How well do you know sales? You might be starting out as a remodeler looking to build your base of leads and get some early clients, or maybe you've been in the industry for 30 years and have seen and done everything. So, why are those sales sucking wind?
Yes, the housing market and other economic externals play a role, but it may be more than that — maybe it's you. If that's the case, the moment to hire a sales consultant might be here. After suffering through a sales decline, one small-business owner — a furniture maker — decided to bring in expertise he needed.
When did he know it was time? The numbers made it obvious. He had suffered through three straight months of lower-than-expected sales in the second quarter of 2012, and was well shy of his yearly goal. A fellow business owner — a staircase maker — suggested he try a consultant.
What he learned is that it comes down to more than changing the sales process, it's about changing the rate at which he closed deals and being cautious about how much information he gave to clients. After getting undercut on two big contracts during those months, he learned that he might have to change the way he interacts with customers. Too much information, and you may wind up losing out.
Have you ever hired a sales consultant? If so, tell us why you did and what your experience was. You can do so as a comment to this article or by writing on our Facebook page.
