Sam Allman's article, "Teaching Your Salespeople to Sell at Higher Prices than the Competition" (Aug. 2002 NFT), gave me some much-needed insight. I am a professional flooring installer moving into sales who had what he thought was the flooring consumer's utopia. Not being a salesperson, and not wanting to be like the majority I have met or known, I offered my customers flooring at cost and focused (on generating my profit) primarily with installations and custom work. It made sense to me that if a customer could purchase the same, equal or better product with better service and quality installation at a lower price, it would only be a matter of time before my doors were being knocked down.
For some time now I have been in disbelief (because) the door is not only NOT being knocked down, but not even KNOCKED ON!!
Your article brought it all home for me. I find it odd that you can't give something away no matter how hard you try but, put the right price tag on it, and you can't keep it in stock.
Neal Clevenger Designers Choice Wichita, Kan.