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Improve the Sales Closing Rate

Perception is everything

In the business context, as well as in many situations that involve human interaction, first impressions are of extreme importance. Even if we might be reluctant to admit it, the first impression your client has of you and your job will affect the entire business relationship. The thing is, you won’t get a second chance to make a first impression. Plus, to reverse and change the direction of a negative first impression from someone takes time and a lot more effort than it takes to simply make a great impression from the start.

In the roofing business, it works just the same way. Imagine you’ve scheduled an appointment and you have to reach a client’s house. The client is most probably waiting for you and as soon as they see you on their doorstep they will form an opinion on you, whether you like that or not. Such an opinion will depend on many factors, your looks, your overall professional outlook, and your tools, for instance, will have an impact. The way a customer perceives you will inevitably reflect on the quality of the job he or she thinks you will be able to deliver.

To be able to have the opportunity of closing the deal at a higher rate, being trusted by the customer and even being able to ask for premium prices, it is essential that you look professional and that are confident of your job. Mind you that being professional is not only about wearing “professional” salesman clothing. Excellence should pervade any aspect of your business and any interaction you have with your customer. This includes your website’s design and performance, the presentation of the vehicle you use to make such visits, your uniform, and the handouts you may want to distribute.

First impressions make the difference in many fields, but marketing and sales especially thrive on perception. Your goal is to make sure your clients have a good impression of you and then confirm such a good impression with your high-quality job. By instantly giving the impression of being part of a professional company, of high-class quality, excellent communication, and customer service, you’ll set the customer ready to pay professional charges for your service. You will also increase your business’ reputation and thus, set yourself for higher revenues and more success.

Consider the Power of Video

Arguably, the most important moment of creating a relationship with a customer is when you first meet your client at their door. It is at this moment that you should make sure you appropriately introduce yourself and your company. But this is what everyone else does. To set you apart from the crowd and show your professionalism differently and outline your higher effort, you should consider using videos.

Videos are, in fact, powerful tools that, when well-made and professionally shot, can deliver a strong, vivid message which can last for long in the memory of your clients. Instead of hiring a salesman and making him do the part, detach the personal emotions from the message and ensure you deliver an effective and professional message at any time. You should think about creating a short video (no longer than three minutes), professional and correctly edited to explain, in brief, the values of your company, the benefits of using your company over the competition and the higher value you will bring your customers. By doing so you will not only positively surprise your customer, but also create an extremely good first impression and raise expectations for your job. All these will allow you to charge premium prices and to improve your reputation. Your client will remember the better service you provided and most probably contact you on more occasions.

Offer To Your Clients Three Options To Choose From

We could generalize customers in the roofing business under three categories: clients who want to quickly have the job done at the cheapest cost; customers that are ready to pay much more for a higher quality service; and clients that are somewhere in the middle of the two opposite sides.

Because of the existence of three different categories of customers, all with different desires and needs, setting a single price on your service will limit the width of your customer base and thus, will limit the chances of your business and you will be able to attract only one type of customer.

The solution to this problem would be to set three different price level options (low, medium and high) and give your customers the possibility to choose. In this way, your clients will be the ones deciding on the price and the type of service they want, meaning that you won’t have to guess (and possibly get wrong) the type of buyer he or she might be and adjust the price accordingly.

But what kinds of options should you provide? If you currently have a unique price on your service, consider using that price as your “middle” level option. Chances are the price you are currently charging is neither the bare minimum nor very expensive. From that middle ground, select a lower price for those wanting to pay as little as possible for a quick-fix solution. You will need, of course, to adjust your service to the price. For instance, it would be a fast solution with no granted warranty.

On the other extreme of the spectrum, you have to fix a premium price for which you will provide extra high-quality materials, extended warranties, and a higher-level job.

With these options at your clients’ disposal, you can be sure to meet their needs and to deliver the type of service they specifically require. This win-win situation also helps you drastically improve your closing rate and expanding your prospects.

Differentiate Your Business From The Competition and Tell Your Customer Why They Should Choose You

With all the different possibilities available to customers, the buying power lies in their hands. In today’s market, competition has become particularly harsh and you have to make sure you know exactly why a potential customer should choose you over the other similar services available. What extra value can you deliver to them? Why are you better than the competition? Ensure you make that very clear to your prospects.

If you are not very sure about how to answer such questions, a good way to start is to start listing all the benefits you provide and describe how you make sure such benefits are delivered in a better way than your competitors. Do you remember the video we mentioned earlier? This list is what you should base your video on. Your clients should be convinced that you are the best option available to them.

Have you ever heard the anecdote of the two children selling lemonade for one dollar a cup? Both lemonades look the same and are priced the same. However one of the two stands has a label that says “made with clear water”. Which one would you go for? You should apply the same concepts to your business. Maybe the underlying service you provide might be very similar to that of your competitors, but what can you say you do better?

Even by just mentioning your values and benefits, you will increase your chances to win the sale. Many roofing service providers would not clearly define the values they provide their customers and if you do so instead, customers will infer that your service is better.

Think very carefully about how to present your business. Things that might seem obvious to you won’t be to a potential customer who is not very practical about the roofing business. Be clever and find effective ways to efficiently sell yourself!

Have Your Customers Remember You – Write it Down!

This might sound like a very simple concept but it is indeed extremely powerful. Take notes about your job and refer to your writings whenever you have to speak with your customers about the work that is getting done. They will interpret this as a sign of professionalism and they will remember your dedication for next time they need a similar service. Not only that, taking notes is a powerful tool for your professional career as well, as it allows you to learn more from each case, to remember any possible mistakes and to better apply your acquired knowledge in different situations when needed.

Make Sure You Apply The Practice of “Immediate Follow-Ups”

Do not make the mistake of relying on your sales to be made on the spot during the first presentation. You might be losing several potential customers and reduce your potential revenue stream. Instead, ensure that every proposal or quote that you prepare for customers is immediately followed by some actions that will help you close the sale and retain your customers more efficiently.

Not for anything, there is an old saying in the sales business that goes “the real money lies in the follow-up”. Make sure you do not lose your chance here and consider the methods which will provide you with an automated process of following up with your prospects.