[diginahole]

Well, that’s what we hope for, the dream sale. No “selling”, just a responsive, confident customer, the right product and an inevitable sale. More often than not “selling” isn’t this easy. Trying to convince someone to do something they may or may not want to do is work, hard work, and its not always successful. So how do we get from “selling” to the dream sale?

I suggest it is time to stop “selling”. Selling is about the seller. It focuses on you and what you need. If you are focused on what you need to do to make the next sale, you won’t be focused on the customer and what it is they need to make a purchase decision. So let’s think about our customers, what do they need? What systems can we use to determine what they need?

I’m talking here about customers that have already called us because they are interested in what we have already promised them in our marketing and advertising. These people have already begun along the path of the purchase decision chain. They have come to us with a provisional decision to buy our product because they believe it may fill their emotional needs. How do we establish what those needs are? What promise do they perceive we have made?

Well what we need here is a lead conversion process. I’ll start by defining the benchmarks in the process, then lets discuss each one and come up with a system that can be taught and used to provide consistent predictable results…. every time.

Benchmarks

1. Pre-qualify lead
2. Engage with your prospective customer
3. Repeat the emotional message
4. Determine the customer’s needs
5. Provide a solution
6. Offer the product

So let’s start with Pre-qualifying. The product of this process will be an immideate appointment or lead to be contacted at a later date or a dead lead. What questions should we ask to decide if a lead becomes a prospective client and gets an in-home consultation? What are the criteria to identify if a lead is qualified to buy?

[Stonehenge]

This is a great starting point, because I think it's the area where I need the most help. Because of that, I won't be able to offer much for step one, but I hope other do. (I'll definately jump into the other areas, as I feel I do pretty well in those.)

The thing I have the most trouble with is getting over the concern I have over sitting in judgement of a potential client. That's kind of what it's felt like when I've really tried to qualify a lead - I get the sense that they feel like they have to prove their worth to me, which I sonn afterward sense is a big putoff for them.

I need to find a way to ask the project scope and budget questions without sounding like I'm waiting to turn my nose up at them. My solution thus far has been to engage them in conversation and try to work it out of them slowly that way. That method has seen some success, but I'm sure it could be better.

[Nebraska]

I agree that it's a fine line in pre-qualifying where you can easily begin to sound offensive or arrogant...or at least be perceived that way.

How about some ideas to come across as humble yet still able to get the information necessary?

[Nebraska]

Obviously if we are familiar with the area the address will tell a lot.?

[Stonehenge]

This is true. If it's a ritzy neighborhood, you may be able to presume a little.

And in my engaging the customer in conversation, I try to get as descriptive an idea from them as I possibly can of the project scope.

From there I can sometimes give them a ballpark estimate right on the phone, which I used to hate to do, but now I find valuable in qualifying leads. If I say "...something like that will probably cost in the neighborhood of $10,000. Does that sound like about what you'd expect for a price?", I listen to the response, and my next words are contingent on that answer.

Once I recognize a bad lead though, I'm usually pretty good about ending things quickly and on good terms. It's just breaching the budget question that's hard......

[diginahole]

OK so we would like to know where the project is, is it in my area? We want to know if they what they want and have an idea of what it will cost. Why? Anything else we should know before setting an appointment?

[Nebraska]

How did you hear about us? I think that will tell some good implied information...i.e. yellow pages would lead to stronger qualifications...????

[diginahole]

That's a great one. It can tell us a couple of things. One is which adertising media is working. We should be tracking this info as it comes to us. If you can't measure it, you can't manage it! Also, it gives a hint of how well they know us. I think it might also be wise to ask, "Why did you choose to call us?" this is a good time to know some good reasons to maybe help them along. answers like "I heard you were cheap" could trigger a response like "It's true we provide tremendous value for every dollar you spend with us, in fact we have made that promise to every customer we have served before you and continue to see that as our guiding mission."

