A Sales Trainer Speaks Out On The Economy

Originally Published 2.11.09

Jim Hinshaw is one of the country’s top air conditioning sales trainers (and a Service Roundtable Consult & Coach Partner). Recently, he posted on the Service Roundtable about his experience with a group of Detroit contractors. In the most depressed part of the country, repairs, remodels, and replacements are all up for aggressive contracting companies. Here’s Jim…

I just finished a dealer meeting in Detroit, one of the most economically depressed areas in the nation. I

asked 30 dealers how their business was. I was shocked and pleased when most (almost all!) told me they were having a great year, up from last year. Now, they were quick to tell me they had changed their business formula in the last year, doing some things differently. But they were succeeding, and selling in a tough economy.

We had a speaker share some numbers with the group. He quoted Senator John McCain “the fundamentals of the economy are sound.”

I’m not going political here, stick with me.

He said the market in that part of the country is down, but down in the new construction market, not in remodel/replacement. That part of the economy is still there. OK, some of those dollars may have moved to repair, but as testimony after testimony proved, if you have a sales process and good interview skills, people are still buying. Allergies and asthma don’t know about unemployment, they are with us year round regardless.

So keep on keeping on, share those success stories, the best contractors love to hear and share them, the ones who are not engaged will not listen anyway.

Jim Hinshaw
Sales Improvement Professionals, Inc.
1281 E. Magnolia, #D-145, Fort Collins, Co. 80524

NEW NUMBERS:
Ph: 970-635-5675
Fax: 970-635-5676
Cell: 602-369-8097


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