Ten Tips to Grow your Flooring Business with Technology

1. Fully use your flooring business web site

If you don't have one, get it now. Turning the web site into measurable business benefits is the next task. Here are some suggestions:

Put your store hours, material brands, styles, pictures of previous job sites, your store location and map direction links.
Put a free square footage calculators that help visitors do their home work first before call or visit your store
Put appointment form on the web so visitor can request an appointment or invite you to call them.
Put your web site address and email on all your company business cards (sales reps, installers, etc.)
Put your web site address on all your advertisement (radio, newspaper, fliers)
Advertise on search engines with their LOCAL search marketing program (i.e., someone local searches for certain key words like "local carpet store")

2. Communicate with your customers effectively with Email Campaigns

Amazingly 90% of flooring businesses don't collect customers email address. One may not realize how much you can improve your marketing and sales revenue with those emails cost effectively.

Notify them of your recent promotions, new locations, coupons, etc.
Send them tips on how to maintain their floor coverings.
Thank their businesses and remind them of referrals or repeat businesses to you.

3. Measure effectively with laser measuring meter and estimating software tools

Measure efficiently with measuring software can substantially save later-on estimating time. Some software tools can help you quote on the spot. Many smart flooring professionals use measuring appointment as closing opportunity. Using technology shows your professionalism and builds trust in front of customers.

4. Use computer design tool to add value to customers

Doing a quick flooring design for customers with a upscale home substantially enhances the value delivered. Allowing customers to try different styles of flooring materials and its corresponding costs. Design services helps winning upscale projects that boost profit.

5. Use accounting software to manage your store operations

Account software can be as simple as QuickBooks for startup stores. For established stores, you may consider more specialized flooring business management software like Comp-U-Floors, Q-Floors and RFMS.

6. Use inventory control system to minimize overstocking and reduce cost

Inventory management is critical to your operation. QuickBooks cannot handle inventory sufficiently when your store grows to have hundreds of rolls and boxes. You need an inventory management system for flooring businesses. All store management software vendors have inventory module.

7. Equip your showroom with computer layout and estimating software

Use a flooring layout and estimating software at showroom so you can work the customers for different options so you can close the sale on the spot.

8. Train sales representatives to organize their appointment schedules with PDA/Pocket PC

Having your sales reps meeting with prospects with a computer has lots of positive impacts. It builds the professional image and trust immediately. In additions, it speeds up the estimating time and avoids costly mistakes. Especially, you are competing with someone with pen and paper.

9. Automate sales team activity with CRM system

Systematically achieving sales performance has always been challenging. CRM system can track your marketing effectiveness by lead sources, potential sales value, status and rep assignments. FloorLink.net CRM tracks sales conversion rate and sales revenue in the pipeline,

10. Automate product catalog and purchase online with B2B services

As more and more manufacturers provide B2B services online, you may manage your product catalog and price book online, that helps your track your purchase orders and keep up to date with the right price to quote to customers.