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Up Front Selling
What if? What if I could share with you a simple way to set up your first meeting with prospects so that:
1. Both you and the prospect can see if there is a good "fit" between their needs and your services.
2. You enter the scene on a very professional basis with the ability to politely turndown their proposed project.
3. Your prospect feels completely comfortable telling you "no" at the first meeting instead of simply dragging you on and being misleading as to their intentions.
4. You do not give away your knowledge and information and experience without some commitment from the prospect that there is a fit and they want to move to the next step.
5. Each meeting (assuming there is more than one) ends in a decision that takes you to the next step.
6. You are completely differentiated from your competitors.
Thanks to a sales seminar for remodelers given by Dave Mattson, vice president of Sandler Sales Systems, Inc., I can share their Up-Front Contract concept with you. The remodelers in attendance left ready to put this nifty, easy-to-use system in their selling. Here's how it goes: You call the prospect to set an appointment, then use the script below, which you should adapt to your business and your style.
"Hello Mrs. Kubanski, this is Mary Proseller from Proseller Remodeling. Thank you for calling us about your exciting project." (Get the lead information you need and set the appointment) "Mrs. Kubanski, our first meeting usually takes a hour and a half. Will that be all right with you and your husband?" (If not, reset appointment for when it will be okay. You want to set a clear time frame and adhere to it.)
"At this meeting, I know you'll have lots of questions for me about our company, our clients, and the projects we've designed and built. Right?" (In other words, please ask!)
"And I'll need to have a full understanding of the goals of the project you are planning and the expectations that you and Mr. Kubanski have of companies like mine."
"One of two things will result from our meeting. Either you or I may see that your project and your goals don't fit our company. Would it be all right if we told one another that at the end of our meeting?" (Wouldn't you like to be able to walk if they don't fit your client profile or your project profile? Without guilt? Without feeling you are rejecting them? There's also subtle psychology working here. The buyer will be amazed that you might walk from their sale. Picture your car salesperson saying this to you. All of a sudden, you want them to want your business!)
"Or we both may agree that our company's services and your project are a perfect fit. If that's the case, we'll need to discuss the next step and take ten minutes to review the timetable and the budget. Will that be okay?" (In other words, something will happen at the end of this meeting.)
"Before we get together, I'd like you and Mr. Kubanski to think how you will answer this question that I'm going to ask you at our meeting. What are the top three priorities you have in accomplishing your project? Do you mind having those answers ready?" (These answers, even if you have to work them out at the meeting if they haven't done their homework, will give you perceptive clues to their concerns, priorities, needs, desires, want. Rather than dragging out all the information that is in your head, you will be able to tailor your presentation to what they want.)
Look at what you have accomplished over the phone! The appropriate time is settled. Either of you can ask the questions you want to ask. Either of you can say "no go." Otherwise, there will be an agreement at the end of the meeting to move to the next step (as defined by you). At the appointment, you reiterate these steps and re-confirm the agreement. Then for each subsequent meeting you set up the contract and expectations beforehand, review them at the beginning of the meeting and end with a decision to move to the next step. This is low pressure, professional selling at its best. There is no big technique of closing. There is a series of clear understandings and a decision to move to the next phase or not. This is how humans should work with one another. There is no manipulation -- no trickery.
There is lots about the Sandler Sales System that I like. It's classy and applicable to all businesses including mine. You may not decide to go into such a sales training system but you do need a system. That's because a system works to produce predictable results. Those predictable results should be significantly better than working without a system. A system is constantly practiced so you improve in its use. A system is teachable to new salespeople in your organization. What is your sales system? Mrs. Kubanski is on the phone wanting to set an appointment with you.
Up-front contract material copyright 1999, Sandler Sales System (1-800-638-5686)
For more sales techniques, check out the Sandler Sales Training CD's packaged especially for remodelers through the Remodelers Advantage Store!
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