"I Want To Get Other Bids"

One of the more frustrating things to experience after doing a bang-up presentation is having your prospect say, "I'm 90% certain I'm going to go with you. I just need to get other bids."

There are no reliable short responses to this objection. To overcome this objection, you'll have to be a professional salesman. You'll have to know my "List of Talking Points" close. (Select to view "List of Talking Points")

The "List of Talking Points" Close:

A good salesman never meets an objection head-on. There's no point in arguing with them. A good closer doesn't sell, but merely helps people make the right decision, so be a good sport and give the customer a hand with this.

Say, "Of course you do. Have you ever bought one of these before?" Whether they answer with a yes or a no makes no difference.

"Have you ever heard of people being unhappy with a home improvement contractor? Maybe they didn't get exactly what they wanted, felt they'd been hit with hidden charges, or the contractor sent out a bunch of people they're not comfortable with working in their home?" Again, it makes no difference whether they respond with a yes or a no.

"Sometimes the lowest bidder actually ends up being the highest bidder with little ‘hidden charges,’ like permit fees, disposal fees, recovery charges, disposal charges, sales tax, cleaning fees, etc.”

"I believe that, while some of these situations may be a result of malicious intentions on the part of the contractor, most of them are a result of miscommunication. The customer may have a picture in mind as to what a complete installation includes and one set of expectations, while the contractor had an entirely different picture in mind.”

"Do you know what points to bring up; what questions to ask contractors to make certain you're both on the same wavelength and avoid the disappointments that others have experienced?”

"Tell you what, I'll go ahead and draw up a short list of 'talking points' for you to go over with the other people you talk to, to make certain you get in writing so you won't be taken for a ride."

Take out a blank sheet of lined paper and start your list. Say something like, "Make certain they're licensed," and explain the benefits of doing business with a licensed contractor. Write "licensed" on the paper.

Go on to say, "Make certain they're insured," and explain the benefits of doing business with a company that is fully insured. Write "insured" on the paper.

Say, "Make sure removing the old equipment is included in their price and that you get it in writing on their work order." Write "removal of old equipment" on the paper.

Continue going over your list, writing an abbreviated form of each feature and/or benefit down on the paper, using the left hand margin, until you've listed 25 talking points. (See Figure 1.)

Summarize by asking, "Mr. Smith, is this a list of things that contractors will have to do in order to earn the right to your business?"

They tend to take the high road and say, yes.

"So, there's nothing on this list that is extra, overkill, or anything that you don't want?"

The customer will say, no.

Continue with, "So, a person will have to be willing to put all these things in writing in order to earn the right to your business?"

The customer will say, yes.


Take a pause, then continue, "I agree, we've been in business for many years, and this is a list of things our customers have told us they demand from a contractor in order to earn the right to their business.”

"We've patterned our entire operation on what our customers have told us they want us to provide them. You might say that this is a list of reasons for me to take care of this for you right now.”

"For the fun of it, let's make a list of reasons not to go ahead with this right now."

At this point, you'll start another list at the top of the page, using the center line of the page as your left margin.

Say, "You usually like to think things over," and write "think it over" at the top of the list.

When it applies, you can add, "Your equipment is still running," and add "still running," to the list.

The last reason to hold off is usually, "You want to get other prices," and write "other prices" on the list.

Continue with, "I imagine your reason to get other prices is that it would be nice if you could find the exact same thing that I'm going to provide you for a lower price, right?"

They'll answer, "Yes," and you'll write, "may find a lower price," on the list.

Don't leave any reasons not to go ahead now up to the customer. Come up with them yourself. You want to take the wind out of their sails!

Ask, "Mr(s). (Customer) , is there any other reason you wouldn't want to go ahead with this?"

Naturally, we already know they'll have to say, "no," because you've already listed all the reasons to wait.

Explain, "Mr(s). (Customer) , as I mentioned previously, my company has been in business for many years and have done hundreds (maybe thousands; try to be reasonably accurate) of installations.”

"The vast majority of those people got other prices and decided to go with us, despite any difference in price.”

"And the reason they decided to use us is they found out what you're going to find out when you go over this list with my competition. You can't get all these benefits in writing from any of them for a higher price, let alone a lower price.”

"Now, if you want to spend two, eight, twelve, twenty or forty hours to learn the same thing that thousands of other people already know, don't let me stand in your way. I want your decision to go with me and my company to be your decision and not my decision. If that's what it takes for you to realize that my offer is really your only option, by all means, do what you have to do.”

“ If you're looking to save a little time, you can make the same decision that our other customers have already made and schedule this now."

Turn the list toward him and say, "Mr(s). (Customer) , this is a list of reasons to have me go ahead and take care of this for you right now. This is a list of reasons to hold off. Which side weighs more heavily to you?"

Naturally, they'll respond with, "The left side, of course."

Say, "Mr(s). (Customer) , I believe you've made your decision. Would you like me to use that telephone over there to schedule this installation?"

CHARLIE GREER is the creator of "Tec Daddy's Service Technician Survival School on DVD," and "Slacker's Guide to HVAC Sales on Audio CD." For information on Charlie's products and speaking schedule, visit his website at www.hvacprofitboosters.com/> or call 1-800-963-HVAC (4822). Email Charlie at [email protected] .