All Articles Tagged Sales

Jason Knott | 02/22 08:27 AM, 0 Comments

"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… View this story

Mitch Klein | 02/17 09:00 AM, 11 Comments

The Internet is the bane of URC’s selling team, yet it’s fertile soil for marketers and shoppers. Putting strategies in place to handle the eventual pricing resistance from some prospects is a wise and necessary step (for both manufacturers and integrators). Shoppers spent much more money online in 2011 than in 2010, and that trend will most certainly continue. Numerous sources of data clearly show the sharp rise in purchasing from online sellers; those of us in the trenches all understand this to be a reality. While online shopping continues… View this story

Jason Knott | 12/02 08:16 AM, 0 Comments

How can you really double your business in this economic climate? The only way to really increase your revenues and your profits is to close more sales, but many integrators are not focusing on sales training. Admit it, most of us are on the geeky side. Integrators tend to impress clients with their technical prowess. That works in many cases, especially if you are selling complicated integrated systems. But as systems become less complex and you face knowledgeable GenY customers, technical ability will start to take a backseat to other… View this story

Julie Jacobson | 02/16 06:36 AM, 21 Comments

Yesterday I went to a bi-monthly meeting of local CE Pros in the Twin Cities, chauffeured by Kevin Klotzbach of the rep firm Frontline Sales and Marketing. During the long drive to the Minnetonka offices of CS Media, Kevin told me about the Audi he was driving, and why he flew to Dallas to pick it up. Seems no one in the Twin Cities really wanted to sell him one. Kevin visited several local dealerships, did a lot of test drives on various vehicles including non-Audi models, and asked a… View this story

Scott Moody | 11/24 07:09 AM, 1 Comment

The holiday season is the perfect time for integrators to connect with clients, both existing and new. With sales forecasts predicting increases in spending this year, this holiday season looks promising for the A/V industry. According to the CEA's 17th Annual CE Holiday Purchase Patterns Study, 74 percent of consumers are planning to buy consumer electronics as a holiday gift this season. Here are four ways custom integrators can take advantage of the holiday feeding frenzy: Create a Gift Card Program: Consider offering gift cards during the holiday season that… View this story

Tom LeBlanc | 02/03 11:45 AM, 2 Comments

Let's hope this becomes a trend: Companies that went out of business coming back. That’s the situation with Value Added Marketing, which suspended its operations nearly four years ago. Co-founder Chuck Schneider says he has re-launched VAM, making it “New England’s oldest new rep firm.” Schneider is partnering with Victor Moorhatch, a CE veteran with sales manager experience at Kloss Video, NAD, Atlantic Technology and WireWorld. The new incarnation of VAM, which will be located in Carver, Mass., has locked up one manufacturer, but Schneider declined to name names. “I’m… View this story