Why Change Is So Difficult

The reason why change is so difficult is because we want to believe what we want to believe.  Facts be damned.  That's why many people are so intractable.  Regardless of evidence, almost every human will hold to his or her convictions.  That's why there is a resounding element of truth to Donald Trump's pre-presidency claim that he could walk down Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and shoot someone and his supporters will still support him.  In an interesting and eye-opening blog written by Oran Varol on Heleo, Varol writes that trying to persuade someone to change their mind by providing irrefutable evidence won't work because the brain does not follow facts. John Adams knew this to be true.  He said, "Facts are stubborn things, but our minds are even more stubborn." 

 

"We tend to undervalue evidence that contradicts our beliefs and we overvalue evidence that confirms them.  We filter out inconvenient truths and arguments on the opposing side. As a result, our opinions solidify, and it becomes increasingly harder to disrupt established patterns of thinking," Varol writes.

 

Alternative facts are real to those who believe them because they confirm pre-existing beliefs.  That's why confirmation bias is real.  We want to belief what we want to believe.  And if you need evidence, Google a question that you want an answer to.  Chances are you will click until you find a response that you want to find.  Confirmation bias helps to explain why couples will argue when one party asks the other their opinion of anything.  If the response is not what the asking party wants to hear, an argument is likely to follow.

 

Given the significant evidence that you can't use facts to change someone's mind, is there a better alternative?  The answer is "yes", according to Varol.  He claims that you have to give your brain an out by convincing yourself that your previously held conviction was right given the evidence that you had at the time.  If the information you have access to changes, then so should your mind.

 

However, too often when someone tries to change someone else, the approach taken is that I am right and you are wrong.  Here's why I am right.  When someone is being challenged, the immediate response almost always is to challenge back.

 

There really is a better and more persuasive way.  If you insult or dismiss someone else's opinions and beliefs ("a basket of deplorables"), he or she is likely to dig in because if they don't, they feel they are admitting they are stupid and that's not a claim most people are willing or able to make.  Varol explains that if someone disagrees with you it's not necessarily that they are wrong and you are right.  It's simply because the other party believes in something that you don't.

 

The great challenge is that beliefs are tied to identity.  Changing someone's mind requires changing their identity and that's almost impossible.  Varol advises to place a healthy separation between yourself and the product of yourself.  For example, if you try to convince Detroit autoworkers that global warming is real and therefore they need to produce nonfossile fuel cars to protect penguins in Antarctica, the chance of getting buy-in is slim to none. However, if you frame the argument that renewal energy solutions will provide job security for their grandchildren, then you may convince someone that your belief is in their best interest. 

 

Another reason why changing someone's mind is so difficult is that "birds of a feather flock together".  We friend people on Facebook who have the same beliefs that we do.  We live in neighborhoods where you are more similar to others next door than you are different.  Varol advises to make friends with people who will challenge you and disagree.  Having contrarians to challenge you can be especially helpful running a business.  Admittedly though, it's not easy and certainly not comfortable.  We have been preaching looking through someone else's lens to better understand what they really want.  The same thing applies to challenging your status quo. 

 

Varol's advice is to strongly believe in your path, but be willing to change if the facts show a better way.  Ask yourself what evidence would you need to receive in order to change one of your most strongly held beliefs. If the answer is nothing can change your mind, then responding to change will be next to impossible.

 

Pick A Selling Style that Is Best Suited for You and Your Team

There are three different major selling styles:  Describing, storytelling and listening. 

 

Describing is the default option that most sales professionals use and, in case you are not aware of the fact, everyone in the showroom is involved in the sales process.  Even though describing is most common, it typically is the least effective technique to build trust and establish credibility.  It involves relating features, benefits and cost.

 

A more effective sales approach is telling stories about the benefits and feelings that your prior customers enjoyed by relying on your showroom to create their new bath or kitchen.  Testimonials told by your clients are an extremely powerful tool to establish trust and credibility.  Also, relate before and after case histories that illustrate how you solved a particularly taxing problem or overcame obstacles that surprised and delighted your clients.  "Imagine" is a powerful word that is a great way to begin a story.  Ask your clients to imagine the feeling they might get after a particularly stressful day in the office when they get a few moments to wash away their concerns in their brand new bathroom. The reason why "imagine" is such a powerful way to start a story is because it enables customers to visualize their future.

 

Listening is one of the least understood and underused sales techniques.  What do you believe is more effective, trying to sell someone something or creating something that people want?  The only way to create something that a customer wants is to understand their needs, desires, dreams, challenges, conflicts, doubts and budgets.  That information is obtained by asking the right questions and effectively and actively listening to their responses.

While features and benefits describe available options, the best sales approaches make emotional connections and they can be obtained through effective story telling and active listening.

How to Better Communicate Brand Value

Harley Davidson's brand is one of the most valued and recognized in the world.  Why else would many of its customers tattoo the company's logo on their bodies?  The reasons they do so has little or nothing to do with horsepower, handle bar configuration or the time it takes to go from 0 to 60 miles an hour. Harley Davidson's brand appeal was brilliantly summarized by Sam Hill and Glenn Rifkin in their book Radical Marketing.  They wrote that Harley Davidson represents "A lifestyle, a work of art and an emotional connection to a widespread and unique community."  If you ever speak to a Harley owner and ask them why they chose the brand, most likely their response will include the feeling they get when they ride their bike.

 

Feelings are more important than the number of finishes or handle configurations.  Value demonstrated is more powerful than value explained, because demonstrating how a new bath or kitchen will make your customer feel reflects the customer's dreams, solves their problems and makes them feel like they have come to the right place.  There's no doubt that customers need to know how their new power shower will function and the special features and benefits that aroma, chroma, steam and music therapies provide.  More importantly however, is how the improved functionality will change their lives for the better. 

 

Communicate the value you can bring to a project by relating the number of baths that you have designed and the profile of your typical customer.  Almost nobody buys even a pair of socks before checking on Google to see which pair may be best suited for their individual needs.  What is preventing you from writing product reviews on your web site for prospects and customers to read and evaluate?  Similarly, your web site and social media pages should be filled with satisfied customer testimonials.  Do you ask your customers to send you pictures and videos of their new kitchens and baths that you designed for them?  Do you take before and after pictures and videos of your projects and then post them on your website? If the answer is no, why not?  Showing is certaiunly better than telling.  Publish white papers, buying guides and budget calculators on your web site that showcase your skills and expertise. Did you know that DPHA has numerous buying guides for different product categories that you can add to your web site? They're free if you are a member.  Take the advice of Marcus Sheridan when he spoke at the 2013 DPHA Annual Conference and answer the questions your customers ask most often, starting with how much does a new bath cost.  Celebrate your relationships with different customer types, such as builders, individual homeowners, multi-family owners and managers and others.

 

Implementing the Luxury Strategy in Decorative Plumbing by Phil Hotarek (Lutz Bath & Kitchen), an Education Committee Member

With the ever-changing advances in technology and globalization, implementation of marketing strategies has become increasingly effective in relation to growth.  This can be applied to both the manufacturer and the showroom. Your marketing strategy begins with branding and whether it is a product or a service, the same principles apply. 

 

Manufacturers are responsible for the product and showrooms provide the service.  Ideally in a perfect world, the branding of a product should be parallel with the quality of service that the showroom delivers.  Internet exposure, price competition and volume have been wedges in what should be a perfectly balanced relationship.  For example, a luxury brand being sold in a showroom primarily known for discounts and low prices sacrifices product integrity.  There are three strategies identified in the book, The Luxury Strategy - luxury, premium, and fashion.  

• Luxury - Highest value and pricing power.  Country of origin, manufacturer process, exclusivity and limited availability are all factors.  A luxury product and service appeal to prestigious clientele that are enthusiastic about the product and prefer to be educated rather than informed.
• Premium - Quality-Price ratio.  Pay more for higher quality product and service. While this may seem similar to a luxury strategy, the premium outlook remains comparative to the consumer.
• Fashion - The hot and trendy approach.  Timelessness is a non-factor, because this branding approach is all about marketing the season's hottest trends.  

Taking all these strategies into consideration, it is interesting to see what companies have done in other industries as well as our own.  Luxury brand names such as Mercedes Benz and Tesla have expanded by developing premium models that still deliver a high quality product at a more modest price.  We also see more standard brand names develop luxury lines, even though seemingly more difficult to penetrate the luxury market with a standard brand as a parent company.  Decorative plumbing has seen the likes of these strategies through several companies recently.

