Selling AV – rAVe [PUBS]: Recent Episodes
rAVe Publicaitons
A podcast show dedicated to those selling AV products day-in and day-out. Host Mark Coxon spends each episode giving listeners 5-minutes sales tips to help those in the AV industry.
This week I go to LinkedIn and answer this question from Jason Ward: “When do you walk away from an opportunity?” Tune in to learn when to walk away (and when to run).
Even if a customer meets your ideal profile, sometimes we need to qualify the project further to ensure we’re equally invested. Listen to this Selling AV episode to find out how.
How do we continue to grow our businesses effectively as technologies change? The secret to qualifying new customers and projects lies beyond the technology itself. Give this episode a listen for more!
In today’s world, you can win on price and not make money, bid to make money and lose on price … or you can lead the problem-solving and discovery process to create a scenario — and everyone wins.Listen to this Selling AV to find out how.
In sales, the biggest mistake can often be failing to set the proper expectations. In this episode of Selling AV, Mark Coxon talks about how early communication can have a positive effect in the long run. Find out why that is by checking out this latest podcast!
We live in a world of endless online meetings. Want to make yours stand out? Add a hands-on component. Now, how do you do that? Listen to this Selling AV episode to find out.
If you’re an AV Professional, should you know the math behind your system designs? Does the math really matter? Find out on this episode of #SellingAV!
As salespeople, we are always eager to tell the story of how we help customers. It’s not a bad story to tell, but perhaps it’s better to start with learning a little about the person on the other side.
It’s tempting to use slides as a crutch and read them like a script to the audience (or even have them read along). However, this is a bad idea for several reasons. Get my two tips on better presentations in this episode.
Lately, there’s a lot of focus on the sales technique of “challenging” customers and their business decisions. I’m all for challenging assumptions, but the way you do it makes all the difference. So tune in to hear my thoughts on what to say … and what not to.
It’s good to have an idea of your goal for a meeting, but — of course — you don’t want your meeting to be overly scripted. Learn how to keep EQ in the equation for achieving your desired outcome.
We spend way too much time upfront combating the consumerization of AV. This week I address how to capitalize on momentum of consumer tech experiences to lead into your professional AV sale.
OK, so I’m clearly on a storytelling kick. Tim Duncan asked about storytelling on Twitter, so I thought I’d share an effective and interactive story I’ve found myself telling more than once. Enjoy!
If you’ve been telling people about your product or service and find that they’re just not responding, perhaps you need to tell better stories. In this Selling AV, I talk about how to do just that.
If you’re in sales, you’ve heard plenty of advice on how to close, get the sale, get the PO, win. Today, I ask you to consider switching your perspective to adding value instead. Listen to find out how changing your thinking can change your outcome.
When going in for a big presentation, salespeople often spend quite some time creating what they believe is the perfect deck of slides to best promote their company and its products and services. However, overdependence on the “sales presentation” may just be blocking your chances of success.
I sit and talk to Jay Myers about his book “Rounding Third and Heading Home: The Emotional Journey of Selling My Business and the Lessons I Learned Along the Way.” Jay shares lessons he learned over the 22 years he spent building his AV business, eventually resulting in a sale to the world’s largest integrator. […]
What does a plastic shovel have to do with selling technology? Great Question! Tune in to find out!
“Value engineering” are two of the most dreaded words in AV — they typically mean compromising system designs to meet the client’s budget. Most of the time, integrators use a shotgun to evenly distribute the discount across the project. In this episode of Selling AV, I suggest that may be a really bad idea, and […]
It’s always a great idea to have conversations around Technology at a higher level with regards to the value it brings to a business. As such, it’s tempting to talk about Return on Investment (ROI), but is that always the best approach? Listen in to hear my thoughts.
If you’re cold calling, odds are you won’t be getting through on the first call often, which means you’ll be leaving voicemail. Ditch the gimmicks and follow these simple tips.
Many times when talking to someone on a cold call, they will share a reason for not engaging with you at that time. Tune in to find out how to assure the reason is the right one, and to learn about the 4 types of objections that are offered.
Assumptions crush cold calls. If you’ve ever been taught to assume the relationship and assume the sale, you need to stop right now and listen to this episode for 3 tips on first contact.
If you want to be successful in navigating a new organization, you need an ally. In this episode, I tell you what phrase you need to eliminate from your vocabulary and who that first ally may be.
In today’s world, we have access to all sorts of information about our prospective clients. As professionals, we need to be diligent about doing our homework before we make that first call. This episode talks about what that homework should include.
