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 tough economy has led many contractors to hunker down, conserving resources and cutting expenses. Other contractors are taking the opposite approach, investing in their companies and expanding operations to include additional profit centers. While there are different ways an HVAC contractor can go, most look to plumbing or electrical as natural extensions.
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.
Let this year be the year you shift your message to fit your true buyers. Attract with emotions, convert with helpful authority, and retain with friendly efficiency. Do this and you’ll have enough new business to make this your best year ever.
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.
Mistakes are powerful lesson builders. And nowhere is this more evident than in e-mail marketing. E-mail marketing inherently brings mistakes. That’s because it’s free and everyone who can push “send” can use it. Usually, the more difficult or expensive your marketing media is, the greater the research and testing you put behind it.
It’s another year and it will soon be time again for more of the
hustle and bustle of contractor shows. It’s time to shake hands, meet new
business prospects and - most importantly - sell, sell, sell. If you’re a contractor who plans on going to a local
or regional home and garden show in order to round up some new business, be
sure to take maximum advantage of your time at the show.
One of the most interesting and talked about topics in the HVAC trade is technician selling. The question is: Should an HVAC technician be trained to sell HVAC equipment and supplies? That question has sparked debate among the trade for many years. The result is that there is no definitive right or wrong answer to the question.
