dwbrooks, im 23 and i started my biz last march, i can definitely tell that people are stand off'ish when i first meet them because of it, also i only look about 18-19! but i think it all comes down to couple of things despite age!

personality, spending a little extra time talking to the custo, smile, joke around a bit, a prospect has to feel comfortable with the fact that youll be in/on their property for a couple of weeks. 90% of the time they have to hand over the keys to you while they are at work, so they also have to feel that you are trustworthy!

professionalism, i try to explain to them my knowledge of products, procedure, and technique, most of it goes right over their heads but it shows to them that you are a pro and not just some guy that paints houses!

price/bid, i always like to do an overview of the estimate face to face, it gives me a chance to work the above two into the price(soften the blow), instead of mailing or stickin it in the door, when you do that all that they see is a dollar amount coming out of their acct for what they might think is just a simple paint job! being face to face will also allow you to close on the spot, however i never push it on a customer, you dont want to pressure them to sign, cause if they do sign under pressure their going to have doubts from the time you pull out of the driveway, and the whole time your working for them, itll just become a stressful mess in the long run, collection will be a PITA too!! most people just say ok when can you start, if they seem hesitant i tell them to think about it, get a few more estimates and call me when you want to schedule.doing that instead of waiting for them to tell you, is alot better, cause when you leave your still in control, and will make you look better than the next guy that shows up! i usually get called back!
i think when doing an estimate your last impression is your best!

now i dont have this mastered by any means, but it worked pretty damn good last season!

im open to some constructive criticism!

 

How to sell a job? Stay away from hard sells.

Meet with the customer. Find out their needs, explain how you will fill their needs. Prove your experience and professionalism. Be a genuine person, not a sterotypical sales person, and allow the sale to fall into your lap.

Age is another story in terms of hinderance. Everyone makes purchasing decisions for different reasons. I know when I first started in home improvement sales I was slightly younger than you are now. I know I did lose some sales because people thought int their heads "how much experience can this guy have? when in truth I had way more experience than the "salesman" I was bidding against who never touched a tool in his life.

At the same time I know I did fairly well with older couples who seemed to want to give the young whipper snapper a chance and perhaps hired me because I was young. Or perhas it was because I would sit for hours and hours listening to them tell stories about their kids and show me pictures of their grand kids.

If you are confident that you can do a good job, make sure the customer has the same confidence and you will do very well.

 

grumpy that old folks thing gave me a laugh, i thought i was the only guy that would sit and listen to the old folks for hours, and im serious when i say hours, they just dont let you leave!this one fogie i listened to for over an hour,eventually i said what ever i had to so i could go on with my day, i thought i got away and right as i opened the door to leave he started right back up again!! i really wanted to pretend like i didnt hear him and shut the door, but i just couldnt, instead i stood at the door while he talked for another 1/2 hr! i seriously almost fell asleep on this guy!

its a huge part of the sale,but what do you do now to get around it, if anything?i have to give this same guy another estimate this season!
thanks!

 

Farrel,

A real good way to take care of business and be a friend to the lonely elderly was shown to me by a former salesman.

The old guy did the same thing with my guy, Dave. After the second extended session with him, Dave just told him, "You know Mr. xxx, why don't we just finish up this business stuff and then we can get together anytime you want to watch a baseball game together at your home. I really like talking to you, and would appreciate having you as a friend, but as long as this agreement isn't accepted, its makes it sort of hard to just come over here as a friend.:

It worked. he gained an immediate acceptance of the agreement and got a baseball friend to watch the games with at the same time.

Ed

 

thanks ed, the downside is, the guy lives not even 1/2 mile from my house, im afraid if i give the buddy idea he'll be swingin by my house in his golf cart. the upside is when i work for him he lets me use his golf cart, im in an urban area too, i used it once to go do an estimate across town,i get lunch in it, pick up materials its awesome! i will definitely use your good advice for the next fogie episode! thanks!

this guy is cool as ever, but i can only have so much empathy for a guy thats talkin to me in his ****** tightey's!

 

thanks ed, the downside is, the guy lives not even 1/2 mile from my house, im afraid if i give the buddy idea he'll be swingin by my house

Another check in the list of reasons not to work from the home.

 

My age effects me. I am younger then both of you. But whats funny is the only people that make a comment about my age are the ones with the cheap little project i wouldn't want anyway. I get a kick out of it when some fat house wife who has made nothing of her life says something like "How are you going to level my shed pad, it looks like you just got out of high school"

I have better luck on the high end since i come up with good design ideas, and know how to sell myself to people who want a quality project

 

i figured that out the hard way, i painted half my street last season, its really annoying when everyone on the street asks you to paint somethin, and then every time they see me its always some talk about their house or my biz. i have to take what i can get for now, but im practically living in my work!ugghhh!

 

With the price of gas and TT. Sounds like it could be a good thing.

 

http://www.markupandprofit.com/books_mark.html

Great book!

