Homeowners are taking twice or three times as long to commit to (or decide against) projects. How can remodelers help prospects sign more quickly, with confidence that they’re doing the right thing?
“Their heart wants to do it, but their head is holding them back,” says Dave Mattson, CEO of Sandler Systems, http://www.sandler.com/ a sales training organization with many remodeler clients.
Photo Credit: Kyle T. Webster
In a strong economy, remodeling decisions are usually driven by emotion and quickly waived through by the intellect, assuming the price and the remodeler seem good. The balance has shifted, with intellectual concerns (about finances and the like) preempting any emotional investment.
Smoke ’Em Out
Set clear expectations and “smoke people out,” Mattson says. “You’re not in closing mode” in that first conversation, nor should you be in “hope and pray” mode at any point thereafter. “You’re in set-expectations mode,” he says.
A key Sandler tool is the “up-front contract,” in which you establish and agree upon five goals for the conversation that follows:
1. The purpose of the meeting;
2. Two or three things the prospect wants to learn from you today;
3. Two or three things you want to learn from the prospect;
4. How much time you’ll need today, and the homeowner’s time frame for doing the project.
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