Charlie Greer is providing a year-long series describing his procedure when running service or sales calls.
The most difficult part of becoming a top salesperson, and the most skipped part, is preparation. After running calls with me, people have said that the whole secret to my success is that I go in to do my presentation fully prepared.
Once you’re written out your Paper Towel Close, take a few minutes to think about what you’re going to say before you go inside to present your findings and make your recommendations to the homeowners.
Before going inside:
• Determine the Sense of Urgency on every single item you’re recommending
• Rehearse exactly what you’re going to say and how you’re going to say it
• Determine what the worst thing they can say is, and be prepared to respond to it.
The Setup:
Bring whatever you’re going to sell them, be it an electrical component, a motor, a filter, a valve, and perhaps some tools, into the house with you before quoting prices and gaining authorization to proceed and put them in the customer’s hands.
People are reluctant to send you on your way when you’re already set up to make the repair. I can remember several highly profitable calls during my career where, if I hadn’t already been set up to do the work, they would have sent me packing due to price.
You’re not doing this to be pushy. Often, it’s expected. How many times have you gone in to present the price and, as you approached the customer, had them ask, “Is it fixed already?”
You’ll be surprised how interested your customers will find some of the most boring, mundane little products that you carry in your truck, so develop a little ten to fifteen second speech on each product.
Don’t skip this step when you’re certain they’re not going to buy. Being ready to work once you get the go-ahead greatly improves your odds of getting the job. People are reluctant to send you on your way when you’re already set up to make the repair. I can remember several highly profitable calls during my career where, if I hadn’t already been set up to do the work, they would have sent me packing due to price.
Being unwilling to set up because you don’t think they’re going to buy is projecting a negative level of expectation, which is the exact opposite of what you want to do.
Prior to Presenting:
Whenever you talk to customers about their problems, talk about the problem in front of the problem. The visual aid will help your customers to understand what you’re talking about.
Get them moving around. It gives you control. Don’t try to sell a job to a woman at the kitchen sink while she washes her dishes or to a man while you’re walking alongside him as he mows his lawn.
Do a little price conditioning in the manner described in my April, 2016 column, “How to Run Air Conditioning Tune-up Calls” (bit.ly/RuntheCall).
Don’t act like you’re getting ready to sell them something. In fact, you kind of act like it doesn’t make much difference to you if they buy nothing, part of the list, or the entire list. Just try to act neutral about the whole thing.
LEARN HOW TO BEAT LOW-BIDDERS! CHARLIE GREER WILL BE A FEATURED PRESENTER AT COMFORTECH 2016 SEPT. 19 to Sept. 22
Don’t go into a lot of technical talk and don’t use a lot of industry jargon. Keep it short and simple. They don’t need or want a big long sales pitch. Only say things that will make them feel good about owning the product or service you’re recommending.
Watch your pronunciation. If they can’t understand what you’re saying, they won’t buy. The advice is that you “pronunciate” very clearly. In fact, “over pronunciate.”
Use a very calming, reassuring tone of voice. Most service technicians don’t think much about tone of voice, yet we’ve all had people say to us, it’s not what you said; it’s the way that you said it.
Speak kind of slowly. Ever hear of a slick, fast talkin’ salesman? When people get excited of feel like they’re under the gun, they tend to kind of speed up their talking and their voice comes out at a higher pitch, which doesn’t sound good.
Deliberately speak a little slower and in a little lower tone of voice than you normally do. Since you’re excited and prone to talk faster and higher, if you deliberately try to slow yourself down and talk lower, it probably comes out just about right.
Don’t present your Paper Towel Close yet. Just walk them around and go over your findings, in order of priority.
