by Duane Becker For kitchen and bath designers, you may have noticed that business has begun to slow down. Many economic experts are saying that our economy is slowing down and that we may be heading into a recession. With interest rates at their highest level in well over a decade and the housing market […]
You are Overthinking It
When I started my first selling job our team was always interested in the latest methods and techniques that would help us to get better leads, qualify our prospects better, and close more sales. We got to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and tried to lift each other up through challenging times. Fast forward […]
Pause, Breathe, Wait
By Duane Becker When I was in college, one of my professors gave long lectures covering very important information, and we knew as students that his tests were going to ask specific questions that included important dates, names, and locations. Have you ever found yourself listening to a presentation where the presenter was moving so […]
To Truly be Different, Walk the Walk.
It has been a while, readers and something has been nagging me. So many companies claim to be the best at what they do. This, or they claim to be different, unique or claim to value their customers and many other claims like this. To be truly successful in most businesses, you must differentiate yourself. […]
You Can Say That Again!
If you have kids or have a close friend or relative who does, you probably know that a young person needs to hear a request multiple times to remember it or to have it “sink in”. Why is that? Well, a young one has so many things in their world that are important to them, […]
Educate Yourself – In All Aspects of Your Job
By Duane Becker I was having a great discussion with an aspiring designer at KBIS this year who is finishing up his last year in college. We were talking about his goals, aspirations, etc. and I thought he had a really good head on his shoulders, and the fact that he was at KBIS and […]
KBIS Follow up
By Duane Becker If you are in the Kitchen and Bath industry, you most likely know that KBIS (The Kitchen and Bath Industry Show) is the event to attend every year if you want to stay completely up to date on what the newest trends are, what the consumers will be looking for in their […]
Provide Unexpected Value
By Duane Becker I like going to Starbucks when on the road. Go ahead and think what you want, but I had a very unexpected experience there a while back. I had placed an order at one of their locations using the mobile app. Simple enough, right? When I arrived at the location that I […]
How High Should You Go?
By Duane Becker When you are designing a kitchen for a client, there is one all-important measurement that is critical and if incorrect, could make things very challenging when installation time comes around. What is the ceiling height? Sometimes, when you ask this of a client (assuming you are not taking this measurement yourself), you […]
It’s NOT About the Price
By Duane Becker In the kitchen and bath design world which is a B2C selling atmosphere, clients will often cross-shop. Frequently, a prospect will come into a big box home store or an independent studio stating that they have been elsewhere and would like to get a quote for comparison. Sometimes, I am there during […]