How do you give quotes or estimates? Do you just wing it or do you have a structured system in place? A marketing guru once commented that if you don’t have a system for selling in place you fall victim to the prospects system for not buying!
A recent experience shows the benefits of having a selling SYSTEM:
I live in a 1930’s house that needs a new front door and two small windows that join to it. Outside the front door is a small wooden porch that has seen better days. I recently invited a reputable company to give me a quote for replacement for all this. What followed was a lesson in how not to sell!
First, remember that all salesmen are problem solvers.  In other words people do not buy products or services for the sake of it – they want a specific problem solved.
I was hoping for the salesman to educate me as to what could be done and to offer advice so that I could make an informed decision. Instead he highlighted several reasons why I couldn’t have what I wanted. Admittedly the porch was a problem as it was old but he simply didn’t want to deal with it. What he should have said was “If I were you, I wouldn’t waste your money on the porch…but maybe think about this…â€
Lesson: Always act in the best interests of your customers. Educate them as to what is possible. If they would be better off replacing the carpets…tell them! Use photo’s, testimonials etc. They need to view you as a trusted advisor. When they do, price becomes less important.
He proceeded to lecture me about his windows but didn’t find out what my concerns were. Was I worried about security or keeping the heat in or did I just want the cheapest option? Why did I want to replace my windows? When I told him clearly which door I wanted, he began speaking about the others in the brochure.
Lesson: Use consultative selling. Ask a systemised series of questions to first of all qualify your prospect. Then find out exactly what they want and give it to them. Listen to what the prospect really wants. Find out their main concerns. It could be quick drying or whether a particular stain can be removed.
I asked him why I should do business with his company and whether all windows were the same. When I asked the difference between windows he replied “Price and Quality.†I asked what I would get if I paid more. The answer - “Better quality.†But what does this mean?
Lesson: Be clear why customers should use you versus your competitors. Reject those who don’t fit your criteria. It’s important to have a clear Unique Selling Proposition rather than “choose us because we’re no worse than anybody elseâ€
When I asked about Thermal Rating he responded by telling me that his windows are C rated and that A rated windows are very expensive. And that his competitors would rip me off! In fact he spoke at length about bad fitters and their practices. The salesman constantly used the word cr*p, when describing his competitors.
Lesson: Don’t bad-mouth your competition. It’s not until you hear someone do this that you realise how bad it sounds. It makes you seem very unprofessional.
Speak and act professionally at all times. Also, you are not your own customer. Don’t assume they cannot afford to buy, particularly when offering protector. Last year we cleaned the carpets for a lady living in an area we would not normally clean in. I wondered whether we would actually get paid, yet she had protector on her carpets and gave the technician a £20 tip!
And finally… the salesman drove off in his flash Audi TT and never followed up. I’ve not heard from him since!
By the way, I've just noticed that the company is no longer in business!