What do most people fear about inviting a salesman to their homes? Yes, it’s fear of being a victim of high-pressure selling.
However, whereas people don’t like to be ‘sold’ anything, they do like to buy. They like to feel that they are in control of the buying situation and are not being manipulated.
Education based marketing does a great job of this. It gives people what they want (information) and removes what they don’t want (a sales pitch).
Homeowners do have to be educated about carpet and fabric cleaning. How often have you had this said to you? - “My dining room carpet doesn’t need cleaning yet as it’s only been down eight years.â€
As we know, appearance is not the only reason to clean carpets. More people will respond to our message if we let them know that their carpets actually are dirty because carpets hide all the soil before it’s visible. And that they can save the expense of early replacement by maintaining their costly investment.
So how exactly do you do it?
1. First, appoint yourself as an expert. No-one else is going to do this for you. Then write some reports or other educational material that can be given to interested homeowners that shows them that you are indeed an expert.
2. Write a Consumers’ Guide. A booklet such as a consumer guide educates homeowners on why they need to have carpets cleaned regularly and how to choose a reputable carpet cleaner. Don’t make it a sales pitch at all. Simply present information that the homeowner can learn from and they will view you as the expert. People are desperate for information to help them make the right decision.
3. Make sure you don’t use ‘image’ advertising. Leave this for the big boys who can afford to waste some of their money. A small business owner needs to know that every advert is really a ‘salesman in print’ that has to earn its keep. Again, give the consumer information so they can make an informed decision.
4. Have a recorded message telephone line. There are many telecoms companies in the UK now that provide these. You can record an educational message which can last ten minutes or so and cover areas such as:
- misconceptions about carpet cleaning
- different methods of cleaning
- how to choose a carpet cleaner
These also have the hidden benefit of pre-qualifying prospects. Those who simply want a ‘cheap and cheerful clean’ will realise that that’s not what you do and won’t waste your valuable time.
Plus, prospects can get what they want (information) anytime of the day or night without you have to spend time with them.
It’s completely automated.