When a close friend asked me to help scale his small floor coating company into a national brand, I was intrigued—but cautious. He had a unique product with the potential to disrupt an entire industry, yet his business struggled to reach even $1 million in annual sales. He had a modest team: a foreman, a crew, two salespeople, and himself, who also happened to be the top salesperson.
1. Build a Repeatable Sales Process
The first thing I asked was, “What’s your sales process?” The answer: there wasn’t one. Everyone operated on instinct and experience—what we call “tribal knowledge.” So I gathered the sales team and documented their current approach. It wasn’t perfect, but it provided a foundation to build upon.
2. Discover the Real Buying Motivation
Next, I asked, “Why are customers buying from us?” The team had guesses, cost savings, eco-friendliness, shiny floors, but no clear answer. So, I interviewed our top clients. What I found was surprising: they weren’t buying for price or aesthetics. They were buying because our product eliminated stains and odors in restrooms and locker rooms. That was the pain point. Not the corridors, classrooms, or hospital floors- just the bathrooms and locker rooms. So we adjusted our entire marketing strategy to focus on that one need.
3. Optimize the Sales Call
We streamlined the sales meeting from an hour to just 20 minutes. Our competitors would take 20 minutes to ask questions to understand the environment. Not us! Our script was concise, focused, and grounded in real customer insights. Instead of asking prospects about their problems, we came in with research and solutions. People were impressed by how well we understood their situation. Often, that short meeting turned into a longer one—because they wanted more, not because we pushed for it.
4. Recruit and Retain A-Players
With a solid sales process and clear messaging, I turned our attention to the team. We let go of underperformers and recruited top-tier talent. If someone didn’t meet the bar, even if they looked good on paper, we moved on. I was building a culture of excellence.
5. Launch Fast, Stay Accountable
I created a 90-day launch plan to get new salespeople up and running quickly. It included weekly accountability checkpoints to ensure progress and performance. This helped us maintain momentum and build a team that thrived on results.
Conclusion:
As we entered new markets, our competitors began to close their doors. Our message resonated, our team delivered, and our growth exploded. We evolved from a seven-person operation to a multi-million-dollar company operating across 13 states.
Since then, I’ve helped businesses across the country take the sales hat off the owner and build scalable systems that drive real growth. If you’re ready to take your company to the next level, it starts with process, clarity, and the right people.
