Ask Mike The Painter About Closing Anything.

Tinstaafl

[QUOTE=Mr. Mike;641296]You will forget 80% of what we talked about 24 hours after I leave,

No. On a big-ticket deal, I will take copious notes. Unless your spiel is rote-memorized, I'll probably have better info on what you said than you will remember.

Probably 1-2 weeks. If you're not good enough to be booked up well beyond then, maybe I should reconsider your qualifications.

You won't lock in a price for a week? That's high-pressure sleaze. Hit the bricks, Jack. I can't say it's been a pleasure.

Your routine may well work in your area, but it won't fly with most of the folks around here. They work hard for their money, and spend it cautiously.

PS. Almost missed your response, as you edited it into a message I'd already read. Better to do a new post under those circumstances.

Mr. Mike

If I make one trip to every appointment and give you a discount for signing today and you tell me something like how I run my business and that the price should be good next week first I would try and over come and if I am unsuccessful I would stand up, snag my bid back from you and state, Sir we pick our customers the same way they pick us and with that said I have decided you don't deserve me to work for you! Bye.

I did that two days ago and the guy said, sir that was uncalled for and totally unnecessary. I said no it was not sir, you were ready to kick me out and if you did that I would leave upset, this away I leave laughing and you have to be upset, good bye you just don't deserve a company like mine. He then said he will tell all his friends and family and I said please do because if they are anything like you who would want them as customers, I mean sir you told me your friend bidded the job and your shopping around on his price, I don't want to come in between your friendship then I would be an ass like you.


I would say ok if you call me in two weeks we can get you set up in roughly 5 weeks, or we can set you up now and have this painted by the 2 weeks from now you mentioned.



Those people you mention are painting their own house. How would you shop if you hit the lottery, had millions from inheritance... Or let me ask this, what % of the people in the world even call a painter to paint for them? Ok so if half the population feels as you do and we work for the other half, why are you catering to the wrong half? No matter what thanks for participating today.



99 posts and running strong.

__________________
Commercial Painter KY. Residential Painter Louisville Painting Photos Louisville

NEPS.US

If I was closing at 80% then I would have to serioulsy reconsider my prices.

Workaholic

Mike took his thread back without even batting an eye.

__________________
Sean

Workaholic

Beautiful 73. I just got done riding around the back yard while enjoying a cold one. I need to fire up the weed eater but figured i would come in for a few.
You?

__________________
Sean

Mr. Mike

If you were closing 80% by dropping off bids and not closing on the first call, I would say you are way to cheap. However since I am the only painter giving bids on half of the jobs I get you can be assured I profit very well on jobs.

I get about $1.38 per sq. ft. after discounts in Ky. for ceilings and $1.89 for 2 coats on walls, Is that high for your town?

__________________
Commercial Painter KY. Residential Painter Louisville Painting Photos Louisville

Tinstaafl

And you will just have guaranteed yourself some very good word of mouth advertising regarding what snotty snobs you guys are. You are burning much more than one bridge with that routine. Much better to ease out of the situation in a non-confrontational way.

Okay, right there you lost your one-call close. And if I call you in two weeks and you start all over again with different numbers, you just came full circle to the initial visit. And I'd be even less likely to jump on it then.

I freely admit that I'd almost certainly be less cautious (then again, I'm an old buzzard and pretty set in my ways). If you can make a good living off that minute percentage of our population, more power to you. Most of us can't--or lack the desire to do what's needed for that.

Tinstaafl

Blind people don't need to blink.

NEPS.US

No, that is terribly low. We just have different clientel. And I never said I was just dropping off bids.

How does the fact that you are the only painter bidding equate into you being very profitable?

I usually read things on the internet and see how they would apply to my business. In this case it would not apply. That is fine. I am glad to hear it is working for you and you are profitable.

Mr. Mike

I think your scared to close Tin? Why I have no idea. See if you are capable of making notes that make more since than my words while I am on your appointment I would tell you your capable of painting yourself. I want customers that are to busy to paint and have to much money to worry about saving a buck. I do about 40 jobs every year over $20,000.00 each and all are sold on one call closes, you are trying to argue that the one call close don't work but to the wrong person. I will never go back to order taking and I have did over 200 jobs every year since I have started Mr. Mike's. I did order taking for the first 10 years and became a one call closer about 1 year ago.

