First Impressions Can Last Forever
There is nothing like the first impression you make on your customer —and you only get one chance to make it.  Are you about the same as anybody else that sells the same stuff?  Or is there something special about you?  Does it show right from the start?  If you have a store, what’s it like to walk into it for somebody who has never been there before?  Is it a friendly relaxing environment?  Does your store or showroom look fantastic?  People that want a great look in their home will respond well to a great looking store.  Make sure your displays and samples are in perfect working order. Display products that your competitors don't.  It's also important to ensure your personal appearance is professional and appropriate. Find a unique, enthusiastic and pleasant way to answer your phone.  Take a little time everyday to make sure everything about you and your environment is unforgettable.

A great display can make it look like you carry products nobody else has!

How Do I Clean These? 
—And other Questions Your Competitors Avoid

“How do I clean these?” It’s a question that’s on the mind of almost every customer you have.  Have product specific answers to this question for every product you sell.  You can only truly be an expert in window coverings if you’re an expert in the care and cleaning of window coverings. Use the Hunter Douglas Reference Guide to get to know the specifics of each product (see online version registration/login required). Form an alliance with businesses in your area that have ultrasonic and/or injection-extraction cleaning services. Refer your customers to them or consider providing a drop-off service

Not all of them will vocalize the question, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there.  In this case you have to be bit of a mind reader.  Play the part up by starting with a question like, “I know you’re wondering how to clean these, aren’t you?” 

The point is to get this out in the open.  Many dealers treat questions about cleaning with dismissive non-specific answers. This gives you a chance to show your expertise and help your customers, not just with covering their windows but also with keeping their homes clean and comfortable.

There are other questions that many of your competitors don’t handle well.  Subjects such as energy efficiency, light control, lift systems and other product options are often on your customers mind.  Too often these questions are handled in ways that are confusing, inaccurate or dismissive.  If you are truly helpful to your customer in answering these questions, she’s likely to never forget it.

Show your customers that products like Alouette are easy to clean even when there's ketchup involved!

Never, Never, Ever Close The Sale. 
This sounds contrary to most selling techniques, but you should never “close” the sale.  All too often, once the sale is closed, the customer waits for the installer and never speaks to the salesperson again unless of course there is a major problem.  

Make a point to be there for the installation.  If you’re not there at the actual time, within a day or so after. By being there you are likely to prevent problems from getting out of hand.  If there are issues, make sure your customer knows what you are doing about it.  If not, just congratulate your customer on her purchase and compliment her good taste.  Few window covering dealers follow this practice, so it’s a great way to make you different and unforgettable. 

To close the sale means that you are finished with your customer until perhaps the next time she needs blinds.  That’s about seven years according to industry statistics.  But you may be able to shorten that cycle just by keeping in touch.

Keep the line of communication open and you just might shorten the buying cycle.

It’s Not Business it’s Personal!

A simple handwritten note delivered by mail after the products are successfully installed will go a long way in making you unforgettable.  But don’t let it end there.  Keep a personal communication with your customer on an ongoing basis.   When you work with customers, especially in their homes, you almost always learn something personal about them.  You will learn about their likes and dislikes, hobbies and interests if you pay attention.  Keep track of this information. Whether you use a database or a stack of index cards doesn’t really matter. When you run across an article or news that may be of interest to a particular customer, clip it and send it with a quick personal note.

Use postcards, e-mail and newsletters to keep customers hear about new products, new colors and new options —and to make sure they hear it from you.  Make sure your communications to existing customers keep that personal feel about them. 

Use The new Hunter Douglas Build-An-Ad Tool to Create postcards that will keep your existing customers informed.

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Don’t Forget Them. They Won’t Forget You.