For a variety of reasons "everyone necessary" doesn't always work, nor is it always required to close the deal.
What is an appointment?
An appointment is a specific time and place to meet with everyone necessary to obtain a decision on a problem I can solve.
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For a variety of reasons "everyone necessary" doesn't always work, nor is it always required to close the deal.
an appointment is anytime I need to leave the job site or anywhere else
an appointment is anytime I need to leave the job site or anywhere else
Yes, that's one way of looking at it :thumbsup:
Go to your database and pull up the last 100 proposals you made when one of the decision makes was not there and compare that to the last 100 proposals you made to both decision makers.For a variety of reasons "everyone necessary" doesn't always work, nor is it always required to close the deal.
Now tell us about the difference.
I'm with Mel on this one..although,there are times when only one decision maker is there and i just roll with it.
The Outcome of the appointment
When the appointment is set there should be an agreed to outcome.
A decision must be made at the end of the appointment.
My job is to get a “yes or no” decision. If I walk away with a “We will think it over” that means I have not done my job.
I would rather get a “no” answer than to get a “think it over”.
When the appointment is set there should be an agreed to outcome.
A decision must be made at the end of the appointment.
My job is to get a “yes or no” decision. If I walk away with a “We will think it over” that means I have not done my job.
I would rather get a “no” answer than to get a “think it over”.
If you go on a 1 legger you will almost always get a “think it over”. If you do happen to close the sale - to the husband only - you are likely to get a back out when his wife finds out what he did.For a variety of reasons "everyone necessary" doesn't always work, nor is it always required to close the deal.
GM tried the same Detroit mentality for a while. Fortunately, they adjusted and now supposedly sell more Buicks to China. It is a process of marketing, promoting and selling and not just one-shot peddling.
If it is a large job for a plant, you will have to expect input from facilities, maintenance and productions to get a decision. If it is a roof of a small home in Dearborn, Saginaw or Traverse City, MI, it is much easier.
Selling is a job where you have to get your information to everyone important. If you, as a seller of your product/ability, can expect to to get everyone in the same room at once, you are a dreamer and few people (real customers) will say yes or no unless it is a piddly thing or job. "Closing a sale" immediately is small thinking and the time involved is just "overhead".
If it is a large job for a plant, you will have to expect input from facilities, maintenance and productions to get a decision. If it is a roof of a small home in Dearborn, Saginaw or Traverse City, MI, it is much easier.
Selling is a job where you have to get your information to everyone important. If you, as a seller of your product/ability, can expect to to get everyone in the same room at once, you are a dreamer and few people (real customers) will say yes or no unless it is a piddly thing or job. "Closing a sale" immediately is small thinking and the time involved is just "overhead".
Go to your database and pull up the last 100 proposals you made when one of the decision makes was not there and compare that to the last 100 proposals you made to both decision makers.
Now tell us about the difference.
That is a complete waste of my time.
What works for me is this:
At the appt, I need either spouse to be there to sign my contract & cut me a check. If both can be there fine.
Results may vary. That's not my experience. The last three projects we completed, the husband initiated the call to us, but it was the wife that read and signed the contract as well as cut me checks. None of the husbands were present nor did I care:thumbsup:If you go on a 1 legger you will almost always get a “think it over”. If you do happen to close the sale - to the husband only - you are likely to get a back out when his wife finds out what he did.
I'm with Brickie on this one. It doesn't matter to me whether the husband is there or not - my work is mostly sold to the wife anyway. If the husband is there he always defers to whatever she wants.
Granted, roofing is much different but I don't know that I would need the wife there for that, seems like the husband would be the decision maker there. I don't know that for sure, though, I don't sell roofing.
Nor do I demand a yes or no at the end - I find that ridiculous. I did go back over all my "I'll think it over" bids and ended up closing about 85% of them with the second appointment. That translates to an added 47 jobs over the last year. I would personally rather get an "I'll think about it" than a no.
Why give away work by demanding an answer from someone that owes you nothing? If you feel an extra hour is not worth an extra job 85% of the time so be it. I'll spend the extra hour rather than throw away that much cash.
Granted, roofing is much different but I don't know that I would need the wife there for that, seems like the husband would be the decision maker there. I don't know that for sure, though, I don't sell roofing.
Nor do I demand a yes or no at the end - I find that ridiculous. I did go back over all my "I'll think it over" bids and ended up closing about 85% of them with the second appointment. That translates to an added 47 jobs over the last year. I would personally rather get an "I'll think about it" than a no.
Why give away work by demanding an answer from someone that owes you nothing? If you feel an extra hour is not worth an extra job 85% of the time so be it. I'll spend the extra hour rather than throw away that much cash.
If the wife says OK the husband will usually go along with it.Results may vary. That's not my experience. The last three projects we completed, the husband initiated the call to us, but it was the wife that read and signed the contract as well as cut me checks. None of the husbands were present nor did I care:thumbsup:
When it’s the other way around she will want to know why he didn’t go with the lowest price, which I never have, and he won’t be able to sell her on the difference. I have only had a few back outs and every time that was the case.
