LED Sign Sales- Closing Technique Suggestions- Installment 2 of 3

- Mike Prongue

How do you close a sale? Healthy thinking about a sale is the first step.

Many people subconsciously fear a successful sale being consummated! I know it sounds ridiculous and you might have to give Dr. Phil a call to know why, but a lot of salespeople have this fear that they are somehow “getting into the customer’s pocket” or somehow "taking their money". Nothing could be further from the truth.

If you have a solid product, backed by technical competence, at least in the world of LED signs, you are trading a money-making, value-rich technology product for a fair amount of money. It is a win-win in reality. They need what you have.

No fear and no guilt.

In the world of early man, just like in today’s world of sales people, there are two types- the hunter and the farmer.

The hunter will take their spear and go bravely into the woods, not dismayed by cold, fear, darkness, danger or hunger.  They stalk, they track, they make their move and they bring the prize back to the tribe and are rewarded and valued for their skills. 

The farmer tends the soil, plants the seed, waters the seedling, pulls the weeds and nurtures the small plants into a thriving field and a bountiful harvest. Yet, each night their head hits the same pile of furs. They don’t wander the woods but what they do is important to the tribe as well.

Do you see this in your sales team? Some people develop and deepen relationships and nurture clients while others “hit the streets” and hunt aggressively for the next sale. It depends on your company and how your business operates to choose the right approach. Perhaps a mixture of the two would be best?

These thoughts may help you to look at your sales team or maybe yourself. Use what works for you.

Now, as promised, here are three more closing techniques for your review. Again, of the 9 total closing techniques that I will present across 3 blog entries, choose perhaps 2 or 3 to use. Not all will work for you. It depends on your style- hunter, farmer, techie, smiley person or whatever you are! Choose a couple and try them.

#4 Choices Close

Approach

Offer more than one alternative for the customer. This may be something you are already doing but keep the alternative choice small in number.

Many years ago while looking for a sports coat in a Men’s Warehouse in New Orleans, I tried on several different styles. A saleslady helped me and she said “I know you won’t buy because you tried on more than 3!”  She was right- reduce confusion.

This approach works well when you are seeking agreement.

Examples:

Do you think the full-color or the simple red grayscale LED sign is best for you?

Would you prefer the wireless option or do you want to trench your parking lot for a Cat5 cable?

#5 Technical Close 

Approach

Display, discuss and spotlight the engineering and technical aspects of the product being sold- in our case the LED sign. Remember to state not only the technical feature but the benefit it provides to the customer.

This works because you are providing the backdrop and the background, i.e.- the History, of the product and how it is a superior choice.

Example:

This LED sign has the most advanced software in the industry. It’s actually the 4^th generation of software and that means that it’s easy to use with all the bugs worked out!

Our LED sign has redundant power supply options to ensure the sign always stays on and your message is always seen.

Then ask for feedback to see what they think.

#6 Let Me Check

Approach

You’ve seen this at car dealerships. It’s the old “ask the boss” routine but it does work not only for discounts but delivery schedules, and other exceptions that you might be able to answer. But why should "lowly little you" answer them when you can appeal to some higher power on their behalf during a well-timed intermission?

You apparently “put yourself on the line” for the customer and a small sense of bonding occurs. 

I’m not a huge supporter of this approach but there are times when you need to ask the boss a legitimate question that is “above your pay grade” and doing so do demonstrate to the customer that you are willing to spend time and energy to answer questions.

Stay tuned for the final installment of this “closing technique” blog- next week!

These comments belong to me, Mike Prongue, and do not reflect the views, opinions, hopes or dreams of anyone else, anywhere else and this includes Vantage LED. I appreciate your constructive opinion which may be sent to me at michael@vantageled.com. 

Recipe for success: How to make a successful EMC/LED Sign sales program in 5 easy steps.

-Deacon Wardlow

Thanksgiving got me thinking about recipes. The recipes I’ve had the most luck with tend to be incredibly simple. They’ve been handed-down from friends and family, tested, tweaked, and altered-to-taste over the years until they’re just right. Following along this idea, I present a recipe for success with Digital Outdoor LED Signage:

Ingredients

- an awesome resource/partner for manufacturing of your Digital Signage product
- an educated, informed and motivated sales team
- resources and sales tools to help the sales team effectively sell the product
- resources/documentation for your sales/installation/service and PM teams
- a great sales rep from your partner who not goes beyond just quoting options and helps you find the best fit for each and every client

Instructions

Qualify your partner. Don’t accept a company who’s going to be an ok vendor/source for product. You should have higher expectations from a manufacturer. The manufacturer needs to be an active partner, ensuring you get everything you need to be successful with sales. When you can’t close on a sale, you should be able to go back to the manufacturer and discuss what went right/wrong and get assistance (sales training, tools, resources, information) to help close on the next deal. Don’t accept anything at face value, really dig into the manufacturer and make sure they cover all bases. Checkout some of the hard questions and other resources we’ve created to ensure you’re making the right decision for a partnership.