The look, feel, and workflow a space needs to provide are not always easily found on the floor plan. This week, I answer a question from Graham Kirkpatrick on how to better align our systems with furniture, fixtures, and equipment to create efficient and cohesive designs.
Everyone is using video right now to communicate and webinars and Zoom calls abound. However, is there a better way to build video into your long term meeting strategy, even for in person meetings? Thanks to Chris Neto for this week’s question.
This week’s question came from Lance Feldenkreiss via Twitter: How do you sell a suite of services like integration, managed services, staffing, etc., under one account manager? Listen in to hear a few tips on how to make this happen.
This week’s selling AV topic came from Chris Neto on Twitter who asked “How do you host a dynamic sales presentation online?” Tune in to hear 3 quick and easy ways to make sure you engage your audience in a way that makes sure the most relevant content is what they remember.
This Selling AV question came from Brad Orme at Cinemassive: “How do you set yourself apart from the competition during the sales process?” Absorb these 4 tips in 5 minutes to learn how.
This Selling AV topic came from Patty Wanzer through Twitter. “How do you determine the client’s budget?” I invited Jarrod Hillman of Hillman AV to help me tag team this in a special Selling AV.
This Selling AV question came from Lance Feldenkress on Twitter, “How do you best qualify an opportunity?” I initially look for these three things. Tune in to find out what they are.
In this time of increased demand for remote work solutions, we need to make sure we’re adding value and easing fears, as opposed to opportunistically capitalizing on them.
Are you a brand trying to reap the benefits of Social Media without actually putting in the work to be social? Find out why that’s a bad strategy on this Selling AV.
There’s a tendency to over-complicate the simple and over-simplify the complicated. How fancy should you be with your designs? Find out here.
This week I’m in flooding social media with a rant in a common way everyone starts their presentations. Click play to hear why you should never start a meeting with your “About Us” slide.
Big meetings can be nerve-wracking, and it’s tempting to plan your responses down to the letter. This week I talk about the difference between being prepared and being scripted.
Sometimes we need to leave tech speak behind and adopt analogies that everyone can understand. Today I offer a fun way to talk about audio.
Seeing that this episode is 101, I thought I’d go back to basics. Responsiveness is the stone in your sling that will help defeat Goliath.
When meeting with a client, not all roads have to lead back to your product or service. In this episode, I talk about how connection may be a more realistic and valuable goal for your meeting than a PO.
AV is an industry built around communication, but often times we fail to communicate or even understand our true value proposition. Listen to this episode to find out what we should be communicating to our clients.
This week’s Selling AV comes from a post I did on Linked In stating that I no longer want to have technology conversations. How do you have deeper conversations? Take a step back.
A major reason industries get commoditized is that they fall into selling products. This week I talk about asking a single question that helps you sell impact instead, which is something worth paying for.
As AV professionals, sometimes we get caught up in how cool technology is and talk a lot about “how” we do things. This week in Selling AV I share how to pivot and make those conversations count.
How do you escape some of your insecurities and give yourself permission to be the best version of yourself? Create a personal brand. Find out what I’m talking about on this episode of Selling AV.
Many times we have our clients compare the cost of our services to those provided by other trades like electricians. It’s tempting to match pricing to gain a client relationship, but in this week’s Selling AV, I talk about why this may be a very bad idea.
Sometimes, even after creating alignment and demonstrating value, a sale can get stuck. This week I talk about two ways to move things forward that may just mean checking your ego at the door.
Sometimes the answer to a better sale may not be in trying to force a close, but in walking away and leaving a trail. Find out how in my latest Selling AV.
The latest question from the AV Industry Professionals Group asks how we tackle the challenge of the consumerization of our industry. Here is a great way to start that conversation.
I received quite a few suggestions from other AV Pros for this year’s episodes of Selling AV. This week I talk about knowing your enemy because it just might not be who you think it is.
The first Selling AV topic of 2019 comes to us from an integrator in Australia. How do integrators better work with consultants to deliver value? Tune in to find out!
I want to make Selling AV a collaborative effort in 2019, so here’s how I propose we do that with a new format in the New Year.
2018 is all but gone and it’s time to focus on success in the New Year. The best thing to do this week is to focus on how to do that. Learn how in this episode of Selling AV.
Old school sales knowledge says to Always Be Closing. In today’s world that just doesn’t work. In this week’s Selling AV, I update the methodology to help you better serve your clients.
Even in an industry as exciting as AV, it can be hard to be excited about the product or service you represent day-in and day-out. In this week’s Selling AV, I talk about a couple ways to rekindle that passion.
It’s the end of the year and you’re trying to hit that next level in your sales number. There’s only one sure way to fail. Find out what that is in this episode of selling AV.
This week’s Selling AV was inspired by a question I saw on Twitter. How do you overcome the objection that a client doesn’t want to invest in technology that will become obsolete in a few years? Take 4 minutes to hear my thoughts.
Most of my sales advice is aimed at helping you develop skills for your own job. This week, I am encouraging you to learn someone else’s job instead. Find out why by listening to this week’s Selling AV.
Large organizations are often difficult to navigate, and if you’re selling AV, you want all the advantages that you can get. This week, I talk a little about developing coaches to help you close more deals.
As salespeople, we want to be sensitive to not stepping on any toes, and as such, sometimes our diplomacy can go awry. This week, I share a meeting that I had last week where this exact thing happened to me.
It’s great to have knowledge of your potential client’s business, that is unless that knowledge becomes baggage. This week, learn how to listen with a blank mind to better serve your customers.
If you’re in residential integration, it’s hard to get a quick read on how technical your homeowner is. In this week’s Selling AV, I share a little trick I used to use to steer my technology conversations.
InfoComm 2018 is behind us and we’re back to work, trying to close out the last half of the year. This week, find out how integrators can use InfoComm to boost sales over the next few months.
The inspiration for this week’s Selling AV came from a friend who asked me what I thought of emailing proposals. Listen to hear a couple of my thoughts on the matter.
Many times we bend over backward trying to win that big client, doing everything they ask without ever getting anything in return. This week we talk about how to reverse that tide and get something we need as well.
This weekend in a Twitter chat, someone asked what career advice you’d give your younger self. Two main themes emerged. Listen in to hear what they were.
If you’re selling AV, you’re most likely making phone calls. This week I talk about the worst possible reason to make a call and how to avoid it.
Many times in AV we focus on our closest manufacturing or integration competitors when selling our products and services. However, in today’s environment, there is always a hidden competitor you should be watching out for.
Today we talk about three things successful comics do well that we should learn from in sales. Think of it as your 5 minute sales manager.
As salespeople, we’re told persistence is a virtue. This week I share a sales call gone wrong to show why persistence may sometimes be a liability.
If we’ve seen one trend over the last several years, it’s the customer’s increasing interest in using consumer and home technologies in their professional spaces. This week in Selling AV I talk about developing your strategy to address these questions in 2018.
This week is typically slow for most companies. In fact, many are closed until after the 1st of the year. However, if your job is selling AV, you should be spending 15 minutes a day this week prepping for 2018. Listen to this episode to find out why.
It’s the end of the year which means not only are you and your company trying to finish strong, but your customers may be trying to do the same. On this episode I talk about a couple things to consider when closing out the year.
When you go to a sales meeting you most likely bring your phone, your computer, product brochures, and maybe even some ideas about what products and services your client may need to buy. This week I cast all those aside to relay what I think is the most important tool. Are you bringing it to […]
Having a potential client that is a friend seems like the perfect situation. Many times however we overestimate the impact that friendship will have on our business relationships. Tune in to hear how to make sure this doesn’t happen to you.
Communication is all about meeting people where they are at. This week I talk about why responding to customer communications in the way that’s best for you may be the wrong approach.
Sometimes when we call a customer and get their voicemail we end up saying the wrong thing. This week I share one thing you should never do when you get voicemail.
Many times we try to avoid facing our problems head on, instead choosing to take the path of least resistance. This week I talk about running toward conflict as a way to create opportunities.
Having trouble getting that certain someone to call you back? Listen in to this week’s Selling AV for a couple of tips on professional cold calling.
In today’s world of free information, trying to sell ice to Eskimos is not a salesperson’s job. What is your job? Listen to this week’s Selling AV to find out.
How do you follow up with someone who wasn’t even at the InfoComm show? Listen to this week’s Selling AV to get some tips.
InfoComm is always a great place to meet potential new clients and this year the show touted more end users than ever. How do you combine these two facts to create great InfoComm follow-up? Tune in and find out.
Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start when you return from a large show like InfoComm. This week, I talk about how to approach existing clients you met at the show.
AV systems are used everyday to help give company presentations to potential clients. How many of you are positioning the AV systems you design and install as marketing tools? Listen to this week’s Selling AV to learn why you should.
Sometimes the difference between being dismissive or accepting of new ideas is not being so sure of ourselves. Listen to this week’s Selling AV to learn why.
Many times as AV sales people we are asked to itemize pricing on our bids. In this week’s show, I give a couple strategies on how to handle that request.
Bidding open RFPs can be tedious and your chances to win the work can be slim. This week I tell you how to multiply your odds.
