Sales

Using Virtual Reality to Grow Sales and Profits with Chris Katkish – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted]

March 21, 2024 Sales 0:28:30

Virtual reality creates immersive environments in real time. For remodelers, that means your clients could preview and even “walk-through” their projects to see if they like what they’re seeing. 

Guest Chris Katkish says VR can help remodelers streamline their sales and design process, trim the length of the sales cycle, and boost production efficiency by reducing change orders. All of which leads to more sales and more profit.

In this episode, Chris talks to Victoria and Mark about using VR technology to help clients confidently make decisions more quickly in the sales and design process.

Chris is the general manager of InSite Builders and Remodeling in Bethesda, MD. The three owners of InSite have partnered in a company called Limitless Virtual Reality, which enables CAD designs to be viewed in VR.

InSite uses VR as a visualization tool to get concepts across to homeowners. Even if you’re using 3D modeling, they’re still viewed in 2D, and seeing it on screen isn’t the same. VR immersion allows clients to experience the space and see what they’re buying before its built. Chris talks about the ways remodelers can use VR in their businesses, including:

  • When to bring VR into the sales process
  • Building in the charge for the VR design
  • How your 3D model becomes a VR environment
  • The equipment you’d need — and how much it may cost
  • Real-world examples of how VR speeds up client decisions
  • How to use it with Project Managers and Trade Partners
  • And more…

Victoria and Mark also spitball ways to use VR in your marketing. The pace of technology is fast — and VR is the newest tool on the scene. If you’ve got ideas or opinions on how VR may affect the remodeling business or your business, let us know in the comments below.

The Seven Deadly Sins of Negotiating with Jeff Borovitz – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted]

February 1, 2024 Sales 0:38:00

A remodeler who fears negotiation, is like a roofer who is afraid of heights.

Negotiation skills are necessary for success in the field of remodeling.  However, a lot of remodelers are unaware of how to even approach the subject. 

Guest Jeff Borovitz joins Victoria and Mark in this episode to talk about how to be an efficient negotiator and how to avoid the seven deadly sins of negotiation that stand in the way of success.

Jeff is a franchise owner of Sandler Training and the Remodelers Advantage Sandler Sales Trainer. He has advised, trained and coached small and medium-sized companies as well as large enterprise companies on developing stronger sales teams, closing more sales and leading organizational change.

Victoria, Mark and Jeff talk more about:

  • What the Seven Deadly Sins are
  • The sin that costs remodelers the most
  • The sin that is the most misunderstood
  • How conviction and belief relate to negotiation
  • And more…

How to Make Huge Profits Without Clients with Andrew Schroeder – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted]

April 27, 2023 Business Management, Financial Management, Sales 00:37:56

Welcome to another episode of PowerTips Unscripted. This week, we go into the vault for an informative episode. Victoria and Mark talk to guest Andrew Schroeder about using your remodeling experience to grow your business by profitably flipping houses, minimizing the risks and maximizing the benefits, and the challenges of acting as your own client.

Whether you’re a seasoned professional in the remodeling industry or just starting, this episode is for you! Victoria and Mark dig deep with Andrew to uncover all the tips and tricks for success in the lucrative world of house flipping.

 

Andrew joined the Schroeder Design/Build team in 1999 and became owner in 2011. In addition to running SDB, Andrew volunteers time with the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI).

Victoria, Mark, and Andrew talk more about:

  • Where to invest your time and money to get your best returns
  • How to fill your production pipeline without getting new clients
  • Determining your profit margins in real estate
  • And more…

The Three Most Important Skills in Sales Management with David Mattson – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted]

February 9, 2023 Sales 00:38:39

Sales management can be one of the hardest jobs in a company, especially if you are both a player and coach.

Sales managers are constantly focusing on how to improve their business, their team and themselves, and could use some tips along the way. 

Guest David Mattson joins Victoria and Mark in this episode to share the best practices to incorporate into succeeding as a sales manager.

David Mattson is the CEO of Sandler Training and also a former speaker for the Remodelers Advantage Roundtables.  David has written 5 best selling books on sales management and is also releasing another called, “Scaling Sales Success -16 Principles for Sales Leaders.” 

As a distinguished author and CEO, David brings his knowledge of world-class sales, sales management tactics and actionable strategies into this episode.

Victoria, Mark and David talk more about:

  • Onboarding salespeople as a small business
  • Tips on coaching
  • Advice for new sales managers
  • What it means to “Tap Into Their Why”
  • And more…

Documents Mentioned During this Episode: 

Explore More Sandler Books

Exploring a Large Project Sales Process with Lane Cooper – [PowerTips Unscripted S4 E11]

January 26, 2023 Business Management, Sales 00:28:14

Today on PowerTips Unscripted, Lane Cooper joins the show to discuss the large project sales process. Price is a process like design. Setting our clients up for a successful pricing process is critical to large remodeling projects moving forward through design into construction. Lane walks us through his pricing process to manage clients’ price expectations.

Lane Cooper is the President and founder of COOPER Design Build in Portland, OR., and is a valued Roundtables member. COOPER Design Build specializes in large remodeling and addition projects.

Victoria, Mark, and Lane talk more about…

  • Scope Creep
  • Challenges of selling and pricing major additions and whole house remodels
  • Determining if the project is suitable for your company
  • And more… 

Top 5 Remodeling Sales Secrets You Must Know with Jeff Borovitz – [PowerTips Unscripted] S4 E6

December 1, 2022 Sales 00:30:10

Today on PowerTips Unscripted, Jeff Borovitz joins the show to discuss the top 5 remodeling sales secrets every business owner must know. In addition, Jeff talks about how sales professionals should establish a clearly defined future with clients and how that helps eliminates surprises during the sales journey. 