Educate your sales team. Your manufacturing partner should have educational resources to help your sales team effectively discuss and source the best solution with clients. The sales team for sign companies have enough on their plate to deal with and learn, the partner should make it easy for them to feel confident/knowledgeable selling the product.

Analyze your client’s needs. The manufacturing partner should have resources for you to be able to quickly, effectively, and easily handle this. The best solution for a client is not always the most expensive product. Sometimes, the cheaper option is the most effective solution for your client and sourcing the best solution, every time, will build a solid reputation for you as the go-to business.

Bring it home to your team and make sure the majority agrees the partner is an effective, price-conscious and quality solution for both your company and your clients. Dynamic LED Signage is a long term investment for your clients. Make sure you’re sourcing the best solution with the best engineering to provide a system which will last out the lifetime expectancy. Signage isn’t a purchase, it’s an investment in the long-term success of a business and you need to make sure your client is getting everything they expect for the cost of that investment.

The recipe for success is simple and straightforward. Don’t be misled by weird add-ons and misdirection. If your choice of manufacturer can’t give you a simple explanation or a quick response on your need, assess if the relationship is everything you want it to be and find a  partner who can meet your needs to make the recipe work each and every time.

*I invite you to comment here and/or email me directly with requests at deacon@vantageled.com. Vantage LED has white paper resources and more educational material on the website (http://www.vantageled.com), please check it out when you have a moment. Note all posts/thoughts/writings are strictly the viewpoint of me and me alone and do not reflect nor speak for Vantage LED’s beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, etc. unless specifically stated.

LED Sign Killers: Heat & how to protect against it.

-Deacon Wardlow

Heat can kill your display’s performance and longevity. High heat can shorten the lifetime of LEDs and decrease the performance of the system overall.

Heat buildup in the system can be resolved with a series of engineered solutions. Thermostatic fans, proper conformal coating, thermal management of the systems, and overall engineering should ensure the system not only distributes and pulls heat away from critical components (Power Supplies and LEDs) but also keeps the system performing optimally throughout its lifetime.

Thermostatic Fans:
Thermal switches placed with high-grade industrial fans are a key component for increasing the longevity of the fan and ensuring the best-use of vented cooling on a system. The thermal switch should be preset at certain thresholds to ensure fans only run when additional venting/cooling is required to keep your LED message center running at its best. This reduces wear and (eventual) part replacement cost to the end user and keeps the fans lasting as long as the full sign system; circulating air through the system to avoid heat buildup.

Thermal Management:
Each and every cabinet should be forward-engineered for optimal heat management. Components need to be carefully laid out in the initial design stage to ensure heat is evenly displaced throughout the cabinet and air flow is optimized to avoid any thermal buildup.

Conformal Coating Controls:
Conformal Coating of components (see my previous blog article and the Vantage LED white paper on power supplies) should be carefully controlled in the build-phase for LED modules and circuit boards. Different PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) have different coating requirements. Matching the CTE (Coefficient of Thermal Expansion) to the PCB ensures the right amount of coating for the different components. CTE is volume-dependent and the thicker the coating, the greater the likelihood these changes can cause heat buildup in a system which can damage heat-sensitive components (like LEDs).

Conformal Coating materials:
Materials need to be carefully evaluated to ensure the right material is matched with the coated surface. A material like silicone can have a high CTE and low modulus (expansion or compressive forces). As a result, silicones in general do not cause significant stresses on sensitive components. On the other hand, silicones trap heat and could cause other issues (see previous blog article on silicone coating). Urethanes and epoxies have been historically high modulus materials and don’t have as many heat problems. Thus it's important to understand why the manufacturer chose the coating type and they are able to justify their choice.

It’s important to ensure every step and stage of the build process is monitored for quality control. From initial engineered concept to completed component/system, the build line needs to be  carefully controlled to ensure the highest quality components, protection and engineering is utilized. The result, a system which performs optimally regardless of the heat and environment its placed in.


* Always feel free to comment here and/or email me directly with requests at deacon@vantageled.com. Vantage has white paper resources and more educational material on the website (http://www.vantageled.com), please check it out when you have a moment. Advertisements/promotion for your business and inappropriate comments will be deleted.. Thank you!

**Note all posts/thoughts/writings are strictly the viewpoint of me and me alone and do not reflect nor speak for Vantage LED’s beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, etc. unless specifically stated.

Protecting your Investment: Dragon Skin™

-Deacon Wardlow 

I was checking out the new Dragon Skin™ coating (get the white paper here) at Vantage LED and asked one of the engineers how they came up with the idea. When discussion of coating materials came up, an engineer mentioned possibly partnering with a chemical manufacturer to produce a new coating material for LED display cabinets. Vantage LED met with the manufacturer of the material in CA and came up with a blend specifically for LED displays which would help protect the cabinet.  


