Earn more per project by seeing possibilities that the homeowner can’t. I recently went through a home renovation that included two complete bathroom makeovers and a partial kitchen remodel.  During the interview and bid process, I related to the contractor my specific needs and design plan. He suggested a few minor changes that would be more suitable and cost-effective, but other than that, he simply did what I asked him to do.

My friend, however, who is also the realtor who sold me the house, made a smart suggestion to seal a hallway closet that abutted the bathroom and use that space for bathroom shelving. This made perfect sense because (a) there were too many doors in the hallway, making the space look smaller and (b) I desperately lacked storage in the bathroom.

Why didn’t my contractor come up with the brilliant idea? Perhaps it’s what we call tunnel vision. You go into the project by first listening to what the customer wants, you tell them whether or not it’s doable and then you create their vision. But if you looked around, you might get ideas that will greatly enhance the space and make it more functional for the homeowner. (more…)

What if the art of soliciting work was less about what you say but more about what you ask? Instead of always focusing on what to say next — talking to yourself rather than truly listening to the prospective client — you would be actively engaged in the process by focusing on client needs.

This and other key points for Psychology and Strategy of Sales are addressed by Shawn McCadden in a recent spot on Remodeling TV. In the short excerpt from his seminar, McCadden points out that a real understanding of sales, understanding “the psychology of this dance that’s going on,” can make a world of difference to your company.

As McCadden summarized, “The questions that you ask will be far more valuable in proving your value — the difference that you bring to the table — than the answers you give.” (more…)