Sales is a skill. Some are good at it, some could use some work. But that’s what’s great about sales! It can be taught.
Yes, some people are naturally good at smooth-talking their client into closing a deal, but there are certain skills you can obtain to turn you into an award-winning salesperson!
Home improvement sales are tricky. People are looking for someone they can trust with something that is a large part of their life, their home. It can be more difficult to close a deal when dealing with something of such high value to your client.
But with the right practice and the right skills, it will become easier and less daunting.
Keep reading to learn the top 3 skills every home improvement salesperson should have!
- Product/Service Knowledge
Having an in-depth knowledge of your service is essential to closing a deal in home improvement sales. Having this core skill equips you with the right answers when a customer asks a question about a particular part of the service as well as issues faced and solutions.
You can enter a sales meeting with all the charisma and have the strongest communication skills in the world, but if you aren’t 100% confident about what you are selling, the homeowner will pick up on it and decide to move on to the next company on their list.
It’s crucial to understand your customer’s pains and gains so you can gain a better understanding of what they need or don’t need. Have a training about your services with your sales team.
Talk about common problems homeowners face in your industry, what they like/don’t like from past experiences, and educate them on the ins and outs of the service.
This will help set up yourself and your team for success. Preparation is key!
- Prospecting
Prospecting is something all salespeople should know how to do. But developing the skill to be able to successfully identify those who are the best fit for your business is essential to closing more deals.
While prospecting, it’s important to uncover your homeowner’s pain points. Why are they looking for your service? Knowing their exact pain points will help you connect with them since you will understand their day-to-day problems.
Take a look into your database to see what projects worked best, generated the most revenue, or had the best overall outcomes. Find key similarities between your best projects to develop your ideal customer profile.
Prospecting is one of the most difficult parts of sales. But there are more ways than just cold calling that can help you generate high-quality prospective customers.
Here are a few ways you can strategically prospect:
- Build your social media presence
- Develop case studies of your more impressive projects
- Ask for referrals/reviews
- Send relevant content to prospects (email campaigns, resources, etc.)
Check our podcast episodes on how Qualifying Leads here.
- Empathy
Yes, empathy! Empathy is one of the, if not THE, most important skills a salesperson should have, especially in the home improvement industry.
Homeowners want to know that you are taking their feelings and opinions into consideration. More times than not, their home has a deeper meaning to them where they have been building memories with loved ones for years.
Making it more important to actively listen to the homeowner’s needs. Being empathetic also means you’ll be able to pick up on their nonverbal cues as well. As a result, the salesperson will have a full picture of how the homeowner feels and be able to build a deeper relationship.
When a homeowner comes to you with a concern, they aren’t expecting an immediate solution like you may think they are. They want to see that you are respecting their doubt or frustrations and trying to take the time to understand before sympathizing and moving on.
Although empathy isn’t always viewed as a skill, it can be taught. You and your sales team should understand how to put themselves in the homeowner’s shoes and relate to them on a more personal level.
There are many moving parts when it comes to being a salesperson. Skills you have to learn, processes to be put in place, and so much more. And we could all use some support, which is why we created our sales tip center specifically designed for home improvement professionals.
For more helpful sales tips, check out our podcast! Click here for episode one.