Increasing sales at vacuum cleaner store

Ron; I've sold plenty to small business owners(in their home). And I sell plenty to businesses now (from my store).

But I learned over the first few years...several dead ends. How to not make a sale.

And trying to demonstrate a high end vacuum cleaner in a place of business is one way to guarantee them not buying. There are interruptions, cheap low pile carpet, it isn't their home, and both spouses are not there.

Other ways to waste tons of time are;
Trying to sell in bulk to an institution. I called this "Big deal dementia" New people have great ideas...one is "My brother is in the army. If I can get the Army to look at these, they will buy thousands".....another idea is "The ghost sale", where they are told that the customer will buy later...and so the rep keeps assuming they have that sale in the bag...sometimes even asking me to give them a pay advance on that sale. These sales never materialize. And new reps never believe they are wasting their time, they have to experience it several times before it sinks in.

They also believe that if they show their vacuum to one spouse, that they will buy because "they told me they make all the buying decisions". These sale materialize less than 2% of the time. And will suck the life out of you.

Selling a $2,000 vacuum cleaner requires that you are in their home and no place else. Their trade-in has to be there...the new vacuum has to be demonstrated on their carpet and furniture...shown their own dirt, and Both husband and wife have to be there for the full presentation.

I've done presentations on porches, in churches, at retail stores, in offices, in nursing home, in retirement apartment buildings, in campers.....and never made a sale.

It just isn't the same as selling marketing services to a store owner. Selling a $300 lightweight vacuum? Sure, but not a $2,000 system.

I have sold vacuums to groups however. It can be in my store, but is much better if it's in one of the people's homes. I sold eight $1,500 vacuum cleaners in one demonstration once. It was during a party, and the couple insisted I do the presentation.

The next day seven people cancelled....the people who didn't live there. It just wasn't their dirt....their children didn't live and play there.....I hadn't taken their trade in....

Selling a high end vacuum cleaner in people's homes isn't the same as in a store.

People come in the store to buy....or at least are shopping, or need their vacuum repaired. And our vacuums are mostly $500-800.

When I was selling in people homes, they never ....I mean never thought they were going to buy a vacuum cleaner before I did my demonstration. Most had even promised (each other ) that they were not going to buy. I nearly always started from zero. Even with referrals.

By the way, there are "once in a lifetime exceptions". I've sold vacuums to two blind people, to a couple during a power outage...at night....and to several Amish people by me describing it to them...and never turning it on. But these things work so rarely, I wouldn't do any of these demonstrations again.

Here is what I did for a living;
I sold a product that nobody asked me about or was interested in. Before I showed up at their door, the idea of a new vacuum cleaner was the furthest thing from their mind. They always already had a vacuum cleaner that worked. And they can buy the average vacuum cleaner for less that 10% of what I'm going to charge them. They have never heard of me or the brand I sell.

And remember, I'm a door to door salesman. Nobody is trusted less. Their guard is always up when I start.

And they have to decide to buy...while I was there.