__________________
Commercial Painter KY. Residential Painter Louisville Painting Photos Louisville

Mike(VA)

You know, Paul and others touched on it, but the way I see it, there is a distinct difference in selling single product or service jobs vs more complex jobs. Selling roofing, siding, gutters, etc needs to try and have sales closed in the first visit as much as possible. How many people will need multiple visits to make a decision on siding? As for more complex services like remodeling and new construction, there is no way I would try to get a signature on the first visit. My only purpose that first visit is to ascertain whether the customer is serious about the work, what their reason for the work is, whether they have a budget (and the money) for the work, and to get a commitment for the next visit.

In this market, I will do whatever is necessary to bring that sale in. Want me there at 730pm, Saturday night because hubby is a consultant and works out of town all week? Fine. Easier to do that than to spin my wheels with one-leggers. People these days are well aware that things are tough and I am well aware that if I don't show up at 730pm, someone else will in a heartbeat. Who was it that said "If something comes swimming past my door, I am going to throw a hook out there and try to catch it". Yes, I'll do that no matter what time of day it is.

Now, when things get better, and I am maintaining my business rather than growing it, I will lay back and only work 9-5.

__________________
__________________________________________________ ___________
I EXPECT THAT SOMEDAY I WILL SEE THE FRUITS OF MY LABOR. IS IT SOMEDAY YET?
Clifton, Great Falls, McLean, Fairfax Station, Manassas, Virginia Renovation Contractor

Mr. Mike

That's low? I beg to differ. Most painters in my area bid around $.30 a coat and 5 years ago I charge $.45 a coat now I am double that and you say it is to low. I am talking paintable sq. not floor space.

__________________
Commercial Painter KY. Residential Painter Louisville Painting Photos Louisville

rbsremodeling

Just curious is that a high end paint work or average home owner??

__________________

Mr. Mike

75% of my work is residential repaints.

one five man crew can paint about 3500 sq. in ceilings per day including moving furniture and covering floors so lets do the math all together.

__________________
Commercial Painter KY. Residential Painter Louisville Painting Photos Louisville

rbsremodeling

My prices are slightly higher than yours but I probably carry more overhead so it evens out in the end.

Interesting that they are not that far off

__________________

Tinstaafl

Well there you go. You are courting an entirely different market, and as I said, you are welcome to it.

No, I'm not afraid to close; I've simply been trying to point out that there is no single fits-all answer to closing. In the right area, with the right clientele, your high-pressure tactics can certainly work quite well. But in my area, with its typical population, you would almost certainly fare poorly with that approach.

The key thing is that a good salesman needs to be quick on his feet and recognize immediately what sort of client he's dealing with--and adjust his tactics accordingly. And a one-call close certainly is no guarantee that you're maximizing your profit.

NEPS.US

Don't believe everything you read on the internet.

You and Jack Pauhl should get together. You guys could unite and dominate the world together.

Mr. Mike

My numbers there are with 25% off and not everyone gets the whole 25% off, wow they are very close.

If I am the only bidder then it is not price they choose me for.


That is bull, I am in the 16th largest City and I work in a 100 mile radius, all painting clients no matter where they are from can fit in to one basket, there is no magic close line for them and that's why there is so many. I am quick on my feet and use at least 4 to 5 closes on every sale, I think I have even stated that I do a second visit before closing on some people but prefer to close on the first visit.


Order taking can prove it was price though.

__________________
Commercial Painter KY. Residential Painter Louisville Painting Photos Louisville

rbsremodeling

I will tell you what Mr Mike.

When I was younger 13-22 I got great join in working in the field with the guys and doing manual labor.

When I hit 23 I got pulled into the office full time and found great joy in doing estimates.

when I hit 29 and started doing sales full time and I found the same joy in closing a sale.


Some guys find more joy in the field work, estimating or the sale. The other two are just a means to the end.

You will not convince someone who does not get the same joy out of sales that we do, that the others are less important.

Some guys think if they are not swinging a hammer or paint brush they are not earning their pay. It is what it is

__________________

Mike Finley

I like everything you said up to this point.

That's just plain ridiculous. There is absolutely no reason to be a dick to a customer. There is absolutely no reason to be a dick to a customer simply because he disagress with you - be it the way you look, the way you talk, the way your company works, the way you sell... for any reason at all.

A simple: "No problem, I'm sorry we don't see eye to eye on this issue. Thank you for considering my company for your project, but it doesn't look like we are a good match for each other. Thank you for your time, have a good day."

There simply is no room in sales or business for egos where you need to "leave laughing" and the customers needs to "be upset".

Frankly I'm dumb founded how you would post this.