The Sales Process Tool Kit

You cannot leave the sales step to chance or circumstance. To succeed with sales, you need a process that allows you to control the client experience, provides for a clear understanding of what the client wants, and should include tools for making a clear offer to the prospect. A good sales process sets you apart from other contractors and gives you a competitive advantage because it helps your clients be informed and educated about their project. In addition, it helps them feel more confident about having chosen you because they feel they were heard and understood – ultimately, this deepens clients’ trust in you.

This Sales Process Tool is provided to assist you in managing the sales processes. It is a PROVEN strategy for increasing your close rate. My clients who follow this strategy have reported a dramatic increase in sales.

Following these steps will help you do two important things.

• First – it will let you drive the sales process. The more you are the one driving the process, the more control you will have over the outcome. Please note – I’m not suggesting you ignore the prospects requests, or be inflexible. I am suggesting that when you have a process to make sure you have the basics covered and to allow for more flexibility in how you solve solving the prospects problem.
• Second – it will give prospects more confidence in you. Having a process you manage lets them know you are a professional, and you have a plan for helping them solve their needs. You are not just “showing up and winging it!” The more confidence you can give prospects, the more they will trust you. The more they trust you, the more they will want to do business with you.

The process is comprised of the following three steps, each of which is important for your success:

1. Phone call – 15 to 20 minutes

• Set a time and be prepared for the call. I suggest having a client intake form that will allow you to get some basic questions asked about what their needs are.
• Find out what is not working and what the client would like.

2. In person meeting / inspection – 45 minutes

• Identify scope of project by physical inspection.
• Confirm what is not working, and illuminate other issues / problems.
• Confirm what the client would like, and get more details.
• Ask client other questions about what is important to them.
• Educate the client about how the process works and what their options are.

3. Submit proposal – presented within 5 working days

• Go over what the issue is, and what the appropriate solution is.
• Review with client what they said they wanted.
• Review proposed solution and scope of project.
• Provide client with written estimate for this solution, and/or brainstorm alternative solutions that may work better with their budget.

Let’s look at each step more closely…

Initial Phone Meeting

 When prospects call, let them know you have a process and ask if you can set up a time to talk. This initial call will take about 15 minutes, and it gives you a chance to get more information before you meet with them. However, if you and they have time, do the initial phone meeting when they first call. 

1. Briefly explain the three steps of your process, as outlined above.
2. Have your form ready so you can fill in the answers to your questions. NOTE: These are suggested questions, and you may want to change them or add to them.
   • Contact details
   • Who referred them?
   • What is the reason for their call—what is not working now)?
   • What is the age of the home or whatever they are calling about?
   • How long have you lived there?
   • Have you ever done a remodel (or whatever they are calling about)?
   • What are you looking for in terms of a solution to your current issue or problem?
   • Do you have any actual pictures or mental pictures of what you want it to look like specifically?
   • Are you having any additional work done to your home at the same time?
   • When are you looking to have the work done?
   • Is there anything I have not asked you so far that you think I should know about?
3. Tell them a bit about your company including its history, how you generally work with people, etc.
4. Ask if they have any additional questions before you set the meeting to come out and inspect the home or property.
5. Set a meeting for the walk-through, letting them know you would like to have the spouse present, if appropriate. Explain that, based on your experience, it usually makes it easier for people to get all their questions answered and get everyone’s concerns addressed when both partners are present for the walk-through.

Walkthrough Meeting

 In the walkthrough meeting, you want to identify what is currently not working in the physical space and what they would like. Go over what they told you by phone and find out if there is more information you need. Establish expectations and expand on what you found out in the phone meeting. The goal is for you and them to gain clarity about these things, so you can provide the best possible solutions. Remember, questions are good, so encourage them to ask!

1. Tell them what to expect in this meeting:
   • You go over with them what they said the issues are and what they would like.
   • You will do a walk-through and inspect what work they want done with them.
   • You will then sit down with them and ask more questions.
2. Go over what they said are the issues and what they want, and ask if there is anything you have missed or that they want to add.
3. Use a checklist and write down what you find as you do the walk-through/inspection.
4. Sit down with the client and go over what you found, explain what you see is the scope of the project, and what would be needed to do the repairs to their desired result. At this point, you are reiterating those desired results.
5. Ask any additional questions you have:
   • Have you ever done a remodel before (or whatever the scope of work is that you are providing)?
     i. If so, can you tell me a bit about it?
     ii. How long ago did you have this done?
     iii. Who was the contractor? Have you asked them to bid this project?
     iv. What did and didn’t work well?
   • What is your biggest concern about doing this project?
   • What would you like us to know that is important to you in doing this project?
   • Is there a price range you want to stay within? Address the fact they may be skeptical of this question, and you can understand why. Say something like this, “Remodel options can vary greatly, and we want to stay within your budget. If you’re not sure, that’s okay; it’s always good for us to ask.”
   • Does anyone in your home have any special health needs we should be aware of?
   • Is there anything in particular you want us to be aware of when bidding your project and /or when doing the work?
   • Is there anything else that you feel is important for us to know?
   • Give them a packet of information that tells them about your company and who you are. Make sure you include testimonials from happy clients AND description of how you work – your process. If you don’t have a document like this, create it. One page is fine, just have something in writing.
   • Set up the next meeting time and when both people can be there.

Proposal Presentation Meeting

In the proposal presentation meeting, you want to let them know you heard their concerns and desired outcomes. Your goal is to show you understand what those are and can provide a solution that addresses them and moves them from where they are to where they want to be.

 Tell them what the process will be for this meeting:

• Go over what you heard are the key issues and what they said they wanted.
• Go over the scope of the project and what is entailed in fixing it.
• Review your proposal, let them know what options they have and answer any questions.

1. Review what you understand their issue/problem to be, including anything you discovered in the course of asking questions and doing your walk-through/inspection.
2. Go over the scope of the project and what will be involved in doing the fixing or replacing.
   Educate the client at this point about how the process works and what is involved.
3. Review the proposal and what their options are for the replacement/repair.
   Have samples, if appropriate, and, again, educate them on this process.
4. Ask them if they would like to proceed and have a contract ready for them to sign.
   If they want time to think about it, leave the proposal and ask if you can call them tomorrow to follow up? If that won’t work, ask for a good time to follow up. When you get permission, this takes off the pressure off your feeling like you are chasing after them. Moreover, it is good customer service follow through.