Selling is - and has always been - a relationship. Yet in a hot economy, when cash is flowing, improvements are incentivized, and home values warranted re-investment, selling was order taking. We got lazy. True sales skills eroded. Case in point, follow up has become nearly nonexistent.
The bottom line is that if there is no sale made or no money coming in, there is no company. One thing that seems to elude contractors at times is their ability to ask for the order. In other words, “close the sale.” Years ago I learned to plan your close in advance and build your sales presentation around it.
The 43rd Annual ACCA Conference and Indoor Air Expo of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) attracted a record number of people to the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center in San Antonio. Attendees were considerably upbeat about the recovery from the recent recession, which had redefined the way organizations have approached business in the last two years.
During the winter months, Dan Hagenhoff, regional manager for Goodman Sales and Distribution, typically hosts numerous dealer meetings. This year got off to a bang as regional staff and personnel from the Goodman Global Group corporate offices were on hand to introduce new Goodman and Amana brand products, sales support programs, and to meet, greet, retain, and recruit HVAC dealers.
The Road to Success Lennox dealer meetings are part business seminar and part pep rally by design, said Jay Gidick, vice president of merchandising and national accounts. “We’re trying to make these meetings entertaining for dealers, and we think it’s working.”
While service marketers are paddling diligently to stay ahead of the changes in online marketing, a new wave is about to come crashing in. Those who see it coming and act on it quickly will ride it to the top and leave the competition in their wake.
Service Experts announced that it is helping consumers save energy by offering a new program, allowing them to upgrade old, inefficient heating and air conditioning systems for as low as $99 per month. With this program, homeowners can purchase a new Lennox® high-efficiency system to replace their older HVAC equipment.
The last article in this series discussed different survey options that you might employ to collect results. While it’s important that you choose one, it’s also important that you realize each possesses pros and cons. If you have your technicians distribute surveys, some techs may attempt to lobby homeowners for better scores.
It only takes a visionary imagination and an inexpensive hand-held video camera to become a YouTube sensation. While videos on YouTube can become overnight hits with good marketing and originality, some businesses are choosing to market themselves by posting videos both on YouTube and on their own websites.
There are five great reasons to advertise: 1) To reach new customers; 2) To keep your name before current customers; 3) Because it pays over the long term; 4) To generate traffic; and 5) To increase sales and profits. A great way to maximize sales and profits is to complement your advertising with referral marketing.