| Now that the flat panel TV drug is readily available | | | | well as have the ammunition readily available to |
| over-the-counter at virtually all mass retailers, its | | | | counter blogs and postings of frustrated |
| "hang me on the wall" design and confusing HD | | | | consumers. You'd think this would be easy, but it's |
| connectivity has more and more consumers | | | | not. Manufacturers have so constrained their |
| desperately seeking total entertainment | | | | budgets that the majority of their resources |
| satisfaction. Flat panel TV has driven the CE | | | | must be focused on keeping the revenue flowing |
| industry for the past eight years with solid growth | | | | from their distributors and base of direct accounts |
| in high ticket, high margin sales, but no more. | | | | (that they're shrinking because they can't afford |
| According to the CEA, it's not just about exciting | | | | the business expense). |
| products, it's about the total entertainment | | | | So how do you become that influential voice |
| experience and consumers aren't getting it. And | | | | among the many? Who do you seek out to |
| it's not looking like it's going to get better any | | | | make the key connection? What do you say? |
| time soon. Stories permeate the media of a | | | | How do you say it? |
| national CE chain laying off 3,200 of their best | | | | Here's how you prepare: |
| salespeople, a national CE specialty retailer closing | | | | - Make a commitment to the manufacturer or |
| a third of their stores and the leading warehouse | | | | distributor; concentrate your loyalty to a select |
| clubs instituting "home installation" not as a | | | | few. Plus don't just cherry pick, represent the line |
| customer service, but to reduce the financial | | | | or assortment with a mix of products that |
| impact of massive returns. How about the | | | | requires sales expertise as well as with the |
| in-home service division of a national CE chain | | | | required commodities, and of course as many of |
| being sued for taping a client in the shower? The | | | | the add-ons as possible |
| bar for just meeting customer expectations is at | | | | - Put together a "pitch package" consisting of an |
| such a low point that you can almost trip over it. | | | | overview of your work, copies of your project |
| But it's far from a slam dunk. You must truly | | | | documentation, the disciplines you specialize in, |
| exceed your client's expectations in their total | | | | customer testimonials, partners you work with, |
| entertainment needs - not just in their purchase | | | | etc. Saying it is one thing, seeing it is another. |
| and installation experiences, but in their satisfaction | | | | - Know your market and your customers. Be |
| of ongoing ownership. Here's a list from the CEPro | | | | prepared to communicate your tips and tricks for |
| list of CI disciplines you need to be prepared to | | | | securing new customers, selling more to existing |
| offer in providing the total entertainment | | | | clients and building referrals. How are you selling |
| satisfaction to your clients: | | | | them? What are they asking for? What are they |
| - Audio (sources, speakers, processors or | | | | not aware of? How are you delivering the total |
| multi-room distribution components | | | | solution? How do you manage your relationships? |
| - Video (sources, monitors, projectors, screens, | | | | - Spot trends with the consumers, builders, |
| DBS or multi-room distribution components) | | | | architects, designers and sub-contractors. What is |
| - Whole-house automation/integration | | | | driving their decision making? How are you |
| - PC networks/broadband installation | | | | succeeding with them? Are they reacting to the |
| - Security systems (alarms, integrated fire, | | | | market forces or leading the market? Are there |
| access control or CCTV) | | | | influencers that can impact other markets or |
| - HVAC | | | | professionals in their area of expertise? |
| - Telecommunications systems | | | | - Deliver real insight on their products, especially |
| - Lighting controls/window covering controls | | | | new products, and competitor's products, not just |
| - Structured wiring systems | | | | complaining about what it should have or should |
| - Other (central vacuum, surge protection, | | | | do.We all need to sell what's available until the Holy |
| irrigation control, spa controls, mounts etc) | | | | Grail presents itself. |
| Knowing this rapidly emerging integrated customer | | | | - Stop complaining about the mass retailers and |
| solution is composed of a complexity of brands, | | | | other competitors in the marketplace, nobody |
| disciplines & technologies, it's critical you | | | | likes a whiner.There's more than enough business |
| partner with manufacturers and distributors that | | | | out there for the ambitious. |
| are interested in more than just selling your gear. | | | | Here's how you engage: |
| You need help in understanding the products, | | | | - Network! Get out there and meet the |
| learning the latest integration techniques, access | | | | manufacturers,manufacturer's reps and distributor |
| to timely technical support and professional | | | | personnel.You'll know who you should align with |
| marketing materials to communicate with your | | | | based on how they treat you. The great ones |
| current and potential clients. So how do you stand | | | | are networking too; always open to creating new |
| out in the crowd and get noticed? Well, it's not | | | | relationships and learning new things. If they're |
| about your volume and it's not about buying | | | | just interested in your money, move on. You build |
| direct. Surprised? After 17 years on the | | | | relationships based on a partnership in resource. |
| manufacturer side of the business, here's my | | | | - Make a point of meeting people whose sales |
| take on why I believe neither matters in getting | | | | you effect at every opportunity. As I said before, |
| your God-given share of resources. | | | | it's not all about your volume; the goal is to be a |
| This exponentially increasing market reality of | | | | memorable resource. |
| consumer frustration is presenting a significant | | | | - Build relationships with your local rep and |
| challenge for manufacturers who are actually | | | | distributor sales team. They know when the |
| concerned about their brand image and not just | | | | vendor representatives are coming to town. |
| focused on driving their volume. Their strategists | | | | Trainings, vendor days, counter days, field dealer |
| are worried that over time the consumer will tie | | | | visits, road shows or maybe just to walk your |
| their dissatisfaction to the brand and product, or | | | | job site! Get in the loop; your key local contacts |
| possibly the entire category, not the long ago | | | | want to make a good impression too! |
| disappointing shopping experience that created the | | | | - Attend trade shows as they offer an excellent |
| ownership cancer in the first place. Just as recent | | | | opportunity to not only connect with your sales |
| celebrity debacles have demonstrated, opinions on | | | | contacts, but to meet the people behind the |
| the Internet have the instantaneous power to | | | | scenes: product managers, marketing & sales |
| create deep damage to a long nurtured image | | | | support personnel plus other key inside contacts |
| that used to be easily repaired by PR spin-doctors | | | | that can not only provide information, but access |
| and clever marketing. Vendors urgently need to | | | | to the key decision makers. |
| build an accessible base of dealers/integrators/ | | | | - Don't forget the trade press, they have lots of |
| installers who interface directly with the end user | | | | space to fill and are always looking for stories |
| and who are systematically creating positive | | | | about David succeeding in the shadow of Goliath. |
| consumer experiences by proactively up-selling - | | | | In the emerging new economy the customer is in |
| not clerking - their unique, valued-added products | | | | charge. |
| in useable, satisfying, integrated total | | | | And with that the power is transitioning to the |
| entertainment solutions. They desperately need to | | | | front line professionals who have credible |
| know what the drivers of fulfillment are with their | | | | customer relationships by delivering scalable, |
| most satisfied customers so they can add some | | | | repeatable success in total entertainment |
| of that "magic" to their marketing messages as | | | | satisfaction. |