I recently heard a carpet cleaner complaining about a job he had quoted for but didn't get. Apparently the customer didn't understand that this was a “very good price†The cleaner simply couldn't understand why he hadn't got the job!
Zig Ziglar said, "Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust."
It could very well be that the last one was the problem. Trust is based not on a sales pitch or a low price offer but on behaviour. People are very skeptical when they are being sold.
It’s often been said that people buy from people they “know, like and trust†In this untrusting world, that is more important than ever before. But you already know this. Its far easier to sell to a customer who has used you before than to a new customer.
Its the reason why ‘brands’ often outsell ‘generic.’ People trust them. They’ve usually advertised heavily to build up awareness and familiarity. That equates to trust. This is not a strategy that I recommend for a small carpet cleaning business. It’s far too costly, but there are things that you can do to increase TRUST which in turn will lead to sales.
- Show Up on Time. If you say you’ll arrive at 8.30am be there on time...or slightly before. Good timekeeping conveys respect for the customer as well as self discipline and professionalism. Being late (and not letting the customer know if it’s unavoidable) greatly reduces trust.
- Do What You Say You’ll Do. Keep your promises and don’t make lame excuses. Unreliability reduces trust. Especially with the older generation.
- Dress And Groom Well. Make sure that your uniform is immaculate. Yes...uniform. It conveys an air of authority and competency. That you know what you’re doing. That’s why your doctor wears a white coat!
- Listen Before You Prescribe. Prospective customers want to be understood. They don’t want ‘glib’ answers that show you’re not really listening. They don’t want a sales close...they want a prescription to their problems.
Interestingly, I recently had an opportunity to have all of this demonstrated to me. I needed a new driveway and decided on block paving.
My first thought was “Who do I know that does this type of work?†(“Who do I trust?â€).
Then, “Who do I know who knows someone who does this type of work?†(Referred trust)
Then, and only then did I start to look at adverts.
The results were quite interesting. Out of four that I asked to quote only two actually turned up. One turned up late as I was just going out. Only one showed up on time, looked the part and listened to what I actually wanted. Was he the cheapest? I don’t know. But he got the job.
Yes, build trust and your sales and referrals will increase.