Just about all of us have heard this statement: "There are no dumb questions."
Could we also say: "There are no dumb answers?"
I think we can all give examples where it is shown that a less than stellar answer was given to a specific question.
This mistake is done all the time in sales.
Objection preparation
When presenting your proposal for commercial carpet cleaning, prepare yourself for objections and, just as important, prepare yourself for questions.
To set the record straight, this article assumes that 99 percent of what people call objections are really questions disguised as objections. The very word "objection" has a negative connotation that will cause you to see the customer as combative, almost forcing you to become defensive.
You may actually see it as "grilling," with you trying to meet the customer's wits, leading you into matching the customer blow-by-blow as if in a sword fight.
I think all of us can agree that this climate will not lead to good things.
There's only one true objection: "I don't like you and would never do business with your company." The rest are all questions. If this article accomplishes one thing, it will get you to see that you are answering questions and not objections.
Someone reading this might object and say, "What if I am told 'Your price is too high?' Isn't that an objection?"
The short answer is "no." What the customer is really doing is asking you to justify your price or meet their needs.
Instead of giving the customer a litany of reasons, try asking the question: "Why do you think my price is too high?"
When the responses include "We are getting the same service for less money" or "We do not have the budget for that," you now have something with which to work.
Most of us would compare the service offered by the other company to our own proposal to see if, in fact, it is the same level of service.
For the circumstances surrounding their budget, you could offer to do less service, thus reducing the price and meeting their budget guidelines.
Handling objections
If you can develop a productive conversation with your customer, the end result is you can provide genuine solutions.
Below you'll find an approach which will allow you to become their problem solver and answer their questions.
The following list states the obvious and gives each one of us a process that will help us develop rapport and relationship.
People buy from people they like. Developing rapport is done through time and conversation.
Objection answer flow
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Assume that, during your survey, you have asked several questions and understand the carpet cleaning needs for which you are giving a proposal.
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Also assume you know your local market's competitive pricing and the proper method to clean the carpet.
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When presenting the proposal, both you and your proposal are professional in appearance.
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You briefly explain the proposal and how it fits the customer's needs.
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You ask for the business.
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After asking for the business, wait for the customer to give you any objective questions they may have about the proposal.
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Obtain clarification by asking questions so that you have a clear understanding. You might do thisby simply asking, "Can I ask you a question?" Just about everyone will respond in the affirmative.
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After asking your questions, listen to the responses and then be confident that you have the knowledge and the problem solving ability to come up with a solution.
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Ask for the business again.
We, as carpet cleaners, have a lot of information and are proud of what we do.
We tend to want to tell the world — especially a prospective customer — exactly that. But don't do it!
Ask questions, get clarifications, present solutions and you will see your proposals turn into real business.
Fred Geyen is president of the Geyen Group (www.geyengroup.com). His background includes commercial product sales and program development for residential, commercial and disaster restoration with ServiceMaster. He has a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED-AP) designation and is on the board of directors with the LMCCA. Geyen can be contacted at (612) 799-5111.
