Ten Essential Steps Every Sales Process Must Have


By corkcrm | July 17, 2018 | Start a Painting Business | No Comments

Ever walk out of a bid feeling like you're never going to hear from that customer again?  It's not uncommon for contractors to get that feeling.  Perfect your sales process by following these ten steps every time. 

Respond to the estimate request RIGHT AWAY.  That’s right, all caps.  The second I get a message from my lead generation service, or one of my door knocking guys tells me that there is someone looking for an estimate I stop everything I am doing and call that new lead.  100% of the time, people say, “Wow, that was fast.” Not only does that give your customer the “wow” factor right off the bat but there are mountains of data supporting the fact that your likelihood of booking a job dramatically increases when you call a new lead within the first two minutes of receiving it. 

Get their email address.  If you can get their email address then you can make sure you are top of mind when they finally pick a contractor.  Homeowners hate poor communicators when it comes to contractors.  Automatic emails are a great way to show a homeowner that you will communicate frequently with them during the work.  To setup automatic emails, consider using a CRM system for contractors like http://corkcrm.com

Confirm the appointment 24 - 48 hours prior to its scheduled time to make sure the homeowners are there when you get there!  This will also get them to start thinking about things like their budget, so by the time you arrive, they’re ready to make a decision. 

Be the first one to estimate the job.  As much as people will tell you that they’re getting other estimates, that line is just a defense mechanism.  If they’re comfortable with your price and they like you enough, they will book with you on the spot – plain and simple. 

Build rapport!  It’s the universal trust factor.  People trust people they can relate to.  Some questions you might ask are: How long have you lived here?  Where are you coming from?  What line of work are you in? 

Dig into their needs by asking questions like: Have you worked with a contractor before?  Was that a good or bad experience?  Why?  What’s really important to you in this job?  What’s going to make the decision for you?  Resolving the issues they aren’t telling you about will bring them closer to pulling the trigger. Before you head out to your truck to crunch numbers,  give them a portfolio that has in it everything they need to know about you.  First and foremost, you should include high-quality, glossy, job photos.  Put your proof of insurance in there as well, along with a reference sheet with previous customer phone numbers, product information, a letter about yourself, and testimonials from previous customers. 

Present a professional proposal.  When you walk in the customer’s house to present a proposal, it’s showtime.  This is the last chance you will have to sell the job face-to-face. 

Bring your A game!  Your A game includes a sharp looking presentation folder with lots of colorful pages and most importantly, a proposal that looks professional.  If your current proposals are looking a little shabby, try using a CRM application for contractors like http://corkcrm.com to make your proposals irresistible. 

Handle objections.  You’ve spent lots of time, effort, and money acquiring this prospect through different marketing channels.  Don’t just throw it away the first time they say “I’m not sure” or “I need to get other estimates”.  See our post on the top 8 ways contractors can overcome the price objection.

Follow up like crazy.  If you didn’t book the job on the spot, that’s okay, but you need to keep in touch until you get a definitive “yes” or “no” answer.   Send a “thanks for meeting with me” postcard.  Set a specific time to call them back before you leave the estimate.  Send follow-up emails to make sure they don’t forget about you.  Even if they don’t respond, you’re still forcing them to consider working with you every time they see an email. 

Give discounts after the fact.  If the fish doesn't aren't biting, maybe it's time to freshen up the bait.  Once or twice a year, send out a discount letter to all of your old estimates.  Every job that was estimated more than 2 months prior to sending out the letters should receive a discount letter.  10% is usually a good number to settle on.