Show Stories....

[stuart]

Well,
I just finished a very exhausting month (actually summer)....

Started out the summer with my managers both quitting (they where bros) and deciding to start their own store in the next town. The only problem with this was that they took the location that I was negotiating for myself and D1 gave them the line that I was holding in the area to open my store there!

That was tough but I've gotten over it and am even attempting to build a working relationship with them to help them and potentially make it a positive for all...

We moved on and set up the Parade of homes with five locations. That week I left for the Marquis Dealer Advisory Board in Oregon (Very cool meeting) only to get back during our state fair the day of my oldest daughters wedding (just in time for the wedding!)

Left visiting family with my wife and rushed down to the Fair for the next week going between that and a large Balloon Festival that we where sponsoring.

My schedule last week went like this, up at 5am, at the Balloon Festival by 6am, leave that and get to the State Fair by 10AM, on my feet at the fair in up to 100 degree temps until 12 midnight then an hour drive home for a few short winks just to start it all over again!

Add to this that I gave a "Selling With Ethics" Seminar to a large group of Christian business people on Thursday night and you have a pretty full schedule!

Now, having spelled all of that out...I'm amazed at the lies that many of the show team guys in the Morgan and Jacuzzi booths told to sell! I can almost see where Morgan might feel intimidated and have to lie just to keep up but the Jacuzzi/Sundance guys should just be able to sell on the merits of their product.

Do any of you have experience with Morgan Spas?

Do those of you that sell Jacuzzi find it an easier sell using such a recognizable name?

We will have over 30 spas sold when the smoke clears so it was by no means our best Fair but OK.

How is fair season going for the rest of you?

How many of you purchased your spa because of the fair?

[East_TX_Spa]

Wow!  You have been busy.  All the fun starts for me next week.

The county fair exhibit hall was commandered by .gov to house Katrina evacuees so we got moved outdoors by the front gate.  I'm going to miss the A/C!  Fair starts Tuesday.

We are also giving away a HotSpot Sorrento at the Hands on a Hardbody contest that starts next Tuesday.  It is an endurance contest and first place wins a new Nissan Titan truck and pop-up camper.  You can watch the contest on-line here http://www.hohb.com if anyone's interested.  It's a hoot!

Local Food and Wine Fest is coming up in 2 weeks and we'll have a couple of spas set up out there.  Toying with the idea of having a grape stomping contest in one of our spas.  I'll definitely get pics of that!

Busy time of the year for everyone, I'm sure.

Terminator

[Chris_H]

Stuart,

Was this a hot air balloon festival?  How long was the festival?  Did you get the show team or did you use your normal sales crew?

Was the Jacuzzi booth selling both Sundance and Jacuzzi or just Jacuzzi.  The thing with having Jacuzzi as a brand is that it brings the uninformed to your booth because of the name.  The name alone will sell tubs.  

Where is your store again?

Chris

[Brewman]

You gave an ethical selling lecture to a group of Christian businessmen?
Interesting..............

[Rayman]

The thing with having Jacuzzi as a brand is that it brings the uninformed to your booth because of the name.
Chris

It's funny how many people refer to my tub as a "Jacuzzi" instead of Hot tub,Spa or "let's go in the Beachcomber".

Ray  

[wmccall]

It's funny how many people refer to my tub as a "Jacuzzi" instead of Hot tub,Spa or "let's go in the Beachcomber".

Ray  

I've got a DVD of a 10/02  airing of "The Price is Right" where Bob Barker repeatedly calls a Beachcomber a Jacuzzi.   If they ever do a bloopers show with PIR material, this and several other things from that day would be on it.

[JcDenton]

It's funny how many people refer to my tub as a "Jacuzzi" instead of Hot tub,Spa or "let's go in the Beachcomber".

Ray  

Similar idea - when Sony came out with the Sony Walkman in the early 80's, it was a huge hit. Interestingly, the term Walkman virtually became a universal term for a tapedeck with headphones - even if it was made my someone else.

