That sounds like the type of client that needs a generalized proposal, without model numbers or a stated labor rate of even labor figures for individual items.
This guy will either take your proposal and go shopping, or if you can build value of hiring you vs someone who will work for less, he may surpirse the heck out of you and write a deposit check on the spot.
I use this analogy sometimes. A talented chef can make a better meal from a store bought cut of meat than a mediocre chef can make from the butcher's finest prime cut.
Not to say that I use products that are the equivelant of grocery store steaks, but that shifting you ideals and paying a little more for the talented design and competent implementation of that design will be a better investment in the long run. Maybe you will get one less zone or two fewer theater chairs with your budget, but you'll be able to enjoy it.
On the trunkslammer vs. brick and mortar debate... I had a large retail location (closed in '99) with nine sound rooms, a service area, and a big inventory area. We had 4 rooms for audio only, plus 2 living room style theater rooms plus a dedicated theater custom installed with a art deco theme, we also had a car audio area with 2 rooms plus some vignettes around the sales counter with additional armoires and furniture ideas aside from what was in the the rooms.
I found that more and more of my sales were coming from one room, my office, which I moved out of the back and on the showroom floor in place of a couple vignettes.
Walk-in sales, especially walk-out-the-door-with-product sales, were steadily declining and all of that gear on display in the rooms weren't turning often enough to justify having them on display, and I wound up dropping some of the lines we had sold for decades. We stopped going to Winter CES and started going only to the now-defunct Summer CES in McCormick Place and the newly established CEDIA show that they initially bounced from one inconvenient location to another each year. (anyone remember the hurricane in New Orleans??) In my opinion, retail is dead unless you have a business plan drafted by Harvard MBAs with plans to open 300 locations and go public in 5 years. There are notable exceptions that have weathered the storm, but few that try to start it today will do well.
Only downside, certain vendors were not forward thinking and stood firm on requirements to maintain a broad selection of products on display to be a dealer.
MODOM, how is B&W to deal with w/out a showroom?? Back in the 90's, I used to have to maintain full line 300 series, full line 600 series and two 800 series skus on display back in the day. Most of our credit line was on the floor every time they upgraded the line.
This message was edited by 2nd rick on 07/19/04 23:16.
