# script to call customers back



## painter77 (Sep 22, 2005)

Just a thought: All contractors are salesmen, in one form or another, in writing or talking, aggressive or unaggressive.. In the US, the country is a giant marketplace, and almost everybody is a salesman in the broadest sense of the word..

In bussiness, a good, persuasive talker is better than a good writer.
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Suppose a homeowner receives two bids from two equally established contractors whose prices are about the same: one contractor took 20 mins looking at the job and sent his proposal via email, the other spent 2 hours estimating and asking and answering questions and delivered his proposal in person. The homeowner now seems to have more reasons to go with contractor #2 --otherwise the homeowner would feel more 'guilty' for turning down the #2 contractor's time, enthusiasm and effort..


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## john elliott (Oct 23, 2005)

BlenderWizard said:


> Maybe they do things differently across the pond, but over here that sounds like you're ashamed of your price.


Not at all, it's just that I know that my price is going to be more than they were hoping to pay. I operate in a very competitive market, and many of my competitiors publish prices (which are often misleadingly low). I, on the other hand, will give them a non-misleading, everything included price, and I can virtually guarantee that that price will be more than they thought it was going to be


BlenderWizard said:


> Giving customers a price in person is not pressuring them, unless you are actually pressuring them.


Agreed, what I meant was the situation where the price is given but the customers don't get any time to consider it


BlenderWizard said:


> At least half of my business was repeat customers.


NONE of my customers is a repeat customer. My kitchens last a long time, and no-one has needed another one yet. Sometimes they move house, but so far it's always been to another area

John


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## john elliott (Oct 23, 2005)

jack75 said:


> Suppose a homeowner receives two bids from two equally established contractors whose prices are about the same: one contractor took 20 mins looking at the job and sent his proposal via email, the other spent 2 hours estimating and asking and answering questions and delivered his proposal in person. The homeowner now seems to have more reasons to go with contractor #2 --otherwise the homeowner would feel more 'guilty' for turning down the #2 contractor's time, enthusiasm and effort..


Do you really mean that, that you would use a technique designed to make the HO feel guilty if he doesn't go with you? 

In any case, no-one so far as said anything about not spending enough time with the customer before preparing the quote, this discussion is about how the quote is delivered.

Also, in your example, you have two contractors proffering a similar price. In my situation my price is going to be higher.

When I visit a homeowner I take as much time as is needed, and which feels comfortable for both of us, to learn everything about their desires and needs.

John


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## BlenderWizard (Mar 21, 2006)

john elliott said:


> NONE of my customers is a repeat customer. My kitchens last a long time, and no-one has needed another one yet. Sometimes they move house, but so far it's always been to another area
> 
> John



I think you misunderstood what I was saying... they didn't have me back to keep doing the same thing, they wanted me to do more things to their homes.


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## john elliott (Oct 23, 2005)

BlenderWizard said:


> I think you misunderstood what I was saying... they didn't have me back to keep doing the same thing, they wanted me to do more things to their homes.


I didn't misunderstand at all, and it never occured to me that you were going back to do the same work over. 

My point was that I only deal with each customer once. This, of course, is quite different from the situation with you, they will know your work already and they will have an idea of your pricing. In fact, I suspect that there are many times when they don't even ask anyone else for a quote, but they ask you because they need to know how much money to have ready. 


John


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## BlenderWizard (Mar 21, 2006)

john elliott said:


> I didn't misunderstand at all, and it never occured to me that you were going back to do the same work over.
> 
> My point was that I only deal with each customer once. This, of course, is quite different from the situation with you, they will know your work already and they will have an idea of your pricing. In fact, I suspect that there are many times when they don't even ask anyone else for a quote, but they ask you because they need to know how much money to have ready.
> 
> ...


Yeah, that's probably part of it. that, and i got a lot of word of mouth referrals.

The biggest complaint i got from homeowners is that they were afraid to try other people, because they weren't sure if they could trust them.

i guess my reputation preceeded me:biggrin: 

But, I can understand that for sure. If your mate called you and told you there was a good remodeler he had used, and you had some project in mind for your place, you'd probably be inclined to call that guy.


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## copusbuilder (Nov 8, 2005)

jack75 said:


> Suppose a homeowner receives two bids from two equally established contractors whose prices are about the same: one contractor took 20 mins looking at the job and sent his proposal via email, the other spent 2 hours estimating and asking and answering questions and delivered his proposal in person. The homeowner now seems to have more reasons to go with contractor #2 --otherwise the homeowner would feel more 'guilty' for turning down the #2 contractor's time, enthusiasm and effort..



