Selling Inspires

Buzz Delano

Principal Consultant, Delano Associates

Selling inspires. It inspires salespeople who revel in the “close” and take satisfaction in

fulfilling the needs of their customer. Selling inspires the customer, too. They had a

desire for a particular experience, sought it out, engaged in the back-and-forth affair of

leading to making a purchase commitment. What a glorious experience for both parties.

Truly a “win-win.”

Imagine if you could take your very best personal purchase experiences and apply them

to your business when you present and sell a smart home system.

Reflecting upon countless appointments with smart home technology integrators and

conferences, I have come away with not only sales made and businesses successfully

advised as a strategic consultant. I have come away with nuggets of inspiration and

enthusiasm for how smart home integrators close sales and thoroughly delight their

customers.

Let’s start here.

“Sell the job right!” I must credit this nugget to both Sam Cavitt at Paradise Theater and

Mike Bradley, then with D’Addario music now with Titleist’s Scotty Cameron brand.

Each said it in roundtables with me and a few others. What thoughtful yet very different

businessmen know is to learn what your customer really needs. Meet their expectations

during the sales process and validate their need and how you will achieve it. The better

you do so, the greater the chance they will ask for more. Trust has an amazing capability

do that. Be sure you really know what your customer wants, deliver it and inspire them to

recognize other smart home design features to make their life at home more enjoyable.

Selling the job right means to maximize the customer’s experience and to be most

effective for your business. It takes a lot to achieve wins fort both but being concise,

creative and consultative for your customer is a great recipe for happy customers and

successful smart home business owners. Don't oversell. Doing so can undermine the sale

itself and in our business, it often leads to system design and installation challenges that

will frustrate your team.

“Establish your purpose versus value.” Thank you, Marilyn Sanford of LaScala, for this

great nugget of wisdom.

Your purpose in the context of designing and selling smart home systems is to thrill your

customer so much so that they bring great referrals and become customers for life. Your

purpose for your customer goes beyond and should help them to think creatively about

what they can experience in their home. Find a pathway to have them ask about

technology, how and where to put it to use for fun, comfort and pride in their home.

Today, we can talk about music steaming through the home, family video rooms and

cinema home theater, home automation control, lighting, outdoor entertainment, window

treatments, wellness, security and having it all supported by your phone. The magic here

is to inspire your customer to realize the possibilities and trust you to make them happen.

The better you do this, the greater your value.

“Pour some on me!” Wishing that I had made a note about who said this, but I vividly

remember the moment at a leadership conference in San Diego. Imagine the scene. About

250 people in a conference ballroom attending a keynote speech that to this day, remains

the most inspirational and motivating speech I have witnessed. Kevin Carroll lit up the

room with blue bottle of magic and red rubber ball, metaphors for doing something

special to achieve a goal. As Kevin engaged the audience, the vibe became uplifting to

the point where someone stood up and shouted, “pour some on me!” What a terrific

moment of enthusiasm.

“Magic” is sitting here in my office, always beckoning me to uncork its possibilities.Find your “blue bottle” and mindfully bring it with you whenever you are building a customer relationship. Show your customer that you are inspired by the opportunity to

design a smart home system for them.

“Everything matters.” I noted this in many business meetings that I have led or attended. I firmly believe that details are important. When I heard it as a siren call at a conference presentation by Scott Mc Kain, it locked me in because “hey, I say that too!”

It sure as heck does, and it touches everyone. Our actions, our spoken word, our work ethic, our passions in life and what we convey to those around you matters immensely. For conversations with homeowners, please remember this. Dismiss nothing, listen to

everything and as said earlier, find a pathway to inspiration about their idea, question and concern. And, smart home integrator leader, apply this value that “everything matters” for how you communicate with your employees. Keeping your team inspired by your professional interactions and personal character never goes out of style.

“Someone always benefits from change.” This is so true, and my personal and

professional viewpoint is to find a way for everyone involved with the change, to realize

a benefit. While I have long believed this, I recall two individuals in business dealings

who said it during group meetings. First it was industrial designer, Stephen Melamed.

Later, it was marketing strategist Steve Crawford. Both were professional affiliates with

me a certain time and both inspired me in many ways.

In our beloved and creative smart home system industry, change challenges us yet we

thrive upon it. Surely change is a requirement for integrators to remain relevant and

inspirational to their customers. Change is hard for people in life, business and their

personal growth but once change is in effect, benefits emerge. A new friend is made, a

new job resets a career path, a child is born. Each is a result of a personal commitment to

be ready to enjoy change and its benefits. Certainly, the changing of technology and

smart home design ranks below making new friends, a new job and a new child but my

point is change is good.

Successful smart home integrators are prepared for change, and they will lead change in

their business for improvement. When it comes to their customers, they present change

as an opportunity for the customer to think creatively and self-inspire to engage more

with their smart home integrator.

When change occurs, be it a trend, the economy or the style of your business, somewhere

along the way, someone gains. Cars once needed to go to a filling station. Today, cars can

fuel up at home. Doors needed a key and today they need a code, face or fingerprint.

Televisions needed a big square space in the room. Today televisions hang on our walls.

Windows had blinds and curtains with pull chains. Today windows control light automatically

depending upon time of day, season and personal schedules. Pretty cool. Smart home

integrators can take care of all this and more. Be inspired by this as a smart home integrator

and, as a customer, be inspired by the possibilities for your home.

Someone always benefits from change. Let it inspire you.