posted
Customer calls me and almost immediately asks me "How Much?". This is before he has told me anything about how big, how many, what he is trying to do or when I can get it done. I think the guy is either an idiot or so disrespectful that he cannot see the error of his ways. My big mistake!
A homeowner goes into a lumber yard and asks the man at the counter about 200 2x4s. He blurts out "How Much?" The man at the counter asks him how long he needs them. "I need them quite a while. I am building a garage!"
OK. We have all heard it. How do you slow down the client and get him to dance? The point being that you lost control of the sale at the beginning and the client thinks he is in control. That is the real issue that I have to remind myself again and again.
Maybe it was in the way we answer the phone. Maybe it is the way the client barges forward without actually listening to what we are saying. I find slowing things down a bit helps and remembering to ask some preliminary questions like:
"OK. Now what is your name again. I did not get it. OK. Now what is the name of your business and where are you located?"
Simple stuff. I just try to slow the guy down as if I am on his same level and never too hard to talk to. I might laugh and ask him how he heard about me or who his neighbor is out there. Short and sweet qustions that slow him down.
Then I tell him that my prices are very reasonable and that I can get him an exact price, but I need some more info, please. I ask him if he has seen the storefront down the street that I just did or some other project of recent efforts. He usually says no. I tell him that I can lay out a simple sketch of his idea and maybe come up with something that would work better, since I have been doing this for many years. "What is your email address and I will send you something real fast." He blurts it out. I try to schedule an appointment. He says ten o'clock tomorrow morning. I say "How about 10:20 as I have a very hectic schedule (I take control of the selling situation here and the odd time makes him really zero down his schedule.) I mention again that I will send him something via email.
OK. I then call him back in ten minutes, if I can reach him. He answers and I tell him to repeat his email address. That makes him feel I am a fairly normmal person and can make mistakes as well. He repeats it and I say, "OK. I will send you a simple email and just respond to it, so I know for sure we are connected..." This is an important step as it not only takes further control of him, but also makes hiom agree to respond to my email. I then send his a simple email, telling him that after he responds, I will send him a picture of the design we spoke about. I then lay out a simple corel draw file, convert it to a jpg and send it to him after he responds. If he does not respond, then I know he is too busy or self important to waste my time.
In the jpg email, I layout several scenarios and include my website as a link in blue and also suggest we can iron out the details when we meet tomorrow at 10:20 (again reinforcing the appointment time). I remain vague about the price to make him think the project is more about getting him something that works, instead of just a competitive price. I also mention that I am very busy right now and will have to schedule him aorund some others (wheteher I am or not).
Then the next morning, I may even call a half hour before the meeting and again ask if he is available at 10:20. He will probably say OK and tell me where in the building he is. I walk in past the receptioist and briefly tell her or him that I am there to see Mr. Big. I act like I know the guy and that we are old friends. She ignores me this way.
I come in, present my business card, open my picture book of other examples and have my sketches of what I will do for him with me as well. Before I give him a price, I make sure I get his card, ask him what his cell number is and stand up to nail him on the price. (Standing is more powerful and also makes him feel I will bolt if he objects to my price). I emphasize that he obviously wants the project up real fast and I can move around my schedule a bit, but I need to lock it down right now. Almost always he agrees and never mentions the fact that he called ten others who never returned his calls! It pays to answer the phone, duh!
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
It is not really patience, but moreover, a certain attitude or learned behavior to get the sale; one thing we all can probably benefit from during slow times or fast times. It is like learning the social grace to say Thank You when someone does something nice for each of us.
Still. I would love to hear from others and how they walk thru these deals.
The one distinct advantage of this Letterville site is how utterly positive we can all be for each other to improve what we are doing and gain more business. Thanks to all who have stimulated my thinking to improve professionally and of course to stimulate my funny bones.
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3485 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Just saw a new pylon LED messgae board sign. Two sides 96x96" in red. They paid $110,000 for it and are very pleased. It must be 40 foot up there to the bottom.
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Then there is the guy who asks how much in the first sentence. "Hey. I need my windows painted...how much?" Now this guy is different. I ask him who else he has called (nobody else in my market does windows, basically). He says he called several others and I am the only one he could reach. Duh. These guys are fun. I ask him his name and ask him to spell it out a couple times. That always frustrates him. I might ask him if he is from the USA as I cannot understand his accent. That gets him amped up. He blurts out, "How much? I got to tell my boss!" I calmly ask him to have his boss call my boss... or me. He either hangs up rudely and I never hear from him again or else his boss calls me up with a voice so sweet, candy would not melt in his mouth.