The new Dragon Skin™ is a versatile, rugged and easy-to-use coating for LED display cabinets. The material doesn’t use Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOC) making it a safe and “green” alternative to typical paint applications. The coating results in a highly scratch-resistant exterior which is flexible and allows for the general expansion/shrinkage seen in metal cabinets over time/temperature which will often cause other coatings to crack leaving the metal exposed to the environment and damaging the finish.

The application can be done in a few minutes and curing takes less than 20 seconds. This reduces the overall handling of the cabinet and streamlines manufacturing as well as cutting down on labor costs.

I like how the rugged coating protects the display against the accidental scratches and scrapes involved in crate removal and installation. It also gives the cabinet a nice texture which is distinctive to the Vantage LED cabinets.

Overall, addition of the Dragon Skin™ material to the line offering has been met with great success and is one more way LED Message Center manufacturers are changing and innovating. It’s great to see manufacturers looking at the overall design of their systems and asking what can be improved. Even better when those improvements come quickly so the end-user can benefit!




*Always feel free to comment here and/or email me directly with requests at deacon@vantageled.com. Vantage LED has white paper resources and more educational material on the website (http://www.vantageled.com), please check it out when you have a moment. Advertisements/promotion for your business and inappropriate comments will be deleted.. Thank you!

**Note all posts/thoughts/writings are strictly the viewpoint of me and me alone and do not reflect nor speak for Vantage LED’s beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, etc. unless specifically stated.

Silent LED Message Center Killers: Heat

-Deacon Wardlow

Heat kills LEDs. The death knell of a typical Red-Green-Blue (RGB) full color LED display is seen in depreciated light quality, poor color quality and eventually a dim, dying sign. Typical lights dissipate heat by radiating the heat outward from the source. LEDs unfortunately hold the heat in and high temperature slowly breaks down the components causing a multitude of problems. Red LEDs burn out faster and this is usually seen on a message center when  “clean white” turns to a bluish hue because of the lack of strong Red LED components.

Thermal (heat) management is critical to the longevity and continued high-level of performance for a message center. Manufacturers tend to deal with thermal management in a variety of ways:

• Heat sinks (metal spread out and “finned” to allow for heat to draw away from the LED and let passive/active airflow over the fins dissipate heat buildup
• MCPCB (Metal Core Printed Circuit Board) – a rare option due to increased expense
• Separation – a popular method, LEDs are separated from the circuit board using longer “legs” which allows for air flow to draw heat from the LED through the extended legs, unfortunately proper placement/setting of LEDs is difficult and can result in bad contacts which leave “dead pixels” on a sign.

All the above methods serve to draw heat away from the LED source thus keeping the LED relatively cool and ensuring the highest performance and longest life possible. With this in mind, here are LED killers to watch for on an LED module (also known as a driver/board):

1.    ANY type of heavy/dark silicone coating on the back of an LED PCB (Printed Circuit Board: Silicone coatings have the benefit of reducing exposure to condensation which can oxidize metals, but it’s better to use a light conformal PCB coating. Heavy silicone coatings trap heat and don’t leave any place for the heat to be drawn away. Be wary of modules with “heat sinks” as the heat sinks often don’t have trace leads (metal pathways from the LED to the heat sink) and thus do not work to reduce heat on the overall module.

2.    LEDs which have no louvered (shaded) protection: the louvers on a face plate for an LED module act like an umbrella at the beach. They serve a dual purpose of allowing LEDs to shine their brightest in daylight conditions while also giving them some protection from direct overhead sun  exposure. If you see a face plate with exposed silicone, be especially wary. The silicone acts as a sealant to protect the LED module face from weather elements, but an exposed silicone coating is prone to UV (Ultra Violet) solar radiation which will crack the sealant and cause eventual exposure to the elements which will kill the module over time.

3.    LED modules which are “fully enclosed” from the rear: Picture a medieval knight in full armor standing in the summer sun, that knight is likely more than a little warm. While the rear seal plating looks great on an LED module and it sounds good to have a “waterproof” LED module, the plating doesn’t ultimately protect the LED, it harms the LEDs in a module because heat has no source to vent off to. If the manufacturer is using a rear-face module, have them show you a cutaway or internal view to see how they’re drawing heat to the back plate. If they aren’t drawing heat from the LEDs to the back plate, they’re slowly killing your sign.

Ask the manufacturer how they protect your investment. How do they deal with heat in the message center? If they do any of the three “killers,” be VERY wary of investing your name, brand and reputation with them…




*Always feel free to comment here and/or email me directly with requests at deacon@vantageled.com. Vantage LED has white paper resources and more educational material on the website (http://www.vantageled.com), please check it out when you have a moment. Advertisements/promotion for your business and inappropriate comments will be deleted.. Thank you!

**Note all posts/thoughts/writings are strictly the viewpoint of me and me alone and do not reflect nor speak for Vantage LED’s beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, etc. unless specifically stated.