Back to the budget question for a minute, how's this sound "Are you familiar with the pricing of landscaping? Do you have a fixed budget, or do you just know what you want and are ready to pay whatever it costs." Not many (any) will answer with the latter kinda forcing an early commitment to a budget range. 1500-3000
8-10000, 20-30000 as long as it is somewhat feesable for what they have descibed so far, it can be counted as positive.

OR

What if rather than dollar figures, we used a comparason to another product? A pond will run about the same as a hot tub for example, but the pond is packed with far more value than a hot tub. A back yard patio could be compared to a ???? A front entrance to ????? The idea here being to show added value by spending similar money on what we are offering and warding off sticker shock before it gets a chance to set in.

What else?

[Stonehenge]

Good thoughts - I like the idea of asking why they chose to call us, if they gave the answer you described , I'd begin thinking of how I can end the conversation...

[diginahole]

Why? you don't know what they think cheap is do you! Cheap is in the eye of the beholder.

[diginahole]

So a qualified lead will have the desire, the need and the budget for the service/product we provide. They will know what sets our companies apart from the compitition and the benefit of doing business with us. How about the authority to make the purchase? I think it is important to have all decision makers present at the meetings. It eliminates the "I'll talk it over with my wife" objection. How should we go about ensuring both the spouses and the mother-in-law (should that apply) be at the meeting?

[Lanelle]

If one spouse seems to be taking the lead, I will ask if the other person has some interest or ideas that need to be considered while we are developing the design/proposal. Usually that gets me a useful answer and then I proceed appropriately. If I feel that one spouse is trying to use that ploy I will offer to help out with the explanations by being present to answer any questions directly so that "you don't get put on the spot about the details or any technical aspects that might arise". Usually they will accept my gracious offer to help them explain it to the absent spouse. Especially since I won't normally leave a drawing behind.

[diginahole]

That's great once we are already in the home, but what is a polite way of finding out how many decision makers there are before we set an appointment? I want to be sure that all will be present for the intial consultation. I have tried "Will Mr. Wannascape be able to join us?". That can be embarassing and uncomfortable when there isn't a Mr. Wannascape.

[Paul]

Ok here are a couple of questions to ask before you come out, .....do you have children?, ........... how many? ............ages?........ do you like to entertain outside?....... who cooks outside (BBQ)? ........... now you can ask if Mr. Wannascape will be home for the meeting........if there is one?
Things I would bring with are some of the new BBQ grills that they have now, Some of those gas grills from DCS and Viking bring out the $$ in a back yard. Plus you have a feeliing for what they might want in a back yard, Children, play area, BBQ, Bar, Ect...... I have always found that toys (for them) are a way to get the men involved in the decision even if you don't sell them on a grand BBQ Grill they will alway have it in their mind! So you can at least get the hardscape sold. Most times men have the finial word on the purse strings.

[Stonehenge]

Here's an increasingly important one - be sure about whether there might be 2 - Mrs. Wannascapes before you ask about a Mr. Wannascape (or vice versa).

To tell the truth, I've never done much to ensure both spouses, partners, whatever are there. They usually are. But there could be simple questions like:

Does this day/time for the appointment fit everyone's schedule?

(I thought of a couple others, but they're all derivatives of the one above, so I deleted them)

As for meeting with the clients at the initial meeting, there's a mindset I have, and an approach I try to take...I think I might save part of this for 'The Cabin' forum (part of the Private Gardens) when I open that area up. But the part I'll share here is, in general I find that when it comes to things aesthetic, the woman is in charge - she usually picked the drapes, the fixtures, the pictures, and everything else that has to do with appearance in the house. Because what we do is in large part aesthetic, I focus on her much more than the man. For the man, so long as I can show that we know what we're doing, we can do what we're describing for this project, can do it on time and on budget, he seems to be happy. His eyes start to glaze when I talk about color wheels, textures, warmth of colors, etc. That's also the time that the woman's eyes light up.

Not coincidentally, a few minutes later the man usually finds something important in another part of the house that he must tend to.

Asking the questions Paul mentions are great - getting them to start thinking about and picturing what is really going to go into their yard and how they'll use it is important.