At Millard Lumber in Omaha, Neb., CEO Rick Russell's team created a showroom where the curves constantly present new vistas -- and stimulate sales.
Bob Ervin / www.ervinphoto.com At Millard Lumber in Omaha, Neb., CEO Rick Russell's team created a showroom where the curves constantly present new vistas -- and stimulate sales.

The Vision Thing, as the first President Bush put it, isn't just a challenge for politicians. Lots of dealers are struggling today, not just because of the economy, but because they're looking at their businesses from old or partially obscured perspectives. On the other hand, the companies honored in this year's ProSales Excellence Awards competition succeeded because they found new ways to look at, showcase, and run their businesses. One recast how it views sales data. Some created ads or showrooms that brought in new customers, while others boosted business by serving existing customers better. All showed that how you see definitely can affect how you perform.