Page 6 - CMA PROfiles Winter 2014

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S DESK

Doing Things the Hard Way An easier way is to learn what are the most important parts of the proj-
ect are from the client’s perspective. Items like what they absolutely
want to have included, when they want to project completed,
by Dave Grulke, CMA Executive Director
t a recent trade show, a shop owner approached the if they have talked to or intend to talk with other suppliers,
CMA booth and asked me, “What do I get with a CMA what sort of budget range they think the project will cost,
how they intend to pay for it (cash, credit card, loan etc.) and
A membership?” Now, I’ve spent hundreds of hours in
the CMA booth at trade shows and have heard variations on a handful of other items need to be answered. When done
in a conversational style, it’s much more natural than if the
that same question over and over and over again. My reply?
“In your first year, you’ll get 12 monthly e-newsletters, a same information is gathered in an interrogation or from a
member magazine each quarter and a bill for your renewal form you’d have the client fill out. You can certainly gather
that information along the way in either process, but getting
dues…unless you get involved.” I’ll typically pause at that
point to let what I just said sink in for a few seconds, then I that data upfront should fairly easily give you a clear path to
determine IF you want to provide a quote.
say something like, “However, if you do get involved, you’ll
get your dues payments back many times over.”
Notice I did say IF you want to provide a quote. If something isn’t
going to work in your discovery process as you gather information
Rather than go through a laundry list of membership features and
from the potential client, you can decline to go any further in the
benefits at the exact moment when the question is asked, I’ll turn
the question back to the prospect and say something like, “What process. One of my early managers trained me to remember that NO
is the other answer. We all want to please others, and YES is the easy,
were you hoping to find with a membership in the CMA?” That’s
the place where the conversation can and does go in just about any pleasing answer in nearly every situation. To respond with a No does
direction. Some are looking for discounts on services and supplies, take some practice if you don’t use it frequently in sales situations.
It does take two to tango, so both must agree to take the next steps
while others are hoping to find group rates on health or business
insurance. Some say they are looking for help in finding better together. Want to save time you can devote to actual paying clients?
Use the other answer (NO) on appropriate occasions when your dis-
ways to produce their products or to find more customers or ways
to increase their sales and profits. Others are looking for ways to covery process tells you to do so.
separate themselves from their competition. In just about every
Here’s where it usually falls apart with a shop owner spending a lot
case, the CMA does have significant items and services to offer, but of hours preparing an estimate and design that they will never build.
it does take some strategic questions to uncover some of the needs,
Not enough data was gathered up front to determine if there is any
wants and desires of these member prospects. The conversation that possibility of actually signing a contract on the job. It’s easy to skip
ensues provides the answers to those questions which contain the through some of the tough questions, thinking that you can get that
keys to closing the sale.
information later. However, if you choose to do that, you’ll still be
going through your entire process not really knowing if you have a
You might be wondering why I am telling you about this part of the
process in selling CMA memberships at a trade show. The longer I’m remote possibility of actually getting the contract signed. I’ll argue
that spending another 15-30 minutes with a prospect to get all the
on the green side of the grass, the more I realize that selling anything,
including custom cabinets and woodworking, can be done either the answers you need will save you many hours on the back end working
easy way or the hard way. I’ve not yet met a CMA member shop out project details and pricing for something you’ll never build. I’d
much rather screen someone out of the system early than to invest
owner with way too much time on their hands, so it would seem the
easy way to bring in new sales would be preferred over the hard way. several hours of my time that leads to a dead end. How about you?
It sure seems to me that you can apply lots of LEAN to your selling
The hard way looks something like this. A prospect phones, e-mails process, if you actually take a few more minutes to set it up properly.
or stops in your shop. They say they are looking for a price on build-
ing some kind of project. You then go through your usual steps in the So the choice is up to you. You can do it the easy way, or the hard
way. Happy selling!
process, running down your product’s features and benefits, search
for appropriate past project pictures to show them your capabilities,
Editor’s note: Dave will be a featured speaker at the upcoming Cabinets
discuss the designing an estimating process, talk about doing a site and Closets Conference in Somerset, NJ on April 9. His session is titled
visit, start a design or have them produce job plans etc., etc., etc. “Filling Your Funnel: Get More Sales Prospects Now!” and will discuss
All of this is done before you directly answer their initial question, various advertising, marketing and sales techniques that really work. ❖
which, in short was “how much?”

considerable discounts. Yet, you can pick and choose the ones that in-
President's Message … continued from page 4
terest you the most based on your particular needs for your business.
We have just started offering these courses through webinars that you
can attend either live on the date they air, or through archived episodes Whatever your situation, if you are wanting to grow your business or
just want to grow your bottom line, I would suggest you give these
that you can watch over and over again on your time, night or day.
seminars and webinars that the CMA offers a very hard look. Who
One facet of this program, is that you do not have to be a member of knows, one little piece of information you acquire at one of these
the CMA nor do you have to subscribe to the certification program may completely transform your paycheck at the end of the year....for
to attend or watch these webinar sessions. CMA members do receive the better.❖
6 PROFILES • Volume 14 • Issue 1, 2014 • www.cabinetmakers.org