Written by Ari Greenbaum, co-founder of conXpros
Mr. (Fred) Rogers, yes, the one that wants you to be his neighbor, dedicated his life to educating and bringing joy to the lives of kids. He has many famous quotes that have deep meaning and messages that are applicable to generations past as well as present. One of the things he was credited with sharing are his 3 C’s: Caring, Confidence, and Common Sense. Although these valuable traits were intended to educate children how to interact with the world and be a better person, there are what I believe to be profound (yet unintentional) concepts for sales professionals in those same 3 C’s.
Often, salespeople, especially home improvement and home service pros, over-complicate the selling process. As a result, they cost themselves opportunities, clients and profits. My goal in this article is to help simplify this process, close more deals, and make more money. In the past, I have shared my personal version of the “C’s” as they apply to sales success: Confidence, Consistency, Clarity (of thought and speech), and Conversational. This grouping relates more to the overall essence and being of a top producing sales pro. However, the C’s that Mr. Rogers offers up provide an awesome insight into the actual selling process itself and the road map to success. When you look at the order of his list, this is the same order you must approach a potential client when presenting your product or service.
Caring
Who would you rather do business with; the person who demonstrates they care about YOU as the customer above selling their own product, or the person who clearly wants to sell you something? I believe the answer is a unanimous one in favor of the one demonstrating care. When it comes to home improvement or home service projects, this is factor is even more important. Other than family, their home is typically at the top of what most homeowners care about most. For this reason, when entering into a sales meeting, whether an appointment from a lead generation company or a referral from a previous customer, YOU MUST SHOW THEM THAT YOU CARE!!! I have found that the easiest way to achieve this goal is to begin with a genuine discovery or needs assessment section to your approach. What better way to show the client that you care about what is important to them then ASKING questions? Questions must not come off as routine or scripted, rather conversational and genuine. With this strategy, you put the client first and what they care about at the forefront. Only after you have built the rapport with caring can you move on to the next step of the process…
Confidence
Confidence is critical throughout the selling process. In relation to this article, I will use this as the section dedicated to solving the client’s needs. Once you understand the needs, a masterful sales presentation will focus on the features and benefits of your product or service, but specific to what was learned in the needs assessment. When delivering your “pitch” you must instill confidence in your prospect that you are able to meet their needs better than any other home improvement contractor they have or will meet. This can ONLY be accomplished through confidence. Confidence is in the word choice and delivery, not solely in your belief and passion about your product or service. Remember, there is a fine line between arrogance and confidence. So, be careful to be on the side that will lead you to a yes. As most seasoned sales pros know, rarely does a potential client just say yes after the presentation. Rather, there are either questions, concerns, or objections to moving forward to do business. This brings us to the final step in the process…
Common Sense
There is the famous quote from Voltaire, “common sense is not so common”. He could not have been more accurate, especially in the world of sales. Often, salespeople overcomplicate things by treating statements as concerns, minor concerns as objections, and generally giving energy where it is not needed. Additionally, instead of helping the prospect better understand your solution through conversation, they try to cram a rehearsed rebuttal down the person’s throat. If sales pros just use common sense to interpret the words of their clients and to respond to questions and concerns, sales would be a piece of cake. If what you are offering makes sense, they will buy. Simple as that. Stop overcomplicating things and use common sense!
I grew up with Mr. Rogers as a part of my life. He brought years of smiles and joy to myself and so many others. I am sure when he came up with his 3 C’s, he had no intention of it creating a sales lesson. Thank you Mr. Rogers, for making it so simple. Go bring that same joy and simplicity to your selling process and to your clients. You will be amazed at the results.
As he was also famous for saying, “it is a beautiful day to” …CLOSE SOME DEALS!!!