Sig,

Have you tried selling any lighting control yet?

I think selling lighting control is the hardest part. If anyone has any tips, PLEASE SHARE.

When you meet with a client lead with lighting control. Most clients don't know anything lighting control but they do know about distributed audio and home control. Your client has arrived with a set amount in their head and if you blow their budget with AV before you get to the lighting control they'll never buy it. If lead with lighting you grab their interest and sell them on it, they still want the AV so they'll spend the extra money for the whole package. This theory has been studied and proven to work.

Great idea Totem. And I've heard most of the typical lighting stuff. Start small, throw in spacers on every job, yada yada.

Perhaps its b/c we haven't seen any success with it that its harder for me to sell.

What kinds of things are you saying to the client to get them excited and willing to spend money on lighting control?

I touch on some keypoints, convenience, estetics and security. Emphasize security with the housewife. If they plan on finishing the basement tell them how they don't have to worry about leaving lights on. Energy savings is a big button to push too. If they have high ceilings tell them how a lighting system that automaticly dims will make those bulbs last longer. Rob Gerhard teaches a great class on how to sell lighting control, it's worth it. Many guys don't take the time to figure this out but lighting control is probably the highest profit margin on the job.

"Never walk into a dark house again" - scene control from the car visor.

"Increase bulb life", "Save energy, and money" - 90% dimming appears very similar to 100%

"Improved control of landscaping and exterior flood lights"

"Easy to incorporate shade control in the future"

"Bedside scene controller, for security - all lights on"

"Automatic night lights, for bedtime" - hallway and MBa can lights set to 10%

"Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms" - closets, bathrooms, kids' rooms

"Pathway lighting for fire alarm"

"Scene control in the family room, for movies, TV."

"Control the bedroom light from your bedside"

+1 turn off all the basement lights

Ra2 keypads are compatible with decora wallplates. I have several RA keypads and Maestro dimmers behind off the shelf decora plates.

What standard decora plates are not compatible with is the back plate on RA devices which lets you snap in the cover so you do not have visible screws. Remove the snap in back plate... problem solved.

Here are a few screenshots of my home remote w/ the following integrated devices:

RadioRa2 (bottom screenshot)
XBMC HTPC (Movies and Music)
Onkyo 875 (3 zones)
Integra (1 zone, 3rd zone amp for Onkyo)
LG 60PS11 Plasma
LG 32" LCD
HAI Omnistat Thermostat
DirecTV HR20 Receiver
Wii

For the RA controls I have "Scene" buttons like "Sleep" and "TV In Bed".   TV In Bed turns on path lighting for two minutes, master bedroom lighting for two minutes, shuts down all audio and TV equipment in the house, turns on the Bedroom TV, HR20 receiver, Zone 3 on the Onkyo and the Z3 Integra Amp, bumps the thermostat A/C back to 72 degrees and then shuts down all lighting in the house.

The Movie button pictured on the RA remote page performs a similar function. Sets household lighting, turns on the TV, DirecTV receiver, LG 60" Plasma, Onkyo Z1, turns the Onkyo and LG to the correct input and sets the Onkyo to the preferred volume level.