Jeff Borovitz is the President of Sandler Training, a company that helps train remodeling professionals. Known for triple-digit revenue and profit increases, Jeff has 28 years of experience as an award-winning quota-busting salesperson and has trained over 1,000 salespeople. Jeff also runs SalesEdge, a program exclusively for Remodelers Advantage, where Roundtables members can receive sales training.

Victoria, Mark, and Jeff talk more about:

  • How to not surprise your customers
  • Being uncomfortable in the sales process
  • The most important tip for remodelers
  • And more…

Pheel the Love — How the Most Powerful Force in the Universe Builds Great Companies, with Tom Burgoyne – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted]

November 3, 2022 Company Culture, Customer Service, Personal Development, Sales 00:23:42

Everyone would love to have raving fans — and today’s guest knows the feeling. Tom Burgoyne has had a 30-year career as the person behind the Phillie Phanatic — the most popular mascot in sports. 

In this episode, Tom talks to Victoria and Mark about what the Phanatic has taught him about the importance of customer service — and how it can be a great differentiator.  Tom has learned, while in costume, that the love people have for the Phanatic, and the love the mascot shares, can be applied to your everyday working life. 

Tom was working in sales when he answered a blind ad to become the backup to the original Phanatic. He was the backup for four years before assuming the primary role. He’s also the author of Pheel The Love!: How the Most Powerful Force in the Universe Builds Great Companies — Phillie Phanatic Style!  He applied this principle to improving customer service through love and fun, including:

  • Being authentic
  • Deciding to be loving
  • Noticing opportunities to share the love
  • Acting on the opportunities
  • The big smooch — making people feel special
  • Being consistently optimistic as a company
  • The Love 15 evaluation
  • And more …

Tom shares some of his most enduring memories as the Phanatic, including leading the 2008 World Series parade, how hot it gets in the costume, and what the Phanatic and Remodelers Advantage have in common.

Tom also has a podcast called Phillies Backstage with Brazer and Burgoyne. And you can check out his page on LinkedIn.

This episode was initially posted in 2019.

Everyone Should Think Like an Entrepreneur with Sean Castrina – [PowerTips Unscripted] S4 E4

October 27, 2022 Business Management, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Sales 00:23:44

Sean Castrina joins the program to discuss why everyone should think like an entrepreneur and the importance of developing a strategy for determining what business you want to start. He shares that when he lost his job, he found another one so he could take his time to figure out his next steps. 

Sean Castrina is the Founder of The Weekend MBA, host of The 10 Minute Entrepreneur Podcast (a top 10 entrepreneurship podcast), an author of 4 bestselling books, and a serial entrepreneur.

Sean, Victoria and Mark discuss:

  • Critical components of building a successful business
  • The top reasons why most entrepreneurs fail
  • Why you must constantly look for new revenue streams 

The Delicate Art of Qualifying Remodeling Leads with Chip Doyle- [Best of Powertips Unscripted]

September 15, 2022 Business Management, Company Culture, Marketing, Production, Sales 00:32:56

Leads! Lead! Leads! Business is good, leads are coming in. But are you over-qualifying, under-qualifying, or doing it just right? 

Chip Doyle’s got research that says 30-60 percent of business is lost because the initial phone call is handled incorrectly. So if you’re not doing it just right, you’re leaving money behind.

In this episode, Chip’s back with Victoria and Mark to break down the best practices for lead evaluation over the phone, and what to leave for the salesperson to handle in the prospect’s home.  

Chip Doyle wrote Selling to Homeowners — The Sandler Way, a best-selling industry book, and has been offering Sandler training for 20 years. He has worked with hundreds of remodeling companies across North America — including many of our Roundtables members and RA University members, and many other RA programs.

The most fundamental mistake many remodeling companies make — especially in this hot market — is mismanaging leads over the phone. Over-qualifying leads mean you’re actually losing money, says Chip. He says the salesperson’s job is to go out and get “no”s. Getting into the home is key, but too many owners wear too many hats and don’t have enough time to devote to sales calls. The result is being too stringent during the initial phone calls. Chip talks about how to qualify your prospects the right way, including:

  • Predictive qualifying
  • How long the initial call should take
  • Who should do the qualifying
  • Training the qualifier, or LIP
  • Ensuring that the homeowner has a positive experience on that first call
  • Finding out the client’s pain points while on the phone
  • Making and confirming appointments
  • And more …

Growing a High Volume Remodeling Business with Jake Schloegel- [Best of Powertips Unscrpited]

September 1, 2022 Business Management, Financial Management, Marketing, Production, Sales 00:24:49

Many remodelers dream of one day building a high-volume remodeling company. Others aren’t sure it’s worth the effort.

In this episode, we talk to Jake Schloegel about what it takes to grow a high-volume remodeling business. Why build it? Who should be involved? What are the expectations?

Jake is the Founder of Schloegel Design Remodel, an award-winning Design/Build firm in Kansas City. He started in 1980 as a one-person company and has grown it, with the help of his team, to an operation exceeding $14 million in revenue annually. The company is now managed by Jake’s son, Charlie Schlegel, and his business partner, Chris Peterson.

Jake has been a facilitator and instructor for Remodelers Advantage for years and is very active in the remodeling community, having served as president of NARI from 1990 through 1992.

Victoria, Mark, and Jake talk more about:

  • Jake’s business and what prepared him for growth.
  • Who helped Jake in building the company?
  • The key components necessary for sustainable growth.
  • Why Jake wanted to achieve high volume.
  • What Jake would do differently if he could have some do-overs.
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MASTER NAVIGATION

This website is part of the Remodelers Advantage Network.

Visit our other properties: