“You can’t sell what you’re not.”
It is rare in my biography that I come across “perfectly constructed” axioms, tenets, or observations. That is to say, the essence of something is rarely as simple to grasp as it is to state. I recently came across a statement which embodies the essence of value added selling.
“You can’t sell what you’re not.”
Think about that for a moment. Everybody reading this blog has had the occasion in their lives to cheat and win at something. You did, didn’t you? If even only once? The truth is that it’s no damn fun to cheat and win. And the higher the stakes, the more crushing the blow from conscience. Everyone reading this knows it. Unless…
Unless of course it’s OK with you to exploit an urgency; mark up a price in anticipation of marking it down; lie to or mislead someone who has trusted your authority; amplify a problem unethically or create one that wasn’t present; or even to answer their most trust-evident question: “What should I do? (Or what would you do if it was yours…)”…
Really? Never? Never even been remotely vague when you thought the answer to the customers’ question was out of their reach, or “pretended” to know something you didn’t know? Good for you! See, if your ethical intuition isn’t telling you, at the end of the day, that you were crooked in some way, then it is likely that you can’t lie, cheat, or steal from customers! Yay! Because you’re NOT that.
You can’t sell what you’re not.
Ever wonder why so many salespeople just don’t get (or ever figure out why they should care about) the customers’ viewpoints and simple conversational selling? They can’t. It’s OK with them. Their bells AREN’T ringing the way yours are if you mislead a customer.
You can’t sell what you’re not.
You have to BE that. If you’re not willing or able to understand and embrace the roles of “salesmanship” and “trust” ethically and responsibly, then your salesmanship may never live up to your craftsmanship, product knowledge, or expertise.
It’s not impressive to make sales with unfair advantages. It IS impressive to play by the rules and still win.
Happy Selling
Monday, April 2, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
No Room at the Inn
What a lovely Valentine's Day my wife and I planned (this was seriously romantic to us): She flew to Atlanta, I to DC.
She picked up a new car and drove to get me, arriving at my hotel (or should I say FORMER hotel?) on Feb 13. Lovely.
On Valentine's day she was well rested, but violently ill. Our ETD for Colorado (28 hrs of road time from Warrenton, VA) was 4pm. It wasn't happening. I had arranged the usual 1pm checkout earlier in the day, but called the hotel from the client's shop at about 12:30.
"I'll have to check availability." I was told. "OK," I said, "Would you like my num"... She had hung up on me. I figured that must mean she already had my number. I kept working. I called my wife and checked: still vomiting. Hard to get off the floor much less pack. I called the front desk again at about 1:30. I was transferred to the MOD immediately. "You have to leave." He said. "The room is sold." I explained my wife's condition. I explained in detail that I get his situation, that we would rather stay and pay for another night or could indeed at least try to switch to another hotel, and even simply stay until perhaps 5PM? And also pay?
"If she doesn't get out, I am calling the police." I was tersely told.
"You do that." I said. "Have them meet me there.
I'll be there in fifteen minutes, and you, me, and the cops can pick my wife up off the bathroom floor and we'll see if they actually want to cuff her."
Mind you it was 1:30 PM. This hotel was "oversold". There are at least 200 rooms. There were 7 cars in the lot. I've been on the road long enough to know that there was probably a tour bus or two scheduled for later that night, but nobody explained that to me, nobody apologized, not one employee attempted to make any comforting move whatsoever to a repeat customer traveling with his (suddenly) sick wife and trying to balance a work schedule.
When I arrived at the hotel, I convinced the manager to refund my client's money, and apparently was so thorough in my debrief of the situation that he at one point insisted that my parents were never married.
My wife, for her part, managed to muster an insult she insists was coherent as she left the lobby. I wasn't present, but I wish she wouldn't do that. Insults are a high art form for me as some of you know, and I like to be invited.
When we arrived at the "other" hotel in town (HI Express, Warrenton VA rocks! Ask for Katrina.), we were warmly greeted by "Trina", who promptly sent someone to the grocery for crackers and ginger ale for my ailing wife, put us in a suite with a large bath for her, and brought ice and washcloths for her as if she were family. BRAVO. She recovered over the next 3 hrs and we got out of Dodge.
