to increase your sales, profits and market share. I enjoy helping you hone your skills and increase your knowledge, which will increase your personal effectiveness. I sincerely thank you for the opportunity to do this.
Some of the industry showroom leaders have shared with me that I have “given away” some of the most effective information that they have ever received. Many have put the information into action and became more successful! Thanks for the e-mails. I realize that many new showroom people are coming into the industry and the more experienced ones have grown their showroom business by taking in fresh information.
For this reason, I am offering you the opportunity to receive from me -- completely free -- previous issues of the monthly showroom column. Please request from me the monthly column issues which will be sent via my e-mail (pschor@dynamicresultsinc.com) on easy-to-open PDF attachments from February 2005 to August 2006. I ask that you pick no more than six columns at a time for each e-mail sent me.
To receive the monthly columns from September 2006 issues to present, please visit the Archives for the monthly columns.
Please read them and share them with your fellow showroom associates. Perhaps you can ask all of your associates to read one article and then have a brainstorming meeting on how you can implement the knowledge and information to your showroom. The showroom managers can do a short showroom seminar on the monthly subject. I will re-cap what each article was and give you the month and year. The articles are the following:
February 2005 -- The 3 keys to showroom success
Bottom line of the article: The three most profound and undisputed keys of successful product selling showrooms, and the process used to simplify what some think is very complex. The basis of the most successful showrooms in product selling wholesaler and dph-type showrooms in this article.
March 2005 -- Developing solid ways to control the showroom selling process
Bottom line of the article: This is the fourth key to successful showrooms. Controlling the sale and speeding up the process by using “win-win” philosophies; selling complete packages; and many tips and secrets of the top 20% producers
April 2005 -- Professional Trade Group Partnerships
Bottom line of the article: How to capitalize on all of the industry professional specifiers and trades and what they want out of the working relationship to do business with you. How to market them as a group collectively rather than going one-on-one. Yes, there can be only one buyer, but many trades who can influence their decisions.
May 2005 -- Attitude is Everything
Bottom line of the article: How to change your attitude and expect to increase your expectations to close more sales. No one rises to low expectations! You will receive a life-changing attitude adjustment from reading and devouring this article.
July 2005 -- The value-added proposition in selling the upscale market
Bottom line of the article: Learn the new dimension beyond value-added called “The Experience.” The chief information officer of Yahoo! gave this message in a keynote address many years ago. Starbucks has mastered “the experience.” It is what your showroom customers really want in today’s marketplace. Find out why “Building Rapport” in the value-added and beyond selling process builds trust and less emphasis on price.
September 2005 -- Time management in todays’ world
Bottom line of the article: Some of greatest tips and secrets of effective plumbing wholesaler showroom time management along with 10 tips for getting more done in less time. A great article for every person reading The Wholesaler!
October 2005 -- Showroom design and merchandising tips
Bottom line of the article: Essential tips for the constant remodeling or building a showroom. Many sources and proven procedures. Twelve merchandising tips for your plumbing wholesaler showroom.
November 2005 -- Stress management in a busy world
Bottom line of the article: Profound tips and secrets in managing and reducing stress. Tools and techniques used by the most successful people in the world. There is also a proven tip for insomnia which has been used widely in Western Europe for 100 years.
December 2005 -- How those little extras can power your profit margins
Bottom line of the article: Why selling more bath/plumbing related and non-related products will increase your sales and profit margins while keeping your customers from going to a competitor’s showroom to find everything you have and the many items you don’t want to sell.
January 2006 -- Take last year’s columns and cash in on 2006
Bottom line of the article: The title is self-explanatory. Condensed versions on all 2005 articles.
February 2006 -- Branding isn’t just for products
Bottom line of the article: Using branding to be the showroom of first “choice.” How to personally brand yourself within the company you work for.
March 2006 -- IBS sets record attendance and exhibit records
Bottom line of article: This International Builders Show article is not just time-dated news. What are some of the new product categories that by now in 2007 are on “fire” for today’s plumbing wholesaler and their showrooms? Indoor air filtration. Whole house drinking water systems, floor warming, snow melting, outdoors kitchens and much more.
April 2006 -- Navigating K/BIS 2006: The hot new bath products and trends
Bottom line of the article: Did you miss some incredible new goodies (products) at k/bis 2006. There are many new lines and products that became Super Stars in the last year. Also visit: www.drknowledge.net
May 2006 -- Mastering Trade Group Partnerships
Bottom line of the article: Taking a deeper approach to professional trade buyers and specifiers. Remember: There can be five professional trades on one project. One buyer and four that can influence the decision for that one to buy.
June 2006 -- K/BIS showcases hottest new products for your showroom
Bottom line of the article: Final re-cap of all of the new products and trends that were discovered at k/bis 2006. What’s new and hot and what is not! “In” trends and new products.
July 2006 -- Today’s showroom challenges,
obstacles and problems have clear solutions
Bottom line of the article: Very “juicy” article with many solutions for showrooms, such as raising the gross profits, volume, builder programs and much much more!
July 2006 -- How to increase sales volumes and higher gross profits
Bottom line of the article: Hands-on solutions to increasing sales and profitability. Many unique ways of creating it.
The following magazine articles you can download from Archives section on this web site .
September 2006 -- How is Your STRAtitude: Your Stress level and attitude?
Bottom line of the article: How to change your attitude from negative to positive, reduce stress levels, and plan to meet customer expectations and win more often.
October 2006 -- Product niche marketing:
Increase sales,
profits, and market share
Bottom line of the article: It would blow your mind if you knew what “industry legend” and one of the most successful showroom companies in the U.S. taught me this back in 1989. Take a check on insulating yourself from the competition.
November 2006 -- Thinking outside of the box
Bottom line of the article: Good, better and best selling. Selling packages thru the plumber to the builder and from there to the consumer. This where you, the plumber, your outside salesman, the builder, and the consumer all win through the good, better and best upgrade program. Too good to be true: There are dozens of plumbing wholesalers in the U.S. who are doing this right now!
January 2007 -- Finding the right solutions to showroom marketing issues
Bottom line of the article: Marketing solutions for traditional plumbing wholesaler showrooms and the many obstacles, challenges and problems.
I hope that this month’s approach will help the newer people get up to speed and be of service to many who missed the columns earlier on.
Quick in-advance tip: At K/BIS 2007 in Las Vegas, on May 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., I am conducting a “Showroom Seminar -- Tips and Secrets of Today’s Most Successful Product Selling Showrooms” at the NKBA/DPH Breakfast Event. To get a ticket to the even, go on www.kbis.com and click on the NKBA Conference Educational Programs.
I am also asking that you send in questions on your problems, challenges and obstacles that keep you back from producing better results for you and your company. For those who want confidential personal replies, state so. For those who would like it answered in the monthly column and want to leave your name and company out, please state so.
Peter Schor, president of Dynamic Results, Inc., is an educator, motivational speaker, consultant, coach and writer in our industry and many diverse others. For the past 17 years, he has conducted 100 educational programs yearly, including 34 industry conventions. Schor has great expertise in the field of showrooms and has won many industry awards. He also works with manufacturers in the field of sales, marketing and public relations. Schor can be reached at 1491 Ivy Arbor, Lincoln, CA 95648, phone 916/408-5346, fax 916/408-5899, e-mail pschor@dynamicresultsinc.com or visit his website at www.dynamicresultsonline.com.