• Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • A&D
  • INSTALLATION
  • MARKETS
  • AWARDS
  • EDUCATION
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MEDIA
  • EMAGAZINE
  • SIGN UP
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • NEWS
  • Breaking Flooring News
  • eNewsletters
  • PRODUCTS
  • Carpet & Area Rugs
  • Hardwood
  • Installation Products
  • Installation Tools & Equipment
  • Laminate
  • Resilient
  • Specialty
  • Tile & Stone
  • MARKETS
  • Commercial
  • Residential
  • AWARDS
  • Installation Awards
  • Top Flooring Products
  • EDUCATION
  • Continuing Education
  • Webinars
  • Sponsored Insights
  • MEDIA
  • FLOOR Podcast
  • Videos
  • TISE 2025 Videos
  • eBooks
  • EMAGAZINE
  • eMagazine
  • Archive Issues
  • Contact
  • Advertise
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
    • Breaking Flooring News
    • eNewsletters
  • PRODUCTS
    • Carpet & Area Rugs
    • Hardwood
    • Installation Products
    • Installation Tools & Equipment
    • Laminate
    • Resilient
    • Specialty
    • Tile & Stone
  • A&D
  • INSTALLATION
  • MARKETS
    • Commercial
    • Residential
  • AWARDS
    • Installation Awards
    • Top Flooring Products
  • EDUCATION
    • Continuing Education
    • Webinars
    • Sponsored Insights
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MEDIA
    • FLOOR Podcast
    • Videos
    • TISE 2025 Videos
    • eBooks
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP
Residential FlooringColumnsBusiness Insights

The Trusted Sales Advisor

The One Thing

By Kelly Kramer
0214_ft_kramer_img1.jpg

Kelly Kramer

0214_ft_kramer_img21.jpg

The old saying, don’t judge a book by its cover also applies to customers, advises Kelly Kramer who notes how through a correct customer interview he found out a wealthy consumer was not looking to spend much on his guest house. That information not only allowed Kramer to present the right product for the situation it opened up a long, prosperous relationship with this person whenever he was looking to redo his high-end main home.

0214_ft_kramer_img1.jpg
0214_ft_kramer_img21.jpg
February 10, 2014

I've always believed you need to see what customers drive up in, because it can often give you clues on which direction to take them. It’s not to see if they drive an expensive or low-end car, because that will make you assume something and often in the wrong direction.

A person in a rich looking car may just need builder grade for a rental home, while a couple in an old beater might mean they are frugal but want something nice for the inside of their home.

So don’t ever judge this book by its cover. The customer interview will take care of that.

Many times I’ve told the story of a customer of mine back when I was selling for a store in Southern California. A very well to-do looking man walked in by surprise because I didn’t see his car in the parking lot. As I found out later when I followed him home to do the measure, his Rolls Royce was parked around the corner.

But in the beginning, just a short time into my interview, I learned he needed some carpet for a house that his mother-in-law was going to to be stay at for just a few months a year. As I continued with the interview, I further surmised he was not really thrilled about having to house her for any length of time at all.

So, I gathered more information about the house and his situation. As it turns out it was a guesthouse out by the pool. You might guess that a guesthouse by the pool means you have a very wealthy customer on your hands. Fortunately for me I had enough information to show him a fix for his problem.

When I complete my customer interviews I always give my buyer a recap of the situation. This is so I’m sure I have a full grasp of the situation before I start with demonstrations on the product type I think best fits the circumstance. Plus, I get a few nods of the head so I know the buyer knows I get it.

Here’s how my recap for this gentleman went. “Let’s make sure I’ve got this correct. You have a guesthouse that has a pool next to it and your mother-in-law visits for a few months a year? You’re doing the entry, steps, hall, two bedrooms, closets and living room in carpet?”

Then the head nod came in and I was set to give my recommendation. “Here’s what you might consider. I understand you have a very high-end home (a mansion on the coast qualifies, I would guess). But from what you’ve told me (my favorite line after I listened), I think I’d put in a nice carpet but one that does not cost too much.”

At this point I had his attention and a surprising smile. So I said, “If we go to a short tight pile loop berber, we can give you that beach house appeal. This style keeps the cost down and is still a tough performer. Plus the olefin fiber won’t bleach from any pool water.”

Like I always say, when I hit the nail on the head: Bingo. So here’s a case where I found ‘The One Thing,’ which was this poor, rich world-famous heart surgeon (as it turned out) hated his mother-in-law and just didn’t feel he needed to spend big bucks to further impress her.

Bt the way, this was his forth store he had shopped, but no one else got to his real need. After I finished the order at a poolside table, he gave a sigh of relief and said, “Thank You, Kelly, you’re the first person to not try to take advantage of me because of my obvious surroundings.”

Quite frankly this was a modest dollar sale, but I did it the right way and found the one thing no other sales advisor (clerks I should say) could find.

Now the best part about ethical, clean selling: Over the next several years I did flooring and wall tile in “The Big House”—the place he lived in. But unlike the economical choice for the mother-in-law’s place, he wanted the good stuff for his own palace.

By the way, his circle of friends got the word as well. So you can probably guess what happened?

Situations

If you dig deep enough before showing products, you will find the right direction to fit that one thing.

You might also be surprised to learn that only a small percentage of buyers purchase on price alone. Sure, price does matter, but when you can show your customers you understand their situations and can then explain and demonstrate why a given product fits and fixes their problem they are most often willing to spend what it takes to do the job correctly.