Now lets say contractor #1 spent 2 hours and gave a very detailed estimate. Contractor #1 seemed to have a lot of class in not hassling you and just acted in a professional manner and submitted a proposal.

Contractor # 2 spent 20 minutes wrote a proposal and came back to go over it.

Contractor #1 would get the job because "he ain't no stinkin sales slut"

Sounds reasonable to me:w00t:


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## painter77 (Sep 22, 2005)

john elliott said:


> Do you really mean that, that you would use a technique designed to make the HO feel guilty if he doesn't go with you?
> John


Really mean that, no of course I do not. So far most of my proposals are delivered by postmen.. But it really is more about showing one's willingness and enthusiasm to win a job, and not all about making HO feel guilty, which just happens to be a small irrelevant by-consequence therefrom.. In the end, I think getting the job and doing a good work and making the customer happy are what really count; the means are unimportant (as long as they are not offensive and deceiving)..


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## painter77 (Sep 22, 2005)

copusbuilder said:


> Contractor # 2 spent 20 minutes wrote a proposal and came back to go over it.
> 
> Contractor #1 would get the job because "he ain't no stinkin sales slut"
> 
> Sounds reasonable to me:w00t:


And suppose contractor #2 spent 2.5 hrs in writing a proposal? 

In any case, contractor #2 is just an unfortunate guy, for he's dealing with a wrong customer -customer that deeply hates salemen..  

Just j/k


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## copusbuilder (Nov 8, 2005)

jack75 said:


> And suppose contractor #2 spent 2.5 hrs in writing a proposal?
> 
> In any case, contractor #2 is just an unfortunate guy, for he's dealing with a wrong customer -customer that deeply hates salemen..
> 
> Just j/k


It seems being #2 is like being shyte


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## ruskent (Jun 20, 2005)

I tihnk its important to have a script to talk to customers when you first call them back or talk to them for the first time. It is important so that when your employee, or secetary calls customers back or awnser phone calls they say the same thing you do.

Its all about systems!


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## DamionR (Jan 19, 2007)

We do a follow-up call on any job that is not sold. It's a basic fact-finding mission.. but also leads into the real reason why they did not buy.. and allows an attempt to overcome that objection. obviously, someone besides the estimator needs to make the call... but it goes something like this:


Hello (CUSTOMER NAME), this is (YOUR NAME) with (YOUR COMPANY). Recently, you had my inspector/estimator/reprentative (NAME) out to your (HOME/OFFICE) to look at (WHATEVER YOU WERE THERE FOR). As a courtesy, we follow-up with everyone to make sure you were satisfied with the service we provided you.

What did you think of (REP'S NAME)?

Great... and did he arrive on time?

OK.. and was he courteous and answer the questions you had?

Great. Obviously, we have not been selected to perform the work for you yet. What would you say is the main reason for this?

Ok, aside from that... is there anything else?


And so on... repeat hte last question until they say there is nothign else. THis will be the real reason. From there... you have an oppurtunity to overcome their objection and earn their business.

The import facts here is to find out the real reason they didnt buy. If the sales guy didn't show up - problem solved. If they didn't like the sales guy - problem solved. If they give you the reason they didn';t buy - problem solved... and your back in the selling game.


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## PressurePros (Jul 3, 2006)

You fax a customer a proposal..

No matter how detailed..
.. or how fancy, two things will end up true.

1) The customer will fast forward to the price and make his decision based upon that. 
2) He may have questions (they always do) but you aren't there to answer. Selling is also selling yourself. No self present, no close.


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## Danahy (Oct 17, 2006)

My script isn't written, never has been. What I say seems to me like the same thing all the time, and has slight variations to it depending on who I'm talking to, how thier talking back to me, it's more of a natural thing. I have fluffy words that people like to here, but I always steer back to a straight forward, blunt and honest approach.


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## john elliott (Oct 23, 2005)

PressurePros said:


> You fax a customer a proposal..
> 
> No matter how detailed..
> .. or how fancy, two things will end up true.
> ...


Hmmm.... My mileage varies, a lot! It sounds like you are not differentiating your product sufficiently. If all they care about is the price, and you need to be there to overcome that and any other objections then there would appear to be a problem with the first visit and what is being said and done then.
On the other hand, I am not in your line of work so it may well be that it isn't possible to get people to see what you do as being any different from your competitiors.

I announce fairly early during my first visit that I will NOT be giving them a price there and then. This makes them relax (because they know that they are not going to be faced with a buy or not buy decision at the end of the meeting) and I can get on with selling myself and my product in a relaxed and productive atmosphere.

When they do get the quotation I am quite sure they will 'fast forward' to the price, and when they see it, it will be _more that they were hoping for_. Then, they will look back through the detail of the quotation, and they will be reminded that from me they are _getting more that they were hoping for too_.

