“Managing the funnel,” “mastering an elevator pitch,” prospecting and qualifying, building the proposal and sealing the deal were among the topics discussed at the Unified Group’s Sept. 17-20 sales forum in Chicago.

A popular presentation, according to organizers, was led by Les Lent on “Smart Selling,” which addressed the proper communication tactics one should be using when talking to potential buyers.

“Les did an excellent job of conveying the ‘do’s and don’ts’ of selling, how we approach new leads and the importance of research and practice”, said attendee Chris Reiter of A&G Piping.

Tyler Jeffrey of Air Comfort started the second day of presentations by talking about the importance of strong marketing. A later “breakout session” had members working together to construct short “elevator pitches.” Sean Torgerson from B&I explained their Client Relationship Management Tool and its uses. J&J Air Conditioning’s Richard York spoke on how their company continues to remain a competitor with their strength in prospecting and harvesting opportunities. Sales expert and Unified Group original founding member Fred Roser shared the importance of taking the time to qualify each prospect through thorough research.

Mike Devito of Air Comfort Corp. invited Abstrakt Marketing Group to the event. After sharing Air Comfort’s success in allowing two representatives from Abstrakt to speak to the members, Devito went on to lead a talk on service contracts. He also stressed to the group the ability to gain customer retention through full-service contracts.

J&J Air Conditioning’s Richard York said he liked what he heard.

“The best part of the meeting for me was the difference of opinion and interaction with everyone. It wasn’t just one person’s thoughts,” he said. “This was the most collaborative forum I’ve been to.”