Tag: Sales Coaching

Written By Ari Greenbaum, co-founder of conXpros For centuries the phrase “knowledge is power” has been used and recycled by many well-known authors, speakers and motivators. The first documented use of the phrase goes all…

In the selling profession we “pave roads” for our prospective clients. Just like the roadways we drive on, there are different routes we can take, each route leads in a different direction.

Just before the start of 2019, I shared a post focusing on goal setting for the upcoming year. There were a handful to suggested focus areas such as: Going above & beyond regarding the level of customer service you provide, Improving your online presence, Increasing reviews from clients, & Creating health work-life balances.

Most salespeople fail to get referrals from their existing customer base for a variety of reasons. However, most fit into one of the primary reasons: Fear of rejection/hearing “no”, waiting too long

Most home improvement pros are constantly on the go. Early to rise, on the road or a job site all day, deadlines to meet, get what sleep you can, rinse & repeat. Often the routine forces us to neglect the self-care department of life. Grab a quick and not so healthy bite on the way to a job or meeting, pound a supersized highly caffeinated coffee or energy drink, pull 10+ hour days 6 or even 7 days per week. It is a grind, even on those with superhero stamina and energy, both physically and mentally.

Often, I spend time thinking about my successes and failures in sales. As any sales pro with self-awareness will share, I found there are many deals I won due to what I did or didn’t do. I don’t have data to determine what percentage of my deals were the direct result of my sales ability & skill, but just like the deals I lost, I am responsible for most of my “wins”. In other words, it was not just dumb luck, rather using processes and skills that I know work.

Last month I shared a post highlighting the power that text messaging can have on your business. I shared some personal antidotes along with some practical applications for any home improvement pro. Shortly after posting, I was contacted by one of our clients, Phillip B. (Bowman & Sons Contracting), with some great feedback. He generously agreed to an interview to pick his brain and share some of the things that make him and his company highly successful with all customers, especially leads.

I have rarely met a successful sales pro that doesn’t have an ego. An ego can be positive, as it is all about the desire to be the absolute best. However, ego is often a massive stumbling block for sales people. Ego fuels the inability to listen, act or take direction because of pride. I have personally witnessed many sales people climb the mountain of success, only to reach the top and never reach the same heights again. I attribute this spike and decline most commonly to ego. An unchecked ego can and often is catastrophic.

I have worked with home improvement companies for close to 15 years. The number of contractors that forget the importance a first impression has on their ability to win more jobs, never ceases to amaze me. Whether it is the way they answer the phone, the email address they use, or the choice of attire, often contractors drastically reduce their chances of success. Although you may feel professional, if you do not look professional, your customers may be judging you unfavorably. In business, often judgements of the book are made by the cover.

There is no doubt that integrity matters, especially in business and sales. Truly successful sales people have high integrity and are trustworthy, honest and dependable. In 2019, we live in a highly transparent world. The days of sales people that will say or do anything to get the deal are ancient history. Those representing your company that fail to operate with high levels of integrity are simply bad for business.