Last week I recommended including all the parts and pieces required to make a system work in your bids, even if they weren’t listed on the spec. This week, I go further, recommending you include parts you don’t even need. Find out why on this week’s Selling AV.
If you are bidding jobs that have already been designed, you most likely have to choose between bidding to win and bidding responsibly. This week, I tell you how to do both.
If you’re Selling AV, you’ve definitely encountered “the gatekeeper”. Some are amazingly good at their jobs, so here are a couple ideas on how you may be able to get them to open up that gate!
In the spirit of Social Media crowdsourcing, in this Selling AV I make a special request. Give it a listen and then chime in below in the comments section.
Sometimes in AV sales, it’s hard to develop rapport and break through the resistance a potential client may initially put up to “being sold”. With that, this week I go against the traditional “ABC” selling philosophy, and instead say to “start with free.”
Have you seen SNL’s skit about a game show called The Secret Word? Well, I recently found myself in a meeting where I had to explain a system without using the secret word. What was it? Tune into this week’s selling AV to find out!
As AV sales people you work hard to get meetings. Make sure you are getting the most out of those meetings with one simple piece of advice.
With the year ‘winding down’ (see what I did there?), here’s a simple tip to manage both your day and your customers’ impressions of you.
As AV sales people we hear a lot of sales advice and tactics. But what happens when those tactics meet reality? In this Selling AV, I talk about a time I went against my gut to deploy a tactic I paid good money to learn and what happened as a result.
There is an obvious shift that needs to happen in Selling AV from a box-driven sale to a managed service offering. This week I give you two tips on how to make sure the customer sees the value in your service agreements so you can keep making that RMR!
This week on Selling AV, a lighter message for a lighter work week. Happy Thanksgiving!
In an AV world sometimes dominated by HDBaseT, Video over IP, UHD and 4K, it is easy to get caught up in the opportunities of video. However there is a special talent needed to do audio right and that presents new opportunities for integrators with audio chops.
Not every customer is for you, (although they may think that they are). Find out when it may be time to fire yourself to avoid a bad fit.
In the AV world, referrals are like gold. This week on Selling AV we discuss why asking for referrals to everyone will actually yield referrals to no one.
If you have heard some of the gurus of storytelling out there declare the elevator pitch dead, I am here to respectfully disagree. Listen to this Selling AV to find out how to effectively use an elevator pitch in the storytelling economy.
Sometimes in AV we think we know what the client wants until we submit a proposal and they tell us otherwise. Don’t get frustrated! Follow these three steps to optimize the chances of partnering with the client to get the proposal right.
Sometimes as AV salespeople and AV businesses we get hung up on what we want to sell our clients. Many times however, that may not align with what the client wants to buy. Listen to this week’s selling AV to hear the difference.
As sales people it’s typically hard for us to deliver bad news or say “I don’t know”. However when uncomfortable situations arise, it’s better to be present than to wait for the perfect answer. Find out why in this week’s Selling AV.
Products only succeed when companies have great people behind them. In this episode of Selling AV I give you a lead on an amazing industry veteran looking for a new home, Malissa Dillman.
The goal of Selling AV, getting commitment from our potential clients. Listen to this podcast for tips on selling AV!
Are you looking into a new path for revenue for your AV business or looking at potential new verticals? Give yourself the best platform to succeed by following one simple piece of advice.
As AV sales professionals, many times we end up approaching the IT department first, as they will have the final technical approval of our systems. This week I give a couple reasons why we should be starting some of these conversations in the marketing department instead.
You’ve just returned from the largest commercial AV tradeshow and have been bombarded with all sorts of new products and services. In this Selling AV I challenge you to try something new after the show, and I give 2 simple tips on how to make that transition easier. Think of it as your 5 minute […]
As are many other things in life, our AV businesses are all about momentum. This week I talk about ways to maintain and/or regain momentum after InfoComm. Think of it as your 5 minute sales manager.
InfoComm is the year’s biggest commercial AV event. As a manufacturer or manufacturer’s rep spending big bucks for space on the floor, the best thing you can do is be quiet. Listen to the Selling AV to find out why.
InfoComm is the year’s biggest commercial AV event. Last time I encouraged you to bring a client to the show. However, if that just isn’t possible, bring a project instead. Listen to the Selling AV to find out why.
InfoComm is the year’s biggest commercial AV event. If you want to get the most of your time, bring a client. Listen to the Selling AV to find out why.
There are many technical differences between Residential and Commercial AV, and also differences of opinion on how far apart the two disciplines are in that regard. However, in my experience on both sides of the industry, there is one difference between the two that is undeniable. Tune in to find out what it is.
