When Valerie Armella answered a call from Paul Murfin, Armstrong’s vice president of sales, in mid-December, she fully expected to hear she was one of the 10 monthly winners of $1,000 in the manufacturer’s “What’s the Big Deal?” promotion. Knowing she was a high seller in vinyl, she also expected to be among the top 10 salespeople at the conclusion of the contest.
“I was told I had a phone call from Pennsylvania,” said Armella, who works for Top Floors and Design, Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada. “I knew it was Armstrong. [Murfin] asked me if I was aware of the competition.” She said he spoke about the promotion for a bit and then she remembered hearing these words: “It is my pleasure to tell you I owe you $20,000.”
Armella was told she was Armstrong’s top resilient salesperson over the four-month contest. “It was awesome, to say the least,” she said. Armella has worked in flooring on and off for more than 25 years. She got into the business while she was married to an installer and went on jobs with him. This gave her a base knowledge of flooring and interior design, which opened the door for her long-standing career in various factions of the flooring industry.
She told FCNews she has learned to interview clients to find out their specific needs before ever discussing the many flooring options. “I like to discuss what particular looks they’re going for and identify their expectations.”
Even before entering “What’s the Big Deal?” Armella said Armstrong was her product of choice. “Ninety percent of what I sell is Armstrong because I believe in the product,” she said. “I only sell what I believe in, am familiar with and comfortable with. Memories, StrataMax and CushionStep are selling very well. They are definitely the most popular in our area. The price points work well for the majority of people, and two out of the three are loose-laid, which is a plus. But my favorite is Destinations. I also like the Natural Fusion line.”
While Armella sold more resilient flooring than any of the 7,500 “What’s the Big Deal?” participants, she insisted that she had some help. “I couldn’t have sold as much Armstrong flooring without the fantastic reps we have. They are wonderful to work with.”
So, what did Armella do with her $20,000 winnings? Let’s just say there are no spontaneous trips or spending sprees in her immediate future. “I rolled the whole thing into a retirement plan. All except for the purchase of a crib for my grandbaby who will arrive May 7.”
“I was told I had a phone call from Pennsylvania,” said Armella, who works for Top Floors and Design, Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada. “I knew it was Armstrong. [Murfin] asked me if I was aware of the competition.” She said he spoke about the promotion for a bit and then she remembered hearing these words: “It is my pleasure to tell you I owe you $20,000.”
Armella was told she was Armstrong’s top resilient salesperson over the four-month contest. “It was awesome, to say the least,” she said. Armella has worked in flooring on and off for more than 25 years. She got into the business while she was married to an installer and went on jobs with him. This gave her a base knowledge of flooring and interior design, which opened the door for her long-standing career in various factions of the flooring industry.
She told FCNews she has learned to interview clients to find out their specific needs before ever discussing the many flooring options. “I like to discuss what particular looks they’re going for and identify their expectations.”
Even before entering “What’s the Big Deal?” Armella said Armstrong was her product of choice. “Ninety percent of what I sell is Armstrong because I believe in the product,” she said. “I only sell what I believe in, am familiar with and comfortable with. Memories, StrataMax and CushionStep are selling very well. They are definitely the most popular in our area. The price points work well for the majority of people, and two out of the three are loose-laid, which is a plus. But my favorite is Destinations. I also like the Natural Fusion line.”
While Armella sold more resilient flooring than any of the 7,500 “What’s the Big Deal?” participants, she insisted that she had some help. “I couldn’t have sold as much Armstrong flooring without the fantastic reps we have. They are wonderful to work with.”
So, what did Armella do with her $20,000 winnings? Let’s just say there are no spontaneous trips or spending sprees in her immediate future. “I rolled the whole thing into a retirement plan. All except for the purchase of a crib for my grandbaby who will arrive May 7.”
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