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