Selling yourself to customers who never seen your work

[jay]

I have a question on selling yourself to new clients who havn't seen your work.
What do you guys find the best way is to sell your service to new clients that havn't seen your work? Maybe they got your number from your truck when you were driving by or from a ad you placed. I've been having a hard time selling to these customers it seems all thier interested in is prices. I've tried to let them know about my educational background and my years in business and have even presented photographs of previous jobs I completed. But it seems as though they only think this means I charge more.How do you sell yourself to people like this who only seem to be interested in pricing? Is it possible? I thank you for all your input in advance and happy holidays. JAY

[BUSHMASTER]

Well photo's of your work kept in a "portfolio" works good .
I wounldn't put too much thought in the fact of then you might be to high....afer all if they can't afford you no matter how you present your self it would not matter unless you give your labor away.....learning the gift of gab helps real well. i spent 13 years in retail and wholesale sales and you learn real quick ... your selling yourself not your work. Cause just about everyone is selling the same product..

Be sure of your self
know what your talking about
listen to the customer....most of the time once the conversation gets started they let you know what they want to hear.
smile.......look like you hang on there every word.
and never say " I don't know" use something like ....well in your case there might be several solutions or what ever phrase fits ... then do some research and get the info you need..even if you don't know i would never let on that i know nothing about the topic but would leave the door open to gain the facts needed. don't lie

Don't promisie more than you can deliver.
Don't make it sound soooo good that it sounds too good.


just some thoughts.hope it helps..

[HOMER]

That was good advice Bushmaster. I would add one more thing to that list and MAYBE it would help. Compile a list of references from willing customers. Their voice would speak louder than yours in the event the new prospect was unsure.

Homer

[Pauls Mowing]

I've had several folks call and request a service we provide. I go out and visit with them and see exactly what they want done. We discuss it, agree on a price, and I tell them that I gaurantee my work. If there is anything that they don't like, I'll come back and fix it. No charge. I have always got the job, and have never yet been back to fix something. I have had several referals from these folks. I find the key here is see EXACTLY what they expect. All have payed upon completion of the work. Another thing that I have also found- when my wife goes along and visits with the owners family, we always get the job!!

Paul

[Eric ELM]

In this business, you do have to have some sales ability. You have to sell your self and your company to the prospect. You also need to let them know why your worth the money you are asking. I sell them on the point that we use sharp blades every day, which is very important in lawn maintenance. Most customers do not understand the importance of using sharp blades, until I educate them on this subject. I let them know that their lawns will be greener once we start mowing their lawn with sharp blades. I tell them about how dull blades leave the tips of the grass brown and shreaded. Let them know all the services you provide and the importance of each one. I also carry a picture porfolio to show anyone that hadn't seen our work.

From what I've seen around our area, the ones that charge a cheap price, they must not shapen their blades more the 3 times a season if that often. The lawns end up looking dead even in the spring when we are getting lots of rain.

The main thing is, sell the new customer on your strong points of your business and build up the value of your company and why they should use your services, rather than the competition. Good luck, I hope this helped some.

[jay]

Thanks for the replies after hearing some of them I realize I havn't spent much time with the potential customers at the sites. I'm always in hurry especially during the busy season. I'm mostly solo and do most all my work myself and at the end of the day or during it I find myself in a rush to get done and go home. Here during the summer it gets up to 100 degrees or more, so thats another reason I,m usually in a hurry too. I'm going to try now to spend more time with the potential customers at the sites I like and see how that works. Please continue with the feed back though it helps. Thanks, Jay

[Edited by jay on 12-18-2000 at 02:01 AM]

[jeffex]

One way to sell them is to give them a bid on
exactly what they are getting now. Chances are
the price they are comparing is for mow and blow.
If you are willing to do that kind of work it can
be profitable. After you get thier business you
can slowly show them the advantage of upgrading
services. I take great pride in my work but I'm
not about to give the customer more than they
pay for. I realize most of us think we get new
work because of our quality but if your client
list hasn't grown try something new! Get the
customer, then educate them.

[jeffex]

WHENEVER ONE OF MY ELDERLY CUSTOMERS STARTS TO
COMPLAIN WE CUT TO HIGH [3"] or come to often I
BRING HER ALONG TO MOW. IT ALWAYS WORKS TO CALM
THEM DOWN. WHEN I TAKE MY SON WE MAKE HIM COLLECT
THE MONEY WHICH CAN TAKE LONGER THAN MOWING. THEY
GET A SENCE OF WHO YOU ARE AND NOT JUST YOU MOWED
THIER LAWN IN 15MIN FOR $25. WE ALWAYS SAY WE
CUT THE LAWN FOR FUN AND THE MONEY IS FOR PUBLIC
RELATIONS!

