First we’d like to make it clear this guide is not intended to patronise you. Please take it in the spirit it is intended. You may well be the best joiner or builder in your area but you still need to persuade people to part with their hardearned cash!
We know you know how to sell! Nevertheless, we thought it would be worth sharing what has worked for us on the domestic side of our business over the last 17 years and if any of it can help you to sell more jobs then we all benefit!
You may already use many or most of these tips, but we hope there may be one or two extras that can increase your conversion rate.
Don’t forget for every job you’ve been out and priced, you have already invested your money and time. If you don’t win the job you get no return on that hard cash!
- Turn Up! – At least show your face! If you are too busy to quote, tell them instead of just not showing.
- Meet and greet your customer with a smiley face – regardless of the sort of day you’ve had. First impressions are made in the first few seconds so let them warm to you from the start. Try offering to take your muddy boots off at the door?
- Find out what’s important to them. Listening to what they tell you, or asking them general questions will give you an idea of what switches them on. If they take 10 minutes to unbolt the front door, then security is important; if the house is immaculate, then looks are paramount for them instead etc.
- Focus on the benefits – Once you have discovered what they are looking for. You can then focus on the benefits of what you are offering such as:
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Glass units | “Ultra N” outperforms Pilkington K and doesn’t have a silvery tint to it Warmer rooms and lower heating bills |
| Sound reduction | They will notice a big difference from outside noise with our 28mm units |
| Low maintenance | Never needs painting, just the occasional wipe over |
| Fire safety | All our side opening windows have 90 degree hinges as standard to make escape much easier |
| Glass safety | Toughened glass is always specified where you will need it |
| Detailed quotes | Every quotation we produce either for you, or your customer on your letterhead, itemises exactly what you have costed for – no ambiguity or misunderstandings. |
| Ovolo frame | Lovely sculptured traditional looking feature looks great in any home. Platinum gaskets instead of ugly black rubber seals easier to clean |
| High security locks | Multi-point locks exceed the Insurance company guidelines |
| Heritage and History | Alexander Trade Frames has been trading since 1991 and have built up a great reputation for quality. Our name is well known and respected, make use of it! |
- Show them a sample! – People like to see and touch what they will be getting. If you haven’t got a sample, ask us for one!
- Follow up your quote – This is probably the worst part of the job – the fear of someone saying “No thanks”. But don’t forget, THEY called YOU to ask for a quote. You were there by their invitation, you hadn’t just knocked on their door. You have gone to a lot of time and trouble to provide them with a detailed, accurate costing so don’t feel awkward about chasing up your investment (it’s probably already cost you £80 to £100 in your time, petrol, admin and postage, not counting the cost of the advert to attract the enquiry in the first place).
- No pressure – When you make your call, you are not necessarily chasing the job: you
could merely be asking a few polite questions such as:- Did you receive your quote? Post can go missing sometimes and they’d think you hadn’t even bothered sending it if you hadn’t checked
- Did my quote answer all your questions? Have I understood what you wanted when we met?
- Did I remember to cost for everything we discussed? Has anything changed?
- When might you want the job doing, I only ask because I’m already booked up
for 8 weeks?
- Contract/Terms and conditions – When you win the order, give them a proper contract with proper terms and conditions – we can help you with these too! It’s more professional and a detailed contract protects you both from the, “You said you’d wash my car and feed my cat as part of the price” scenario.
- Ask for a referral – When you’ve just finished a lovely job and the customer is delighted, it’s the best time to ask if they
know anyone else that would appreciate the level of service they’ve just had. Recommendations and referrals are free and very powerful selling tools!
