Thursday, April 23, 2015

How to Close More Deals – Part Three The Measure Call



Professional Selling



Professional selling is needs-analysis driven, and the questions you ask uncover the client’s needs.


Understanding client needs and providing solutions is what selling is all about. As I have said many times, people buy for emotional reasons, and they avoid buying from people they don’t trust. By asking detailed and specific questions from the onset, you acquire all the inside information you need to close a deal. You also get the client relaxed and comfortable with you because they perceive your questions as concern for their best interests.


The Measure Call



I like to refer to the emotional buying needs of the client as “triggers.” This is what will persuade them to buy from you when you present back to them their triggers. In essence, you flip their buying triggers.


The measure call presents the greatest opportunity to ask specifically designed questions to find these triggers. You conduct the measure call under the guise of a site inspection in order to ‘measure’ the quantity of work they want done.


You visit the site, you do take measurements, check dimensions, gather information, and collect additional information on what work the client wants done.


The client perceives your visit as just that, not as a sales call. You catch them off guard and, with the right questions, perfectly timed, they will reveal to you all the information you need to close the deal in the final selling process I call the Proposal Stage.


The two greatest points you need to understand about using the measure call is:


  • 1.     Ask pertinent, drill-down questions.

  • 2.       Listen intently.

First Impressions



People don’t make first impressions, they get anchored to them. It is important to remember that your first impression on your prospective client will weigh heavily on them and hiring you as their contractor.


Dress professionally to fit the meeting. You should have some form of identification, and don’t be afraid to present it to them. Now is the time to also hand them your business card. Your business card should be another selling tool, and not just a plain old ordinary business card. You can learn how to build a powerful business card that sells from my E Book: “The Contractor’s Magical Marketing Tool Belt!”


This also the time to leave some promotional materials, such as; Brochure, references, copy of state licenses (if any), and FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions). They can be handed over separately, or in some bound manner.


Small Talk



Building a high comfort level is a primary strategy of the measure call. It also helps you to uncover important information you’ll need to from the client in order to sell it back to them in the proposal stage.


Small talk, that is talk that is of the interest to the client and interwoven in the normal process of measuring for the job, breaks down any apprehensions in the client. It should ‘flow’ naturally and seem unscripted.


Here are some of those questions:


“What made you call us?”

 "If you had a wish list of what you would really like in this job, what would it be?”

“How long have you been considering this work?”

“What prompted you to do this work now?”


These are just a few of the questions. If you would like to learn more of them, I have them in my book, “How to Market & Sell Your Construction Services Like Magic!”


The measure call is an ideal time to clarify the needs and requirements of the client, as well as the restrictions, deadlines, desires, wants, expectations, perceptions and emotional buying triggers so you can formulate a proposal that addresses their needs.

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Again, you accomplish this with your questions to the client and by listening intently to their responses, digging deeper with additional drill down questions when necessary. Avoid talking about yourself. Focus on the client.


If you have executed a thorough measure call you are fully armed and ready to prepare an accurate proposal call that sells your services and keeps the client focused on the benefits of doing business with you, and away from the low price arena.


We’ll talk about that in the next blog. 


Until then …


Good hunting.

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