Sell up to more profitable entries

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convincing them to purchase a costlier door with a greater value can do you both a favor.

A door can sell for well under $100 - or well over $5,000. For the retailer, as the selling price of his doors increase, typically so do his margins. The more unusual the door, the more the consumer will expect to pay. Unique products are the slowest movers for the manufacnrer and distributor, who might carry them on a "stock special status" (they're listed as part of their normal offering but not inventoried).

psqT 1stail96 buy expensive entries in quantity; usually they're non-stock, special order items. Dealers also increase margins on special orders as an insurance policy. "It's Murphy's Law Assurance," says Gregg Hoyer, product rnanager for Morgan Manufacturing. "Chances are you special order something and that's the one thing that comes in broken or with something done to it. The weirder the producg the more insulation you want in the price."

Selling Points

O Recognized manufacturer

3 Product wammty (length & anount of coverage)

D Craftsmanship (clean lines, smooth corners, no gaps, etc.)

D Finish

O Qualiry components @ (stiles, rails, panels, glass)

B Energy efficiency (weathertight construction, weathersripping, insulating glass)

O Amenities (marching sidelites, Eansom; etched, frosted, beveled, smoke4 colored, V-groove or leaded glass; brass caming)

Product knowledge is the most inportant factor in a door sale. The more the seller knows, the more he can educate the consumers to make an informed purchase. The sales person should be familiar with the components and raw materials in various doors and the properties of different species. Hoyer explains, "If a customer comes in looking for a door that will take an even s0ain and not show a lot of grain, we want the retailer to know enougb to say fir. If the customer's looking for high split resistance and good machining, he should lnow to push toward pine."

The sales person should understand the engineering of the door, how it actually goes together and why. How does insulating glass work? He should be able to wam customers that wood panels shrink and swell constantly, so they'll expect it and not become upset later.

A good relationship with your distributor or manufacturer is crucial. It's important to lnow what they offer and what they can do for you. It's impossible to sell door styles and options you don't know exist or are unable to track down.

Name brand recognition is another plus. They're usually a little more expensive, but they offer the comfortable assurance of a strong reputation. Name brands usually have better quality control, guaranteeing fewer rejects. "Morgan has a less than l%o failure rate," says Hoyer. "Tell contractors they can pay a couple extra bucks now and save a lot later by eliminating call backs."

Sales people should have ready answers to common consumer objections and misconceptions. Some

Story at a Glance

Convincing consumers to purchase moreexpensive doors use product knowledge, name brand awareness, displays, literature.

homeowners voice security concerns. Explain that most doors do an adequate job; it's the jamb and the lock that are important. And infonn them that fancier, high style glass actually is much stronger than standard glass.

If they want a less expensive steel or fiberglass model because of higher R-values, explain that the front door of a typical house takes up less than l%o of its exterior and is continually opened and closed. Much more energy es&tpes through windows.

Weather and end use are other important considerations. There are right products for certain conditions. In an area with a lot of salt water spray, a steel door will rust. A wood door might not be the ideal choice for rainy climates. For high volume condominium projects, fiberglass won't dent like steel or gouge like wood.

Hands-on displays and take-home literature are important. "No one's going to pay $1000 for a door unless they can see it," says Hoyer. "And after they see it, sometimes they want to take literature home to study the features, benefits and differences between the products and be reassured of the quality."

The highest percen0age of luxury doors are used in remodeling projects because they can dramatically increase a home's resale value. "The least expensive way to improve the exterior of a home is to change the door," he says. "It's the focal point of a home and a lot less expensive than residing or repainting the house. Of all millwork, doors are the most visible pieces; second are kitchen cabinets."

The key is keeping all the possibilities and pluses in front of customers.