Sharing the Reins Homeowners increasingly want to believe that their remodeling project reflects their unique lifestyle and vision. Emerging developments can help you satisfy this desire without having to take clients to showrooms, thumb through catalogs, or otherwise hold their hand through every step of the process. Time is money for them, too.
Manufacturers, for instance, are launching new Web tools that let consumers select products and design their own spaces. Some sites can be personalized to your company. With www.bellacorpro.com, for instance, you can send clients to your own “virtual showroom” of more than 40,000 lighting and other home-related products. You get a 20% discount on anything your clients buy.
Other tools include www.corian.com, where homeowners can visualize hundreds of counter colors and designs, in various room configurations. At www.homecrestcab.com, they can browse cabinet styles, colors, woods, and room renderings that they can print out and hand to you. Tools at www.electroluxusa.com and www.merillat.com help clients design “multiuse spaces” that support their busy lifestyles.
Manufacturers desire good relationships with remodelers, just as you desire good relationships with clients. Ask your sales reps to keep you apprised of new products and to share general trends they’re observing.
“People want to get things done on time with less stress,” Abrahamson says. The more you look outside your world, the more opportunities you’ll spot for helping them.