Systematize Your Sales Process, Including the In-Home Presentation
Lately I’ve been thinking about what it takes for a remodeling contractor to go from good to great. At the recent Metal Roofing Summit, Frank Farmer of Metal Roofing Consultants walked us through the attributes of each size of contractor. He was spot-on with his analysis, describing their challenges and needs too. As a result, many attendees pinpointed themselves with a clear picture of their next level.
Frank walked us through a comprehensive pathway, but today I want to focus on one crucial subject, a systematized sales process.
While a good contractor may do 20 – 30 jobs a year and around $1 million in annual sales, they must hit a higher volume to become great. However, becoming a great company is more than numbers. Truly great companies flourish without the constant daily involvement of the owner in every small decision.
There is undoubtedly something special about a company where the owner makes all the sales efforts, but employing a sales process with a team of dedicated salespeople will elevate your business dramatically.
A systematized sales presentation analyzes a homeowner’s needs and desires and then presents alternatives. It strikes a balance between a logical/technical standpoint and an emotional one, resulting in the best possible option.
The salesperson involved in the process wants to meet the prospect’s needs. While they are enthusiastic about their offerings, their focus remains on being an unbiased guide for the consumer. The process ensures a thorough analysis of their needs and options, offering financing options to achieve their goal. Also, a systematized sales process involves the consumer with demonstrations for a hands-on approach.
Today’s technology has greatly enhanced the sales process with measuring and quotation aids, visualization software, and bold, beautiful presentations. Our favorite is Ingage, a better platform to integrate videos, photos, and links into your presentation.
As a company grows and transitions from good to great, it needs an influx of salespeople who can follow a scripted sales process. These individuals must see the value in regular training and reinforcing the presentation through weekly sales meetings. Leadership can change the sales presentation only when proven to have a beneficial impact on results.
Taking your home improvement contracting company from good to great requires vision, fostering the right culture, professional marketing, and employing the best operating practices.
These efforts are all for naught if you don’t develop a proven sales system, put it in place, and enforce it. Many companies that strive for greatness fail from a lack of discipline; starting strong, they don’t stay the course.
Please feel free to contact me anytime.
Todd Miller has spent his entire career in the metal building products manufacturing industry. He is president of Isaiah Industries, an organization recognized as one of the world’s leading metal roofing manufacturers. Todd is currently Vice President of the MRA (Metal Roofing Association) and a Past Chair of MCA (Metal Construction Association). Through his website, he strives to raise the bar on standards and practices to provide property owners with the best possible products for successful roofing projects.
You may pull quotes from this article provided you include a link back to the original article on this site. You may not reprint this full article, or even a significant amount of the article, without explicit permission. To gain permission, click here.
Leave a Reply