[Adam Fearnley]

Whats the best way to close a deal when your quoting over the phone, you know when custy sounds unsure, and says 'well ill think about it and get back to you blah blah'?   Any good techniques?  Thanks

[Aquakleen Restoration Services]

I find keeping them talking for as long as possible works for me. Try to be friendly with them and tell them the pitfalls of cowboys with poor quality machinery. Tell them you can pop along and quote for free so they have nothing to loose. Once your in the house thats half the battle!

[Adam Fearnley]

Ok, trouble is I'm fairly new and not really got the lingo and confidence up to its potential, so I find that the more I talk, the more I can dig a hole for myself, so I try to keep it brief.  I suppose confidence will come with time.  Im relatively cheap so if someone doesn't call back I just wonder why.   

[markpowell]

I just tell them that i am fully trained and insured, that i can show them testimonials and before and after pics if they would like to see them. I do not put down any other cleaners or try frightening them with the cowboy rant, i use my own positives not someone elses negatives, looks more professional.
Mark

[Ricky M]

Hi Adam , ive only been out a hand full of times to Quote I dont really see the need ( Personally ) but I get 9/10 and Im not silly cheap £25-£30 per seated area on fabrics and £30-£35 on leather, carpets are all different depending on cost, age wear etc etc  but I come from a tele can & door can training back ground and Im accustomed to extracting as much information over the phone , things like how many kids how old what they do for a job etc etc etc , but this info is some times needed to help quote

Ask questions of the client build up a picture , talk about the items to be cleaned , ask the age of the items
MOST DONT it will surprise them and show you genuinely care about what your being asked to clean .

Myself and Shaun Ashmore will be doing a much more in depth talk on this subject at the next CCDO meet in April at Fenton sports manor , I should hope to have some real time pre recorded conversations with new clients for the listeners to hear.

 The potential clients only ever hit straight for a price cause they dont know what else to ask.
But the best bit of advise is to listen to the client.

Hope to see you in April

Ricky

[Mike Osbourne]

Closing is a very misunderstood subject, it's the natural conclusion to doing all the important stuff right.

It's hard if you haven't asked the right questions, built rapport and gained trust and even tougher when you get the call the next day to cancel.

On the other hand, some people are scared to close and leave money at the door.

I'm sure all this stuff will be covered in Shaun and Ricky's professional selling skills presentation.

[Ricky M]

Mike I ve found that the best sales people dont really sell , they present a product so well that the client wants to buy after they have been given the options.

the best in sales are always girls !
men will buy from a woman really easy and a woman will always buy from a woman
men selling to men some times there is just too much testosterone . 

[M.Acorn]

This was one very big area of concern for me when i first started up ! I was always a behind the scenes kind of guy as a chef,didn`t really have to make contact with any of the public as such !
I used to find it hard to talk to people,but you soon learn when your living depends on it !
As said before build up a good rapport with the custy,find some common ground 

[Mike Osbourne]

Mike I ve found that the best sales people dont really sell , they present a product so well that the client wants to buy after they have been given the options.

the best in sales are always girls !
men will buy from a woman really easy and a woman will always buy from a woman
men selling to men some times there is just too much testosterone . 

Ricky

What are your sales credentials?

How many years have you been the top salesperson for a company in the past and have you ever done any sales training?

[Adam Fearnley]

Ricky,

Could you give some more info about that meeting, where it is exactly, does it cost? 

Maybe it's asking too much but would it be possible to hear a few recordings you have, or anyone else, thanks.

[Peter Sweeney]

Mike

As you know, I have worked in sales (and done countless training sessions for other sales people.

Having seen Ricky in action I can certainly vouch for his credentials. His style is very different to that of my own but he is certainly results driven.

The key is in the questioning so that ultimately the customer closes you which is exactly as you have said Mike

Adam, drop me an email and I will answer your questions

Pete@oakleafcc.co.uk

The Protector post from Mike is spot on.

