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McDonald's opened on April 15, 1955, when “Would you like fries with that?” was probably first uttered. The art of the upsell was born and has been alive and well ever since. So, it naturally begs the question, why not use this technique with flooring adhesives?

Seth Gladden and Shelley Ackerman of Taylor Adhesives asked and answered how “Would you like fries with that.” relates to selling flooring adhesives. Shelley gave an example, “It’s called an effective, assumptive close. It could as easily be ‘would you like any adhesives with that?'”

“It’s about changing the mentality to sell more flooring adhesives,” said Seth. “It should be asked every time. If you’re selling a floor that needs to be glued down, you’re going to need the glue to put it down–it’s that simple.”

“You should ask the customer ‘What adhesives are we going with on this job?’ or ‘Is this the right adhesive for this project?’ and ‘Is the space ready for this project?’” advised Shelley.

As a sales associate, your knowledge of adhesives positions you as a subject matter expert – concerned with solving problems and making trustworthy relationships. Adhesives have different attributes that are required for installation confidence.

Selling the right adhesive with the flooring order can also result in:

• Reducing callbacks
• Contributing to LEED points
• Adding credibility and peace of mind

Distributors also need to train their reps to ask about adhesives. Products shipped with orders of glue-down flooring need to aim for a 100% attachment rate because they go hand-in-hand. And don’t forget trowels with adhesive, etc. These are additional sales dollars many will leave on the table, simply by not asking.
 

Seth Gladden is the host of TAYLOR TIME LIVE and is the Director of Marketing for the Meridian Adhesives Group Industrial Flooring Division including Taylor Adhesives. Shelley Ackerman is the Director of OEM Sales and Commercial Groups for Taylor Adhesives.

Do you often get home from work and feel tense? Whether it’s a long commute, constantly facing deadlines, or feeling revved up all day at a job you love, it can sometimes be hard to truly decompress and relax after work — which you need to do.

Whether it’s bad stress from work-related tension or good stress from exciting projects, your mind and body need time to cultivate calm. It can benefit your overall mental and physical health with lower blood pressure and better sleep.

Ways to decompress:

• Catch your breath. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and slowly. Inhale through your nose, and then breathe out, counting to ten. Repeat for at least three minutes and feel the stress leaving your body.

• Calm down in water. Research shows soaking in a not-too-hot but relaxingly warm bath improves blood flow and reduces muscle tension. And that can help your mind take a breather, too.

• Go outside. Exercise is a great way to relieve mental tension, and even if you don’t feel like hitting the gym, a walk outdoors in nature alone or with your dog, friend, or family member is pleasurable decompression therapy.

• Disconnect from technology after work. Consciously stop being glued to your phone and computer. Listen to music, read, and indulge in hobbies and talents you’ve ignored for a while. Spend quality time talking and listening to friends and family.

• Take a staycation. If you know you need downtime, take a vacation day or two and relax at home.

• Get a massage. Studies show a therapeutic massage lowers the stress hormone cortisol.