Interior Designers create blog

This host would like to share a link to a new Designer's resource. Just debuting is: Interor Design blog for Designers. Here's the link: http://designintelligence.blogspot.com/

As mentioned in Window Fashions Magazine July '06 issue, the blog's purpose is to generate ideas and spot trends. The blog is hosted by noted design pros: Deb Barrett and Susan Schultz.

SteveShade

Tablet PC as photo display tool

In my previous post the Tablet PC (LS800) from www.MotionComputing.com was touted as a great sales tool. An additional feature of that product is that it came with a memory card reader.

My PDA/planner/camera/phone all-in-one (XV6600 Pocket PC from Verizon) saves photos on a compatible memory card, so I just pop the PDA memory into the Tablet PC and the photos immediately come up on the screen. This is a large screen, unlike the PDA's, so the pictures are great to look at. With a little work you could build an entire photo album on a memory card and be able to reference different product photos, while working with a customer.

Here's a picture taken on my PDA/camera. The crew is working on 26' scaffold installing motorized shades that are 266" long. This picture is pretty good for a PDA camera, and this image can be easily loaded into my Tablet PC in seconds.

We'll explore the advantages of the PDA device in future posts.

Steve Walton

Automated selling tools: GO DIGITAL!

My work is done at the customer's location and having the right tools to do a fast, accurate proposal is essential. I've gone digital and what a difference! I'm using Motion Computing's LS800 Tablet (www.MotionComputing.com) and a very small, portable printer by Pental.

These tools plus a software package that generates a window coverings proposal, is a dream come true. (www.Solatech.com) This system totals about $3800.

• Tablet: This is a 2 1/2 pound, Windows computer that runs for about 2 1/2 hours on battery or wall plug. The Solatech software resides here.

• Pental printer: About the size of a 3 hole punch! It has a wall plug for charging, but mostly is a battery operated printer using thermal paper (8c per sheet). The printer receives documents from the Tablet by "beam" so no cables, no drivers!

• Solatech software: The software is specific to my window coverings industry. There's a long list of window covering manufacturers that provide all their specs, prices, colors and build rules to Solatech and they are all incorporated into the package. No more hunting in the catalogue. The computer has it all and updates are frequent via the internet. Annual license for support and updates starts at about $500 per year.

• The last part of the equation is to use a laser measuring device (www.LaserMeters.com) Disto model A5, to measure the windows. At about $400, it is highly accurate (to 1/8") and is a real time saver.

What have these tools done for me?

• Speed
• Accuracy
• Professional image
• Increased closing rate!

Are they worth it? Absolutely. I recommend you go digital in your sales work.

standOUTselling

http://www.shadesofthefuture.com/images/COVER.jpg

Embroidered shirt uniform mentioned in post.

Stand OUT in the crowd of sellers

How do you stand OUT in a crowd of people selling what you sell? That's what this blog is all about. Let's share ideas that work!

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Blog creator, "SteveShade" here, owner of Shades Of The Future, Inc. and web site www.ShadesOfTheFuture.com. I sell interior window coverings on-site, residential and commercial. What do you sell?

I'm not sure of the exact direction this blog will take, but the focus is selling and how to be a sales person that stands OUT.
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Timeliness:

Don't under estimate the importance of a first impression. Talk about first impressions: BE ON TIME! With sales people constantly late, just be on time and you are already standing OUT. Yesterday I was running late because of heavy traffic. A call to the customer enroute was all that was needed to buy another ten mintues without penalty.


Dress:

You need to find an appropriate level of dress for your situation. I used to wear a suit or jacket with tie to an appintment. About 7 years ago I realized I was overdressing and I began wearing embroidered dress shirts with my company name "Shades Of The Future.com" stitched above my name "Steve". It's an appropriate appearance for my trade. Depending on the temperature, I wear a tie. In too-warm weather I wear an embroidered short sleeve shirt with the same stitching. The short sleeved shirt is standard on my installation days.

Here's how this clothing helped:

• It creates an instant professional appearance at low cost.
• With my name in stitching it is easy for customers to remember my name and feel more comfortable in conversation.
• I saved a lot of money on clothes and the uniform is a company expense.
• I never need a name tag in networking environments.
• In some environments you want to have your name visible, but it isn't appropriate to wear a name tag. Embroidered shirt solves it.

Ladies, perhaps you can share some ideas for appropriate dress for your sales calls. Certainly I'm not expert there!

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This is a big subject and we are just getting started...Please share your ideas!

Future posts will explore the value of selling tools, ie: how cutting edge technology, can improve your closing rate.

For more selling ideas, you might like to visit my web site and see how it is set-up to attract clients from around the world. www.ShadesOfTheFuture.com.

Author: Steve Walton email: [go to web site above to contact the author by email]

This is the SOS blog: stand O U T selling. This is THE place to read and share selling tips and techniques that are stand O U T ideas.