Jon Carlson’s Post

How are you selling? I sell knowledge. After college, I was in sales, I started really looking at my potential customers. I found that people were usually already willing to buy when they sat at my desk to pick out a whole house full of appliances and plumbing, and they really just wanted to make the best decisions, because it was stuff they had to live with for a really long time. Some salespeople leaned on their design knowledge from working with interior designers. Some were interior designers themselves. But the really successful sales people were the ones that had deep product knowledge and could explain the features and benefits, could focus on best choices for budget, etc. And they also knew when to tell people they really just needed to go to Home Depot to get that tub. I leaned into the knowledge aspect and it really served me well. I was shipping $125k of product out the door each month without batting an eye. It also helped that I made deep relationships with the spec builders and plumbers - people who bought over and over again. But really, I was selling and getting yes over and over because I really listened in product demos - and to what the person sitting at my desk really wanted. Even if it was over the top gold faucets! Now, when I am talking to potential clients, I have to know the product, the use case, and their needs. And I focus on those in conversations. While I don't always close every sale - sometimes there are just better fits for their needs - I still hear time and time again that they appreciate my knowledge of both the software and their use case. So think about this - what are YOU selling?

While conducting sales outside my showroom, I enjoy discussing our products, showcasing our impressive samples, and guiding clients through various options to help them choose the right texture and color. However, two aspects pose challenges which seem disturbing: 1. Lack of punctuality: Despite my scheduled start time, the meeting often begins 30 minutes to an hour late. Unfortunately, in Sri Lanka, punctuality is not always valued, forcing me to adapt to this reality. However, I prioritize punctuality and always arrive at least 5 minutes early for meetings, even when I know they won't start on time. My Dad’s golden advice - “always reach on time and never make anyone wait for you.” 2. Inadequate lighting: Proper lighting is essential for selecting the perfect fabric, and its absence presents a significant challenge during sales I realize that there are some things which you can’t control but what’s in your control, be firm on it.

There should be some ground rules in place especially for the sales team. Because sales work tends be get a little more heated than other departments. There should be some ground rules set in place to maintain decorum and discipline. #Discipline #RulesInPlace

Here Are My Top 6 Reasons How You're Saying "No" To Higher Revenues & Gross Margin In Your Furniture or Mattress Business In this video I share Reason 2 and why your sales process isn't communicating with your prospects. Comment below if you agree or disagree.

The more I work in sales, the more I understand that it isn’t about the price but selling the quality and selling myself as person. Some people buy designer/luxury products not because of the price tag but because it gives them some sort of positive feeling. Selling a feeling makes sales better than talking about price

A door to door sewing machine salesman used to identify hot buyers like this. Whenever he was tasked with prospecting a new city, he would place a small ‘for sale’ ad. in the local newspaper a month before he got there. His advert: “Used sewing machine for sale. Hardly any use, includes all the original fittings and equipment. Good as new.” He would describe the exact make and model details and get anyone interested to reply to a postal reply box number. He pitched the price so it looked like a bargain. This is ‘back-in-the-day’ obviously. Once he arrived in each city, his first job was to collect his replies. He would then spend the whole week door-knocking his postal replies. Although he was top salesman, (by quite a margin apparently) he never told anybody about his technique until long after he left the company. What’s the lesson? I don’t know really…there are maybe several lessons here? Direct response advertising works? Identifying prospects ‘in the market’ is a worthwhile pursuit? There’s more than one way to skin a cat? Selling demands creativity? Happy selling to those who manufacture and engineer the best solutions in the world. #manufacturing #engineering #sales #automotive #EV

