Are you Semiretired
Water Quality Products
September 2007
By Carl Davidson & Ric Harry
How to tell if you’re retired before you actually retire
PDF Version
Who's Afraid of the Big Box Stores?
Dealer Insight
May 2007
By Carl Davidson & Ric Harry
Big box stores offer a variety of products, but cannot provide the expert touch of a good water dealer
From Ring to Cha-Ching
Water Quality Products
February 2007
By Carl Davidson & Ric Harry
How to turn calls into appointments
Selling Outside the Box
Water Quality Products
January 2007
By Carl Davidson & Ric Harry
How to implement off-the-wall lead generation techniques
Facing a Downturn
Water Quality Products
December 2006
Carl Davidson & Ric Harry
How will changes in the economy affect your dealership?
Survey Says...
Water Quality Products
November 2006
By Carl Davidson & Ric Harry
What do today’s customers want?
Jujitsu Selling
Water Quality Products
October 2006
By Carl Davidson & Ric Harry
Using customers’ own interests & desires as a fulcrum to make a sale
Competing for Talent
Water Quality Products
May 2006
By Carl Davidson & Ric Harry
How to attract the new generation of salespeople
The Common Denominator
Water Quality Products
March 2006
By Carl Davidson and Ric Harry
Secrets of success in the water equipment industry
Establishing a Culture of Success
Water Quality Products
January 2006
By Ric Harry & Carl Davidson
Dealers must examine the message their words and actions send to their employees
Earning & Keeping Customer Respect
Water Quality Products
August 2005
By Carl Davidson & Ric Harry
Here is an old-fashioned one. We suggest you call customers by their formal titles until they give you permission to use more familiar terms. No matter what their age, they may not want you to call them “guys” or use their first names.
Not What It Seems
Water Quality Products
July 2005
Carl Davidson
This article is about sales and management techniques that sound good but usually don’t work. You may think they will be successful in increasing sales and profits but in the end they fail. Take a look, maybe we can help you avoid trying them before you waste a lot of time and money.
PDF Version
Closing Techniques
Water Quality Products
May 2005
By Carl Davidson
Remember, no close or technique works unless you try it, and practice is essential to success.
PDF Version
The Phrase That Pays
Water Quality Products
March 2005
By Carl Davidson
Good salespeople choose phrases and words carefully, they constantly watch the customer in order to weed out the words and phrases that don’t work and emphasize the ones that do.
PDF Version
Beware of What You Take Pride In
Water Quality Products
January 2005
By Carl Davidson
They mistake certain aspects of their business for badges of honor when they are really signs of lack of proper sales and management.
PDF Version
Hot Button Selling
Water Quality Products
November 2004
By Carl Davidson
Other industries have already found that every customer buys for a reason as unique as their fingerprints…called hot buttons.
PDF Version
Heating up Your Demonstrations
Water Quality Products
September 2004
By Carl Davidson
Unless you have a demo that is so good the customer wants the system and wants it now, it is just not good enough.
PDF Version
Looking for Trouble
Water Quality Products
August 2004
By Carl Davidson
Take inventory
of your company
and see how many
of these mistakes
you are making.
PDF Version
Bad Credit? No Problem
Water Quality Products
June 2004
By Carl Davidson
Financing is the key to success in our industry, so do not leave home without it.
PDF Version
The Congratulations Close
Water Quality Products
April 2004
By Carl Davidson
Part of being a good closer is taking the time to learn good closes until they are smooth and automatic. It should just happen.
PDF Version
Optimism: The Unbeatable Secret to Sales
Water Quality Products
March 2004
Carl Davidson
Optimism is the number-one ingredient in success. How much do you have? The best way to develop optimism is to have a few key phrases ready to inject in things that happen on a regular basis during the sales process. Here are a few examples.
PDF Version
Great Salespeople Sell Themselves
Water Quality Products
February 2004
Carl Davidson
When a salesperson doesn't sell, you are losing about $10,000 per month that they should be bringing in through profit, you are losing face with current staff by allowing non-productive staff to stay, and you are burning leads that cost between $200 and $400 to generate. For all these reasons, it is important to get sales applicants off to a quick start. Here are a few steps you can do to help them make it or break it in a big hurry.
PDF Version
What Interests Your Customer?
Water Quality Products
January 2004
Carl Davidson
Many of us get hung up on only one or two reasons why people would be interested in our products. Too often, we get in the habit of using these reasons all the time and fail to customize our approach to each individual. Usually, the reasons are saving money for softeners and health for ROs. Are these the only reasons people might be interested? Is everyone interested in these benefits? Not at all. Let's take a look at other reasons that might interest and motivate potential buyers.
PDF Version
The Top 10 Things Messing Up Your Business
Water Quality Products
December 2003
Carl Davidson
I have listed the top 10 things we do to mess up our business. Take a look and see how many of them are hurting your business. Improving your business starts with seeing the problem and making a commitment to change these top 10--one at a time.
PDF Version
Going to 'Hell in a Hand Basket'
Water Quality Products
October 2003
Carl Davidson
The image in the media--more importantly, the image may have in ourselves--is that we are going to hell in a hand basket. We are seen as an industry full of charlatans, praying on the weak with high pressure tactics. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Four Pillars of Closing
Water Quality Products
September 2003
Carl Davidson
There are four pillars to closing in our industry. Many salespeople leave out one or two and that greatly hampers their ability to get as many sales as they deserve. This article will discuss all four in an effort to remind new recruits and veterans of closing techniques that work.
PDF Version
Lead Generation
Water Quality Products
August 2003
Carl Davidson, Sales & Management Solutions
Having enough leads allows you to attract and keep great salespeople. Nothing increases recruiting results like being able to say, "We provide the leads and appointments." It also increases production. Dealers who provide leads average twice the sales per salesperson as those who do not. The best thing you can do for your company is to lock yourself in a private room for a few hours and plan your marketing plan for the next 12 months. If you decide to do this exercise, here are a few areas you might consider.
PDF Version
Sales Survivor
Water Quality Products
June 2003
Carl Davidson
With the advent of the camcorder, many recorded everyday events as if they were news. That trend was compounded with the advent of reality TV. It is entertainment that just happens without rehearsal, planning or effort. But the belief that no rehearsal or script is necessary is untrue, and it is costing many of us sales--and lots of them.
Top 10 Signs Your Sales Career is Dying
Water Quality Products
May 2003
Carl Davidson
Here are the top 10 signs I have noticed over the years that are warnings your productivity as a salesperson is waning. I put them before you, not to be critical, but in the hope that recognizing the early warning signs may help you stay on top of your game for years to come.
PDF Version
Prospecting for Salespeople and Owners
Water Quality Products
April 2003
Carl Davidson
Prospecting is quite important to your career if you are in sales and to the company if you are in management. Often we get proficient at things we do not initially like if it is important. The following is a snapshot at just how important prospecting is.
PDF Version
Feeling Lucky? The Truth About 1099 Contractors
Water Quality Products
March 2003
Carl Davidson
I am surprised at seminars when people tell me they hire their salespeople as 1099 independent contractors. We do not recommend this for business and tax reasons. This article discusses why we believe you are at a disadvantage using this method of remuneration.
PDF Version
More Great Ideas from Great Salespeople
Water Quality Products
February 2003
Carl Davidson
In this article, I thought I would present some great ideas that have been shared with me recently. If you have a great idea you would like to share, email me at davidson@salesco.net. I'd love to hear from you.
PDF Version
Have You Hugged Your RO Today?
Water Quality Products
January 2003
Carl Davidson
You have to be completely sold and very enthusiastic about your product in order to be able to sell. I thought you might be interested in how I was made more aware of just how wonderful it is to own an RO system.
PDF Version
In Management, One Size Does Not Fit All
Water Quality Products
December 2002
Carl Davidson
Great salespeople learn to customize their sales presentations to the thousands of customer types. However, many owners and managers stop customizing when it comes to their employees. This article will look at some of the sales profiles you may have on your team and ways to get the most out of them.
PDF Version
If You Don't Ask, You Don't Get
Water Quality Products
November 2002
Carl Davidson
If we ask everyone we meet if they are doing anything to improve their water, we will be overrun with prospects and sales.
PDF Version
Straight Talk About Ethics
Water Quality Products
October 2002
Carl Davidson
Our industry seems racked with questions about ethics when, in my opinion, its real problems are problems of selling skills. But many market areas have seen fast-talking companies come in and turn the public against the water equipment industry. Let's take a look at the issues and the answers.
PDF Version
What Could Be Better Than Selling Water Equipment?
Water Quality Products
September 2002
Carl Davidson
The good news for us all is that everyone needs pure water, and they need it every day. We have the biggest population of people who need our product--everyone on earth. Couple this with the fact that only about 10 percent of U.S. homes have water improvement equipment and you have an unparalleled opportunity to sell.
PDF Version
The Critical Step
Water Quality Products
July 2002
Carl Davidson
I am always shocked to see how few salespeople use a value justification. In my view, this is a critical step in the selling process. Let’s take a look at some of the advantages this technique gives you and then we will look at the actual script for a justification.