[geogunn]

it is largely rural here but everybody knows everybody. if someone calls, it's usually a referal.

if it looks like a good lawn and they want to think about it I simply ask what it will take to do business.

that puts the heat on them that if the deal isn't made then, they might miss out. I usually try to put a little wiggle room in the estimate for a contingency.

[Pauls Mowing]

There you go, Jeff....

Many people don't see their wife and family as the most important part of their lives.

Paul

[Runner]

Focus on the positives of your business, and like Eric said, let them KNOW why you're worth the cost. It's extra value. Let them know how they're getting more value for their dollar. STAY AWAY from ANY "mow and blow" program like talk and save that for the kid down the street. This makes you out to look like a rank amateur fly by nighter. (No offense jeffex) Give the impression that you are a company that strives on doing things completely, properly, and with pride. You may even want to bring up some "generic" talk about what to look for and what to stay away from with other services. Somewhere in the conversation I always say to the potential client. "If you are considering going with a service for your property, PLEASE be careful, because there is ALOT of shabby work out there."
People usually take this right in as sincerety and that opens them up a bit. Also, I like to follow it up by giving them a few of the "tell tale" signs to look for. Such as marks on their trees from trimmers, explaining to them that we dont even do that to mailboxes or fenceposts, let alone a living tree! Also, be confident when telling them your price. If you SOUND like you know what you're talking about and are sure of yourself, then they are convinced that must be what it COSTS! If, when it comes time for price, and you say "Ah," "Um," or "Well," before it, then that puts doubt in their mind right away. Also (very important) Look them right in the eye when speaking to them, ESPECIALLY when giving the price! Well, I've made this reply a bit too long now as it is, and just recieved a call from a few eskimos who want to buy some iceboxes, so I'll cut it off here. Good luck with it!

[jeffex]

NO OFFENCE TAKEN RUNNER! MY RESPONCE WAS FOR
SOMEONE WHO SOUNDED LIKE A START UP. NOT A VET.
IF YOU CAN ONLY CUT X NUMBER OF LAWNS WITH YOUR
TIME AND RESOURCES THEN THE IDEA IS TO MAXIMIZE
$PER HR. WEED OUT THE WORST LAWNS AND REPLACE
WITH GOOD ONES. I STARTED WITH LAWNS THE "BIG
GUYS" DIDN'T WANT. I WAS ABLE TO TURN SOME MOW
AND BLOW LAWNS INTO WELL MANICURED LAWNS WITH
SOME PATIENTS WITH THE CUSTOMER. SOME ELDERLY
CUSTOMERS CAN BE OVERWHELMED WITH THE "all at
once" SALES PITCH.

[Runner]

Well, I can sure understand THAT point of it too.

[moonarrow]

One of the things I do is to walk the property with the customer point out things that you would do to improve the looks of their lawns and why you do it that way and make it sound good most of the time they don't really understand but if it sounds good them they have a little realization as to why you are a little higher and think to their selves hey I'm going to all this extra for just X$ more, and as one of the previous post said never let on that you don't know something because that will leave doubt in their minds about your abilities

[RYAN]

I believe selling to potential cusomers is made up of three equel parts.

1)Price
2)Attitude/Appearance
3)Quality of work

1 Price: Sometimes this is the only thing they care about and it is all they are looking for. But most customers will go for a reasonable price as long as they like you and what you plan to offer.

2) Attitude and appearance go a long way in getting customers I believe.If they do not like your attitide or think you look like a dirtbag they will not want to have to deal with you all the time or want a dirtbag on their property every week. On the other hand I have gotten jobs where my estimates were higher than the others but I struck up a good conversation with the customer and they liked me and my personality so I got the job even with the higher price.

3) Quality of work is obviosly a big one also. Pictures of your work in a portfolio will help and also be sure you know what you are talking about. If they think you are just spouting off a bunch of BS they will get leary. Tell them some of the good aspects of your business like sharp blades reliability, guarentees and give them a referance list if they ask.

If all three of these are in line you will be in good shape.
sorry so long.

RYAN

[Pauls Mowing]

Right on Ryan....

I wash my truck before leaving home and heading out on a job. Customers notice those things, as do a lot of people seeing your equipment out on the roads.

Paul