I have found that there are two types of Comfort Advisors; The “Go Getters” and the “Wait and See-ers”. Which one do you think is more successful? I have been studying the habits of the “Go Getters” for years and have made a list of some common traits.
The “Go-Getters”:
Revisit unsold quotes.
Do you know if the homeowner bought from a competitor? If not, you should find out. If the homeowner put off the replacement, find out what it would take for him to act. It’s better to get a sale at a reduced margin and a reduced commission than no margin and no commission when the company has installation room available.
Comb through service records.
Were there any expensive repairs on older equipment? Can we credit the repair price back to the homeowner if he will make a purchase decision? Remind the homeowner that he’s probably going to face future repairs, given the age of the equipment, and if you’re willing to credit the value of the repair towards the replacement, there will never be a better time to replace than right now.
Step-up networking.
Very few Comfort Advisors network well. Because you normally have extra time certain times of year, it’s the perfect time to look for ways to expand your circle of influence. Join a leads club (e.g., Net weavers, BNI, Le Tip, etc.). Attend chamber of commerce meetings. Join a service club. You can also find unique networking opportunities through Meetup.
Call homeowners associations.
Offer to give a talk on how to select a contractor, how to reduce utility expense, how to conduct a home energy audit, how efficiency and refrigerant regulations will affect area homeowners, and so on.
Start a blog.
The blog should focus on your profession and your community. You want to post items of interest to homeowners in your community, not cities and states halfway across the country. Be interesting and off-beat to attract a following. Every so often, throw in information about HVAC.
Expand your social media network.
Build your network for local Facebook friends, Linked In contacts, Twitter followers, Google Plus and Pinterest followers. Share every blog post on social media.
Take people to lunch.
Take sales professionals in other industries to lunch, such as real estate agents, roofing salespeople, siding salespeople, and so on. Learn what they look for in a prospect so you can refer people to them. Share what you look for in a prospect.
Call people who bought in the past.
Check to see how happy they are with their furnace, heat pump, air conditioning system. Ask if there’s anything you can do for them. Let them know that if any friends or relatives need new equipment, this is a great time of the year to buy.
Make warranty reminder calls.
Create a list of past customers who have warranties that are about to expire. Call them to give them a heads up so you can get any work done under the warranty. Past air conditioning purchasers might be in the market for a new furnace and vice versa.
Cold call.
Everyone hates to knock on doors. Yet, it’s a proven method to generate sales opportunities. One out of every 15 homes will probably replace an air conditioner this year. One out of 25 will replace a furnace. If the homeowner is aware of the need, but doesn’t know who to call, and you greet them in a friendly manner to give the homeowner a business card, magnet, and small gift to introduce yourself as the neighborhood contractor, an opportunity could be generated on the spot.
Recruit the spouse.
Your spouse has their own network of people who will need new air conditioners and furnaces sooner or later. Make sure you spread the word among their friends about your profession.
Advertise in community newsletters.
Even if the boss won’t reimburse you for the ads, take out small ads in newsletters. They are usually inexpensive and people assume you belong to their group and will treat you fairly when you advertise in the group’s newsletter.
So, while you “Go Getters” are hitting your numbers, the “Wait and See-ers” will just have to watch – and – wait.