Archive for November, 2009

Strategy is a word few people truly understand. The military uses intelligence to determine how to approach a problem – how to think about it. In his new book Living On The Top Line, Joe Capillo uses the best research and intelligence available for the furniture industry to tell what the lady (Ms. Jones) says she wants, and what’s keeping her from getting it.

Joe describes what he calls the new retail reality that includes how Ms. Jones chooses to engage with the furniture industry.  He explains the importance of creating an online presence and the necessity of a seamless relationship from the web to the store – particularly for local independents.

Joe also tackles the difficulties of bringing fundamental change that will truly stick and transform organizations into a high-performance company. The process he describes is “effective and remembered by everyone I ever used it with,” according to Joe.  It’s a great way to hold any decision-making meeting among managers (or anyone else for that matter), so that everyone feels involved and can see the structure of the final outcome.

Because Joe addresses the challenges of change and strategy, you will understand his teaching on how to structure a selling system – deliberate things your employees do when dealing with your customers – around this information. He advises owners to not leave their fortunes and futures up to other people whose agenda may or may not match their own.

Joe explains his fundamental principle that our business is not, and never has been, about furniture – it is about rooms, homes, and families. Therefore, by addressing these concerns, true connection between a retailer and a consumer is established. But, the “retailer” is the salesperson – who usually faces the consumer all alone, one-on-one, with no “team,” no manager, no owner.

This point-or-contact is the moment of truth for all furniture retailers. Joe takes the reader through a complete explanation of room planning, in-home selling, etc.  This interaction leads to stronger consumer relationships for the relational types, and perhaps even for the transactional buyer when dealing with a relational type of product that can require a lot of consultation and advice.

Finally, he talks the management of all this stuff – particularly the people. Managing the range of performance in larger groups is not understood by most owners and managers, according to Joe, who also says retailers don’t know enough about their businesses until they know the number of customers who come through their doors.  He addresses all the metrics in detail and explains how to use them in daily management.

Operating metrics you don’t use to manage are useless, but you can’t forget the people side, so Joe’s theory of one-to-one management is to bring people to their goals – to bring them beyond the limits they place on themselves by letting the past dictate the future.

That’s how to live on the top line! Buy this book. Contact Joe.