Free Estimates?

Slyfox

I never seen anyone talk about a 28% average before, I went through a half dozen or so sales classes in the late 80's and early 90's and was told if I couldn't sale 30%, I should look for another job, so that really sucks if the national average is only 28%.

Through the 90's, when i had 3 full time crews and several sub crews working, I kept an average in the lower 40% area, but also had to other people doing sales with me, so I was sharing leads.

Trust me, I'm not a salesmen nor a teacher, just a roofer.

I was taught, speak straight forward, simple, be flexible on materials to be used, but never waver from quality of workmanship (don't cut corners), keep feeding information to the home owners and let them make all the final decisions.

__________________

Mike Finley

When you're consistently the highest priced guy and you're still closing at your ratio, I think we have something to talk about.

Hey you want to hear a really scary number?

Do you know what the national average is for realtors????
1 house per month.

Do you know what the national average is for car salesman????
5.5 cars per month.

Slyfox

That 28% still baffles me, sales courses (atleast back than), would start out with the "pitch", you listen and take notes, and you'll sale 2 or 3 of your next 10 estimates, and grow from there.
I would never have guessed that low of an national average.

Did you just google that, or do you have a specific site you are quoting from?

__________________

Mike Finley

I see that number or similar in trade magazines all the time no matter what the trade. Most people round up to 1 out of 3 or 33%. I think 1 out of 4 or 25% is probably more within the ball park, but still inflated. 15-20% is probably a real number especially if it isn't the owner doing the selling. We all have a tendency to round up in our favor.

I know when sales companies go into a company that doesn't have good recording systems for leads they do some preliminary surveying of sales people asking about these type of numbers. Once they implement honest to goodness lead systems and keep people accountable they usually find the sales peoples original numbers are off by about 50%. Meaning the sales people all think they are closing lets say 50% and it turns out it's closer to 25%. Like I said we all have a tendency to round in our favor or through out certain leads and don't count them toward the numbers. The typical "oh that person wasn't really a lead..." When you put in a recording system and get honest the numbers by counting everything the numbers tend to be quite embarrassingly low and a shocker to everyone. But the point is they are the numbers and now you have a bench mark to actually measure against.

I keep honest numbers and I can say without a problem I am usually averaging in the 25 percent range, we got a definite bump up since we started charging for estimates. That charge eliminates a lot of the time wasters of a busy sales system. We are also without a doubt always going to be the highest estimate a customer sees. If we aren't I would like to know where we messed up. Anybody can close sales being the low or average priced guy. But being the best closer when you're not the most expensive on the block is like hooking up with a fat girl, anybody can do it, but why would you want to?

Slyfox

I posted in this forum atleast a few times about how people should sale atleast 30% or more and your the first to ever question me on that, or tell me otherwise.

I guess i should start actually reading through some of these magezines I get rather than skimming through and only reading what catches my eye.

This ended up being a very good subject, and one that i will be discussing with afew fellow roofers here in my area,
been trying to get them to join the forums here and a couple others like NRG, but so far they been blowing me off.

__________________

RPortinga

There's a difference in the quality of leads you can get. A lead based on a recommendation from a former client is (generally) going to be a better lead than someone hitting google to look for local roofing contractors.

__________________
Rob Portinga - Bauer Bros. Construction, Inc.
Design/Build - General Contractor - Construction Management