As sales professionals we are always looking to improve our presentation and closing techniques. Most of us, at some time at least, operated under the premise that a magical phrase exists that would lead us to the Promised Land of endless sales and financial rewards. I recall being caught up in this search for the magic words that would close every sale and wanted to make people seek me out to purchase their new systems from. In the end I discovered the only magic in sales is the truth.

That is the First Golden Rule “Always tell the truth.” There is no version of the truth, as things only happen one way. You never have to remember what the truth was for it is the truth. By being honest you gain credibility and the trust of your customers which are key components to successful selling. This simple but powerful concept of being honest is grossly overlooked and underestimated. How can you ask someone to trust you if you are not honest? Sometimes there is temptation to embellish the truth in order to close a deal. Don’t do it! You will find that in the end you will lose more sales than you get when you don’t act in the customer’s best interest. And being dishonest certainly is not in your customer’s best interest.

That is our Second Golden Rule, “Always act in the customer’s best interest.” When we act in our customers’ best interest we offer solutions rather than direct our customers to the equipment we judge is best for them. Better that we inform them of their choice and not drive them to our choices. After all we have been invited into their home to offer solutions to problems and or concerns they have with the comfort and safety of their home and family. We have an obligation to investigate their needs and offer solid, accurate and precise solutions. By being thorough and complete our customers can be assured we are professional and will follow through on our commitments of quality and service. By presenting our selves in this manner we are also doing what is best for our companies.

And that is the Third Golden Rule, “Always act in the company’s best interest.” Some may feel the last 2 rules are in conflict with one another. The fact is they are one and the same. What is in the company’s best interest is the developing of long-term customer relationships. Years of maintenance, service, referrals, and equipment replacements are the end result of strong customer relationships. There are no short cuts to this end, and we only earn the right to continue serving our customers when we follow these rules.

There are many ways to rationalize not following these rules. There may even be immediate short term gain from embellishing certain facts. But, in the end, the companies who service their customers with honesty and integrity will flourish and grow while others fail and go out of business. Understanding these concepts and putting them to work is the magic we have all sought. Incorporating these rules into your every day sales approach will enhance your integrity, improve your closing rate and increase your overall success. The choice is yours!

Patrick began his HVAC career over 20 years ago as a service technician and installer. He quickly moved into sales and has been highly successful as an in-home salesman, sales manager and general manager. He is currently the senior sales manager and sales trainer for one of the largest residential HVAC companies in the Chicago area. In 2007 he completed his Business degree from the University of Phoenix and currently sits on the advisory board for the HVAC program at Harper College.

Is Your Sales Tool Box Full?  February 2008

by Patrick Carr

In order to dazzle our customers we spend time insuring our vehicles are clean, our shoes are shined and we have all the latest product brochures to pass out. We feel confident that our preparation is complete as we walk up and ring the door bell. With that being true I ask each of you, are you truly prepared? The easiest way I know to find out is to simply ask……… is your sales tool box full?

You would need to know what a sales tool box is before you could answer that. Some may think it is a briefcase with note pads, pens, calculators and the latest electronic gadgets to insure we impress our customers. While others may believe it is an actual tool box with tape measurers, flash lights and screw drivers. Those items may or may not be needed on any given sales appointment but they are not the tool box I’m referring to.

Knowledge is a fundamental tool of every salesperson. Your sales tool box is your mind and two key tools are product and process knowledge. Now there are other tools we each need to have and develop, but for this article we will focus primarily on product knowledge. If you have real knowledge of your equipment and how that equipment is installed then your tool box is on its way to being full!

That doesn’t seem like much of a revelation. We all have some knowledge of the HVAC industry both products and processes. And when asked, most sales people would say they know the equipment well. After all most of us have been selling for some time and doing just fine with what we already know. So why change anything or even bring this up? Simple….. if you want to outsell your competition and get more money per job then one of the first steps is to learn all you can about how your equipment better than your competition’s.

People today are better informed with more resources like the internet available to them to do research. The questions the average homeowners ask today are more pointed and better thought out than even 5 years ago. In order for you to be prepared you need to do your homework! Now that doesn’t mean memorize the model numbers of what you sell. Rather understand what you sell does and how it works. That way when your customer asks a question you know the answer.

Thorough product knowledge will enable to offer the best possible solutions for your customers. Knowing what all the equipment is capable of accomplishing will help you speak with confidence about the best possible solutions. And aren’t we in our customers homes for that very reason…to offer solutions for their problems? Picture yourself the last time you made a major purchase. Did you want to deal with someone who knew there stuff or were you okay with someone who stumbling for answers to your questions?

You will undoubtedly find yourself in situations where you do not have all the answers and that’s okay. Explain to your customer they have a terrific question and let them know you will find the answer and get back to them.

Two of the largest reasons people will buy from you are because of trust and confidence. In part that trust and confidence is gained through your product and process knowledge. The more you know the more professional and formidable you become.

Keep in mind the equipment today continues to change with new additions and modifications monthly. We need to stay on top of these new products and changes through seminars, books and trade publications as well as other sources like the internet.

Continuing to educate ourselves takes a serious commitment. It will not be easy to follow through; however, those who continue their education when your competition won’t will succeed when your competition will fail! If you know your products it will be difficult to be outsold. Product knowledge alone does not make you successful, but it is the first step to being the best sales consultant you can be.

I suspect you’ve read this article as part of your continuing commitment to become the best you can be. Take to heart, knowledge is power, but only when it can be recalled when needed. How you recall it is by continuing down this road of understanding your product line. Make the commitment to learning more through continuous education and watch your sales and income grow!

Product knowledge is not the only tool in your sales tool box. As we move forward through the year we will discuss other tools equally important to being successful.

Patrick began his HVAC career over 20 years ago as a service technician and installer. He quickly moved into sales and has been highly successful as an in-home salesman, sales manager and general manager. He is currently the senior sales manager and sales trainer for one of the largest residential HVAC companies in the Chicago area. In 2007 he completed his Business degree from the University of Phoenix and currently sits on the advisory board for the HVAC program at Harper College.

Explain Your Price by Following the Basics  April 2008

by Patrick Carr

Do the basics really matter? It is a question I’ve asked myself a thousand times when I’m tired and still have an sales lead to run, and then like a light bulb turning on I realize they absolutely matter, and they matter all the time! What the customer sees us do, and how they perceive us, explains why our price is what it is. What are the basics? It is what makes us thorough and competent. They are all the little things that separate us from the “Average Joe” competitors we all face every day. They are the things we do on sales calls that allow each of us to be the best at what we do and the best choice for our customers to do business with.

I started thinking about the basics today as I watched my first baseball game of the season. I was watching the game thinking how hard these guys work to be among the best players in the world. Yet two weeks ago the highest paid player in the world, arguably the best player in the world, was in spring training practicing the basics. In baseball that means fielding ground balls, taking batting practice and playing catch. Why is that so important? If you don’t master the basics you can’t be the best at what you do; and that commitment to excellence is what separates the average Joes from the true professionals. It holds true in baseball and in HVAC sales.

In sales the basics are what build value during a presentation from beginning to end. Everything you do and say from the time you pull up in front of the home until the time you drive away reflects on you and your company. For example, do you park your car on the street or in the driveway? Do you wear shoe coverings when entering a customer’s home? Do you wear them all the time even if the customer tells you not to? Do you measure the house to determine equipment size every time or only when in doubt? Do you hand business cards to both husband and wife? When addressing a question do you look the customer in the eyes when answering? Do you address both customers equally or primarily the man since this is HVAC talk? That may seem silly but even today many salespeople believe they need to talk to the man, not realizing that over 70% of the money spent today in households is spent by the woman of the house. We could discuss the merit for each one of these questions and probably a hundred more but I believe you understand my point.

Truth is, all of the above are important to someone. You can never know for sure which ones are important to which people. So you need to do everything correctly every time. When we do not take the time to protect our customers home while we are guests in that home we lose credibility. When we cut corners like not doing some type of load calculation, we lessen the value we bring as part of doing business with our companies. If we do not treat both homeowners with the same measure of respect we would expect for our families, we weaken our opportunity to earn that customer’s business. As a result of cutting corners and bad sales practices you will lose sales to a competitor who has mastered the basics and realizes he needs to do them on every sales call…or to the average Joe who is just cheaper.

If you want to get more money for the jobs you sell then remember to follow sold proven sales techniques that build value along the way. “I would rather explain high price to you once than have to make excuses for poor work forever.” I’ve heard this many times for many years, it sounds a whole lot more believable when you say it if you’ve done a complete and through presentation. Remember, what you do reflects your true character and your customers know it.


Patrick began his HVAC career over 20 years ago as a service technician and installer. He quickly moved into sales and has been highly successful as an in-home salesman, sales manager and general manager. He is currently the senior sales manager and sales trainer for one of the largest residential HVAC companies in the Chicago area. In 2007 he completed his Business degree from the University of Phoenix and currently sits on the advisory board for the HVAC program at Harper College.

The Presentation Book  June 2008

by Patrick Carr

Would you be interested in increasing your sales volume and personal income from selling? You do not need to run additional estimates; you’ll merely close more sales opportunities. Interested? Seems like a ridiculous question to ask yet many of the sales people I encounter still do not yet use a presentation book when doing in-home sales presentations. The many training seminars I have been fortunate enough to attend including Tom’s System Selling seminars all promote a presentation book as the core of how to do a presentation in a home.

