Marketing can build your image, acquire your leads, nurture them through the funnel, retain your customer and smooth your path for closing the sale. Words are well-chosen and often professionally written for just this purpose. But at some point, you’ve got to actually close that sale, and now you’re talking about another round of strategic communication.
Sales is education, and education doesn’t start with the exam. While most homeowners don’t know one tenth as much as you do about the equipment you’re ready to install, many of them will self-educate before they invite you to their home. That means they’re not going to be impressed with how well you speak your foreign technical language. And if you trot out those over-the-top terms, they’re most likely to feel a) overwhelmed or b) underwhelmed. And clearly you want that whole “whelmed” level to be just right.
For contractors, sales come from being an advisor instead of promoter. Listen to your customers, identify their problem, present your solution (and the value therein) and move them toward a decision. Many sound techniques help you do just that. For example, Mark Hunter, author of High-Profit Selling: Win the Sale without Compromising on Price, points to three great closes that work well for non-salespeople, as well as those with more experience.
Pick a Date Close – Guide your customers to a decision by helping them look to their calendar. Ask questions like, “Which day works best for installation – Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning?”
Assumptive Close – Speak with confidence, as if you already have the sale and move right on to delivery/installation. “Since we’ve decided on the right equipment, let’s go ahead and set a time for installation for Tuesday afternoon.”
Option Close – “Do you prefer A or B?” puts the decision in your customer’s corner.