Many times when taking calls you might feel like the job is lost before it even started. Customers will say things like “I’m just looking through some prices”, or “I’m just planning ahead”, and it might seem there’s not much you can do but to send them a quote and hope for the best.
But your work is not done yet.
There’s a lot more you can do to encourage the potential client to work with you – sooner rather than later, but either way, securing the job for later is better than no job at all.
1. Being prompt is a major point
The first and most important thing you can do is respond to the lead as quickly as possible. Clients tend to favor those who get in touch first, so it’s always good for you to be ahead of the competition during this phase.
Having done this however, you will often find homeowners on the fence. They might be afraid to commit this early, which is why you need to proceed by making them sway into your direction.
2. “I’m just looking for prices”
A very common place for homeowners to be in. They want a job, but unsure of how much it will cost and with no budget at the ready, they simply want quotes so they figure it out in their own time.
It’s a perfectly fair and safe position for them, but for you, this means you have no guaranteed work.
What you can do here is present yourself as well as possible. Send them a detailed quote via email, be friendly, attentive, do everything in your power to make them feel like you would be the perfect choice. If it comes to a late decision, they will remember your treatment.
But naturally, offer to follow-up at a later date and keep your promise. For example, if they say next month is a better time, set a date on your calendar and call them back then. Your professional stance along with keeping your promise is a big deal.
3. “I got a better quote from someone else”
The best way to never hear this is to make your quote as attractive as possible from the start, but sometimes a homeowner might pull this one as a way to get a slightly better deal – and then, you need to have an ace on your sleeve.
A better payment condition, a discount, a bonus – add an extra charm to your proposition and it just might secure the deal for you.
4. “Now is not a good time”
As mentioned before, homeowners can and will ask for quotes with no plan whatsoever. When they realize the project will cost a bit more than expected, they’ll say now is not a good time, maybe in a few months.
Here are a few ways you can proceed:
- Offer a better payment condition to see if that secures the deal.
- For big and more expensive projects, propose getting it done in smaller separate phases. This way, the homeowner might be more attracted to getting it started right away, since getting it all done in one go might be expensive, but just “phase one” is doable.
- Propose to call again in 30 days or so, and keep your promise.
5. “I think I’ll just DIY instead”
Interested in saving money by getting the work done themselves, homeowners might imply they’re taking the DIY route. While DIY is mostly harmless for smaller crafts, inexperienced homeowners trying to handle bigger projects will simply get frustrated, cause damage to their own property or even hurt themselves.
Be sure to mention this if they bring up DIY. You know your service better than anyone, so you can explain why a professional is the better choice to make sure there are no issues.
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