You are sitting at your first consultation with a new client in a $2 million NYC apartment. The customer begins what becomes a very long list of home theater features that they want for their home. Based on everything they said, you know that to make this system happen for them, it will come at a cost. The cost can trigger two emotions for you—fear or excitement. Fear that the client will not go with you because of the cost or excitement that you are going to land a big job.
Do not let fear run your sale. That puts the customer in charge of the outcome, and as professionals, we should always be the ones in charge of the sale. That is why the customer came to us in the first place and did not do the job themselves. Instead, choose excitement and confidence that YOU are providing the client with the exact system they described to you.
Now, you put together a carefully thought out estimate and send it to the client. Not too much later you receive a phone call from your client in total shock at the price (as you suspected). You think to yourself, “great, how am I going to close this deal now?” But don’t be discouraged; where there is a will, there is a way.
Refer back to the list that the client gave you. Explain to them that based on their requests, this will be the cost of the job. Tell them that if this quote does not fit into their budget, the price can be altered based on eliminating features. Have them review their expectations and choose the features that mean the most to them and which ones they can afford to live without (they can always upgrade in the future, or maybe they can’t stand to live without any of these features). Either way, present your final estimate in full confidence that there is no way they can turn you down.
There’s a saying that I’ve learned along my journey in sales and that is, “It is not what you say, but how you say it.” You know your stuff and the reasons behind what you are offering. You just have to make the customer as confident as you are that they are making the right buying decision, and their buy-in is all in your presentation. Be factual, precise, and confident and YOU will seal the deal every time.
Todd Anthony Puma is president of The Source Home Theater Installation in New York City. To read about one of his recent projects for a Wall St. broker client, click here.
