For the past couple of years in the custom channel, high-end video has been a harsh mistress. Custom A/V dealers have witnessed the loss of several brands whose upper-tier video products were bread and butter for their businesses, like Fujitsu and Pioneer Elite. Losing the cache of upper-tier video displays means that dealers have often had to offer TVs at reduced margins, and models with pricing that has been heavily commoditized by the big box retailers.

Because of the race to zero in the video category, it's important for dealers to present up-sell options. Up-selling is not only for the sake of building the bottom line (although that, too, is welcome), but it's also part and parcel with presenting the client with the best possible options. The new, not to mention higher-priced, LED-backlit LCD flat panels afford dealers a new window in which to offer their clients an up-sell option.

Last week in the Marketnews blog, there was discussion about confusion over how LCD/LED is marketed. Clearly, there's an opportunity for dealers to better educate their customers about the benefits of LED/LCD flat panels. Every potential client has hot button topics where a particular feature will snag their interest, so look for signals that might indicate interest in LED/LCD. Are they keen on reduced power consumption? How about increased colour vibrancy? Let's not forget the undeniable coolness of the form factor that makes the LED/LCD TVs dramatically thinner than competing LCD and plasma panels.

One word of caution, though: take it easy with the techno jargon when working at up-selling clients to LED LCD TVs. It's easy to be seduced by technology, but effective communication means speaking clearly, and not overloading the client. It's a pretty rare technophilic client who'll get hooked by being told about TruMotion 240Hz this or Dynamic Contrast Ratio that. All most clients care about is the assurance that the TV will look better, perform better, and use less energy than other choices, not to mention that it's a bigger screen than their friend just bought. Be prepared to talk in-depth about technology if the client really wants to, but most people's eyes roll back into their heads when a salesman lets his inner techie off the leash. Instead, focus on what's really important for the client, and use those cues to find the hot-button up-sell reason that makes him say "Yes".

Article Tags:  client, dealers, video, panels, clients, clearly, button, makes, really, technology, interest, selling, offer, means, upper, reduced, important, custom, options, mention,