If you and your client have established a mutual respect and trust, and you’re good at your job, and you have created a need, then you should be able to close the deal.
The question is, “How do I get to that point?”
A customer is asking you to build a room. It is your job to, “Give him what he wants”, in the customers eyes.
It is not uncommon for the contractor to go into that meeting carrying with him all the years of experience, certifications, licenses, portfolios and the feeling that he is the expert.
That is good. But be careful not to overdo it. It can have the opposite effect. You can make the client feel ignorant by using the “I know and you don't” attitude.
Choose your words carefully. Maybe the client knows or has seen something but calls it by a different term. In some parts of the country people may ask for a Soda while you may call it a Pop? You don't want them to feel uncomfortable. So keep and open mind.
The best thing to do is to “listen”. Get a clear understanding of what the clients want. Note the excitement they display when they mention certain things. Those will be key points in the finished product and you want them to experience that same excitement when you are done.
See things through their eyes. Let's face it we have all had that, “you want me to build, WHAT!” experience. The instinct is…. “You can't _____!” At that point you have just lost any rapport that you have built with them.
Keep the negatives to a minimum. You may know twenty reasons why it won't work. This is their dream room your talking about. It is better to say something like, “I like that idea, while it offers ____, it also offers these negative points.” Present a few negative points. Don't drown them in negatives, you are not trying to make them feel uncomfortable.
Offer several solutions or an alternative or two that includes the key points that I mentioned above. It should build up some of that excitement again.
The reason why they called you is because of your expertise. You have nothing to prove. You need to build a rapport and close the deal. Good things happen when your clients feel empowered and excited.
Keep in mind the clients are smarter than you may think, after all, they called you, didn't they.
continue reading
