I build websites. I build websites for contractors. So I know I have to combine design, content creation, and function to do one thing: help covert website visitors into customers for my clients. But ask yourself: Are you doing your part?
I’ve been on many sits in my day and I’ve seen some of the best sales presentations fall off a cliff right at the very end for one reason: The salesperson never actually asked for the sale.
So why do the presentation at all?
If you can’t bring yourself to ask for the sale after getting in your truck, driving to the appointment, spending the time it takes to build credibility, and then be satisfied with “We’ll let you know,” then shame on you!
Get to the One Big Yes
There are a number of ways to get to a decision, and it really is a decision that you seek — either yes or no, but a decision nonetheless. If only there was a way to avoid that big, fat yes-or-no dilemma ...
Well, there is. Instead of trying to climb a mountain to get to one big yes, you need to remove all the little no’s along the way throughout the presentation.
Ask for a lot of little yeses during the presentation. Things like, “You want a yellow backsplash, right?” or “If we were able to get your widget in by February, that’s when you would want to get started, correct”?
Now you are removing all the little obstacles that the homeowner could throw at you at the end of your meeting. It also lets the homeowner do most of the talking, and anyone in sales knows this motto: You have two ears and one mouth for a reason — to listen twice as much as you talk!
There is psychology at play here, so listen up.
Ask for It
Once you get the Jones couple used to saying yes, it will become increasingly difficult for them to say no at the end.
But you still have to make sure you actually ask for the sale.
You’ve reached the end of your presentation and you’re sitting there waiting for the Joneses to say, “Great stuff Bob, when can you start?” But that doesn’t happen … ever.
Instead, you have to take the lead and direct them to the answer you want from them by confirming all your little check-in yeses during your presentation. This will remove any lingering doubts they may have. Then you move in and ask for the sale.
More jobs are lost because the job wasn’t asked for than for any other reason. Trust me, I see it all the time. There is no mechanism in place in most presentations to actually try and deliver the business.
What you may see is the sales rep say something like this: “The calendar is open next week,” or “I’m on a job now but will be able to fit you in in three weeks.” Again, this isn’t actually asking for the sale.
Try this instead: Mr. and Mrs. Jones, have I answered all of your questions to your satisfaction? If yes, do you have any further questions that have come up during the presentation? If no, do you think the price is fair? If yes, is there any other reason that would prevent us from moving forward together?
That is asking for the sale. Anything else is just foreplay. So go back and run through your sales call process right now and ask yourself this question: Do you ask for the sale during the call?
If not, it’s time to make some changes!
—Darren Slaughter runs a boutique website design and marketing shop that serves only contractors in the home improvement space. darrenslaughter.com
