5 Tips to Sell More Seating

"Please take a seat" is a phrase likely used by every integrator when prepping a prospective client for an A/V demo. So why not literally sell them a seat … or two?

High-margin home theater seating can often “take a back seat” to components and become a missed opportunity for dealers. Here are five ways to sell more home theater seating from Don Wolper of Fortress Seating.

Bring It Up Early. Don’t wait until all the components have been sold or after the installation has started to talk about home theater chairs. “Depending upon the number of seats desired, it could affect the screen size, projector or the room layout as it relates to aisles and platforms. Waiting to the end of the project to discuss seating often leads to compromises. Platforms often are not deep enough or aisles start to shrink. Seating is perhaps the most dominant presence in the theater and needs to be discussed early in the planning meetings,” says Wolper.

Don’t Forget the Great Room. Custom seating is not just for dedicated theaters. “Seating for multipurpose rooms has become almost as popular as theater seating is for dedicated theaters. Comfort and easy viewing are still the critical issues. Seating companies that can incorporate motion mechanisms into sofas, and sectionals are meeting the requirements for multipurpose room seating.”

Don’t Focus on Margin. There is no set margin, especially if the client has a finite budget. “In most cases the seating company does the drawing and provides a cost-per-item quote. Freight is a cost usually paid by the consumer, as is installation. If you factor in your time spent selling theater seating and take into consideration that it is a multi-unit sale that requires no ‘after installation’ service, then maybe calculating gross dollars earned per sale rather than looking at the margins would give a better picture of the potential profits earned by selling theater seating.”

Build in Lead Time. Delivery time for seating is longer because it is a build-to-order product. Eight- to 10-weeks is typical. That’s why it’s vital to talk about seating early with clients. “Establish the importance of the seating and you won’t lose budget dollars; but treat it as an afterthought and you can easily see dollars moved to what the homeowner considers more important.”

Don’t Fear Design Elements. Yes, there are design factors with seating, but Wolper says to let the homeowner or interior designer make the decisions on upholstery, number of seats, height, etc., with your input on sight lines. “When everyone works together the result reflects the team effort.”