BY MIKE NIELSEN/Vice president of sales, Pergo
For all retailers, higher priced laminate flooring sales are essential to increase overall profits. However, many retailers still believe selling high-end products is too difficult and fear that suggesting more expensive floors may lead to lost sales. But the key to success in marketing premium laminate lies in better understanding your customers’ needs and taking the added time to educate them on relevant features of higher-grade flooring options.

Premium brands offer savvy customers and specialty retailers many unique advantages over ordinary laminate flooring. Higher-end product lines provide distinctive benefits like ultra-realistic textures and gloss levels, high-end designs and unbeatable performance. And best of all, in some cases, they allow specialty retailers to leverage the power and trust of a national brand. Below are tips that some of our most successful dealers have shared to help secure a high-end laminate sale:

• Understand your customer’s needs. Collect “ammunition” for a sale by asking about a customer’s “must-have” qualities in a floor and determining expectations and potential challenges. For instance, if a customer has a big dog and two young children, tell her about products that have demonstrated superior durability.

• Go for the soft sale. All customers appreciate being approached with professionalism and understated confidence. Once trust has been established, there’s nothing to be lost by promoting a higher-priced product. If a customer shows interest in a midrange product, let her know that for just a dollar more a square foot she may select from an upgraded line that offers a wider variety of designs, more realistic texturing and greater durability.

• Spruce it up. Premium product that’s easy to shop automatically draws customers. Female consumers especially are attracted to a retail environment that’s well lit and smartly merchandised. Keep your higher price point offerings most visible and accessible, and be sure to have ample product samples on-hand.

• Start small, but plan big. If a first-time customer only can afford an entry-level floor, consider this a sales base from which to eventually “sell up.” Develop lists of customer contacts and anticipate future purchases. A couple years later, a homeowner who installed an entry-level product may be motivated to upgrade to a higher-end line by receiving product info and a personalized note.