Garage door industry magazine for garage door dealers, garage door manufacturers, garage door distributors, garage door installers, loading docks, garage door operators and openers, gates, and tools for the door industry.
Issue link: https://idoi.epubxp.com/i/134362
SaleS&MarkEting; (continued from page 38) of the money. As a sales professional the customer is not only buying your product but the overall experience. That includes your knowledge, experience and your personal approach to their problem. They want to know that you are listening and will help them through the purchasing process and provide support after the purchase is made. Quoting is quick. Selling is a process. Quoting requires only a few things like a business card with a price scrawled on the back, a brochure and maybe a hand sample of the product. Selling requires preparation and many more tools. Some of these tools include: • Penandpapertojotdownnoteswhilethecustomeris speaking. • LaptoportabletwithastaticInternetconnectiontohelp the customer visualize the product instantly using the web or electronic brochures. • Visualizationsoftwarethatallowsthecustomertoseethe product on their house before they purchase. • Colorswatches,samples,brochures,warrantiesandspecifcation sheets. • Informationaboutyourcompanyincludingacopyofyour business license. • Listofthreereferencesintheirareathathavepurchased similar products. • Softwarethatallowsyoutogenerateaproposalforsignature on the spot using either a portable printer to print a hard copy or an electronic signature on your laptop or tablet. One of the most important tools needed is your time. Effective sales presentations require a time commitment on both the part of the sales person and the customer. Before setting an appointment it is helpful to address this with the customer. Rushing through your presentation sends the signal that your customer is just the next stop of your day. Instead the customer needs to know that you will dedicate the appropriate time needed to assist them through the process. Preparing for the Presentation Effective presentations start with planning and preparation. Spending some time pre-qualifying your customer on the front end can give you quite an edge overyourcompetition.Let's face it, the Internet has given customers an easy way to research what they want to buy without ever leaving their home. In many cases they can get a price quote without ever speaking to anyone. What they cannot get online is your personal expertise and consulting ability to help them make an educated decision. Before visiting with the customer have a good idea of what product they're looking for so a few minutes of phone time will help you immensely. If they've visited manufacturers' websites, ask them which ones and which models they like so you can familiarize yourself with them prior to your meeting. Are they more interested in the product's appearance or functionality? Gather color swatches, product samples and spec sheets in order to address both of these requirements. Where do they live? It is helpful to Google their address to get an idea about the neighborhood architecture and maybe even a 3D image of their house. Since most sales appointments in the door industry take place at the job site, your vehicle is your rolling offce and showroom. Stocking it with the selling tools you need is critical. Items such as product samples, color chips, brochures, proposal forms, warranty information, photos of previous jobs are just a few of the support materials needed to provide professional sales presentations. Spend a few minutes daily taking inventory, re-stocking and properly storing these valuable selling aids. Don't forget to prepare YOU for the sales presentation. First impressions are critical and you only get one chance atmakingit.Peoplewanttodobusinesswithsuccessful and confdent (not cocky) people so you must strive to look and act the part. How you dress, your demeanor and the overall way you present yourself are powerful infuences on the buying decision. Unfortunately customers often have a preconceived opinion of dealing with sales people that is often not a good one. Your job is to elevate that opinion from the moment you meet with them. So take a few minutes to look over the image you will be presenting and that includes your vehicle. Just think about it this way. Who would you want to see walking up to your front door? Capture that image and plan accordingly. Finally, being mentally ready is the most important preparation you can make. No matter what kind of day you are having with all of the stresses you are feeling, a sales professional fnds a way to relax and focus before ever meeting with the customer. Sometimes doing this is as simple as closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths. Be on time. The easiest way to blow the frst impression is to be late. No matter how great your products and services are, tardiness sends the signal that you are not concerned with the customer's time which translates this way. If you're late for the sales appointment, you'll be late fortheinstallation.PracticeLombardyTime.Thefamouspro footballcoachVinceLombardytoldhisplayersthatthere wastwotypesoftime....regularpeopletimeandLombardy time.Lombardytimemeantbeing10-15minutesearly to any meeting. This extra time padding will give you a chance to gather your thoughts about your presentation and make observations about the customer's home including architectural style, color and street appeal. Continued on page 42 V o l u m e 4 6 i s s u e 3 2 0 1 3 41