Yesterday I got the Customer Satisfaction Survey email for my stay... hehehe...
This was seriously among the worst customer service and communication I've ever seen, much less encountered as a customer. Think about that for a minute. One fewer loyalty card...
She picked up a new car and drove to get me, arriving at my hotel (or should I say FORMER hotel?) on Feb 13. Lovely.
On Valentine's day she was well rested, but violently ill. Our ETD for Colorado (28 hrs of road time from Warrenton, VA) was 4pm. It wasn't happening. I had arranged the usual 1pm checkout earlier in the day, but called the hotel from the client's shop at about 12:30.
"I'll have to check availability." I was told. "OK," I said, "Would you like my num
"If she doesn't get out, I am calling the police." I was tersely told.
"You do that." I said. "Have them meet me there.
I'll be there in fifteen minutes, and you, me, and the cops can pick my wife up off the bathroom floor and we'll see if they actually want to cuff her."
Mind you it was 1:30 PM. This hotel was "oversold". There are at least 200 rooms. There were 7 cars in the lot. I've been on the road long enough to know that there was probably a tour bus or two scheduled for later that night, but nobody explained that to me, nobody apologized, not one employee attempted to make any comforting move whatsoever to a repeat customer traveling with his (suddenly) sick wife and trying to balance a work schedule.
When I arrived at the hotel, I convinced the manager to refund my client's money, and apparently was so thorough in my debrief of the situation that he at one point insisted that my parents were never married.
My wife, for her part, managed to muster an insult she insists was coherent as she left the lobby. I wasn't present, but I wish she wouldn't do that. Insults are a high art form for me as some of you know, and I like to be invited.
When we arrived at the "other" hotel in town (HI Express, Warrenton VA rocks! Ask for Katrina.), we were warmly greeted by "Trina", who promptly sent someone to the grocery for crackers and ginger ale for my ailing wife, put us in a suite with a large bath for her, and brought ice and washcloths for her as if she were family. BRAVO. She recovered over the next 3 hrs and we got out of Dodge.
Yesterday I got the Customer Satisfaction Survey email for my stay... hehehe...
This was seriously among the worst customer service and communication I've ever seen, much less encountered as a customer. Think about that for a minute. One fewer loyalty card...
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Selling and Thermodynamics: Need More Data
In science there are a set of verifiable physical constraints in our universe which we refer to as "laws". One such example would be the laws of Thermodynamics, which deal with how heat works here. "Heat Rises" (in earth's gravity and atmosphere) is just one derivative of these laws with which you're probably familiar.
In sales, there are a similar set of "laws" which deal with influential sales presentations. One such example would be the tenet that a salesperson "Never discuss the price until they've established the value." This is the practice I have used and for which I have become notable for teaching. A Value-added selling approach.
Recently I was discussing some business with my friend and business associate Ellen Rohr, and she brought my philosophical world to a screeching halt with the following bomb: "I am trying a new approach. I am giving my attendees (workshops, seminars) a flyer with the price for the next step BEFORE the workshop begins." Those of you who are not in our business may not understand that this was like Einstein proclaiming that matter could travel faster than light. And with similar authority and credibility.
I was astonished. She defended herself, of course, when pressed: "My feeling is that we do so much, and actually do provide such an overwhelming exchange of value for our fees, that it may be too difficult to take in at one bite. This way, they get to slowly add up the value side in their own minds over the course of the day, so I in essence prove the value, and give them enough time to do the math along with me."
Now, I take a scientific approach to selling, and therefore I am open to new data and to changing my mind. Especially when the idea has Ellen's credentials behind it. I have certainly seen this approach work, but as an overlying philosophy I remain temporarily unconvinced. Someone please, give me more data!
Is it easier to discuss price before or after value has been amplified in your sale?
Why?
Is it more effective to discuss price before value has been established in your sale?
Why?
Send me the 411.
Happy Selling.
In sales, there are a similar set of "laws" which deal with influential sales presentations. One such example would be the tenet that a salesperson "Never discuss the price until they've established the value." This is the practice I have used and for which I have become notable for teaching. A Value-added selling approach.
Recently I was discussing some business with my friend and business associate Ellen Rohr, and she brought my philosophical world to a screeching halt with the following bomb: "I am trying a new approach. I am giving my attendees (workshops, seminars) a flyer with the price for the next step BEFORE the workshop begins." Those of you who are not in our business may not understand that this was like Einstein proclaiming that matter could travel faster than light. And with similar authority and credibility.
I was astonished. She defended herself, of course, when pressed: "My feeling is that we do so much, and actually do provide such an overwhelming exchange of value for our fees, that it may be too difficult to take in at one bite. This way, they get to slowly add up the value side in their own minds over the course of the day, so I in essence prove the value, and give them enough time to do the math along with me."
Now, I take a scientific approach to selling, and therefore I am open to new data and to changing my mind. Especially when the idea has Ellen's credentials behind it. I have certainly seen this approach work, but as an overlying philosophy I remain temporarily unconvinced. Someone please, give me more data!
Is it easier to discuss price before or after value has been amplified in your sale?
Why?
Is it more effective to discuss price before value has been established in your sale?
Why?
Send me the 411.
Happy Selling.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Upfront Price Messages
Today I am discussing the need for Technicians to clearly establish the value of our pricing system itself. If we wait until after the customer has seen the price to attempt to explain upfront pricing advantages and benefits, many times it is far too late, as the customer has already developed "sticker shock".
We recommend a procedure called the "Upfront Pricing Message", which is a narrative about the way we price jobs in flat-rate service. It is intended to be discussed BEFORE even the diagnostic event. Something like this:
"At Michael & Son, we use a menu-price system for 2 pretty good reasons, protection and fairness. Have you ever hired a contractor because their price looked pretty good, and then by the time the job was done, maybe it didn't look so good anymore? We don't do business that way. The price we quote you is the price you pay for the completed job, whether it takes 5 minutes or 5 weeks, and you won't have to watch the clock."
This gives you the opportunity to add lines like "you won't have to watch the clock" BEFORE the "clock" is running! Keith Mercurio, Service Manager at Winters Company in Boston, has an absolute gem here: "That means this discussion isn't costing us anything. While I am here, let's be sure to be thorough and get all of your questions answered."
The second issue is fairness. We handle that this way:
"At Michael & Son, we have over 180 technicians serving this market, and no 2 of us work at precisely the same speed. That means we would be giving out 180 different prices for what really is the same work if we were on Time & Material estimating. We won't need to estimate anything in your home today. We aren't here to train ourselves, we've been in business since 1976. So no matter which Tech you get, and no matter which part of town you live in, you know you didn't pay more than your neighbor for the same work."
That looks like a lot to say in a service call. We have each Tech come up with his own defense of the pricing system covering Protection and Fairness. It's a worthy exercise. Or if you like, you can continue to look into the shocked eyes of a customer as they calculate their cost-to time. "20 minutes? You charged me $450 for 20 minutes? What are you trying to do to me here?"
Learn it. Live it. Love it. The upfront pricing message can go a LONG way.
We recommend a procedure called the "Upfront Pricing Message", which is a narrative about the way we price jobs in flat-rate service. It is intended to be discussed BEFORE even the diagnostic event. Something like this:
"At Michael & Son, we use a menu-price system for 2 pretty good reasons, protection and fairness. Have you ever hired a contractor because their price looked pretty good, and then by the time the job was done, maybe it didn't look so good anymore? We don't do business that way. The price we quote you is the price you pay for the completed job, whether it takes 5 minutes or 5 weeks, and you won't have to watch the clock."
This gives you the opportunity to add lines like "you won't have to watch the clock" BEFORE the "clock" is running! Keith Mercurio, Service Manager at Winters Company in Boston, has an absolute gem here: "That means this discussion isn't costing us anything. While I am here, let's be sure to be thorough and get all of your questions answered."
The second issue is fairness. We handle that this way:
"At Michael & Son, we have over 180 technicians serving this market, and no 2 of us work at precisely the same speed. That means we would be giving out 180 different prices for what really is the same work if we were on Time & Material estimating. We won't need to estimate anything in your home today. We aren't here to train ourselves, we've been in business since 1976. So no matter which Tech you get, and no matter which part of town you live in, you know you didn't pay more than your neighbor for the same work."
That looks like a lot to say in a service call. We have each Tech come up with his own defense of the pricing system covering Protection and Fairness. It's a worthy exercise. Or if you like, you can continue to look into the shocked eyes of a customer as they calculate their cost-to time. "20 minutes? You charged me $450 for 20 minutes? What are you trying to do to me here?"
Learn it. Live it. Love it. The upfront pricing message can go a LONG way.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Cat toy testing department? TECHS READ THIS
So while I was away in Pittsburgh this weekend my wife took the 2 smaller kids to the pet store. Now, to be clear, this wasn't the same customer service nazi from the "dude" story posted on this blog earlier. Apparently, there is a gap in retail sales training for pet stores...
They looked at cat toys for 15 minutes. The clerk, who was aware that my family was in the store, and was also aware that they were looking at cat toys, pointed out that there were also some on the end-cap behind the counter.
They looked some more. And when finally they settled on a couple of noisy fake mice with feather stings attached to a feathered stick, 20 minutes had elapsed. Neato.
This 20 minutes on its own is neither an inconvenience nor an unexpected development. Entertaining an 8-yr old and a 5-yr old for 48 hours when you're down a parent requires many of these sojourns.
So my wife has her selection rung up by the same (and only) clerk mentioned above. Upon scanning her items he remarks, "The feathers come off really quickly. I give 'em 2 minutes. I tested them. I tried all of them and that one didn't last 5 minutes." My wife didn't feel the need to defend the fact that she already knew that too. But it was blue. And it made funny electronic mousy sounds. Honestly she's had cats for 20 years--about as long as this kid has had oxygen--the fate of this cat toy is unknown to her? Interesting presumption.
The point of all this is that the ORDER of subjects in selling matters. More than you realize. And what of the potential that you pre-qualify some of your customers regarding particular subjects, and surprise them in similar ways?
Example: Let's say you're talking with Mr. Jones about his upstairs tub drain which needs replaced. This discussion is taking place in his dining room, directly under what will be the work area, and you make this point to him in this general order, although probably not this specific language: "Ok Mr. Jones, the tub drain does need to be replaced. In order to do that we'll have to remove the old one first. We'll have to go in right here (pointing to the ceiling) and pull out the old one."
Stop. Tell me what Mr. Jones reaction likely is. "Whoa. Wh-- there's gotta be , is there ANY other way? I mean this is my dining room and this can't be.. I mean all torn up right?" Now consider this: At this point Mr. Jones has DEMONSTRATED that he is averse to the idea of cutting into his ceiling. Why? BECAUSE YOU LET HIM. By pitching your services out of order, just like the cat toy boy. If you even bring this subject up again, and I mean in the innocent ways that you're used to like, "Im sorry Mr. Jones there just isn't another way to do it." and forcing your way through it, you not only LOOK pushy and aggressive, you actually ARE pushy and aggressive.
Here is the proper flow of subject matter, once again in an example language: "Ok Mr. Jones, (begin pointing to the CORNERS of the ceiling, hand flattened and planing the wall) when we're finished with this, you won't even believe how clean this will all be. Our drywall guys are so good, they will cut this seam so tight to the corner, there's not a chance you'll even be able to tell we were here at all. OK? So what we'll do is carefully cover and move all of your chairs and tables, and make sure we have good clearance and access well before we begin, and we'll run a super-clean job. I mean, we get that this is your dining room so you'll be happy you called us. Let me show you how we'll proceed."
Beat the customers to the objection, and you own the subject. Let them get there first and you're the counter-puncher we all hate to have to fight with just to get a professional job done.
Happy selling.
They looked at cat toys for 15 minutes. The clerk, who was aware that my family was in the store, and was also aware that they were looking at cat toys, pointed out that there were also some on the end-cap behind the counter.
They looked some more. And when finally they settled on a couple of noisy fake mice with feather stings attached to a feathered stick, 20 minutes had elapsed. Neato.
This 20 minutes on its own is neither an inconvenience nor an unexpected development. Entertaining an 8-yr old and a 5-yr old for 48 hours when you're down a parent requires many of these sojourns.
So my wife has her selection rung up by the same (and only) clerk mentioned above. Upon scanning her items he remarks, "The feathers come off really quickly. I give 'em 2 minutes. I tested them. I tried all of them and that one didn't last 5 minutes." My wife didn't feel the need to defend the fact that she already knew that too. But it was blue. And it made funny electronic mousy sounds. Honestly she's had cats for 20 years--about as long as this kid has had oxygen--the fate of this cat toy is unknown to her? Interesting presumption.
The point of all this is that the ORDER of subjects in selling matters. More than you realize. And what of the potential that you pre-qualify some of your customers regarding particular subjects, and surprise them in similar ways?
Example: Let's say you're talking with Mr. Jones about his upstairs tub drain which needs replaced. This discussion is taking place in his dining room, directly under what will be the work area, and you make this point to him in this general order, although probably not this specific language: "Ok Mr. Jones, the tub drain does need to be replaced. In order to do that we'll have to remove the old one first. We'll have to go in right here (pointing to the ceiling) and pull out the old one."
Stop. Tell me what Mr. Jones reaction likely is. "Whoa. Wh-- there's gotta be , is there ANY other way? I mean this is my dining room and this can't be.. I mean all torn up right?" Now consider this: At this point Mr. Jones has DEMONSTRATED that he is averse to the idea of cutting into his ceiling. Why? BECAUSE YOU LET HIM. By pitching your services out of order, just like the cat toy boy. If you even bring this subject up again, and I mean in the innocent ways that you're used to like, "Im sorry Mr. Jones there just isn't another way to do it." and forcing your way through it, you not only LOOK pushy and aggressive, you actually ARE pushy and aggressive.
Here is the proper flow of subject matter, once again in an example language: "Ok Mr. Jones, (begin pointing to the CORNERS of the ceiling, hand flattened and planing the wall) when we're finished with this, you won't even believe how clean this will all be. Our drywall guys are so good, they will cut this seam so tight to the corner, there's not a chance you'll even be able to tell we were here at all. OK? So what we'll do is carefully cover and move all of your chairs and tables, and make sure we have good clearance and access well before we begin, and we'll run a super-clean job. I mean, we get that this is your dining room so you'll be happy you called us. Let me show you how we'll proceed."
Beat the customers to the objection, and you own the subject. Let them get there first and you're the counter-puncher we all hate to have to fight with just to get a professional job done.
Happy selling.
Cat toy testing department? TECHS READ THIS
So while I was away in Pittsburgh this weekend my wife took the 2 smaller kids to the pet store. Now, to be clear, this wasn't the same customer service nazi from the "dude" story posted on this blog earlier. Apparently, there is a gap in retail sales training for pet stores...
They looked at cat toys for 15 minutes. The clerk, who was aware that my family was in the store, and was also aware that they were looking at cat toys, pointed out that there were also some on the end-cap behind the counter.
They looked some more. And when finally they settled on a couple of noisy fake mice with feather stings attached to a feathered stick, 20 minutes had elapsed. Neato.
This 20 minutes on its own is neither an inconvenience nor an unexpected development. Entertaining an 8-yr old and a 5-yr old for 48 hours when you're down a parent requires many of these sojourns.
So my wife has her selection rung up by the same (and only) clerk mentioned above. Upon scanning her items he remarks, "The feathers come off really quickly. I give 'em 2 minutes. I tested them. I tried all of them and that one didn't last 5 minutes." My wife didn't feel the need to defend the fact that she already knew that too. But it was blue. And it made funny electronic mousy sounds. Honestly she's had cats for 20 years--about as long as this kid has had oxygen--the fate of this cat toy is unknown to her? Interesting presumption.
The point of all this is that the ORDER of subjects in selling matters. More than you realize. And what of the potential that you pre-qualify some of your customers regarding particular subjects, and surprise them in similar ways?
Example: Let's say you're talking with Mr. Jones about his upstairs tub drain which needs replaced. This discussion is taking place in his dining room, directly under what will be the work area, and you make this point to him in this general order, although probably not this specific language: "Ok Mr. Jones, the tub drain does need to be replaced. In order to do that we'll have to remove the old one first. We'll have to go in right here (pointing to the ceiling) and pull out the old one."
Stop. Tell me what Mr. Jones reaction likely is. "Whoa. Wh-- there's gotta be , is there ANY other way? I mean this is my dining room and this can't be.. I mean all torn up right?" Now consider this: At this point Mr. Jones has DEMONSTRATED that he is averse to the idea of cutting into his ceiling. Why? BECAUSE YOU LET HIM. By pitching your services out of order, just like the cat toy boy. If you even bring this subject up again, and I mean in the innocent ways that you're used to like, "Im sorry Mr. Jones there just isn't another way to do it." and forcing your way through it, you not only LOOK pushy and aggressive, you actually ARE pushy and aggressive.
Here is the proper flow of subject matter, once again in an example language: "Ok Mr. Jones, (begin pointing to the CORNERS of the ceiling, hand flattened and planing the wall) when we're finished with this, you won't even believe how clean this will all be. Our drywall guys are so good, they will cut this seam so tight to the corner, there's not a chance you'll even be able to tell we were here at all. OK? So what we'll do is carefully cover and move all of your chairs and tables, and make sure we have good clearance and access well before we begin, and we'll run a super-clean job. I mean, we get that this is your dining room so you'll be happy you called us. Let me show you how we'll proceed."
Beat the customers to the objection, and you own the subject. Let them get there first and you're the counter-puncher we all hate to have to fight with just to get a professional job done.
They looked at cat toys for 15 minutes. The clerk, who was aware that my family was in the store, and was also aware that they were looking at cat toys, pointed out that there were also some on the end-cap behind the counter.
They looked some more. And when finally they settled on a couple of noisy fake mice with feather stings attached to a feathered stick, 20 minutes had elapsed. Neato.
This 20 minutes on its own is neither an inconvenience nor an unexpected development. Entertaining an 8-yr old and a 5-yr old for 48 hours when you're down a parent requires many of these sojourns.
So my wife has her selection rung up by the same (and only) clerk mentioned above. Upon scanning her items he remarks, "The feathers come off really quickly. I give 'em 2 minutes. I tested them. I tried all of them and that one didn't last 5 minutes." My wife didn't feel the need to defend the fact that she already knew that too. But it was blue. And it made funny electronic mousy sounds. Honestly she's had cats for 20 years--about as long as this kid has had oxygen--the fate of this cat toy is unknown to her? Interesting presumption.
The point of all this is that the ORDER of subjects in selling matters. More than you realize. And what of the potential that you pre-qualify some of your customers regarding particular subjects, and surprise them in similar ways?
Example: Let's say you're talking with Mr. Jones about his upstairs tub drain which needs replaced. This discussion is taking place in his dining room, directly under what will be the work area, and you make this point to him in this general order, although probably not this specific language: "Ok Mr. Jones, the tub drain does need to be replaced. In order to do that we'll have to remove the old one first. We'll have to go in right here (pointing to the ceiling) and pull out the old one."
Stop. Tell me what Mr. Jones reaction likely is. "Whoa. Wh-- there's gotta be , is there ANY other way? I mean this is my dining room and this can't be.. I mean all torn up right?" Now consider this: At this point Mr. Jones has DEMONSTRATED that he is averse to the idea of cutting into his ceiling. Why? BECAUSE YOU LET HIM. By pitching your services out of order, just like the cat toy boy. If you even bring this subject up again, and I mean in the innocent ways that you're used to like, "Im sorry Mr. Jones there just isn't another way to do it." and forcing your way through it, you not only LOOK pushy and aggressive, you actually ARE pushy and aggressive.
Here is the proper flow of subject matter, once again in an example language: "Ok Mr. Jones, (begin pointing to the CORNERS of the ceiling, hand flattened and planing the wall) when we're finished with this, you won't even believe how clean this will all be. Our drywall guys are so good, they will cut this seam so tight to the corner, there's not a chance you'll even be able to tell we were here at all. OK? So what we'll do is carefully cover and move all of your chairs and tables, and make sure we have good clearance and access well before we begin, and we'll run a super-clean job. I mean, we get that this is your dining room so you'll be happy you called us. Let me show you how we'll proceed."
Beat the customers to the objection, and you own the subject. Let them get there first and you're the counter-puncher we all hate to have to fight with just to get a professional job done.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Resistance to the "Free Safety Inspection"?
In my Sales Summit class, one of the most common questions I face is regarding the 'Free Inspection" of a plumbing or electrical system which is a standard service for most flat-raters. For the contractor, it is an opportunity to "nip it in the bud" if there's a potential problem looming. For the customer, it is sometimes viewed as nothing more than a mechanized sales pitch for add-on work, and they are resistant. If this is happening to you, I recommend you examine your TIMING on introducing the inspection.
Consider the drive-through oil change franchises, like Jiffy Lube:
When you pull into this garage, what do you want? An oil change. How would you react if the technician began telling you about all of the other things they're going to check on, like fluid levels and filter conditions, BEFORE he even popped the hood? "Can you just change the oil please?"
And what if they opened the hood, drained and replaced the oil, and buttoned the hood back up and said "Your oil is all changed. Let's talk about inspecting the filters and fluid levels..." At this point, what do you want? You want to leave.
So the beginning isn't the ideal place, and the end isn't the ideal place. That only leaves the middle. And if you pay attention, that's exactly when the pitch comes. They open the hood, drain the oil, and stop. Now, they casually stroll up to you. "How ya doin? Not going anywhere for a few minutes? I didn't think so. See that? That's your air filter. How do you feel about that? Want a new one?"
Now consider your customer in flat-rate: When you arrive at the customer's house, where do they want you? At the problem. If, before you've even seen the problem, you begin pitching or requesting access for the inspection, how do they react? "Can you just look at the (toilet, outlet, whatever) problem?"
If you go ahead and look at the problem, then go ahead and actually complete a repair/installation all buttoned up, now where do the customers want you? GONE.
So once again, the beginning is no good, and the end is no good. That only leaves the middle. Try this: Go ahead and soothe the customer's urgency by BEGINNING the repair (once that task is sold). Somewhere in the middle of that repair, ideally if you have to move the customer's belongings around, like bleach and cleaning supplies that may be found under most typical kitchen sink areas, STOP. If you've built enough value in your very presence, and there is a bit of a mess in progress, you'll be ASTOUNDED by how quickly the homeowner leads you to other areas of the house if at that point you simply say, "Would you take me to the (basement, panel, whatever) please?"
I'm not talking about literally making a mess. But with a kitchen floor full of the customer's own undersink belongings arranged in a half-circle around the tech, or a hole in the ceiling where their chandelier once was, their interest in cooperating seems to be heightened. "Make a mess!"
Happy Selling.
Consider the drive-through oil change franchises, like Jiffy Lube:
When you pull into this garage, what do you want? An oil change. How would you react if the technician began telling you about all of the other things they're going to check on, like fluid levels and filter conditions, BEFORE he even popped the hood? "Can you just change the oil please?"
And what if they opened the hood, drained and replaced the oil, and buttoned the hood back up and said "Your oil is all changed. Let's talk about inspecting the filters and fluid levels..." At this point, what do you want? You want to leave.
So the beginning isn't the ideal place, and the end isn't the ideal place. That only leaves the middle. And if you pay attention, that's exactly when the pitch comes. They open the hood, drain the oil, and stop. Now, they casually stroll up to you. "How ya doin? Not going anywhere for a few minutes? I didn't think so. See that? That's your air filter. How do you feel about that? Want a new one?"
Now consider your customer in flat-rate: When you arrive at the customer's house, where do they want you? At the problem. If, before you've even seen the problem, you begin pitching or requesting access for the inspection, how do they react? "Can you just look at the (toilet, outlet, whatever) problem?"
If you go ahead and look at the problem, then go ahead and actually complete a repair/installation all buttoned up, now where do the customers want you? GONE.
So once again, the beginning is no good, and the end is no good. That only leaves the middle. Try this: Go ahead and soothe the customer's urgency by BEGINNING the repair (once that task is sold). Somewhere in the middle of that repair, ideally if you have to move the customer's belongings around, like bleach and cleaning supplies that may be found under most typical kitchen sink areas, STOP. If you've built enough value in your very presence, and there is a bit of a mess in progress, you'll be ASTOUNDED by how quickly the homeowner leads you to other areas of the house if at that point you simply say, "Would you take me to the (basement, panel, whatever) please?"
I'm not talking about literally making a mess. But with a kitchen floor full of the customer's own undersink belongings arranged in a half-circle around the tech, or a hole in the ceiling where their chandelier once was, their interest in cooperating seems to be heightened. "Make a mess!"
Happy Selling.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
