hey i just wanted to say thanks for the info about getting a higher price and still getting the jobs i took your advice and it is working here in kansas but i do have another question do you have a good selling slogan if both bids are about the same thanks...
grumpy , aaron b. , teeter and all the others
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Nothing beats stressing quality for the $$$. Anybody can sling shingles on a roof, cut a board or splash paint on a house. Doing it best, going the extra mile to make it perfect is what adds the value.
That seems to be the point in which the person that acts the most professional or inspires the most confidence gets the work. Curious...letscut said:... do you have a good selling slogan if both bids are about the same thanks...
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Teetor hit the nail on the head.
People purchase on percieved value.
Find out what is the most important to them.
People purchase on percieved value.
Find out what is the most important to them.
Stop for a second and make sure all things are not equal. KNow your compiutition and always one up them. Drive up in a clean car. Wear clean clothes. Have the company log on your car and shirt. Wear a photoo ID hanging from your colar with your name, picture, company log and your position within the company. Do what ever it takes to set yourself apart.
Ok let's assume all things are equal, the customer is going to hire who ever they like the most. Or maybe they will hire whoever ASKS for the sale. Never leave the customer's presence without asking at least once to be their roofer.
It all goes back to knowing your compitition. let's say you have a garbage truck and the other guy uses dumpsters; while we know there really isn't anything wrong with using a dumpster you can always tell the customer "Mr. Customer I care about your convenience and drive way. We use a dump truck that arrives when we do and leaves when we do. It's on big soft rubber wheels and can never scratch your rdrive way like dumpsters do."
Sell on benefits, "Everything I do I do for your benefit." That's not something you might say but while you are talking that's what you want the customer to feeel you saying.
... but forget all that and remember to always ask at least once... "Ok we are going to tear off your roof, ofcoarse we are going to use tarps for protection like I showed you in those pictures. We are going to fix any rotten wood because you can't have a good roof with bad wood. We are going to use the heavier 30# felt paper because it is more protective. We are going to hand nail your shingles with at least 4 nails because we feel hand nailing is better quality than gun nailing. We replace all flashings. We make sure you have adequate ventilation, we give you a 10 year warranty. We can do all that for $90 million dollars and if you sign right here I can schedule that for next week.
SHUT UP AND WAIT FOR THEM TO TALK.
If they say No, so what? ask them why not?
Ok let's assume all things are equal, the customer is going to hire who ever they like the most. Or maybe they will hire whoever ASKS for the sale. Never leave the customer's presence without asking at least once to be their roofer.
It all goes back to knowing your compitition. let's say you have a garbage truck and the other guy uses dumpsters; while we know there really isn't anything wrong with using a dumpster you can always tell the customer "Mr. Customer I care about your convenience and drive way. We use a dump truck that arrives when we do and leaves when we do. It's on big soft rubber wheels and can never scratch your rdrive way like dumpsters do."
Sell on benefits, "Everything I do I do for your benefit." That's not something you might say but while you are talking that's what you want the customer to feeel you saying.
... but forget all that and remember to always ask at least once... "Ok we are going to tear off your roof, ofcoarse we are going to use tarps for protection like I showed you in those pictures. We are going to fix any rotten wood because you can't have a good roof with bad wood. We are going to use the heavier 30# felt paper because it is more protective. We are going to hand nail your shingles with at least 4 nails because we feel hand nailing is better quality than gun nailing. We replace all flashings. We make sure you have adequate ventilation, we give you a 10 year warranty. We can do all that for $90 million dollars and if you sign right here I can schedule that for next week.
SHUT UP AND WAIT FOR THEM TO TALK.
If they say No, so what? ask them why not?
As a former boss of mine was fond of saying (with respect to sales calls), "Make an ask of yourself"!AaronB. said:And then ask them for it again. All they can say is no.
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company shirt and professinal designed logo bussiness card can help make good first impression with pc.
If you have gotten to the point where the only difference between your proposal and the other ones is price….you have already lost!
I teach a seminar for roofing contractors out here in the West called “How to get the job without being low bidder” It is based on findings from a series of surveys and focus groups with homeowners. They crave knowledge; because they are making a large expenditure for something they know nothing about. This is scary to them. The contractor that does the most educating is usually in the best position. Tell them what and why. Price is important. We suggest that it be dealt with by telling the homeowner that it is important, but asking to put it aside for now. Then discuss all of the reasons and things that your company does that the others don’t do as well. Make a list of them, and their value, on paper for the homeowner to keep. Now go back to the price and the theory that “you get what you pay for”. Now the price difference shouldn’t be such a big, insurmountable obstacle.
Jim
I teach a seminar for roofing contractors out here in the West called “How to get the job without being low bidder” It is based on findings from a series of surveys and focus groups with homeowners. They crave knowledge; because they are making a large expenditure for something they know nothing about. This is scary to them. The contractor that does the most educating is usually in the best position. Tell them what and why. Price is important. We suggest that it be dealt with by telling the homeowner that it is important, but asking to put it aside for now. Then discuss all of the reasons and things that your company does that the others don’t do as well. Make a list of them, and their value, on paper for the homeowner to keep. Now go back to the price and the theory that “you get what you pay for”. Now the price difference shouldn’t be such a big, insurmountable obstacle.
Jim
Jim, while I have not been to any seminars for the sales of roofing specifically, that's pretty much exactly what I do. First off you have to meet each and every customer or you will only be able to sell on low bid. Second after I realized that it soon hit me that the more I answer their questions the more I am landing jobs. Soon after that I made it my whole approach to educate the customer.
I go into their house as if I were a free consultant working on their side to make sure the other contractors don't take advantage of them.
I go into their house as if I were a free consultant working on their side to make sure the other contractors don't take advantage of them.
I had my partner put in a bid for a roof, he did the usual estimates and gave the client the form with our basic numbers. But he didn't take the time to educate the customer. The bid was for $3600.
This person contacted another company nearby that does a lot of roofs, bulk, bulk, bulk. They put a bid in for $2300. The client went with the low bid.
Heres the ironic part. Our numbers would have reflected a similar bid for what the client received. 20 year shingles and no felt and no ice guard (which is illegal here). I was somewhat frustrated that I didn't have the oppurtunity to educate the customer, because I believe they will be very unhappy with the product they receieve, but I guess you learn and live. You cant make a quick buck.
This person contacted another company nearby that does a lot of roofs, bulk, bulk, bulk. They put a bid in for $2300. The client went with the low bid.
Heres the ironic part. Our numbers would have reflected a similar bid for what the client received. 20 year shingles and no felt and no ice guard (which is illegal here). I was somewhat frustrated that I didn't have the oppurtunity to educate the customer, because I believe they will be very unhappy with the product they receieve, but I guess you learn and live. You cant make a quick buck.
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