Last month’s article dealt with the art of asking
questions as a way to build knowledge of customers’ wants and needs. There is a
second part to that equation. Asking all the right questions will get you
nowhere unless you develop careful listening skills.
How do you define success? That is a question I
have asked at the conclusion of more interviews than I want to think about. For
some reason it stops most interviewees in their tracks. I have become
accustomed to patiently waiting on a response.
Aesop was writing about business in the 21st century
in the 6th century B.C. Wonder if he knew? His fable about the tortoise and the
hare has just been played out between a pair of banking giants. And the
tortoise won again.
Most people think of being smart as knowing a lot of
stuff. I have a different definition of smart. It’s knowing what you don’t
know. Although the world is filled with self-styled know-it-alls, the truth is that
nobody knows more than a tiny fraction of all there is to know about any given
subject. Truly smart people understand that. The smartest people never stop
trying to learn more.
There is no question that the marketplace is changing
and becoming more competitive. For the past few months, I have been writing
articles about this subject and how roofing contractors might succeed. I run an
active networking group for a select group of roofing contractors. I took a
moment to call some of our customers.
Thermoplastic olefins (TPOs) are a blend of
thermoplastics and elastomers. The chemical formulation consists of a
thermoplastic base - polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE) - and an
elastomeric base - the ethylene-propylene rubber polymer of ethylene propylene
diene terpolymer rubber (EPDM).
The presentation is the stage in the process where
salespeople, rather than creating momentum, often lose a sale. But the factors
that make a high-impact presentation are not as mysterious as you might
believe.
Employers are responsible for preserving the health
and safety of their workers. And the government agency that oversees employers’
compliance is OSHA, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.
Creating a great sales team begins by creating a
great learning environment. With so many companies struggling to attract solid
sales performers, it becomes obvious that the best way to develop a solid sales
team is not to steal one from your competition, but to build one.
Slate tiles are one of the oldest types of
steep-slope roof coverings in the United States. Their application
dates back to colonial times. In recent decades, there has been a decrease in
slate applications, due in large part to shortages in raw materials and a lack
of skilled craftsman.
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