Monday, September 3, 2012

NOTHING HAPPENS UNTIL SOMEBODY SELLS SOMETHING

I don't remember who told me or where I read the title to this session but it is very true. You can have the nicest office, the greatest equipment, a trained technical staff, but until you have a customer you don't have a company. Don't ever forget that.

That is a major reason why good salespeople are highly compensated and they should be. The key, of course, if finding good sales people and keeping them. Many people try to convince you they are good sales people but many times all they have sold is you (or me) on hiring them.

After making many wrong hiring decisions on sales people, I established a policy that no sales person would be hired in our company without a thorough personality profile test. There are several good companies that produce them and they are well worth the money.

I can recount many times where someone in our company was totally convinced that they had found "the person" to bring on more business than we knew what to do with. I would be told, "we don't need to test this person. They are solid and really professional and we may scare them off by wanting to test them. It will be an insult to a real professional". My response? If they are a real professional they will welcome the opportunity to take a personality profile to prove their professionalism to us. We eliminated countless sales people "wannabes" by using this method of screening and it sure cost a lot less dollars in the long run.

By now I hope you are aware that the first book I published was entitled "SELLING CONTRACT CLEANING SERVICES 101". Even if you are not aware of that, it still was the first book I published. If you haven't yet read it let me suggest you purchase a copy and use it as a blueprint for growing your sales profitably.

What follows is an idea from that book that can help you grow successfully. It is not in the detail explored in the book but it still will help you with some ideas on growing. I believe strongly that a systematic process is essential to your success. So here goes.

Determine what it is that you do best and then go after those accounts that fit your strategy. For instance, if you are best equipped to do 5 time weekly accounts between 6 and 10 at night using part time people, determine what types of accounts fall into that category in your market area. If you attempt to be everything to everybody all of the time, soon you will be nobody to everybody all of the time.

Once you have made the decision on what types of accounts are best for you, a data base needs to be created so you can begin contacting these prospects.

So, let me outline just one of the successful methods I used for contacting those prospects and still use today with the clients I work with as a consultant.


WEEKLY TARGETED MAILINGS


I consider this an extremely effective way to reach your target audience. It certainly is a good one for those contractors on a limited budget. It actually is a combination direct mail, telemarketing approach without all the negative baggage that can be associated with either one of them.

In short, this is a program of sending a designated number, usually 25-30 or so, information packets to your prospects each Friday and then calling them Wednesday or Thursday of the next week to ask for a 20 minute appointment to review the information in person with them.

My company used this system very successfully for many years. Today we are assisting several other companies who want to create a substantial growth in their sales and profitability. I talk about this being a great system for growth if you are on a limited budget but it is a great system for marketing your services no matter what your budget may be.

In the packet you want to include information that you have determined sets you apart from your competition. Do you have specific systems or processes that are unique to the industry in the markets you serve? If so, highlight them. If you are a new or emerging company, highlight the fact that you can give personal service unlike anything they have ever seen.

Include pictures of the key staff members and maybe their years of service. Maybe even highlight the individual(s) that would be responsible for their account. If you are the key staff member, say so. Emphasize the personal service ownership can provide. This was my key selling point for years. You will also want to include a brief outline of the additional services you offer. This is just another way to possibly catch the prospects eye in the event that janitorial service is not what they are interested in at the present time.

I recommend you develop a file type presentation folder and place the information in the folder with a cut on it just like a regular file folder only this cut will have the name of your company on it. I suggest this because a standard response from most prospects is, "I will put your information in the file with the rest of the information I have on contract cleaners". Well, if you provide the file for them, then when they decide to reach for the information, your folder will be the one they reach for.

Some other key points for your assistance if you decide to follow this path to sales success:


*****Put the mailing in a 9 by 12 envelope. Your chances are much greater it will get to the recipient than with a regular letter sent in a regular envelope. By the way, NEVER send an envelope to "buyer" or "owner". Always have a name so it truly does get to the right person.

*****Be consistent in your mailing. Mail them EVERY WEEK.

*****Do not fail to call the following Wednesday or Thursday no matter what "fires" need to be put out at the time.

*****When asking for the 20 minute appointment to discuss your services, when you get to the appointment, take off your watch and lay it on the table or desk and remind the prospect you asked for 20 minutes and you will not stay past your allotted time unless they request you to stay. I only had one person in all the years I did they process tell me my time was up.

***** Ask for the opportunity to present a proposal (not bid).

*****BE ON TIME

This is a very effective way to secure new customers and I recommend you consider it seriously as you move forward. Remember, NOTHING HAPPENS UNTIL SOMEONE SELLS SOMETHING.

Next Monday, September 10, we will be starting our daily pod casts leading up to the BSCAI/ISSA convention and trade show. Our first very special guest will be Chris Mundschenk, Executive Vice President of BSCAI. This is a great interview and you won't want to miss it. Join us at www.tripodcast.com and by subscribing to the free pod cast you can get 30% off on your convention registration just by entering the code SMD30 in the promo code box when you register at www.bscai.org.

Till next time.





No comments: