The Holiday Rush will be over in about two weeks, then what? Historically there is a lull in activity the first two weeks of January as everyone gets back from vacations and settles in to their regular work habits.

Here are a couple of sales tips for the following few weeks:

*Take a look at your showroom, vendor catalogs, and sample stock. Make a pile of anything that is out-of-date, hasn't sold well or is damaged. Donate what you can to Habitat Restore before the end of the year. Send an email to your vendors asking for updated samples, pricing and catalogs.

*Go for a walk through the local furniture retailers and big box cabinet displays. Make notes on what styles they are selling and what colors are shown. Open every door and drawer to see what accessories they consider standard. Make notes on what is similar to your showroom or catalogs.

*Compare and improve. If the big boxes are showing the same pull-out trash can system, filler units, door styles, and hardware your showroom sells then pitch it. Improve on what they show to differentiate your custom craftsmanship with their standard offering. Take a clue from their color selections and offerings, but don't match it. If they are showing a plywood pull-out, then make sure yours is solid wood and dovetailed. If they are pushing dark-toned cherry colored birch doors, make sure you show real cherry.

*Educate with visuals. Show your difference with a YouTube video on your construction methods. I have one shop that bought the competitor’s particleboard cabinet and cut it in half. He shows this cabinet next to his own 1/2 solid wood cabinet. When showing the cabinets to prospects, no words are necessary.

The goal is to set your company above the Hoi polloi of the local market with better quality, interesting designs and unique offerings.

Good Hunting,

Rick