College football has been crazy this year.  This is the time of year when every game and every point in every game matters as teams position themselves for bowl games.  In some cases, it’s possible who goes to what bowl will be decided by 1/100^th of a point on the BCS computers.  We’ve all heard the famous phrase that football is a game of inches, and this year it’s ringing very true.  Sales, like football, is a game of inches.  Think about it as the Kitchen Table Bowl.

In today’s volatile economy, there’s no such thing as a “big win”.  When dealing with customers, little things are vital, attention to detail is critical and everything you say or do increases or reduces value.  Value, like trust, is easier to lose than establish.  The easiest way to cancel out value is not paying attention to details. On the other hand, if you sincerely believe that you’ll succeed only after giving your customer what they need to succeed, value will be easy to build and keep.

In this month’s article we’ll cover four little things that make a huge difference.

Competition or Collaboration:

Pause…  It’s a simple concept that’s been used for years.  Before you knock on the door, step back and take a quick breath and think about what you’re doing at the home.  Are you getting ready to go into battle, looking to win the sale?  Is selling a competition or collaboration?  We’re splitting hairs here, but the next time you are standing in front of the door think about it.  Try going in with the attitude that you and the homeowner are there to solve a problem together.  With the comfort products currently available, you have a real opportunity to improve the lives of just about anyone you meet with.

Today more than ever homeowners have their guards up.  A lot of times, they can set the” us vs. them” tone of the appointment.  You can bet that the 3-5 other contractors they’ve talked to or will talk to came in trying to sell them or win the argument by having more information, or more closes, or the lowest price.  When you take the time to sit down and ask Comfort Concerns^© questions about the home, you’re setting a different tone.  You’re showing a genuine interest in their specific situation.  We’ve all heard the concept people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. When you ask and listen, you and your client become a problem solving team who share the same goal of getting their family comfortable.

What’s Being Said?

As you know, the No Pressure Selling® Process you learned at Trane Boot Camp is all about turning a sales appointment into a conversation with a friend.  Think about the last time you went to dinner with one of your friends or family members who is great at telling stories.  Now, think about someone you know who’s horrible at sharing stories.  Even if the two of them were talking about the exact same situation, you’d prefer listening to one over the other, right?  The only difference between the two is the word pictures they use.  Vivid word pictures are the key to any engaging friendly conversation.

Whether or not you’re a good storyteller, peppering in a couple of vivid word pictures will make your presentation more compelling.   Before your next appointment, spend some time with the latest sales literature.  Highlight phrases that create pictures.  Things like, “crisp clean air”, “quiet comfort”, “worry free warranty” and “our passion for quality”.

Find out what people do in their homes and talk about it.  No matter what they love to do, a properly designed and installed comfort system can increase the enjoyment of everything we do indoors.  Quieter operation enhances the enjoyment of watching the ball game, cleaner air helps everyone avoid turning your home into an infirmary, and a remote control thermostat helps manage and monitor energy usage from anywhere, even the couch.  You get the idea.

Did you know that humans are the only animals that can project into the future?  Help your customer see themselves enjoying their new comfort system day-after-day, season-after-season, long into the future.  Just like being out to dinner with your favorite story teller, word pictures produce an emotional and receptive state of mind.

What’s not being said?

In any sales situation, or conversation for that matter, looking for what’s not being said is as important as listening to what’s being said.  That’s why asking the Comfort Concerns^© at the kitchen table is so important.  It can be difficult to “see” what homeowners are saying if you’re asking the questions with your face in a furnace.

Even if you are sitting at the kitchen table, you can miss simple cues by looking down to write responses immediately after asking questions.  Be sure to ask the question, wait for the response, then rephrase just to make sure you got it right before you look down to write.

If you want to test your Body Language Reading Skills:
http://www.youramazingbrain.org.uk/asp/signup.asp?surveyname=bodylanguage2

Have you noticed it’s a lot different selling to an engineer than it is a graphic artist or a CEO?  Why is that?  Is there a “type” you typically do better with?  No matter who we are, we buy from people we like.  Most times, we like people who are most like us.

Even the best consultants in the world have certain personalities they just don’t “click” with.  The best of the best, though, understand the psychology of sales and can make subtle changes to their presentation style based on the cues they’re seeing across the table.  Next time you’re up against a personality that’s different than yours and feel the sale getting away from you, you may be talking yourself right out of the sale.  Try focusing on the pace of your presentation.  Are you talking too quickly and losing your homeowner, or too slowly and boring them?  Match your customer’s pace by speeding up or slowing down.

Sales is a game of inches.  You know you’ve got the best team on the field with you, your company, and Trane.  Taking the time to do these little things will help you give clients what they want and help you win the kitchen table bowl.

In today’s volatile economy, there’s is no such thing as a “big win”.  When dealing with customers, little things are vital, attention to detail is critical and everything you say or do increases or reduces value.  Value, like trust, is easier to lose than establish.  The easiest way to cancel out value is not paying attention to details.  On the other hand, if you sincerely believe that you’ll succeed only after giving your customer what they need to succeed, value will be easy to build and keep.

Take our survey for a chance to win a No Pressure Selling CD Set!

Chances are you or someone you know will be spending a lot of time knocking on doors this weekend.  How great is the concept of Trick or Treating?  All you need to do is look the part, offer options, and get the reward.

What would happen if we sent our technicians trick or treating on every service call?  I’m not suggesting they dress up like Superman or the guy from the latest vampire movie, but what would happen if they offered homeowners options on every call?

If you’re like a lot of the contractors we talk to, you may be a little concerned about what the disappearing tax credits will do to your mix and margins.  If you’re not, you should be.  Tax credits have been a blessing and a curse.  They’ve made it easier to offer high efficiency, but once they’re gone, we’re going to have to build value again or be haunted forever.

Now, imagine it’s October 2011.  You’re reviewing your company’s performance for the last 12 months.  Non-billable labor is down, you’ve spent less on advertising, employee morale is up, net profit has doubled and you have a waiting list of talented people anxious to work for you.

What was the catalyst that made these positive changes possible?

Answer: teaching technicians to trick-or-treat

Think about how many of our customers’ homes your technicians are in each day, each month.  If they’re good, they have gained their customers’ trust and confidence.  You’ve probably got a few customers who are willing to wait in a cold house for “their” technician.

Techs are there when people are the most receptive to ideas, suggestions and solutions to future problems.  We’re all anxious to hear how to solve future problems while we’re still experiencing current ones.  Just like knocking on the door on Halloween when your neighbors have stocked up on candy.  Have you ever tried trick or treating in July?  When homeowners aren’t prepared, you just don’t get the same results.

We all know technicians are our best resource for generating quality leads from customers who know our company, have the need, and are less likely to shop.  How can we turn more repair calls into retail opportunities?

4 Keys to turning repair calls into retail opportunities:

Start with Training

Most techs have no desire to be salespeople, but almost all of them are willing to “shoot the breeze” with their customers for 5-10 minutes.  Training allows technicians to gain the skills and confidence needed to spend that time productively asking questions and offering customers the benefits of your company’s products and services.

Not every retail opportunity involves replacing the entire system.  At your next meeting, try sitting down with your team and a piece of paper.  Write down all of the products and services a technician could offer one of your customers.  You’ll be surprised just how much you and your company can do to help your customers improve their lives.  Type up this list and make sure everyone has a copy.

Customer service oriented training must be presented on a routine basis, even during the busiest time of the year.  In the final analysis, when a technician is offering benefits a customer wants, he’s not “selling”, he’s “providing a higher level of customer service”.

Always work in the customers’ best interest

One key to getting technicians selling is focusing on the fact, “Most technicians want to work in their customers’ best interest.”  The problem is many don’t understand it may not be in the customer’s best interest to replace the fan motor for the third time, or that a maintenance agreement could help prevent future breakdowns.

Can you explain the benefits of your planned maintenance program in 30-60 seconds?  If not, now may be a good time to sit down and list the benefits of your unique program, then put together a 30 second commercial to present to your team.

To get a technician to willingly offer anything, he must first understand all the benefits a customer can receive.  For example, in order to offer a service agreement, he could benefit from understanding how it can pay for itself in energy savings (return of investment) and be aware of the ways the service agreement meets his customer’s physical (comfort, health, safety) and emotional (peace of mind) wants and needs.  Remember, technicians are most successful when offering things they believe are in the best interest of their customers.

Set Goals

You and your managers are the role models for your technicians’ behavior.  If you don’t take every opportunity to offer customers service agreements, accessories or replacement equipment, they won’t either.

Creating a retail culture could start with something like you or your managers working with each technician at least six times each year in the field.  You can achieve tremendous results usually in less than 30 minutes with the tech.  Plan your schedule around technicians’ locations and the types of problems customers are experiencing.  On the first call demonstrate how to offer a service agreement, on the second, a needed accessory and on the third, replacement equipment.  On the next three calls, let the technician demonstrate his abilities to you.

After spending time in the field with each of your technicians, ask them to put together goals.  Based on what you’ve talked about and shown them, how many retail opportunities do they think they could generate each week?  Make sure it’s the technician who gives you the number.

After each technician has decided on their individual goals, put together a “team” goal.  If you want to make sure it gets done and everyone’s bought in, put the goals up on the wall and track progress daily.  This will also create the added benefit of friendly competition among technicians.

Reward, Recognize, Repeat

It makes sense to reward your technicians for creating retail opportunities.  They’ve gone the extra mile and your cost of sales is reduced.  Your incentive program should be designed to meet your company’s needs and your technician’s personal goals.

Analyze your team’s success regularly.  Based on what you find, start at the top with training.  When service technicians start asking questions and offering options, everybody wins.  Customers receive benefits they want and are willing to pay for –your technicians have more job security and bigger paychecks — and your company has positioned itself for success well past tax credits.

Trick-or-Treat, the choice is yours.  Happy Halloween.

Realizing they will be staying in their homes longer, some people are beginning to search for home improvement projects.  When your customers consider upgrading their current comfort system as one of their improvement projects, where do they typically begin?

Research shows that almost all will do some research on the Internet.  Even those who ask friends or neighbors that have completed similar projects tend to do their own research on the web.  Most will attempt to educate themselves about the comfort systems available and local companies they may consider for the job.

There are over 800 searches per day that include the term “heating and air conditioning.”  And there are over 233 searches per day that include the term “indoor air quality.”  It is more important than ever for your company to have a strong presence on the Internet.

It is the research “vehicle” of choice for most Americans, especially homeowners with above average household incomes.  This group is much more likely to have one or more computers in the home and more likely to use the Internet on a daily basis.  Surprisingly, household income has more affect on internet use than age.  Still, better than 90 percent of Americans, age 55 or older, that have access to a computer, use Internet search sites (like Google) for research.

Having a strong web presence is much more than just having a website.  Below are some keys that will help increase your visibility online and help drive more sales.

Website Search-ability

There are over 150,000 web searches every minute.  Are you visible to interested homeowners in your area?  If you sell comfort systems in Phoenix, type “air conditioning Phoenix” into Google and see what you get.  There are nearly 80 searches per day that include this phrase.  To become number one on these searches you need a clear strategy.  Have the person who built your website “optimize” it for the web by submitting it to search engines as well as choosing the page title and home page text carefully.  You will also need to make sure you have links to your site from others.

Get the Address Out

To build the number of links you have from others, partner up with those you work with.  Get your company name and website listed on the sites of your suppliers and vendors, national associations, local chapters of those associations, BBB, etc.  Team with Trane/AmStd and make sure your website can be found from their sites.

Review Sites

Sites like Angie’s List, Kudzu, and Service Magic allow homeowners to search for contractors and read reviews from past customers.  Be sure you are delivering top-notch customer service and check these reviews often.  Most sites will offer companies the ability to register and post responses to customer comments.  This can help show that any customer issues were dealt with promptly and resolved.

Better Business Bureau

Most local BBB chapters have sites that list company info and summarize customer issues.  Research your local chapter and check up on yourself.  Most sites list the number of complaints as well as the number that were resolved.  For large companies, it is not unusual to have some complaints, but make sure that you resolve them and that your BBB record reflects it.  If your customers are talking to other companies, suggest they check all the companies they talk to with the local BBB.  Give them the web address.

Registrar of Contractors

Just like the BBB, most areas have a searchable record on the local “registrar of contractors” website.  This will show ratings or “good standing” just like the BBB record.  Search for your company and check your record.  Make sure your customers know your license number to make the info easy for them to find online.   No homeowner wants the risk of using someone who is unlicensed, so encourage your customers who “shop around” to search the Registrar of Contractors website for anyone they talk to.

Budget for Next Year

When you decide how much you will spend on marketing and advertising next year, set aside some funds to invest in your web presence and electronic marketing.  Partner with someone who knows your business and can help you build your traffic.  Track the traffic closely and keep an eye on where your “hits” are coming from to judge return on investment.

Web Advertising

Many search engines want you to pay for ads that appear down the right side of the page or appear at the top.  Most web searchers will scan the “results” of their search first, not the ads.  You will also receive calls from various “yellow page” companies asking you to advertise on their websites.  If you can get the top placement these may be worthwhile, but if you’re not at the very top you may be wasting your money.   While it may seem like an easy way to build traffic, these methods are risky given their high cost.  Be careful to track your return on investment from these ads closely.

Company Website

Does your website engage interested homeowners?  Does it differentiate your company from others that potential customers may consider?  You can begin the value building process by telling customers about your company and your people.  Be sure to include a variety of ways for people to contact you.

Professionalism

When looking at your own website, be sure to get two professionals involved.  One to be sure your website has a professional appearance and one to be sure that it is generating revenue.  Having a marketing professional review your site can yield eye-opening results.  Make sure it is user-friendly and will capture leads that can turn into revenue.  Also, be sure your email addresses promote your website address.  A surprising number of contractors use AOL, hotmail, or yahoo email addresses.

READ PART 1 HERE

Last month we began a discussion about the importance of building credibility and closing sales.  We touched on being enthusiastic, showing you care, and asking the right questions.  This month we continue with 2 more keys to building credibility and closing sales.

The homeowners you talk to are hungry for trust, but so few of the people they deal with can offer it.  Trust is absolute confidence in the honesty and reliability of another person. Trust is hard to gain, easy to lose and critical to your success — the more people trust you the more they will buy from you.

Key #4: Do everything out in the open

We don’t trust people who hide things from us. Think about the last appointment you didn’t sell.  Was there anything you did that the customer couldn’t see or be part of?

On your next sales appointment, catch yourself every time you say words like “try, possible, whatever, maybe, or might”.  These words plant the idea of failure in your customers’ mind and tear down the confidence you’ve worked so hard to build.

As you get ready to perform your in-home survey, get the customer involved.  This is a great time to build rapport and credibility by digging deeper on the questions you’ve asked earlier and showing them opportunities to improve their current comfort.  Be sure to invite them into the crawl space, or up on the roof.  A majority will say no, but you’ve helped your credibility by showing you’ve got nothing to hide.

When determining the sales price, instead of marking up your costs, show the customer your retail pre-printed price sheets.  Put together your proposal at the kitchen table while they’re reviewing product literature, or going through your Company Profile Book.

Putting your proposal together out in the truck gives your customers’ minds time to run wild and potentially destroy the credibility you’ve spent time building to this point.  The last time you bought a car, didn’t the “sales guy” have to go talk to the manager in private before offering a price?  Like I said, trust is hard to gain, but easy to lose.  We’ve got to be different, we’ve got to be credible.

When you look at your proposal, is it easy to understand and homeowner friendly?  How many of your competitors proposals just say “13 SEER XYZ Brand”.  When you take the time to clearly include things like rated SEER, AFUE, EER, Tonnage, model numbers and ARI information, you build credibility and eliminate future headaches after the job is done.  Even if your proposal doesn’t currently include space for some of this information, share it with your customers, and/or let them know where they can find it.

Step #5: Exceed Expectations by being an Expert

It’s much easier to trust people who know what they’re doing.  We’d all rather deal with specialists.  It may be the 100^th system you’ve sold, but more than likely it’s the first or second time your customer has been through the process.  Think about the things you take for granted that might concern your customer.  What noises will they hear?  How long should each step take?  When will they hear from you next?

No matter how much you plan and prepare, every job is different.  Be sure to detail what you’ll do if any problem arises during the installation.  To provide a higher level of confidence, give customers your cell phone number and encourage them to call any time.

To build the level of trust needed to provide repeat sales and customer referrals — under promise and over deliver.   When you’re looking for referrals, customer service is just the price of entry.  Great referrals come from truly delighted customers.  Think about your own experiences and businesses that have impressed you.

For example, you can be sure most of the other dealers Mrs. Jones met with told her they would clean up after themselves, but what if you left it to the professionals.  Is there a local carpet cleaning, or home cleaning company you could partner with and have them come out after every installation?

Experts are typically aware of, if not ahead of, industry trends.  Our industry has changed a lot lately.  The Home Star program is before the senate right now.  Are there steps you could be taking to make sure your customers are the first to take advantage of it?  What about financing programs? Your TMs are some of the best business consultants in the industry.  If you’re not already set up with financing or have any questions about offering it to homeowners, give them a call and set up time to discuss current programs and promotions.

Trust is hard to gain and easy to lose  Trust is also critical to your success.  Today, the folks sitting across from us at the kitchen table on every sales appointment are desperately seeking someone they can trust to do business with.  As a premium dealer, doing business with you and your company is in their best interest.  When you take the time to develop your credibility and help them make the right decision, everyone wins.

Click here to request a laminated pocket size 5 Keys checklist

Click here for a PDF version of the Home Smart Bill

Earlier this month, a friend forwarded me an article from a financial website titled, “The Tall Tales Contractors Tell”. You can probably guess what the article was about. As a premium contractor, you face an uphill battle for trust every time you sit down at the kitchen table.

Think about your local market. How many of your competitors take the time to do everything right from pulling permits before the job to completely cleaning up after the installation? More importantly, how many contractors would Mrs. Jones have to meet with just to find the 3 who do even close to the job you do? Unfortunately, she doesn’t know that until she makes the wrong decision, or you help her avoid it.

The homeowners you talk to are hungry for trust, but so few of the people they deal with can offer it.
Trust is absolute confidence in the honesty and reliability of another person. Trust is hard to gain, easy to lose and critical to your success — the more people trust you the more they will buy from you. Here are 5 Keys to Credibility for your next appointment to help you build trust and close the sale.

Key #1: Be Enthusiastic

Most of the time, a broken down system is the only reason you’ve been asked to come to a home. You can be sure they are not excited about an unexpected home improvement project. In this economy, every dollar they spend on their comfort system is a dollar they can’t spend on a vacation, saving for college, etc. It’s up to you to share your passion and enthusiasm for improving their lives. If you’re not passionate about what you can do, they have no reason to be.

Consultants who are enthusiastic about making their customers’ lives better aren’t so much selling as they are sharing what they believe. If you’re like a lot of the contractors we see in class, you represent one of the better companies in the area. Choosing you and your company to do the work is the best thing Mr. and Mrs. Jones can do for their home, family, and budget.

Before you knock on the door, make a decision about why you’re there. Are you there to “sell” something or help these people improve their lives? Take a deep breath and knock, then take three steps back.

When you’re making you final presentation, think about the words you’re using. Phrases like, “You’re gonna love this”, “This is my favorite part”, or “We’re really proud of this”.

There’s a fine line between enthusiasm and shtick. No matter what you’re saying, it’s got to be genuine. If you’re not comfortable with “you’re gonna love this!”, change it to something that works for you and your personality. Unless you’re excited about what you’re offering, homeowners will have no reason to be

Key # 2: Show You Care

We trust people who care about us and our well being. We measure the level of caring by actions and not words. Start by showing you care about the customer’s time and plan ahead so you don’t waste it. Today, nobody has time. The 90% of Americans who have jobs are working longer and, in some cases, making less.

A lot of the folks we talk to say customers are getting more and more bids. Every minute spent with another contractor is a minute they could be spending with the kids. Be sure to let them know you’re sensitive to their time. If you say it’s going to take 90 minutes, make sure it doesn’t take any longer.

If for some reason the in-home survey takes longer than expected, or they’re asking a lot of questions, pause for a second and let them know the appointment may run long. Make sure they know you’re being sensitive to their time, but open to staying longer. After all, if you’re using the No Pressure® Process, they’re driving the call.

Key #3: Ask the Right Questions – Become an Expert

We all trust people who take time to gain the information necessary to solve our problems. Asking the right questions not only helps you gain valuable information, but also uncover problems your competition has overlooked.

This is your biggest opportunity for building credibility. As you’re looking around, look for problems the other guy didn’t talk about. This typically means duct work.

When we ask participants in class, we get responses that as many as 90% of homes you see would benefit from some sort of duct modifications. When you put together your final proposal, what percent of the time are you offering duct modifications or zoning?

Noticing these little things the other guy missed quickly builds your credibility and turns you into the expert. Keep in mind that experts don’t just spew opinions, they present facts. When possible take pictures of the comfort issues and manufacturer’s literature when presenting solutions to prove your points.

Next Month: (Step 4: Do everything in the Open and Step 5: Exceeding Expectations)

Click here to request a laminated pocket size 5 Keys checklist

“Click here for “The Tall Tales Contractors Tell”

At Trane Boot Camp, you will learn what to do when you hear:

• “The price is too high”
• “We’re not in a hurry”
• “We need another bid”
• “We’ve found that cheaper somewhere else”
• “We can’t afford it”
• “We need to think about it”
• … and of course any class suggested objections

The latest addition to our time-tested process is the “Selling Through Tough Times” kit. These materials help you overcome obstacles to your sales success:

• Completely redesigned Proposal & Agreement forms to make it easier to document your value, ask for the sale, & set yourself apart from the competition
• Techniques and tools to help offer your entire product line from entry level to premium solutions and close more sales
• Exercises designed to help you deal with objections in a tough economy and help your customers make the right decision today
• Goal setting tools to make sure your limited resources are allocated properly, reducing wasted time and money
• And much, much more…

• Increase your profit on each job: Learn to consistently sell premium solutions and sell at your desired margins without discounting
• Increase your closure rate: Discover how to eliminate the low-priced competition and avoid customer stalls by helping them see all the benefits of owning today
• Receive more referrals: Have your existing customers telling everyone about you and your quality workmanship
• Gain confidence: We’ll help you take the stress out of “selling” and show you how to have a little fun while maintaining your professionalism

• Do-Done/Be-Been: If you continue to Do what you have Done. You will continue to BE what you have Been.
• Learning your customer: Watch your customer and understand their body language. Control your body language.
• Be the “Best of the Best”: Take the time to invest in yourself. It will take 4 days of intense dedication on your part!