Jc

[Brewman]

It goes back at least as far as Kleenex Brand Facial Tissues.

[SpaMan]

Well,
I just finished a very exhausting month (actually summer)....

Started out the summer with my managers both quitting (they where bros) and deciding to start their own store in the next town. The only problem with this was that they took the location that I was negotiating for myself and D1 gave them the line that I was holding in the area to open my store there!

That was tough but I've gotten over it and am even attempting to build a working relationship with them to help them and potentially make it a positive for all...

We moved on and set up the Parade of homes with five locations. That week I left for the Marquis Dealer Advisory Board in Oregon (Very cool meeting) only to get back during our state fair the day of my oldest daughters wedding (just in time for the wedding!)

Left visiting family with my wife and rushed down to the Fair for the next week going between that and a large Balloon Festival that we where sponsoring.

My schedule last week went like this, up at 5am, at the Balloon Festival by 6am, leave that and get to the State Fair by 10AM, on my feet at the fair in up to 100 degree temps until 12 midnight then an hour drive home for a few short winks just to start it all over again!

Add to this that I gave a "Selling With Ethics" Seminar to a large group of Christian business people on Thursday night and you have a pretty full schedule!

Now, having spelled all of that out...I'm amazed at the lies that many of the show team guys in the Morgan and Jacuzzi booths told to sell! I can almost see where Morgan might feel intimidated and have to lie just to keep up but the Jacuzzi/Sundance guys should just be able to sell on the merits of their product.

Do any of you have experience with Morgan Spas?

Do those of you that sell Jacuzzi find it an easier sell using such a recognizable name?

We will have over 30 spas sold when the smoke clears so it was by no means our best Fair but OK.

How is fair season going for the rest of you?

How many of you purchased your spa because of the fair?

Wlecome to the world of spa sales these are the things that we all go through and have for years I have just never heard anyone actually take the time to write it as thats what we all do! Maximise sales through promotion via outside sources such as state fairs and homeshows. So if your looking for sympathy its in the dictionary between sh!^ and sypholis!

[Chas]

That was warm and friendly.

 

[SpaMan]

Sorry it wasnt meant to be unfrienldy ,but I believe we all live the same pattern in this business in order to be successfull!! Theres no value in complaining about it now!  

[NE-Phil]

Sorry it wasnt meant to be unfrienldy ,but I believe we all live the same pattern in this business in order to be successfull!! Theres no value in complaining about it now!  

coloradocrusader,
I didn't see stuart's post as a complaint, more of a description or the reasons why he hasn't been on the board much.
I'm not in the spa business or a related business. It was interesting for me to get an idea what folks like you, Chas & stuart have to go through to sell spas.

Phil

[stuart]

Sorry it wasnt meant to be unfrienldy ,but I believe we all live the same pattern in this business in order to be successfull!! Theres no value in complaining about it now!  

Thanks for the warm welcome to the world of spas! Considering the 16 years of working in every aspect of this industry from delivery boy to, sales/service, to factory rep, to store owner and even consultant I have to say that I must be considered a newbie in your vast experience!

Part of the beauty of this forum is the ability to occasionally "vent" to one another but you obviously being better and more experienced than the rest of us seem to look at this as just an annoyance. Sorry to offend you.....

Seems like I always draw an underlying hostility from the CalSpa gang...

[stuart]

You gave an ethical selling lecture to a group of Christian businessmen?
Interesting..............

Yeah, I know it kinda sounds like an oxymoron but in selling high ticket items you wouldn't believe how easy it is to get into the habit of telling "little white lies" that can turn into big ones.

Christian or not many people fall into this trap... Some because they don't care but many due to just taking someone else's word for it and repeating what they have heard without verifying it. All in all though I have found that when you get with them one on one as a trainer/consultant that they will admit they do it, they don't really know why and they would love to get out of the habit.

I'm currently working on a training program to take industry wide in this and other industries to help salespeople out.

[fatman]

stuart,  Can you give us the scoop on the Marquis Advisory Meeting?