PDF Version
Cold or Gold?
Water Quality Products
June 2002
By Carl Davidson
Remember that opportunity is calling your company every day. Take a moment to ask who is answering and are they turning those calls into cold or gold?
PDF Version
Hedging Your Hiring Bets
Water Quality Products
May 2002
Carl Davidson
Whom you hire is an important decision. The right candidate will bring sales and profits to your company. The wrong one can mean serious losses and lawsuits. On average, you invest $20,000 in potential profit, training and payroll in each new candidate. Here are some tips from great sales managers as to how to make the right choice of whom to hire.
PDF Version
Are You Sold Enough to Sell?
Water Quality Products
April 2002
Carl Davidson
The truth is that enthusiasm is what you need to sell but some of us are sorely lacking in this precious commodity ... and it’s no wonder. How can you stay up and enthusiastic enough to sell?
PDF Version
Getting Paid to Listen
Water Quality Products
March 2002
Carl Davidson
Is there a job out there where you get paid big bucks to listen? I mean sitting with someone over a coffee and just listening? You may guess a psychiatrist or lawyer and that would be correct. The truth is, all of us in the sales profession get paid big bucks to listen.
If You Sell Just Water Softeners, You Could Be Making a Lot More Money
Water Quality Products
February 2002
Carl Davidson
Have you ever done a great demonstration only to find that the customer just isn’t interested? We all have that happen occasionally, but sometimes we cause their apathy by emphasizing the wrong things. What I mean is that people do not buy steel tanks, resin and valves, they buy emotions, dreams and love. Let me explain.
PDF Version
How Many Demos is a Full Day's Night?
Water Quality Products
January 2002
Carl Davidson
Recently, several salespeople and managers told me they don't believe a reasonable person can average a minimum of two demos per day as we recommend on our recorded training videos. Are we leaving out important practical considerations? This article will take a look at this issue and help you make this important decision. Your financial success is determined by the decisions you make, so choose wisely.
PDF Version
Thinking Outside the Box
Water Quality Products
December 2001
Carl Davidson
This article is a salute to those who think outside the box and an invitation to us all to try the unusual and unique to see if it helps us differentiate our company in the marketplace.
PDF Version
Can Technology Help You Sell More? Part 2
Water Quality Products
November 2001
By Carl Davidson
Last month, I discussed a few ideas on tossing your selling techniques into the new century by utilizing available technologies. This month lists a few more selling ideas that have proved themselves worthy of a salesman’s efforts.
PDF Version
Can Technology Help You Sell More?
Water Quality Products
October 2001
Carl Davidson
Many of us went into sales because we were good with people and bad with paper work. As a result, many of us have shied away from changing technology during the last few decades.
PDF Version
Free! Water Test
Water Quality Products
September 2001
Carl Davidson, Sales & Management Solutions
If you don?t believe in testing water, you?ll never make what you should be making in our industry. Despite this fact, many salespeople feel, deep down inside, that it?s just a gimmick to sell our product ... that asking to do the test is just a come on.
PDF Version
Rehash
Water Quality Products
July 2001
Carl Davidson
I believe I have discovered the two most important jobs of a sales manager: recruiting the right number of great salespeople for the team and calling every family that doesn’t buy and trying to get back in the home for an appointment. This article focuses on the latter.
PDF Version
Packing and Positioning
Water Quality Products
June 2001
Carl Davidson
There are two pillars to success in our industry that some salespeople overlook. They make a big difference to sales and profits and deserve some study. They are what separates the big earners from the not-so-big earners.
PDF Version
Top 12 Things We All Do That Kill the Close
Water Quality Products
April 2001
Carl Davidson
Sometimes we are so close to the sale we can taste it until we do something that kills it in its tracks. To prevent us all from doing this, here are the top 12 things we all do sometimes to kill the sale.
PDF Version
I've Never Met a Rich Sharecropper
Water Quality Products
March 2001
Carl Davidson
Sharecroppers are poor tenant farmers. They farm the land for the owner in exchange for a share of or percentage of the crops they produce for the owner. They do what they are told and have no land to farm themselves.
PDF Version
We Ought to Be Committed
Water Quality Products
February 2001
Carl Davidson
We ought to be committed. No, that isn’t a comment on our mental stability but rather a comment addressing the fact that we ought to be totally committed to success if we intend to achieve it.
PDF Version
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Water Quality Products
January 2001
Carl Davidson
As the beginning of a new year rolls around, I think "Who wants to be a millionaire?" is an appropriate question to ask.