 

they are helping me get started and im very grateful, gas and mileage on my new truck a +, im always nice to them, and ill talk to them for as long as they want, in the spring/summer when i drive down my street ill get flagged down by one ho, and the rest come runnin, its like im the ice cream man for adults! i grin and bare it, but it gets annoying when i cant even drive down my street w/o being stopped and stampeaded at each side of my truck, i only have one head! most of them are single or stay at home moms.i can get tied up talkin to them for 1/2 a day!its seriously like being the prom king in a parade, only its everyday i go to and from my house!

it just burned me out workin on the same block that ive been on for 23yrs,i understand their only tryin to help, but it makes me feel like the neighborhood painting kid, and thats not what im out to be! i only left the hood for 4 jobs last/first season, and it was like paradise!

 

most of them are single or stay at home moms.

Sounds like a great street to live and work in. And they come running when you drive down the street? Do any of them need new kitchens, do you think? Maybe I should emigrate

John

 

one mans dump is anothers gold mine, i guess! maybe i forgot to mention im still with the rents, in the same house i grew up in, on the same street,day after day,week after week etc...etc... its more of a nightmare than a dream! after all i started this biz so i can get the h**l outa here!

i think im gonna go puke now!

 

Heheh, 23 years old and street full of stay at home moms stopping you? Hmmm, lol! A true rock star..oops not into drywall. Paint right? Seriously, I can see your point on the chit-chat thing. It is time consuming, and time is a precious commodity.

 

boman, i already took care the only decent lookin one! funny story however, she came down to my house around 8-8:30 one night and asked me if i needed some work. i told her id come take "a look", when i got there she had a 12 pack on the porch, and told me shes got the day off tomorrow, and to put the icing on the cake, after a couple beers and chit chat, she asked me if i have a girlfreind to help me on jobs.ding ding ding!!!!! i said no, and she said her ex hubby used to do carpentry, COME IN ILL SHE YOU WHAT HE DID!!!! it was an awkward initiation but, by far the best estimate yet! ill be doing an estimate for her 19-20 yr old daughter this season lol!

sorry to any of you ladies that take offense, what do you got drywall guy?

oh yea she gave me a check for 219.00 to paint a couple of windows, LOL!

 

Farrel,

Try attempt to limit the ice cream street time, why don't you put together some common upgrade ideas related to your painting and some other related minor upgade trades.

Get a few of your small time but good quality buddies with non-competing trades, together and invite all the neighbors to your back yard for a combo bar-b-que and informational seminar about potential design ideas and upgrade options.

Invite all your neighbors and tell them to bring a friend who could use the suggested ideas as well.

Free referrals. Instant "expert" credentials. Less ice cream street time. It sounds like a winning situation to be in.

I might consider doing the same thing at my home, except for the 12-Pack estimate portion.

Ed

 

thanks ed, but my goal is to get out of my hood, i hate to ruin your guys dreams but im not in an upscale neighborhood with hot single moms runnin around all over the place!i wish!!!!!!!! my back yard is practically the soccor feild of the middle school that i went to 9yrs ago!!!! house's here go for 100k-150k, middle class income.ed thats a good idea, but i dont want to live in my work! this may kill some of you guys, i actually skipped my hood picnic last year, cause i knew that every word spoken to me would be about painting.i dont go every single year anymore anyway, but when im in my hood i like to relax, and forget about work!

ed, you seem to have too much ambition for your own good, from what i read in your post's.or you just overloading one area with it. i mean too much of anything, good or bad is a bad thing ya know!dont you do well enough with roofs as it is, theres plenty enough roofing/roofing sales to be done in a lifetime, it seems like your pullin your hair out over your roofin biz, when to me it sounds like your doin just fine!
the SCA idea like purty said, no HO is going to want to listen to that(overkill), i didnt even want to read it.i think the best thing to do to help your sales is to not focus on it soo much!!!! with your vocabulary,proper grammar, and lengthy post i bet you could write some good books or somethin(not about roofing)? or better yet go do a 12 pack estimate, f the roof, then f the HO (lol)! im sure im gettin a lil personal but try somethin new man, its seems like you already have roofing conquered(maxed out)

someone stated something on here somewhere,that i'll remember for the rest of my life. "no one goes to their grave regretting that they didnt work enough!"

p.s. ed expanding advertising, and Pwashing,window cleaning, sandblasting are in the cross hairs, just gotta wait for this damn snow to stop, so i can generate some more $$$$$ for it!

 

Farrel,

Use your vision to see what potential could be created by following through with the afor-mentioned suggestion.

The purpose of the backyard bar-b-que idea would be to limit the street talk, which you stated occurs every single time you drive down your street.

You could kindly suggest to anyone who still tries to steal your personal drive time and conversation time, that all questions, suggestions and gigalo rates could be brought up at your back yard home show.

By including some related, yet non-competing acquantences to attend, their would be less pressure on any one single contractor to make some sort of presentation. Their may even be a $$ % consideration from your co-contractors who participate. These non-competing contractors could enable an affiliated support group from amongst your brethren. The remodeling ideas and solution to their problems format would encourage the audience to ask specific questions and set up appointments.

