By Chris Keenan on January 12, 2017
Pest control would seem like an easy market to complete a sale in. Someone has pests and needs them removed immediately, so why wouldn’t that be an easy closing sale?
Well, like everything else, people want to shop around even if the situation is dire. They can spare an extra ten or twenty minutes to save a few dollars or find a company they feel comfortable working with and that is reputable in getting rid of pests.
While you cannot always control the customer?s route to finding the perfect pest control company for their situation, you can definitely do what you can to make sure you are their last and final stop on their search.
Below are ways to close a sale as a pest control company without scaring away a customer or losing them to another company.
No matter how busy your company may be, it is important to either answer the call yourself or employ someone to be there to answer all leads. A missed call could be a missed opportunity for a one-time customer, or you may have just lost a potential repeat customer with a major ROI.
If you do happen to miss a call every so often, promptly reply when you are back in the office. Also, always make sure to announce your absence for holidays on your answering machine.
Before giving away your best deals, why they should choose you as a company, or what your track record is with pest elimination, it is best to hear them out first. No customer wants to be cut off to hear your sales pitch because then the conversation is more about sealing the deal on the lead than it is about the customer?s situation and how you can help.
It is also said that customers make their decision within the first thirty seconds of their interaction, so it is best practice to make them feel accommodated.
A step beyond the last statement, but giving away a price to early can be a nail in the coffin. Let the customer tell you their situation, get to know them and then after you feel that they are interested, slowly deliver the pricing the least bit sales-y as possible. Most times, if you have been attentive, informative and kind, a customer will stick with you even if your price could be a little higher than a competitors price.
For best practices on your end, continue to research competitions pricing to see how you can match or do better with your pricing so you are ready to give a price point with confidence when the time is appropriate during the call.
The best thing you can do is follow up with a customer if you did not get the sale the first time. Maybe they honestly needed to think everything over if they had called multiple companies. Your pest control company being the first to call can even make you stand out and show that you are concerned with their situation and wanting to help. Call within 24 hours of your first interaction as they may not have made a decision by then.
It is best if they are still open to using your company to make sure to use phrases such as “When would you want us to come over?” to hopefully close the deal at this point–without putting too much pressure on the customer or being too “pushy.”
What type of ways does your pest control company ensure to capture a customer’s attention and close the deal?
Chris Keenan WeGetLeads.com
Chris Keenan is President of WeGetLeads.com, a search marketing and lead generation provider. He has over 10 years experience marketing and consulting for local businesses.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wegetleads/