My interior designer client had an $8k sales day from a single customer. When I first started working with Michelle, she was an online service provider who was completely burned out from trying to sell her designs at $650 per room. Her clients were referring her left and right, but she didn't feel like she could rest easy each month (or god forbid, take on less clients), because she had her own salary to sustain. Enter: Me. During our sales call, Michelle had a vision for what she wanted her business to look like by the end of the year. 1) Work with "better" clients—meaning people who were easy to work with, adored what Michelle does best, and allowed her to stay in her zone of genius 👻 My job: Elevating her brand messaging and sales copy to attracts premium clients 🛋️ Michelle's job: Set hella tight boundaries with red-flag clients and have stricter sales criteria 2) Double down on her core offer—Give Me The Vision—and make that the ONLY offer she's selling. 👻 My job: Write a sales page that outlines EXACTLY what is/is not included and write sales content that strategically sells this service 🛋️ Michelle's job: Stay focused and don't give into the peer pressure that says you need a lower-cost offer or passive product Here's how the numbers and sense worked out: Previous price: 8 rooms x $650/room = $5.2k New price: 8 rooms x $1k/room = $8k And here's what Michelle told me: "It doesn't really make sense to me, but I'm now working less hours than ever and making more money than I ever have." ...and that, my friend, is exactly what I do. P.S. Oh hey stranger! I’m Kendall Cherry (yes, like the fruit 🍒). Subscribe to 🌻 Wallflower Fridays and learn how to tell stories that sell from a world-class storyteller and sales mastermind. I'm teaching you everything I know. >>> https://lnkd.in/gW6rxkqu

Established B2B Window Manufacturing Company & Property For Sale - Strong Growth Potential 📍 New Jersey Asking Price: $22,500,000 Property Price: $12,000,000 Business Price: $10,500,000 Gross Sales: $17,246,790 Business Highlights: - Commercial Windows Specialist: Offers a range of products including windows, doors, and storefronts. - B2B Service Model: Focuses on supplying window installation companies, bypassing general contractors. - Local and Global Production: Combines local manufacturing with global materials for enhanced output. - European Partnerships: Optimizes production through strategic European collaborations. - Growth Potential: Significant expansion possibilities throughout the East Coast. - Competitive Edge: Rapidly adapts to client demands, reducing project delays. - Sales Expansion: Opportunity to expand the sales force and increase market reach. - Smooth Transition: The owner ensures a seamless handover and is willing to assist post-sale. All Inquiries: (646) 642-3662 Email: christian.rodriguez@hedgestone.com #manufacturing #windows #forsale #newyork #manufacturer #businessowner #entrepreneur #newyorkbusiness #businessforsale

Ok, folks, it's the end of the year. What I'm hearing isn't pretty and sales are getting weaker! There's a reason for that, but one that could have been avoidable with the right strategy. Are you that seller being told by management or self-imposed to "dial for dollars" or just do more quotes because that will result in more sales? That's something I used to have to do all the time and hated it, but it also provided comfort as it was an easy excuse to call or email a client. But it's just one more thing for a seller to do, and are they measuring it by landing a few deals, or do they measure the result of their time spent doing that? What's the ROI? Here's a blurb from one of my newsletters: 👉 You have 100 strands of spaghetti. (your time vs. sales) Each one is worth $100.00 You throw those strands at a wall ( time spent showing your product to clients (spray and pray technique) or quoting without intense qualifying if that product is the right one for their CURRENT needs. Or "dialing for dollars" at the end of the month. 🙌 Five strands stick from the luck of hitting the right time with the right product! 🎉 Woo-hoo $500.00 in sales! (looking at top-line results). You can't wait to spend that commission check! Mission accomplished...I've even made my quota for that month. That's exactly how an unqualified sale happens, some call it kismet, which sometimes masks performance because of looking at top-line data. ☝️But wait! At the same time, there are 95 strands on the floor; that did not stick because you did not qualify intensely enough to discover the NEED vs. your product! You presented your stunning product but unfortunately, it did not meet the necessary requirements. 👇 You LOST $9,500.00 in time and effort. Think of wasted time (your money!) you spent working on quotes and showing products that are not thoroughly qualified! This is why I hear so many sellers are "swamped!" That's what "dialing for dollars" often produces. There are effective ways to contact clients via phone or email that can yield better results. That's where I come in. A small investment can yield big results - here's how! I'm so proud of my first book. It delves into ways we can change as an industry and how I was able to increase sales by millions which compounds year after year.