 

Industry Practices

As an industry, showrooms and manufacturers must collectively aim to remain consistent through parallel branding strategies.  Equal responsibility is shared - by showrooms who intentionally select lines that are parallel with their identity, and by manufacturers who should do the same by upholding product integrity through parallel level of service practiced by the showroom. Essentially, both the showroom and manufacturer should want to collectively reach the same type of consumer.  

 

Anti-Laws

The Luxury Strategy discusses what they identify as "anti laws," essentially counter-intuitive to what might be used in traditional marketing techniques.  Traditional practices such as: advertisements, flyers and promos are effective with premium and fashion strategies, but luxury branding requires a different approach.  Here are some anti-laws that caught my attention in relation to our beloved DPH industry.

 

Forget about positioning, luxury is not comparative 

What makes your product or service unique?  Uniqueness is the essence of your identity and should be the one element that makes your brand unrivaled from your competition.  In decorative plumbing, that could have a myriad of possibilities.  I know showrooms that have adopted some very creative service practices from on-site consultations and deliveries to designer presentations.  The takeaway is to discover what is unique about your brand and deliver it consistently.

 

Keep non-enthusiasts out 

Believe it or not, there are consumers who share our passion for plumbing. These are customers who approach their bath and kitchen design as an investment, not a purchase.  In return, we must educate them rather than inform.  Bargain hunters may showroom, visiting your boutique for information then troll the Internet for the lowest price.  No problem - in a free market they have the liberty to do so.  Showrooms can protect themselves though by focusing on education to attract high-end consumers seeking this level of service.  Do not cater your product or business to those not enthusiastic about plumbing; instead develop a brand that serves those who are.

 

The role of advertising is not to sell

If you do decide to create an advertising campaign, do not send the message of "selling".  Advertising in the luxury market should be more about increasing brand awareness.  Your uniqueness should be the consistent message and with the right approach, the customer will yearn for what you have to offer.

 

Luxury sets the price, price does not set luxury

Remember, bath and kitchen is an investment.  You cannot put a price on comfort in these integral parts of a home.  Quality of life is greatly increased when the bath and kitchen feels right, and that is what luxury is about ... how a person feels.  In decorative plumbing, we are providing the product and the design for a person's most intimate and social space in their home.  

 

Do not sell openly on the internet 

This topic is as controversial as it is daunting.  As a plumber, I have witnessed first hand the debilitating effect Internet sales have had on plumbing. Misinformation, missing parts, poor interpretation of specifications, lack of plumbing knowledge...the list goes on.  I have personally installed plumbing products purchased online knowing full well I will be back soon to repair or replace them.  High-end consumers know that luxury products cannot be purchased online.  Even Amazon has failed, and will continue to do so, to penetrate the luxury market.  The reason is because the high-end consumer prefers to pay a premium for confidence in their investment.  Manufacturers that allow their products to be sold online have experienced the hardships of rebuilding a luxury brand.  On the showroom front, we briefly dealt with the difficulty of having to compete but have since risen above the challenge.  To uphold product integrity, luxury brands do not sell openly on the Internet even beyond decorative plumbing.  

 

What Message Do You Send?

Bathroom design has climbed numerous notches in the past decade.  Today, successful design focuses on creating a personal oasis that provides an escape from the outside world. It is a space that your clients call their own, devoid of texts and tweets, and a place where they can literally wash away the stresses of the day.

 

The baths you create for your clients provide them with a refuge and a place to relax.  Many clients are inspired by their travels.  Does your sales team ask prospects where they like to relax, what is their favorite spot to vacation and what hotels have they stayed at that made an impression?  If your clients stay at hotels, resorts and spas that spark their imaginations, you can use their curiosity to explain that you can help them create a similar place of wellness and relaxation in their home. Many of the baths that you design feature jetted, soaking, air or combination tubs, sculptural freestanding baths that serve functional and aesthetic roles, steam showers, multispray showers with music, aroma and color therapies, etc.  The list goes on and on.

 

You know that space is always a challenge when designing a new bathroom.  Powder rooms are particularly challenging.  However, it is the bath that is renovated most often because it is the bathroom that friends and family use the most.  Regardless of the space your clients have for a bath renovation, your message should explain that good design can make even the smallest of powder rooms look and feel relaxing and inviting.  Good design creates a feeling that offers the most amount of enjoyment and fun in the smallest amount of space.  Good design is not available from transactional online purchases.  Good design is a distinctive competency that provides your showroom with competitive advantages.

