You enter a customer’s home and he immediately points and says, “The equipment is over there.” The customer then turns and walks away. Good start or bad start? Bad start. In these few seconds the customer has essentially told you that he sees you as a “bidder” and has you there to give him a price on a product. If you price up the job, give it to him and go home you just flushed that call down the toilet. At that moment and throughout the call it’s vital that you differentiate yourself from all others. You want to create value around yourself and your company so the customer makes the decision to do business with you first and the products he chooses become the secondary decision. What’s the best way to do this? Start the call by focusing on the customer and discovering your customer’s needs.
For some of us, casual conversation comes naturally. For others it seems like a pointless waste of time. The reality is that when strangers meet it is important to recognize that each needs a few moments to get comfortable with the other and there is no better way to do this than engage in casual, friendly conversation. The key to this effective rapport-building tactic is to have the conversation be mutually interesting and sincere. For example, if you like to work in a garden and notice beautiful plants and shrubs around the home, this would be something to comment on as a conversation starter. On the other hand, if you hate gardening, it would be better to find something else to talk about. Just look around — you can always find something.
Ask The Customer To Help You Measure
Engaging the customer is one of the best things you can do. Invite the customerto help you and she will often agree. Any agreement you get is a positive thing. She will help you do something that differentiates you from other contractors. She will become educated about the importance of having a correctly sized system. If all that weren’t enough, you will also be making efficient use of your limited time by asking questions that will tell you what she wants in her new system.
As you’ll see later, receiving candid customer input is vital to creating a proposal that will exactly reflect what the customer has asked for. This approach guarantees the customer will want what you’re proposing.
Most consumers are somewhat skeptical about a salesperson’s intentions, believing they are primarily interested in making the sale and getting a commission. It is therefore understandable that most homeowners will be guarded in their responses to questions that seem aggressive or pushy toward making the sale. By starting with general questions about the homeowners’ needs and wants, most homeowners will begin to drop their resistance and provide candid answers.
It is very important for the salesperson to continue the “discovery” approach described above without getting focused on selling too early in the process. The longer the salesperson can remain in this discovery stage the more open the homeowner will become. Start selling too early and you will affirm the customer’s preconception that you are just there to sell them something.
Confirming that you correctly heard what someone has said is an excellent sales technique. It is assuring to the customer and it keeps you both on the same track. Also, by asking if what they said is important enough to provide additional information, the salesperson is getting prior agreement and permission to inform the customer about his best possible solutions. This question, and the customer’s response, perfectly positions the salesperson for presenting a Best-Better-Good CHOICES® Proposal.
You know from personal experience that people naturally “warm up” as they engage in meaningful conversation. This is true as long as each person is sincere and appropriate in what they say, then the conversation gradually improves in quality and each person’s comfort level increases. If you have been selling for a while, it’s likely that you’ve noticed you are more likely to make the sale when you “connect” with customers. By being conscious of this, and using good communication skills, you can increase the likelihood of this kind of connection and increase the probability of making the sale.
Writing down what someone says delivers a powerful message that you are listing, that you are “hearing” what they say and that you care. This will affirm to the customer that you are there to provide an important service to them. And they will increasingly share their concerns with you, making it easier to provide a solution that will be exactly what they want.
A portable air filter is an obvious clue that a family member has concerns about indoor air quality. These days it’s a good bet that it means some sort of allergy problem. A keen eye will also spot portable heaters, air deflectors over supply registers, portable humidifiers or dehumidifiers, a thermometer or two in different parts of the home, dust on a dark surface, cracks in hardwood floors and cabinets…the list goes on. Each is a clue and begs you to ask customers about it. Their problem is an opportunity for your cure.
A customer survey is a written questionnaire that you will use as you walk through the home with the customer. (To download a sample survey, visit www.hvacrbusiness.com/downloadcenter. The “customer survey” will be located under May 2008.) To make this an effective sales tool you should customize it. Include questions that are likely to create interest. Your initial questions should be general, ice-breaker type questions, such as “How long do you plan to live in this home?” As you progress with the call you will earn the right to ask more direct questions including, “How important would it be to you to save money on your gas and electric bill?”
By being disciplined at asking, listening and taking notes, and asking if she or he would like more information, you are getting permission to tell them about your solutions, which nearly always means telling them about your top-of-the-line BEST System. Sure, most will not choose to invest in it, but some will. And thosewho do will be among your most satisfied customers.
Be polite. Be smart. Find out what the customer wants — and give it to them. Doing so, you will sell more.
Tom Piscitelli is president of T.R.U.S.T.® Training and Consulting. For more information on how his System Selling In-Home Sales Call Training DVD, CD and Self-Study Workbook can help you sell more jobs at higher margins and higher prices go to www.sellingtrust.com.
To pose a question to Tom, go to www.hvacrbusiness.com/forums.
