Market Corner

Sales Tool Calculates ROI On Outdoor Seating

January 31, 2012 in Shade Control, Solair by Ron Paratore | 3 comments

Ron Paratore Tri Vantage recently created the “Solair® Power Screen ROI Calculator” as an easy-to-use sales tool for demonstrating how restaurant owners can increase revenues by enclosing outdoor seating areas.

While many restaurants close outside seating when the weather becomes too cool, too hot or too wet, an enclosure can make these areas comfortable and profitable virtually all year long. Enclosures not only allow the addition of heating and cooling, but also offer opportunities for amenities such as TV monitors and bars.

With our new Power Screen calculator you input the average check per patron, the number of outdoor seats and a specific period of time; hit return and you obtain the projected additional revenue. For example, a restaurant with an average $25 per seating can expect to earn an additional $3,750 by keeping its 10-seat outdoor seating area open an additional 15 days.

Your customers will appreciate the ability to demonstrate how outdoor seating solutions can pay for themselves relatively quickly in many instances. Fabricators who are using this new tool are reporting positive sales success.

Download the Solair® Power Screen ROI Calculator

Tags: outdoor seating, power screen, Solair

The Closer: Adjust Your Style for Each Customer

January 31, 2012 in The Closer by Bill Foster | 2 comments

It’s something we have all experienced. Just when we’re ready to make a significant purchase, such as a television or a laptop computer, the personality of the sales professional is such a turnoff that you decide to buy elsewhere. You have just experienced a very important sales tip in action.

Every person is different, and it’s essential that you deliver information, particularly sales information, in a manner that suits the other person’s personality, not your own. Match your sales approach to the personality of the person you are selling to and you will increase your odds of success tenfold.

In our sales training, we identify four personality types – doers, talkers, pacers and controllers. Doers are direct, competitive, confident, demanding and results oriented, such as Donald Trump or Michael Jordan. Talkers are interactive, impulsive, emotional and expressive, such as Oprah Winfrey or Bill Clinton. Pacers are steady, sincere, loyal and good listeners, such as Mr. Rogers or Billy Graham. Controllers are cautious, analytical, technical and quality oriented, such as Tiger Woods or Bill Gates.

Just as your personality likely falls into one of these categories, the same is true for every sales prospect. Your goal should be to approach a prospect with your own personality in neutral and within the first 30 seconds determine the personality of your prospect. Then, adjust your approach to match their personality type.

For example, if you determine that the prospect is a doer, then don’t waste time. Move quickly into presenting relevant factual information. If the prospect appears to be a talker, slow down and expect to devote a few minutes to chatting about the weather or your summer vacation. You risk losing a sale when there’s a mismatch of your approach to the prospect’s personality.

How do you determine a personality type within 30 seconds of meeting a person? It’s not easy, and some people are naturally more intuitive than others. But there are many signals that you can pick up on. A firm handshake could indicate a doer or a controller. Numerous family photos in the room could indicate a talker. If the room is highly organized and business-like, you may be in the company of a controller.

Equally important is determining your own personality type and your ability to adjust your style as needed. You may find that within your organization certain individuals are better at reading personality types and adjusting their types at will. These are the people you want in lead sales positions.

Tailoring your sales approach based on the reading of personality types – it’s just another of the important tools for improving your success in closing the sale.

Architec 400 Shadecloth Added for Structures

January 31, 2012 in Awning, Shade Control by Steve Daegling | 5 comments

As shade tension structures and shade sails grow in popularity, Tri Vantage continues to expand its extra heavy duty knitted shadecloth product line, including Architec 400® in 12 colors.

Architec 400 is a 400 GSM High Density Polyethylene fabric formed through a combination of monofilament yarn and Polyfab’s new Ovalon™ monofilament yarn for maximum strength, minimal stretch and UV protection of 90 percent and greater. It’s available in Aquamarine, Berry, Black, Cappuccino, Grape, Lemon, Lime, Midnight Green, Navy Blue, Orange, Porcelain and Slate Grey.

Architec 400 completes a robust shadecloth offering by Tri Vantage that includes Commercial 95, Coolaroo, Ferrari 502 and Ferrari Soltis. Commercial shade structures for retail, commercial and public spaces often require heavy duty shadecloth due to the large area covered by the structures.

Architec 400 includes several bright colors – Orange, Lemon, Lime and Grape – that can help you craft eye-catching shade structures. Shade structures made with Architec 400 should be fabricated under the supervision of a professional engineer to ensure appropriate strength poles and footings.

Tags: Architec 400, Commercial 95, Coolaroo, Ferrari, Ferrari 502, Ferrari Soltis, Ovalon, Polyfab, shade sails

AC Made Easy: Illustrate Project Angles with Camera Controls

January 31, 2012 in AC Made Easy by Mark Stiver | No comments

Have you ever wished you could walk your customers around your awning creations while the designs are still on the drawing board? With full command of five camera controls in Awning Composer Version 5, you can do just that, virtually.

Camera controls allow you to adjust the camera angle and position of straight-on photos, with or without backdrops. Select a camera mode – pan, zoom, rotate, center and reset – by clicking on its icon in the ribbon at the top of the screen:

Pan Camera Mode – Move the scene to the left, right, up or down by clicking on the scene with the left mouse button and moving your mouse in the desired direction.
Rotate Camera Mode – Rotate the scene around an invisible center point. Left click anywhere on the scene and move your mouse in any direction to see how your awning design looks from the side, underneath or from a bird’s eye view.
Center Camera Mode – Rotate the scene around a specific object. Click on an object (or anywhere in the scene) and a green ball appears. Hold down your center mouse button and move the mouse to rotate the scene around the selected object.
Zoom Camera Mode – Zoom in and out on objects in the scene by holding down your left mouse button and moving your mouse up or down.
Reset Camera – Click this button to return the camera to the default position.

Each of these camera modes allows you to view a variety of perspectives on awnings proposed for homes, offices, retail outlets and public spaces. You can use these tools to give your client an emotional connection to the proposed project, which will create excitement and encourage closing the sale.

Tags: awning composer

IFAI Expo Highlights Innovation, Growth

December 13, 2011 in Company by Ron Paratore | 2 comments

As the largest single trade event for the awning, marine and specialty fabrics markets, the annual IFAI Expo is a reliable bellwether for our industry. After three days of meetings with our customers, roaming the exhibit floor and attending training events, our team came away re-energized and focused on a positive future for our customers.

Throughout the exhibit hall, you could see innovation in every aspect of our industry, from fabrics and materials to machinery and fabrication techniques. There were numerous opportunities for profitable growth, including the broad range of offerings we showcased from Tri Vantage. Best of all, we sensed that Expo attendees are open and eager for new ideas that can bring excitement to the markets they serve.

Our industry has weathered difficult times during the past three years, but there are clear signs of a solid recovery and a new can-do attitude that was evident during the Expo. We would like to take this opportunity to again thank you for your business and reaffirm our commitment to your continued growth and success through innovation and service.

We created a short video that captures the enthusiasm and memories from IFAI Expo, and we hope that as 2011 comes to a close you feel a sense of excitement for 2012 and the possibilities it brings. Click below to view scenes from the IFAI Expo.