When I’m training I always get salespeople who tell me their customers always price shop them and how do they get past that. I explain to them more in-depth about the customer interview (found in my book) and how that puts you on a different level than every other sales clerk.

Again, price does matter, so during the course of getting to the real need, you need to explain how the product you are proposing is a good value for the category of flooring they need to be in.

A value to me is a good price for the correct choice. It’s not selling junk cheap. That’s what we have the big box and the big shop at home “buy one get three free” operations for. By the way I’m sure you know these operations sell a great deal of junk—and some better quality—but with their “selling dirt” tactics, it’s not cheap.

Learning a buyer’s situation, wants and means are everything in being that person’s Trusted Sales Advisor. Your job is to find that one thing, their hot button to fix the problem. Your investigation might find out that it’s color or design, it’s a moving fast situation, it’s longevity of product life, it’s a quick fix and, yes, it might just be price. But find out what that one thing is and you’ll help your buyers because they bought from you.

Thanks for reading.

KEYWORDS: market trends sales tips

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Kelly kramer 200px
Based in Loveland, Colo., Kelly Kramer is an author, inventor and owner of Kelly’s Carpet Wagon. He is a 27-year veteran of the flooring industry, with 25 of those years as a retail sales advisor. To contact him with questions or to book him for public speaking engagements, call or email: (970) 622-0077; retaileducation@netzero.net

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
To unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • resilient flooring

    The 7 Types of Resilient Flooring

    The resilient flooring category is comprised of many...
    Resilient Flooring
    By: Resilient Floorcovering Institute
  • QuickDrain USA’s ShowerLine linear drain

    Tips for Curbless Shower Installation Using a Linear Drain

    Consider these four tips when planning for a curbless...
    Flooring Installation Products
    By: Darryl Jones
  • 2024 New Flooring Product Guide

    2024 New Flooring Products Guide

    We explore this year's introductions in area rugs,...
    Commercial Flooring
    By: FLOOR Trends & Installation Editors
You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Manage My Account
  • eMagazine
  • eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Subscription Customer Service

What Shaw Flooring Network Dealers are Banking on for 2025

What Shaw Flooring Network Dealers are Banking on for 2025

Retailers Share Top Takeaways from Shaw Flooring Network Convention

Retailers Share Top Takeaways from Shaw Flooring Network Convention

Shaw Flooring Network Retailers Report Post-Election Sales Surge

Shaw Flooring Network Retailers Report Post-Election Sales Surge

SolidTech R: Sustainable, High-Performance Flooring from Bottle to Floor

SolidTech R: Sustainable, High-Performance Flooring from Bottle to Floor

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the FLOOR Trends & Installation audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of FLOOR Trends & Installation or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Woodura Herringbone 2.0
    Sponsored byBjelin

    The Herringbone Floor of the Future

Popular Stories

Woodura Herringbone 2.0

The Herringbone Floor of the Future

company branding

Branding and Marketing Strategies for Flooring Contractors

Three individuals, a man and two women, discussing flooring options while reviewing samples.

Humans in the Loop: Why AI in Your Flooring Business Still Needs You


Download the Free Moisture Meters Guide

Events

December 1, 2030

Webinar Sponsorship Information

For webinar sponsorship information, visit www.bnpevents.com/webinars or email webinars@bnpmedia.com.

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Growth Challenges in the Flooring Industry

What’s holding you back from growth in 2025?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

2025 BNI Interiors Square Foot Costbook

2025 BNI Interiors Square Foot Costbook

See More Products

FLOORtalk podcasts - Listen Now

Related Articles

  • A variety of available flooring products and choices

    Flooring Sales: Presenting the Right Price and the Right Product

    See More
  • Feature Image

    The Full Presentation

    See More
  • Laminate Products

    The Past and Future of Laminate Floors

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • floorfinishes.jpg

    Environmental Impact of Materials: Floor Finishes

  • BNI Interiors Square Foot Costbook 2025 Edition

    2025 BNI Interiors Square Foot Costbook

  • radiant.jpg

    Radiant Floor Heating, Second Edition

See More Products

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • October 16, 2013

    2013 Annual Golf Outing

    MDNVAFCA is excited to announce our Annual Golf Outing at the beautiful University of Maryland Golf Course.
View AllSubmit An Event
×
Kelly Kramer
The old saying, don’t judge a book by its cover also applies to customers, advises Kelly Kramer who notes how through a correct customer interview he found out a wealthy consumer was not looking to spend much on his guest house. That information not only allowed Kramer to present the right product for the situation it opened up a long, prosperous relationship with this person whenever he was looking to redo his high-end main home.

We’re rolling out the red carpet of flooring knowledge!

Stay in the know on the latest flooring retail trends.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletters
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing

search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
    • Breaking Flooring News
    • eNewsletters
  • PRODUCTS
    • Carpet & Area Rugs
    • Hardwood
    • Installation Products
    • Installation Tools & Equipment
    • Laminate
    • Resilient
    • Specialty
    • Tile & Stone
  • A&D
  • INSTALLATION
  • MARKETS
    • Commercial
    • Residential
  • AWARDS
    • Installation Awards
    • Top Flooring Products
  • EDUCATION
    • Continuing Education
    • Webinars
    • Sponsored Insights
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MEDIA
    • FLOOR Podcast
    • Videos
    • TISE 2025 Videos
    • eBooks
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP