You own a field service business. Maybe it’s an irrigation business, or a lawn care business, or a landscaping business. Or all of the above. Whatever it is, you need customers in order to generate revenue and make money. So how do you do that?
There are lots of theories on how to sell. Many of them are complex and include a deep understanding your buyer. Don’t get me wrong, those methodologies can be very successful, but not if you haven’t nailed the basics. There are simple, tried and true ways you can sell to your customers. So let’s get started.
- First impressions matter, so show up on time! I’ve owned a house for a while and have hired many contractors to perform work. The one thing I notice is that many of them aren’t punctual. And it’s annoying as a buyer. If you say you’re going to be there at 6 p.m., be there at 5:55. Don’t be there at 7 - I’ve had this happen and it’s irritating. You may do the greatest job in the world, but if the first impression that the customer has is that you’re late, they won’t think you’re professional. Shameless self-promotion: HindSite’s field service software includes contact management and scheduling features - with routing – that sync to your smartphone or tablet. Not only does it help your techs and crews arrive on time, but it can also help your sales reps be on time and make a great first impression.
- Have examples of your work. It’s really quite simple: If you want to prove you’re credible, have samples of your work. Either create a portfolio book showing some of your best work, or, even better, create a web page or series of pages showing your work and simply send potential customers there. The better the quality of your examples, the more credibility you have, so take professional shots.
- Develop a well-planned sales presentation – This is probably a topic for another post, but put some thought into your sales presentation. Make it relevant. Get to the point, but have enthusiasm. Don’t be afraid to use showmanship or a physical demonstration, if you can. And most importantly, believe in your product.
- Don’t be afraid to start with something small to get your foot in the door – A couple years ago, we had someone install a paver patio at our house. It was relatively small and, because of the vagaries of our yard, many of the people we talked to couldn’t get their machinery into our backyard to dig, so they bid it high and didn’t win the business. The guy we chose bid low, was professional, and did a good job. A couple years later, we needed to replace our driveway. We loved the look of the pavers and decided to choose the same guy – even though the pavers cost more than alternatives like concrete or asphalt. He’d wowed us with his work, and we were willing to pay more for someone we trusted. Because he was willing to do a small, difficult job, he earned a much larger, more profitable one. We also recommended him on Angie’s List, so odds are that small job led to a lot of sales.
- Focus on your ideal customer – According to the Malcolm Gladwell book, Outliers, people don’t really become masters of their work until they’ve accrued 10,000 hours of practice. Though this may seem counter-intuitive to #4, it’s important to focus on what you do well and do it over and over again until you’ve mastered it. If you start spreading your business’ services too thin, you’ll become good at many things, but expert at none. If you do commercial landscaping, don’t start chasing residential until you own your market and absolutely have to.
- Be confident! If you aren’t confident in your business, no one will want to buy from you. Tell potential customers why they should buy from you. Tell them why you’re better than everyone else. Tell them about your guarantee (you have one, right?). Tell them about others who have raved about your work. Tell them you can do the job better than anyone else. And then do it better than anyone else.
- Develop contracts that are solid, yet simple. So you’ve gotten someone to the point that they want to sign on the dotted line. And you hand them a 10-page document full of complicated legalese. Not smart. If you use contracts, make them simple and easy to understand. You don’t want revenue to walk out the door because someone balks at the size and complexity of your contract. Plus, it sends a very bad message, either that you’ve got something to hide in all that language, or that you’re trying to take advantage of the customer. Dot your I’s and cross your T’s, but don’t scare your customer away.
- Ask for the sale. It’s amazing how many salespeople don’t flat out ask if you’re ready to buy. They’ll come out. They’ll be confident, they’ll have a well planned and executed sales pitch, and then they leave without asking “So, are you ready to sign the contract?” I think in many cases, it’s because they are afraid of a “No” answer. Even if someone says no, you can ask probing follow-up questions to try to learn why, and tailor your message to fit their responses and earn their trust. Never leave without asking for the sale.
That’s it. Eight easy steps to follow to help you generate sales. If you want tips on how to turn your website into a selling machine, download our latest eBook “6 Requirements for a Website that Sells.”
Have other Sales tips that work for you? Drop them in the comments and let us know!