The suggestion for them, or make that a requirement of each of them, to bring along at least one or two friends who are considering an upgrade or interior decorating change, would be to promote yourself out of your block and out of the immediate neighborhood.

You have willing and supportive clients. Use them for referrals and testimonials.

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, unless you do not make any or enough of a profit from the local neihborhood jobs. If you don't, then that is another isuue you must deal with. Don't discount, or at least not substantially, any work you provide on an individual basis. But, for those who sign up for consultation appointments due to your potential backyard homeshow, offer them a savings for an immediate closing upon presentation delivery.

My personal ambition is on an intentional stagnation for personal reasons due to a consideration for family values I do not intend on giving up for another 1/2 year to 1 1/2 years from now. I am a stay at home dad up until 11:00-12:00 in the morning every day. My foreman is being promoted to project manager this year and will handle job quality control and customer satisfaction issues.

I am grateful to spend the 1st 4 hours of each "work-day" with my four year old and also spend time in the evenings and weekends with him and my wife as well.

Your admiration of the following quote;

Farrel;
"someone stated something on here somewhere,that i'll remember for the rest of my life. "no one goes to their grave regretting that they didnt work enough!", although surely echoed by others, was recently posted by me on another thread, BTW. I actually stated that; "no one goes to the grave wishing they could have spent more time at work", to be more accurate.

So far, after only a handful of "SCA" style conversations, the results seem very optimistic for the intention of that envisionment.

The written "Script" I posted actually reads much, much longer than a verbalization of the intent and the benefits conveyed to the homeowner, if a person is commited to establishing themselves more as THE consultant or advisor they would like to learn from. It has not come off as pushy or invasive to the HO's I discussed the precept with. As with any potential workable concept, there will be refinements made on a continual basis.

I think that many concepts wind up being let go of way too soon, usually before thay had the opportunity to mature and bloom to be fully appreciated. What you previously read about my SCA, where my first "off the top of my head" commentary made specifically addressing that proposed conditioning of the prospects expectations and desired results.

Ed

 

ed, sorry i botched your quote, i will definitely remember it forever, thanks. backyard home show may be a great idea for some, but most of my neighbors would be drunk half way through!lol, it just wouldnt fly in my hood!they dont stop me necessarily to ask for work all of the time, most of them are just always outside doing nothing,and since im kinda a new person thats around alot, they figure they can pass some time by, by bs'in with me. my street is about a mile long, and the people at the top (im at the bottom) ive never really known, most of them moved in when i was doin my high school thing!i didnt exactly have any intrest with these people then, nor did they with me.now that my truck has my phone # on it, its like they wont leave me alone!im thankful, but its almost like their hiring my just so im around their house all day so that they have some company, i do for the check, but its annoying, and not leaving your street for weeks at a time, months actually, its just eeewwwww!!

callin it, in 1-2yrs?? thats awesome, kids are a blast, i have 2 nieces, cant ask for much more than havin those lil rugrats to play with!

possible chance of being an author/grandpa someday? have a good one Ed!

 

At the same time I know I did fairly well with older couples who seemed to want to give the young whipper snapper a chance and perhaps hired me because I was young. Or perhas it was because I would sit for hours and hours listening to them tell stories about their kids and show me pictures of their grand kids.

That's amazing Grumpy, and you too Farrell! I don't think I believe it!

I started young and I thought i was unable to capture a job because of my age. What i thought wasn't what they most likely thought. Age has very little to do with it. It is CONFIDENCE and THE ESTIMATE. Confidence in the way you present yourself and how you come across to them ( by spending hours with them and looking at photos of their grand kids etc is over doing it i think ). The Estimate, you have to proove to them that they are getting the value for their money. This i think is the most important!

Now I look in the mirror and see quite a few greys, does this help me? Maybe....but it's the above two points that help win/sell that job.

 

booga, some prospects dont even care about the painting, its just a relatively cheap way to have some company for a while. now that i have an eye for it these people will be paying for both! or im not doin it! i just dont have the heart to tell some lonely person to leave me alone while i work or tell them that i cant waste my time talking to them for 3 hrs/day!and i know thats 75% of the reason im their!one thing i know for sure is, when i move the letters are comin off my truck and no one on my street will know that i paint! ive devloped this really unhealthy habit of slowing down when driving by the houses ive done on my street, to make sure everythings cool, like somethings gonna change overnight???? i really cant drive by w/o lookin for some reason, im proud of my work, but it drives me nuts!i did my neighbors house and i look at the thing EVERY DAMN DAY! i cant stop?

any others painters go through this?

p.s. i agree age doesnt play a big roll in it at all, bein young helps sometimes !

 

dwbrooks - use your age to your advantage...

I started selling in-home when I was 23. At first I felt the same way... but I learned to use it to help me close sales.

A simple tie-down....

"I like work customers in your age range. Most young people nowadays have a hard time making decisions. Luckily, your generation knows what they want and when they want it, isn't that right?"

Seemed to help me out.