"The right customer is never wrong, but the wrong customer is never right" -Frank Paxton
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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quote: OK. We have all heard it. How do you slow down the client and get him to dance? The point being that you lost control of the sale at the beginning and the client thinks he is in control. That is the real issue that I have to remind myself again and again.
Its called the " Pivot" Its one of the 4 P's of marketing I use and in the process of developing it into an art form.
Pivot, profile, praise prompt.
When you get the first question you have to "pivot" then ask a question back.
Q: How much is a sign? A we have lots of prices for lots of different signs. lets find out which one fits your needs..
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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posted
You spent more time on this person than I would. When they call and are hurried I ask them WHAT they want, how large is it (like I will get a good answer on that) and when they need it. If they need it "right now" I send them elsewhere. no more questions. If they will slow down or calm down it will be now.
I will attempt and email address and I do send a generic one, if there is no response I send NO ART OR PRICES. Not wasting my time. I don't even bother with follow up call.
Signmaking is not instant. We are not in the business to produce NOW. Although several shops did pop up that offered "SIGNS RIGHT DAMN NOW" I do not and will not offer this. NOW if its an existing client and I got some scrap ill do it.
When you start cranking out instant rush signs thats when you have your largest problems. If this person did not have the decency to approach me with some common sense when talking to me after HE called then I waste no time
-------------------- You ever notice how easily accessible people are when they are requiring your services but once they get invoice you can't reach them anymore
posted
No offense intended Preston, but if I was the customer and someone started playing "control" games with me I'd be out of there in a flash. While I agree wholeheartedly with how you start to handle the situation, I wouldn't want to waste my time or the customers with some of the other stuff. I usually will get the customers email and ask for him to send me an email with all the information in it as well so it is in my database. The customer that calls and asks how much would a sign cost isn't necessarily an idiot. They may just not know where to start and be opening the door for you to prompt them on the information they need to supply. I try to treat all my customers with respect, some of the smartest and best customers have social difficulties which can throw you. When you start to "be in control", it throws the balance in the relationship off and often if you are with a controlling customer it will lead to frustrating struggles.
[ July 17, 2010, 12:15 PM: Message edited by: Kelly Thorson ]
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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-------------------- Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain ! Jim Moser Design 13342 C Grass Valley Ave. Grass Valley, Ca. 95945 530-273-7615 jwmoser@att.net Posts: 488 | From: Grass Valley, Ca. | Registered: May 2006
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quote: When you start to "be in control", it throws the balance in the relationship off and often if you are with a controlling customer it will lead to frustrating struggles.
Mistaken.
Control does not mean an abusive or dominating control. IT does not lead to disharmony or out of balance.
Control means the client should be led through the conversation with the proper techniques. Being in control of the conversation does not mean " being the boss" It means not allowing the conversation to go where it should not.
Being in control does not mean an abusive high pressure technique that leaves the client leaving with buyers remorse.
Nearly every client coming to every business has no idea what to ask or what they are truly looking for.
That is why a professional guiding control is used to take them through the profiling section of the sales call to the point where they can make a valid educated decision. How the hell can anyone give a customer what he wants or needs if the dealer does not ask? Screening the client is the fastest way to a gold sale. If we profile them correctly and save time find out they want something we do not or cannot deliver.
I just spent some time listening and observing one of the owners of TapOut. I can say they started out just like every one else here. They studied marketing including how to control a conversation and with a little luck are now a multimillion enterprise.
I stood there and watched them in action and saw them use the most basic of sales techniques. No magic wands, no secret hand shakes, no secret mind control. Just basic techniques to control the conversation leading to huge sales. I was there. I was impressed.
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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quote:Control means the client should be led through the conversation with the proper techniques. Being in control of the conversation does not mean " being the boss" It means not allowing the conversation to go where it should not.
posted
This question on price comes up about 30% of the time. If it is a dickh..d I reply as I have so often. Our cheapest sign is done on toilet paper & a black felt tipped marker & sells for $1.49. If you want another color it will be 10 cents more. If you don't like the sign you can use the toilet paper for it's intended purpose & you havn't lost your investment. You will find that on my web www.hinesigns.ca.
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