This week I focus on two things that can make a better AV salesperson. The tips come from a media mogul I met while doing residential AV systems in Arizona. Think of it as your 5 minute Sales Manager for the week.
If you have been selling AV for any amount of time you know that Sellin’ Ain’t Easy. In fact, if it were we wouldn’t be on 23 episodes of this show and counting. This week’s show gives those considering a career in Selling AV a little insight as to what they can expect.
Life is full of opportunities for us professionally and personally — but sometimes those opportunities aren’t obvious. That is why this week, I talk about never missing a chance to…
Gone are the days where sales people wear a suit and tie to every meeting. So given the differences between regions and the businesses we call upon, how do we assure we always look professional? Find out in this week’s Selling AV.
In today’s world of traditional and digital communications, it’s important that you pay attention to how your customers like to communicate and make sure you meet them where they are. Take a five-minute spin through this topic and get a little bonus piece of advice in this week’s Selling AV.
If you are in the business of selling AV, odds are you’re in the wrong job. What do I mean and how do you fix it? Listen to this week’s Selling AV to find out. Think of it as your five-minute sales manager.
It’s easy to let the complexity and unique nature of the systems we are working on determine the level of our excitement. How do you stay enthusiastic while providing small and simple solutions? Listen to this week’s Selling AV to find out!
Creating relationships with General Contractors is an obvious strategy for securing AV work. Given that, everyone else is doing it too! If you want to increase your chances of landing jobs with GCs, take a listen to this week’s Selling AV.
There is an interesting new blog on rAVe by Omar Prashad that coins a new term called “Scope Seep.” If you haven’t read it, check it out here. Based on that, this week on Selling AV, I thought I’d give some advice on avoiding the “free” trap. Take it for a spin — it’s only […]
Real estate agents are highly sought after networking partners, which means that sometimes it is hard to establish yourself as their go-to AV expert against your competition. This week’s Selling AV gives you some advice on how to isolate the right agents and then give yourself the best chance to earn their referral business. Think […]
Do you want to trade referrals for AV work? Then you need to get out there and network with other trades. Tune into this week’s Selling AV to find out who the best networking trade partners are. Think of it as your five-minute sales manager.
There are plenty of resources that offer to sell you construction leads, but are they worth the investment? Listen to this week’s Selling AV to get Mark’s take on if these lists are valuable and how to get the most from them. Think of it as your five-minute sales manager.
Do you want to add some fuel to your AV network? This week on Selling AV, we talk about three important associations you may want to join if you are doing commercial AV work. Think of it as your five-minute sales manager.
We all hear that AV people should be talking to architects, but that’s easier to say than to actually do. This week I give a few tips on how to open those architect doors. Think of it as your five-minute sales manager.
Sometimes customers come into a meeting with you with their minds made up about some of the products and services that you offer. Trying to tackle those preconceptions head-on can be a struggle, so this week I share a technique that may just help bring the customer back around. Think of it as your five-minute […]
Sales isn’t about tricking customers into buying things; it’s about forming alliances based on trust. Listen to today’s tip and learn a simple way to communicate this to your customers. Think of it as your 5 minute sales manager.
Old habits die hard, even when times change significantly. There is a phrase in AV that is dangerously outdated and may be costing you and your company sales. What is it? Tune in to find out! Think of it as your five-minute sales manager.
Last week in Selling AV #6 we talked about Objections and how to categorize and qualify them. Equally important though, is making sure that you are only fighting one objection at a time. Learn how this week by listening below. Think of it as your 5 minute sales manager.
If you are selling AV you’ve heard hundreds of objections. However, did you know that they really boil down into one of four categories? This week we talk about categorizing objections and then clarifying them to increase your chances of making a sale. Think of it as your 5 minute sales manager.
Have you ever gone into an electronics store and seen rows of spec sheets hung on the wall with pictures of televisions? Of course not! So why do we try to sell AV systems this way in integration? This week we talk about the power of doing a proper demo. Think of it as your […]
We’ve all heard of FAB selling, selling based on Features, Advantages and Benefits. However, selling based on talking points can be boring. In this episode we talk about developing tracks that can make sure your FAB isn’t drab. Think of it as your five-minute sales manager.
It’s a great idea to differentiate your products and services when talking to your customers. It works even better though when you don’t get down in the FUD. Listen in to hear the dangers of FUD selling.
Our businesses are centered around technology and our systems are full of parts and pieces. But is that really what people pay for? Listen in to hear Mark’s thoughts.
This episode talks about how pretending you’re the customer can assure proper AV design and demonstrate the value in your proposal. The customer may not always be who you think it is though. Listen below to find out more.