My Design/Build Coach Articles for Remodleing and Design/Build Professionals
	Selling vs. Shilling
	So you've made the appointment, prepared your portfolio, gathered all of your presentation tools and now it is off to the client's house you go. In your arsenal of sales tools is your laptop, loaded with 3D software, beautiful pictures of past projects and your list of prior satisfied customers. But the question you need to ask yourself before you enter the prospect meeting is "What do I want the client to think about me and my company when I leave?". In our zeal to demonstrate our competence and sell the job, we sometimes overlook a very simple truth. Successful design/build projects are accomplished through cooperative relationships between the client and the contractor. In fact, it is the relationship building that sets the tone for the entire project. And that foundation is set at the sales meeting. Many contractors miss this valuable opportunity by shilling rather than selling. I liken shilling to having a grab bag of goodies and spilling it on the table for the client to mull over and try to pick out the important stuff from the extraneous. Selling, on the other hand is accomplished through active listening, and reigning in your impulses to sing your own praises until the appropriate opportunity. This is easier said than done. Think about how often someone asks you how your day is and before you can reply fully, they've recounted what a day they have had! It is only human nature. We are so busy thinking about the next thing we plan on saying, that we forget to listen to the answers we have requested. Here is where you can set yourself apart from the competition, and get to the root of the client's needs and wants. So before you start showing or talking about prior projects you have done, get to know who these homeowners are and what they really want. Again, this may be easier said than done. We've all met the couple who cannot agree on anything, other than the fact that they need a renovation . Then there are those clients who are so rigid, they will not accept any variation from their mind's eye view of their home. And somewhere in between are the people with an idea of what they want and open minds to the possibilities. For all of the above, the journey begins with the clients' self-discovery. Sure that may sound "New Age" and touchy-feely, but it ensures that everyone involved with the project, designer, contractor and homeowner ends up with a well though out and successful project. How the client arrives at "self-discovery" relies heavily on how you, the contractor, extract information. And I mean, extract, in some instances! For example, people live very differently from home to home and when we make assumptions about how a space is used, we lessen the individuality of each client. When we hear that the client wants a 16' X 14' family room addition, our minds probably flash to all of the other 16' X 14' family room additions we have done in the past and our eyes glaze over as the client details their desire. "Sure, sure, a fireplace here, a couple of windows there…been there, done that, and here are the pictures to show you why I am your guy." I know that on more than one occasion, I have had clients who started out thinking they wanted a certain plan, but when asked questions such as how often they entertain, what do they use the room for other than watching TV and how long they planned to remain in the house…they changed their plans and focused the renovation in another direction. The long and short of it is that we may have a stellar reputation in the industry, the latest in high-tech sales aids and all sorts of information to impart on the prospect. But these things can actually distract the client from clearly envisioning and articulating their goals. It is important to listen actively to the prospect and then repeat back to him/her what they have just said. In this way you cause them to critically look at their project and you demonstrate that you are not only hearing, but listening. When we seek to understand, not to be understood, we take a step toward a more successful design/build project.  Hopefully, by the time you leave the sales meeting, the client will not only think of you as professional and competent but also that you understand them and their needs. Joe Dellanno is the President of Design Solutions, Inc. a residential design company in Arlington, MA. Joe works with committed professional remodeling contractors and designers specializing in design/build.  Joe is First Vice President of NARI, Eastern MA.
	SELLING VS SHILLING By Joseph Dellanno President, Design Solutions, Inc. September 8, 2000