 

Designing a master bath gives you the opportunity to improve the quality of your clients' lives while simultaneously permitting them to make a unique design statement. There are health and wellness benefits to promote alongside practical considerations.  New baths should be easy to use, provide practical value and make your clients feel like a million bucks every time they cross the threshold.

 

The trend toward outfitting bathrooms with beautiful furniture reflects the changing dynamic of master baths.  The master bathroom has become a room that is a refuge from the frenetic pace of daily life. The bath is a haven where your clients can make unique design statements and enjoy spa-like experiences while remaining in their homes.  The bath is a place where individual family members can steal a few minutes all to themselves to relax and rejuvenate. 

 

Bathrooms are now viewed and used as another living space, offering another place for your clients to relax.  Bathrooms can include sofas, comfy chairs, benches and other pieces that extend the living area into the bath.  Wood tones add warmth and serve to contrast white ceramic and acrylic surfaces of tubs, basins and water closets. With this transformation, the standard white vanity has given way to elegant and expertly crafted furniture pieces that create the look and feel of stress-free luxury.

 

Clients that don't want to fill their bath with built-in cabinets and countertops can opt for freestanding étagères, cabinets, armoires, wall-hung vanities, seating areas and storage pieces. And DPHA has a number of members that manufacture these stunning pieces that help set your showroom apart.

 

Function is another critical factor. A beautiful bathroom is an organized bathroom.  Your clients' days are hectic.  They don't have time to search for their favorite tube of lipstick or wait for their curling iron to heat up.  That's why bath furniture manufacturers offer multiple storage solutions and convenience features that include interior adjustable shelving, pull-out trays, interior lighting, hairdryer/curling iron holders, interior electric receptacles, USB port charging stations and drawer dividers.

 

In larger baths, there are opportunities to create separate spaces with different vanity types, styles, and heights for individual grooming stations.  In these circumstances, you can distinguish two spaces by installing mirrors, sconces and other types of lighting.  A common practice to help separate space in the bath is to use wall mirrors, armoires, étagères, ceiling-hung mirrors or a wall of mirrors. 

 

Are you using your design expertise to explain that what you do improves the lives of your clients or are you merely focusing on the number of finishes?

 

Avoid Hiring the Tallest Pygmy

Finding qualified, passionate and committed team member just may be the hardest challenge for showroom owners and managers.  Let's face it, there are not a lot of people banging down the doors to work in our showrooms, but that does not mean you can't attract and recruit great team members.  A key is knowing how to hire effectively. That means never settling for anyone other than a truly qualified and interested candidate.  Ed Kelly advised DPHA members many years ago to "never hire the tallest pygmy." 

 

Asking the right questions that reveal insightful information about the candidate will enable you to make better hiring decisions.  Here are several staples to help you.

 

1. What in your career are you most proud of and what role did you play?

 

Their response will tell you if a candidate can lead, contribute and follow.  The response will also provide insights into the candidate's definition of success. Listen for how he or she describes the project, what inspired them, the challenges they overcame, the reasons behind the success and why that success is a highlight of their career or life. If he or she only talks about themselves and does not mention others who may have contributed, that tells you something. 

 

2. Identify changes you see in our industry and tell me about companies you believe are adapting well to our current market conditions?

 

The answer will reflect if the candidate has an understanding of the new buying paradigm.  The second part will reflect if the candidate has an understanding of the competition and marketplace.

 

3. What is the last thing that you saw, read or heard that was remarkable?

 

This response speaks to the candidate's curiosity.  If the response is a popular television show or movie, that's okay as long as the description is interesting and the candidate can articulate the story.  For example, a good response could be that they just finished The Unwinding by George Packard that traces the decline of American values through the lens of different individuals and institutions that easily explain the rise of 21st century American Populism.

 

A bad answer is I don't read.

 

4. Describe a current fad that you don't want to be a part of.

 

It does not matter what trend they identify as long as your candidates can explain the reasons why they don't want to be a part of it.  Bad answers are ones that lack specifics.  I don't want to be part of the virtual reality trend because I have a hard time with regular reality.  Most likely that is not someone who would work well in your showroom.

5. What do you do for fun?

 

This points to life-balance.  The only bad answer is nothing.