Pete

[james roffey]

Adam i am new as well since Feb this year, i agree with others keep talking as long as possible let them talk  i have chatted to customers about anything and everything,i would have thought it best not to rubbish the competition its just negative , explain why they should use you,  fully insured! member on ncca! Truckmount etc etc  what can they benefit from using you above someone who is cheaper i find now i repeat the same thing to allmost all my customers , i dont know where i heard the phrase "i dont compete on price just quality"  but i have even used that its corny but true what seperates you or any good carpet cleaner from the £18 lounge hall stairs and landing free, guy.
If you believe you are providing a quality service believe it and the customer will too

[Peter Sweeney]

Okay Jim, your points are correct but in order to sound like you are not selling you need to obtain answers from the customers to some key questions.

eg. What sort of carpet is it Mrs Smith

ans "oh I don't know"

Is it a good quality carpet?

"oh yes, it was quite expensive"

ans, I see, so an investment worth looking after then.

Can you see where I am going with that? I'm sure you can but getting that response from the custy "it was quite expensive" is a classic example and makes it so easy to do a very soft sell and shape the conversation, buy credibility, build rapport I could go on........

Pete

[Ricky M]

Ricky

What are your sales credentials?

How many years have you been the top salesperson for a company in the past and have you ever done any sales training?

Mike what do you mean sales credentials ??

I went from a door canvaser to a national training manger in a few years ,  had the best and highest paid team in the company for 2 years running then became the national float team for 9 ish months ( full hotel expenses , new car every 6 months and fuel  ) then branch manger for 6 ish months then regional over 2 branches for 4 ish months then 3  branches for a few months then national trainer always picked up a 4 fig wage every week for mon-fri . O and I personally wrote 2 company scripts used by over 650 door canvas ( 1 is still used now ) . I still speak to the owners now and again but they end up trying to pitch me back so I dont really bother as much as I should. I personly broke the sales record and set it at 205k  in 1 month and it still stands I think .

I left because it would never be mine and there is a high level of sniffing and partying that comes with the job and I found it was my time to settle down , and settle I have  
I still stay friends with some of the guys from gateshead to portsmouth for very good reasons  
I still keep the print outs of the records I archived if you want me to post you some copies

Mike Is there a reason you doubt me ?

Looks can be very deceiving matey
 
  

[Adam Fearnley]

Impressive Ricky, come knocking with me, i'll give you 20%

[derek west]

ricky
i think you'll find theres a lot of people on here who seem to think, if your new to carpet cleaning, your new to life.
for intance i was told i'm a boy in a mans world, thats still making me laugh now. proper tickled me that one

derek
  sorry, i'll stop laughing now
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  sorry

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

You all know the situation. you can just tell they are about to put the phone down without committing to you.

So a direct way of (not necessarily) closing the deal but preventing it being lost is to try the following:

Me: Are you buying purely on price or if not what other factors are you taking into consideration when you make your decision?"

As many potential clients are generally ignorant of such matters it makes them stop and think. Then you can have the opportunity to put other factors to them. They are receptive to listening to you rather than putting up with sales banter which is an important distinction.

They may well go off and get other (cheaper) quotes, but I find they often come back to me.

(The only potential problem with this theory is when you find out that your quote was the cheapest of the three that they got in any case. Then you might just talk yourself out of the job. )

[Ricky M]

Adam I worked with a small team and we hired over 700 D/C and I ran training courses for around 350 Ive done all I can for others so its a no mate

but I will gladly help you put a script together , that may help you close !?

info@ability1975.co.uk

Ricky

Westy I know some of your history and your a grafter , a tough sort and you lapp this up over an 8 pack
and laugh your butt off .

what take away was it 2 nite ? how is the mother and little girl doing ?

[derek west]

curry rice and chips, only 4 kronenbergs tonight, (with the dynamo system of coarse).

wife is back to stunningly beautiful again, not that she wasn't when she was preggars. and baby is doing great, she's smiling loads now which is just magical. "i pitty the fool who tries to date her, pitty the fool"

cheers for asking ricky

derek

[Ricky M]

Westy , I feel the same about the boys thing but it will hopefully mellow in time or it will cause me and my family REALLY SERIOUS probs in the future 
mind you saying that her 2 god fathers are damng animals so thats out of my hands
Nice lads but a bit naughty 
just in case I kick the bucket or get done in
ya never know