PDF Version
But How Much Is It?
Water Quality Products
January 2001
Carl Davidson
Could we get more of those people to allow us into their home for a demonstration? Here are a few tips from veterans of the phone wars.
PDF Version
Oh Yeah? Well, I Quit!
Water Quality Products
December 2000
Carl Davidson
I was giving a seminar last week when one of the managers attending said, "You can’t tell people to work hard in this job market or they just quit." The other managers agreed.
Who Are You Most Like?
Water Quality Products
November 2000
Carl Davidson
We have observed that great salespeople spend a lot of time examining their attitudes and habits and selling themselves everyday on the ones that lead to success. Success requires recharging and selling yourself everyday. Look at the chart and see which column best describes you.
The One Sales Secret I Hate to Reveal
Water Quality Products
October 2000
Carl Davidson
As someone who makes a living teaching people to sell, there is one sales secret I hate to reveal.
Cooking at the Boiling Point
Water Quality Products
September 2000
Carl Davidson
If you go for the close before or after the boiling point, you are much less likely to get a sale.
Dreaming the Dream, Selling the Show
Water Quality Products
July 2000
Carl Davidson
Last month, we discussed feeling customers' pain, which builds desire for change, but change to what? This month, we will discuss dreaming the dream, making the customer visualize enjoying the benefits of your products and services.
How Much Is a Salesperson Worth?
Water Quality Products
June 2000
Carl Davidson
Many companies want to have great salespeople but have trouble attracting and keeping them. How you value, attract and maintain your sales team is a harbinger of the health of your company.
Feeling Their Pain
Water Quality Products
May 2000
Carl Davidson
Marketing tests have shown that people will do more to avoid pain than to achieve pleasure. Pain and fear of loss are powerful motivators, and they can be used to make the sale.
Road Map to the Sale
Water Quality Products
April 2000
Carl Davidson
A top salesperson suggested trying a "road map" to close the sale by telling the customer what is going to happen at every stage and then lead them to the sale.
Reverses Make the Sale
Water Quality Products
March 2000
Carl Davidson
List are some techniques that will help you develop solid plans for turning "No" into a sale.
Using Optimism to Make the Sale
Water Quality Products
February 2000
Carl Davidson
Can optimism help you make an extra $10,000 to $20,000 a year? It can if professional optimism is practiced in all sales situations.
What Customer Service Means for You
Water Quality Products
January 2000
Carl Davidson
Many of us talk about how we make customers our number-one priority. But surprisingly, this area is sometimes cast aside, lacking the necessary effort or without solid direction.
Scare Tactics or Excitement: Can You Tell the Difference?
Water Quality Products
December 1999
Carl Davidson
We are one of the only industries I know of that spends so much time and effort talking about scare tactics, high pressure tactics and ethics. I, too, am concerned about using the truth about water, but I realized that truthful water concerns and excitement about products often get confused with scare tactics, and it costs many sales as well as the public an important information resource.
Justifying the Value of an RO
Water Quality Products
November 1999
Carl Davidson
There are solutions that work when a customer says "no" such as justifying the value and showing the customer he’ll be dollars ahead. What follows is a list of questions for the customer and then various scenerios that will refer you back to them.
An Interesting Twist on Sales Compensation
Water Quality Products
October 1999
Carl Davidson
A few weeks ago, a client was interested in changing his company’s remuneration plan. We came up with a pay plan that could give a company important advantages.
Rentals vs. Sales: Who Decides?
Water Quality Products
September 1999
Carl Davidson
If you want to get all the sales you can get, there is only one person who can decide if it should be a sales or a rental, and that person is the customer.
More Thoughts on Cashing Objections
Water Quality Products
July 1999
Carl Davidson
Previously, we discussed the basics of overcoming objections. The techniques discussed included bypassing the objection, releasing the pressure and asking if there was anything else. If you can get that far, you are ready to actually solve the objection. This article will take a look at some common objections and ways to overcome them.
Overcoming Objections
Water Quality Products
June 1999
Carl Davidson
The first step in handling objections is to get used to them.Experience shows us that the average person says "Yes" after you have asked him five times to invest in water equipment. That means that if you are making a living by asking only once or twice, you could be making a lot more money. There are some steps to follow that make handling objections much easier
Yeah, But How Much Does it Cost ?
Water Quality Products
May 1999
by Carl Davidson
This article will take a look at some of the thorny issues of price and some coping techniques.
Marketing to New Industries
Water Quality Products
July 1998
Carl Davidson
Any company that uses water as part of their process can usually benefit from using purified water.
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