Best in show: builder showrooms can make or break a business. Check out these tips on how to seal the deal with maximum appeal

Pool & Spa News, March 12, 2004 by Dan Nied

"The same strategy applies to the experience of the showroom," he says. "Do you want to sit on the end of a desk or have the customer involved in the process? You need to have displays that show what makes you different from other pool builders."

Cross-section displays, such as the one in Pulliam's showroom, aren't a new idea. But they help builders stand apart from the competition. Though Pulliam's cross-section display is only 5 feet tall and 5 feet deep, it features the heart of a pool. Shapes and textures are revealed, and the tile and coping become more tangible. Above Pulliam's display is a labeled poster of the cross-section display, which explains everything a buyer sees.

"If someone is just browsing through the showroom everything becomes a little more self-explanatory," Pulliam says.

Shasta's map of its showroom strives for the same effect. "You are trying to appeal to the analytical customer who wants to know construction techniques and equipment," Ciccone says. "It is valuable for him to see the details of how the pool is made. For the customer who is more interested in aesthetics, design, shape, colors, tiles and finishes of the pool, it is like decorating the home. It is important to have all those features that are demonstrable."

Achievements and awards

Photos and awards speak for themselves. If a customer can see a finished product and get attached to the idea that a builder is at the top of his or her game, the relationship--and the demand for the builder--become that much stronger.

Mounted plaques also provide a tacit way to prove the builder's worth. This is the theory behind Mission Pools' wall-sized photos, which are complemented by awards and plaques. If those don't do the job, the Escondido, Calif.-based company whisks the prospect into a slide show, featuring more of its work. Then, if the individual still isn't sold, a visit to a satisfied customer's home is arranged, to show the company's work up close and personal.

"The whole thing you are working toward is a relationship," says Mission Pools owner Bruce Dunn. "You want someone to be convinced they want to do business with you. If someone spends $50,000 on a toy, you want them to have a severe comfort level with the company [that builds it]."

No matter what approach a builder takes toward a showroom, be it interactive displays of an informative map, the goal remains the same. "People come here because they want a pool," Pulliam says. "We feel that the more they know, the more reason they will have to choose our company to build their pool."

RELATED ARTICLE: By design.

The centerpiece of the new indoor showroom at Dal Pino Pools is a design studio. It features a table positioned in front of a 4-foot, wall-mounted screen. This is where ideas come one step closer to reality.

"That will enable us to modify the design while people are there," says Dick Dal Pino, owner of the Newcastle, Calif.-based company.

Dal Pino is one of a growing number of builders to incorporate design studios into his showroom. Some believe that if a prospect is in the showroom, more often than not the decision to buy a pool has already been made. So why not give them the chance to work with a design specialist?