I’ve never had to place a lien on a house but I would lose my lien rights unless both owners have signed the contract.
Most of my jobs are between 8-13,000 and most people are not going to make purchase for that amount unless they are both in on the decision. Plus they have to pick out a color etc.
My close ratio overall is around 55%, on 1 leggers I would have to guess that it is around 5% (actually I can't rememeber the last time it happened). I try to manage my time for profitability so it doesn’t make sense for me to go a one legger if I can avoid it.
If they don’t want to arrange for both of them to meet me it’s an indicator that they are not quite ready to pull the trigger.
Thanks for your input but it looks like we are in different worlds.I'm with Brickie on this one. It doesn't matter to me whether the husband is there or not - my work is mostly sold to the wife anyway. If the husband is there he always defers to whatever she wants.
Granted, roofing is much different but I don't know that I would need the wife there for that, seems like the husband would be the decision maker there. I don't know that for sure, though, I don't sell roofing.
Nor do I demand a yes or no at the end - I find that ridiculous. I did go back over all my "I'll think it over" bids and ended up closing about 85% of them with the second appointment. That translates to an added 47 jobs over the last year. I would personally rather get an "I'll think about it" than a no.
Why give away work by demanding an answer from someone that owes you nothing? If you feel an extra hour is not worth an extra job 85% of the time so be it. I'll spend the extra hour rather than throw away that much cash.
You’re offering to remodel a bathroom for $1249 and I don’t even want to touch a job unless I can make that much in gross profit.
I know it would be a waste of your time. I was just trying to make a point. While it’s probably o the case with you some people don’t have a system for tracking their close ratio.That is a complete waste of my time.
What works for me is this:
At the appt, I need either spouse to be there to sign my contract & cut me a check. If both can be there fine.
When sales people guess at their close ratio they usually guess high.
I prefer to use MarketSharp software for tracking my leads and it enables me to break down my close ration in several ways. I don’t have to guess at it.
I am the owner of the company and the only sales person so I have got to manage my time to the best of my ability.
Do you replace an entire roof in two days? By yourself?mel said:You’re offering to remodel a bathroom for $1249 and I don’t even want to touch a job unless I can make that much in gross profit.
Not here for a pissing match, though. Thanks anyway, sorry for the opposing point of view.:whistling
Your right, two different worlds.
For your info most bathroom remodeling jobs or any other job for that matter usually sell for more than the $8-13K range you state, and have dozens of decisions to be made not just the color of the roof.If the wife says OK the husband will usually go along with it.
When it’s the other way around she will want to know why he didn’t go with the lowest price, which I never have, and he won’t be able to sell her on the difference. I have only had a few back outs and every time that was the case.
I’ve never had to place a lien on a house but I would lose my lien rights unless both owners have signed the contract.
Most of my jobs are between 8-13,000 and most people are not going to make purchase for that amount unless they are both in on the decision. Plus they have to pick out a color etc.
My close ratio overall is around 55%, on 1 leggers I would have to guess that it is around 5% (actually I can't rememeber the last time it happened). I try to manage my time for profitability so it doesn’t make sense for me to go a one legger if I can avoid it.
If they don’t want to arrange for both of them to meet me it’s an indicator that they are not quite ready to pull the trigger.
If you want, the job meet with who ever shows up and if you need both sig's get them later.
Not going to meeting for a contract presentation is not using your time effectively.
If you're only closing 5% on "one leggers" its probably because your attitude is showing through.
I need Mel as my new sales person :notworthy If you feel like moving to Connecticut, let me knowThe Outcome of the appointment
When the appointment is set there should be an agreed to outcome.
A decision must be made at the end of the appointment.
My job is to get a “yes or no” decision. If I walk away with a “We will think it over” that means I have not done my job.
I would rather get a “no” answer than to get a “think it over”.
It doesn’t have anything to do with my attitude. If I go on a 1 leg appointment I would not expect to get an answer because one of the decision makers is absent.For your info most bathroom remodeling jobs or any other job for that matter usually sell for more than the $8-13K range you state, and have dozens of decisions to be made not just the color of the roof.
If you want, the job meet with who ever shows up and if you need both sig's get them later.
Not going to meeting for a contract presentation is not using your time effectively.
If you're only closing 5% on "one leggers" its probably because your attitude is showing through.
I always ask on the phone:”Who besides yourself will be making this decision?”
If they say there is another person involved I am simply using the information that they gave me to conclude that the other person should be there.
It doesn’t make sense to argue in favor of 1 leg appointments because your close ratio will always be lower and therefore your income will be lower than what it could have been.
People buy emotionally, they make decisions intellectually. If a decision maker is absent from the meeting they are not going to be emotionally involved. If you have a low price obviously you won’t be affected by this.
I never have the lowest price and that’s one reason why I want to meet with both of them. Another reason is I’m setting up the meeting so that I can get a decision while I am there.
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