Works great for me, I still only get 1 sale in 3 calls, but that's all I want anyway, and if I found I was getting more then I would raise my prices

John


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## PressurePros (Jul 3, 2006)

John, you know where it is different is with the exterior portion of the work. I can estimate that with no homeowner present and no contact. I know guys that will do an estimate, mail or fax it and then wait for the call.. it never comes. Of course there are situations where the customer just cannot meet with you. In those cases I do a personal cover letter, a very detailed proposal, differentiate myself to the fullest ($1M liability, all workers covered by WC, uniforms, ID badges, toll free phone number, fast response, and a client list of references that hovers at about 500 right now) I also provide thank you letters with before and after picture portfolios of major projects and all customers get a company newsletter every month. I follow up with all written proposal within thre days and again at one week. Even if we don't get the job, the customer gets on the mailing database.

I have trained hundreds of guys in sales in my former corporate life and the biggest obstacle is not being able to close the sale. Pieces of paper do not close sales. Pieces of paper do not overcome objections. I am the highest guy in my market, bar none. I have to go way above and beyond to grow my database. It's worth it for me. I have loyal, non-price driven customers that pay for an experience over just a job.


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## john elliott (Oct 23, 2005)

PressurePros said:


> Pieces of paper do not close sales. Pieces of paper do not overcome objections.


I'm not trying to say that a piece of paper, the quotation in other words, will close a sale on it's own. What I am saying is that the quotation, _when preceeded by the appropriate sort of sales presentation_, can most certainly result in a sale.

In my case the most likely objection is the price. People need time to get used to it, time to think about getting the money together, time to realise that paying more, to me, is in fact the right thing to do.

In many cases the customer is not going to admit that the price is the problem, and if the salesman is there, waiting for an answer, they will either find some other excuse or they will quite firmly say that they need time to think about it, or that they are waiting for another quote from a competitor. I'd be interested to hear how you would 'overcome these objections'

I'm quite sure your system works for you, but as long as you are saying, as you did earlier, that presenting the quote in person is the only way to do it, then I will be here to say no, it isn't the only way to do it

John


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## pitbull (Jan 29, 2007)

john elliott said:


> I'm not trying to say that a piece of paper, the quotation in other words, will close a sale on it's own. What I am saying is that the quotation, _when preceeded by the appropriate sort of sales presentation_, can most certainly result in a sale.
> 
> In my case the most likely objection is the price. People need time to get used to it, time to think about getting the money together, time to realise that paying more, to me, is in fact the right thing to do.
> 
> ...


 
Know exactly what you mean.
When people want say a one off they dont want to seem as though they are backing off due to the price being high. It makes them feel as though they are coming across that they havent got as much money as they like to show.
Over here too many cheap do it yourself, see how much you can save, programs. So when you give people quotes or estimates, you can clearly here that air being sucked in between the lips.
For me the fax is used just to confirm an order quickly too sites. Never used on domestic clients. Like too deal with them face to face. Lets me see if I can trust them and they can trust me.


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## PressurePros (Jul 3, 2006)

john elliott said:


> I'm not trying to say that a piece of paper, the quotation in other words, will close a sale on it's own. What I am saying is that the quotation, _when preceeded by the appropriate sort of sales presentation_, can most certainly result in a sale.
> 
> In my case the most likely objection is the price. People need time to get used to it, time to think about getting the money together, time to realise that paying more, to me, is in fact the right thing to do.
> 
> ...


I'm giving a seminar in St Louis on the topic of marketing and sales techniques at a round table, you are welcome to attend. Its Feb 21st.. attendance is $30 and covers lunch. register at www.grassrootsevents.org. Look for Marler's round table event. I'm not making any money on this so I assume this is okay to post here.


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## john elliott (Oct 23, 2005)

PressurePros said:


> I'm giving a seminar in St Louis on the topic of marketing and sales techniques at a round table, you are welcome to attend.


I think I'm busy that day, Ken. 

I suppose the real problem is that one man's pressure washing is pretty much the same as any one else's, so the key to getting well paid work is the selling, and all sorts of 'techniques' are necessary.


American customers must be very unsophisticated if they fall for all that stuff though. My customers would laugh at me if I tried that stuff on them
Still, if it works for you then you might as well have their money as any one else

John

BTW will you seminar cover my question from earlier?
A reminder- "In many cases the customer is not going to admit that the price is the problem, and if the salesman is there, waiting for an answer, they will either find some other excuse or they will quite firmly say that they need time to think about it, or that they are waiting for another quote from a competitor. I'd be interested to hear how you would 'overcome these objections'"


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