10 ways to improve door sales

By Philip J. Agnelli Sales and Marketing Manager Simpson Door Company

WO TRENDS are shaping door sales of the future. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), we can expect to see larger homes on smaller lots in the years ahead. The homes will have more space and more rooms requiring more doors.

Recent studies indicate that as the population ages, more higher-priced homes are being sold. Americans are looking for upscale, sophisticated products. The replacement and remodeling market has a tremendous potential for both interior and exterior doors.

Door sales will be rising steadily throughout the next decade. With aesthetic beauty, design flexibility, ease of installation and wide range of finishing options, wood panel doors are becoming the doors of choice for building industry professionals. You can capitalize on the trend and increase sales by implementing the following techniques:

Familiarize yourself with customer needs. Who is your customer? The builder? The homeowner? The remodeler? The architect? All of the above determine your target customer group and get to know what they want in a wood panel door. Security? Energy efficiency? Glass options? Design choices? Price, quality and service? Market tesearch is kev to the best sales approach.

Know your products and the competition. Know the advantages of your product over the competition. Make sure your employees know their facts. Most manufacturers have training materials and technical information available. Establish yourself as an expert on wood panel doors, and buyers will look to you first when they need answers.

Utilize manufacturer merchandising. Display assemblies, sample kits, ad slicks, promotional videos and product literature are available. They save you the time and expense of developing an effective promotional campaign.

Mike Mahaffey, president of Texas Street Lumber in Carlsbad, N.M., says, "Before we had door displays from the manufacturer, builders looked in the catalog, and it didn't do anything for them. But as soon as they couldsee the doors andtouchthem, they were not only interested but inquired about other upscale designs as well."

Position your doors for success. Give doors a prominent location in the store. Use well placed signage to direct traffic to doors not immediately visible. Have an attractive showloom or display. The more "true-tolife" the setting, the greaterthe response. Doorsshould be properly finished and installed in an operatrle display that allows for merchandising of hinges, hard- ware, sills and weatherstrip systems.

Jack West, door shop manager for BMC West in Tacoma, Wa., says, "Our aew showroom has made a big difference. We spent a little more, using real brick and so on. but now customers see what the door will look like when it is actually installed in their home."

Become involved in a lead referral program. It can provide you with an inside track to sales leads. Manufacturers' national and regional ad campaigns generate thousands ofresponses. Trade shows and publicity produce additional inquiries. A qualified list ofpotential customers makes selling easier.

Promote a broad variety ofdoors. Ifyou don't have room to stock a wide assortment, develop a strong relationship with a manufacturer or distributor who has a large line. Be sure you can order what customers want and have it within a reasonable period of time.

Story at a Glance

Ways to capitalize on increased need for doors in larger homes and remodeling. .. display suggestions, lead referral tips, product traaning procedures. guidelines for improving door sales.

/ Sell the line rather than an individual product. While the entry door presents a significant sales opportunity with the potential for matching sidelights and transoms, there are typically l0 to 15 other doors to think about. Sell the advantages ofan entry door that can be complemented with matching interior passage doors and bifold doors. And don't forget the fire door between the house and garage.

8 Maximize customer service. It is more expensive to win a new cusiomerthan to keep an old one. It pays to followup onsales. Warranties, delivery, speed, knowledge and service factors can make a big difference in generating repeat business.

9 Host door clinics. Not only will it be a good opportunity to increase door sales, you could endup selling the hardware and finishing products as well.

IIU Stay current and informed. Keep abreast of current design trends, code changes, finishing options, high performance glazing choices, security issues, Stay in tune with the latest product and market developments.