By Dave Nichols
When you’re in a customer’s home on a service call giving your sales presentation, it’s kind of like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book — you have to choose the path you want to take depending on how the customer responds. At the same time, you’re doing everything you can to get the sale and achieve your sales goals. From talking about price to closing the deal at the end of the call, here’s my “say this, not that” guide to perfecting your sales pitch and communicating with homeowners.
The topic: Business competitors
Say this: If the customer asks about your competitors and how you compare to them, say that you don’t know what everybody else does, but what you can talk about is how you and your company offer these specific things. That gives you an opportunity to tell the customer what makes your company qualified and unique.
Not that: Avoid discussing your competition. Even if your customer brings it up, never go negative on your competition. It’ll just end up reflecting poorly on you.
The topic: Price
Say this: You want to be upfront about pricing, but the key is to talk about it as an investment in the customer’s home, family, and comfort. Stay positive and assume that you already have this sale, saying things like, “When we decide on which equipment we’re going to install in your home …” This basically tells the customer they’re going to buy from you without actually saying it.
Not that: When you use the word “price,” that’s all the customer is going to focus on. Using the word “investment” means you’re looking at the bigger picture.
The topic: Closing the Sale
Say this: Take control of the sale and create a sense of urgency to help the customer move along in the purchase process. When you get to the point of closing, tell the customer, “I can do the install Monday or Tuesday. Which works best for you?”
Not that: Saying, “When would you like us to do this install?” doesn’t tie anything down. It’s too open-ended and doesn’t put that positive pressure on the customer.
Adapting your pitch based on these scripts will allow you greater opportunities to meet your customer’s needs and close the sale.
You can learn more about the best sales tactics by enrolling in HVAC Learning Solutions’ Master $elling, Service Sales Excellence™, and BuildASalesperson™ classes, or checking out the sales videos in the “My Learning” section on LennoxPROs®.
Blogger Dave Nichols is a sales trainer manager at HVAC Learning Solutions.
The post Homeowner Speak (Say This, Not That) appeared first on HVAC Learning Solutions.
