MEMO
What does MEMO stand for, and when is the “early” mention?
Mention Early, Mention Often. Early = the first five minutes, every customer.
A customer says "I don't need a designer" and you ask, "Share with me what you picture a designer doing." Which step, and what skill is that?
Addressing Objections — clarify before you respond.
“We just moved in last month.” Design opportunity — yes or no, and what do you say?
Yes — a whole-house customer, not a sofa customer. “Congratulations — which room are you focused on first? My Designer specializes in whole home solutions.”
Customer at delivery: "It looks a little empty in here now that it's in." Open the next phase.
"That's the room telling you it's ready for the next layer — let me have our designer pull together what finishes it off."
Name the four common keywords/design challenges.
FIT, COLOR, OVERWHELMED, MIXING OLD & NEW
You're standing in a finished vignette showing the customer the whole room, not just the sofa. Which step is this?
Demonstrating. Show the room, not the piece — a customer shown a sofa buys a sofa; a customer shown a room buys a room.
“My husband hates everything I pick.” What did you just hear?
A LOOK & FEEL cue and an unresolved second decision-maker. “That's exactly what our designer is great at — she'll get you both to something you agree on.”
Customer: "I like this sofa but I have no idea what goes with it." Give your response.
"That's the fun part, and it's exactly what our designer does — he'll build the whole look around it, free. Let me go get him."
You mentioned design once in the greeting. Later she says, “I don't know if it'll fit.” Do you mention again?
Yes — that's the “Often.” “Remember my design expert I mentioned earlier, this is exactly what I meant by her helping. Fifteen minutes with her and you'll see it in your room.”
The customer just bought the sofa, and you say “Now let's find the rug that grounds it.” Which step is this?
Adding On. The completed look is designed from the start, not a Hail Mary at the end.
A customer has been in three times and still hasn't bought. What's really going on?
She can't picture it — that's a design challenge. “Let's grab my Designer so he can show you what your room will look like and we can stop guessing.”
Customer: "I don't want it to look like a showroom." Respond in design language.
"That's exactly why we design around what's already yours — our designer blends your pieces with the new ones so it looks like you, not a catalog."