There were timeless words spoken to me by a white-haired architect who was at the top of his field. At lunch I routinely asked him if his firm was keeping busy. With the insight of an old prophet he zinged me back with a proverb that pretty well sums it up: We don't need more work, we need more money.

That statement resonates in my thoughts through the years. Our New Years resolution is, Work smarter, not harder.

Resolutions like this are notorious for being easier said than done. The only way to sell more profitable systems is to charge more and spend less. How can you charge more?

If you position your company well through product choices, smooth installations and a great reputation, clients will want to work with you. You have to differentiate yourself from the competition to earn the right to charge more. Low bidders are only chosen for their low price. You must develop strategies and solutions that make it clear you are better than your competitors. You must close sales based on customer confidence and a track record of delivering a higher level of satisfaction.

You can also charge more by improving the quality of the audio/video experience. In the main listening area, I recommend selling your customers the very best pair of speakers that they can afford. In your market, maybe thats $1,000 a pair, or maybe its $50,000 a pair. The point is: there is no substitute for a great pair of speakers and a great high-end listening experience. If your systems stand out in the way they sound, it will be good business for you. Always choose bookshelf speakers above in-walls and sell the best in-wall speakers you can where they are needed. Unfortunately, I have heard six-figure whole-house music systems with very disappointing sound quality from cheap speakers.

You can charge more by improving the value of the control systems that you sell. You can step up to keypads, touchpads, and touchscreens. The first step is to provide a great remote controller for your home theaters. Never sell a home theater system without a well-thought-out remote control system that delivers exactly what the customer wants at the touch of a button. Especially with the difficulty in switching all of the formats and sources available with HDTV, this is an area where your installation savvy can set you apart. One touch should turn on the TV, turn on the surround processor, set the TV to the desired input and resolution, set the surround processor to the desired input, volume level, and correct surround mode. Then the DVD player should turn on, start the disc, and the lights should dim.

Remember, to be more profitable, you must also reduce your costs. How could that be possible? There is only one way to reduce your costs: Get out of the custom installation business!

Stop customizing! If you want to make money in this business, you must design repeatable solutions that you can sell again and again and again. Develop your perfect system, then sell the same system a hundred t...

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