How well you identify what your customers want will ultimately determine your success as a salesman. You may think that sales is a dirty word, but the fact is, without sales your business won’t survive, much less thrive.
You may have heard the saying that a customer who buys a drill from you isn’t actually buying a drill, they’re buying a hole. They don’t need a drill, they need what a drill provides, which, of course, is a hole. This is equally true for your business regardless of what you believe you are selling. And when it comes to effective and successful lead conversion recognizing this distinction can make all the difference in the world.
In the context of a painting contractor, customers can be buying a lot of different things. They might be buying an exciting new décor, or protection for their home, or maintenance services. In other words, customers buy paint jobs for different reasons.
As a salesman—and we are all salesmen—we must identify what it is that the customer is buying. If we make assumptions and try to fit all customers into the same box, we can find ourselves attempting to sell the wrong thing. You might be trying to sell a plug, when the customer really wants a hole.
The primary cause for this mistake is poor communications. This can occur in either direction. Many times the customer is uncertain as to what she wants or what her options are, but more often the fault lies with the contractor. Too often the contractor spends more time talking than listening, more time telling the customer what he can do than trying to identify what the customer wants or needs.
No two customers (or jobs) are exactly the same. A myriad of factors are at play, and our job as a salesman is to sift through the information to find what really matters. Not only does this help us provide the customer with the job he really desires, it also differentiates us from competitors.
I have said many times that sales is primarily an educational process, and that education is a two-way street. First we must educate ourselves regarding the customer. Then we must educate the customer regarding our solution to their problem.
Learning about the customer is sometimes an easy task. The customer is outgoing and volunteers information. Other times it can be like pulling teeth from a German Shepherd—a nasty altercation that can leave us with cuts and bruises. But if we have a process in place, we can often turn that snarling beast into a lovable little puppy.
Most people like to talk about themselves. Our process should encourage this. Ask questions, and listen to the answers. Engage the customer and let him talk. Then, and only then, can we find out if they want a plug or a hole.
If you spend much time on any contractor discussion board, you will quickly come across someone asking how to handle a customer who won’t respond to emails or phone calls. “Should I just blow them off?” the poster typically asks. Often the poster concludes that the customer is a “tire kicker”.
I must admit that I find such an attitude rather puzzling. I think that there are two problems with it.
First, the fact the customer does not respond to a phone call or email doesn’t tell us much. There are myriad reasons this could happen, and to jump to conclusions is both fallacious and potentially harmful. The customer could be out of town or has more pressing issues at the moment. As an example, in late June I met with a customer and submitted an estimate. We did follow up phone calls throughout July, but the customer never responded. In late August he contacted us, ready to move forward with the project—he had been busy with a family emergency and then getting his daughter to college. Our repeated phone calls let him know that we wanted his business, and when he was ready to move ahead with the project, we got the call. Had we concluded that he was a “tire kicker” because he didn’t respond to the first phone call might have resulted in a much different outcome.
The second problem I have with this is that it sounds as if the contractor has very few estimates in the pipeline. If a contractor is fretting over one particular estimate, it doesn’t sound like he has much else going on. Certainly there may be particular jobs that we desire more than others, but if we have enough leads, this issue simply does not exist.
Of course, to have enough leads, we must be marketing consistently. Generating a steady stream of leads makes many aspect of running a contracting business much easier and less stressful. No particular customer or job becomes overly important. While we need jobs, we don’t need any one particular job.
However, when we don’t have enough leads, each one takes on added importance. Each job becomes more precious. And with that can come all types of bad decisions, from cutting prices to taking on work that we shouldn’t. We can easily start doing things that make no business sense, and then try to justify our actions because we need work. Or we can spend time worrying about why a customer won’t return our phone calls. The fact is, if you have a lot of leads you will be spending your time looking at jobs instead of wondering why one person isn’t calling you back.
Our business is an integrated whole. We might be the best craftsman in the world, but if we fall short in other areas, the success of our business is threatened. And it all starts with leads.
I frequently see contractors ask how to deal with a particular situation regarding a job. Typically, the question involves a product choice, preparation methods, or something similar. These are legitimate questions, and seeking the input of other professional painters is a good approach. However, these questions are often asked just prior to starting the job. In other words, the contractor has bid the job and is now attempting to address specific issues regarding the job.
This is the wrong time to be addressing these issues. How could he possibly bid the job accurately if he is uncertain what product to use or what prep to perform? In short, he can’t.
An estimate is the total of labor and material costs to perform the job. If the contractor does not know either, his price is not going to be accurate. This type of estimating is extremely risky, and those risks extend far beyond the potential financial issues.
For example, what if the customer prefers a particular product? What if the customer expects certain preparation? In other words, what if the customer’s expectations are different from those of the contractor? When such issues are not addressed prior to the start of the job—and in writing—there is a good chance that the customer’s expectations will not be met.
Unrealized expectations are one of the primary causes of disputes between customers and contractors. The contractor must identify the customer’s expectations prior to submitting an estimate. Doing so allows him to: 1. Establish reasonable expectations if the customer is being unreasonable; 2. Estimate the job accordingly.
Customers do not purchase professional painting services every day. Their expectations may be based on something they have read, the advice of a friend, and simply fantasizing. Those expectations may be reasonable, or they may be completely insane. But we don’t know until we discuss this with the customer. If the customer’s expectations are unreasonable, we can educate the customer as to why. If our attempts at educating the customer are not successful, we can avoid future problems by not submitting an estimate.
2. If the customer’s expectations are reasonable, but perhaps involve more work, we can bid accordingly. Suppose the customer wants all of the paint removed from her doors. While not necessary, it can be accomplished. You will want to include this in your price.
It is generally quite easy to determine the customer’s expectations. All you need to do is ask. I often ask the customer what kind of quality he is looking for. I explain the options and let him choose. Sometimes I will give him separate prices for these options. In either case, I am careful to specifically state what is and is not included in the estimate.
I doubt you would buy a new truck without identifying what is included. You shouldn’t sell a paint job without doing the same.
I was recently visiting with a customer and while discussing the issues involved in a painting project, he commented that a lot of things can go wrong. And, he added, “I am aware that there are a lot of people out their impersonating a painter.” I didn’t correct him, but I would put it differently: “There are a lot of painting contractors impersonating a businessman.”
As I have said many times, there is much more to owning a paint contracting business than painting. You must be able to estimate accurately, know how to price the job profitably, manage production, juggle the myriad tasks that demand your attention, manage cash flow, and much, much more. These requirements have little to do with actually putting paint on the wall. And yet, the success of your business demands that you perform these tasks with some level of competency.
As Michael Gerber points out in the E-Myth, many business owners get started because they are gripped by “entrepreneurial seizure”. They decide that they can run a better business than their boss, or they get tired of taking orders, or they believe that the path to riches lies in owning their own company. So they declare that they are going into business.
Just as a skilled craftsman requires certain skills and knowledge, so a successful business owner requires certain skills and knowledge. To pretend otherwise is not only naive, but a sure invitation for failure.
Over the years, I have worked with or observed hundreds of contractors. While the details vary, these contractors can be placed into two categories: businessmen and those who are impersonating a businessman. Invariably, the former focuses his efforts on marketing, sales, and finance, while the latter focuses on the technical aspects of his trade.
There is nothing inherently wrong with impersonating a businessman, so long as one is honest about it. And if impersonations aren’t your thing, then take the steps necessary to change your status.
Placing one’s name on the side of a van no more makes one a businessman than sitting in a hen house makes one a chicken.
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