Someone may ask why do I need this? After all many of us are skilled sales professionals already. Does using a presentation book really make a difference? And the answer would be a resounding absolutely yes! Do you need proof? Then answer this, have you ever left a customers home after giving a sales presentation and upon analyzing your performance you say to yourself “I should have said “X”, or I forgot to tell them “Y”?” I know I certainly have…until I started using the book. Yes I was one of those who had to be dragged kicking and screaming the entire way before I would start using a presentation book. I now look back and ask myself how many sales I cost myself by not using one. I raised the level of professionalism in my presentation and you will do the same!

Consider this: while we are in a customers home doing our best to provide a professional presentation the kids come running through the kitchen being disruptive. Has that ever happen to you? How about the phone that keeps ringing, or the dog comes in from outside and starts jumping on you? Maybe the spouse or one of the children arrives home and this becomes a major distraction. There are a million things that happen while doing a presentation that can and will break our flow and concentration. After the distraction has passed you would try picking up right where you were without missing a single item you wanted to discuss. It is pretty difficult at best.

When you use a presentation book you know exactly where you were when the distraction happened. You can restart your presentation without missing a beat. You become more thorough, complete and professional. According to Mr. Rick Hutcherson “people will believe 11% of what you tell them and over 80% of what you show them.” The presentation book is not only a guide for your presentation but is shows your customers what you are saying. The belief level from your customers rises and so will your sales and income.

Having a complete presentation gives you a better chance of closing the sales opportunity. Remember we are in the business of building value, the more value you build into your presentation the better the close rate becomes. It really is that simple.

This leaves but two questions. The first question is “are you going to put together a presentation book?” This is an opportunity for you to grow and work towards becoming the sales professional you know you can be. The second question is “what is in the presentation book?” For the short answer, Tom has a sample of pages that go into a presentation book that are part of his system selling course. I would certainly recommend checking that out www.sellingtrust.com/toolstips.html.

I will give you my version and what I personally use next month. Between now and then I would give some thought to what separates you personally from everyone else in the industry in your area? Did you attend college? Trade school, have X number of years in the business? Start as an installer or service tech? Next month I’ll tell you how to use these things as part of your book. Until next month, good selling everyone!


Patrick began his HVAC career over 20 years ago as a service technician and installer. He quickly moved into sales and has been highly successful as an in-home salesman, sales manager and general manager. He is currently the senior sales manager and sales trainer for one of the largest residential HVAC companies in the Chicago area. In 2007 he completed his Business degree from the University of Phoenix and currently sits on the advisory board for the HVAC program at Harper College.
 

Using the Presentation Book Part 2: Photos and Testimonials  July 2008

by Patrick Carr

In my article last month I talked about the importance of using a presentation book. I think it important to understand that you actually need two different books; let me explain why you need both and how they earn you more money!

My article today will focus primarily on the first book with next month’s article focusing on the second book. Both are important and are used differently. Both books are used on the same appointment as they compliment each other.

The first book is a photo-testimonial collection of before-after job photos and customer testimonial letters. This book is used to create third party validation of you, your follow through and the quality of the work your company does.

The second book is a visual tool for you to use to build value for you and your company. This book will include copies of insurance, info about you personally, and your company in general, such as any awards you has won.

You set up the photo-testimonial book with the very first page being a cover page. You can have your logo or company name or even a photo of the building you work in, just so the customer understands it is you and your company in this book. I have a picture of my company’s building with our logo underneath, but there are several other options you can use.

Once you move past the cover page and open up the book there will be photos on the left side with before and after photos of a job. The before picture should be on the upper half of the page and the after picture on the bottom portion of the page. We tend to read left to right and top to bottom, so I position the photos with that in mind. I only put two photos on a page, which keeps the page uncluttered. You want your customer to see as big a picture as the ½ page allows. Just pick the best before and after photo combination you have for a job and use it. If possible, I try to get both pictures from the same spot for the best comparison.

If you do not currently take before and after pictures, you now know you should. I use a digital camera so I can put the pictures on the computer; change the size to fit my page, and print. In addition this allows me to email these pictures when requested

Make sure you ask your customers to write a short, one-sided letter outlining their experience with your company. This letter will be on the right side of your presentation book. A handwritten letter is best, but any letter is great. And if dated and signed, that’s ideal. This letter does not need to be a book; actually short and sweet would be best. Just a note about YOU and how your company did everything you said they would. It is important to get this third party validation as it lends great credibility to you and your presentation. The combination of the photos with a reference letter, together, is a powerful tool which will earn you more money by increasing your believability on your sales calls! That believability translates into more sales! People will believe the letters and the photos, driving home the points about the quality craftsmanship you and your company provide!

At the point in your presentation, when you are figuring out the price, that is the point I most often use this first book. I need time to put the numbers together and write out the proposal. While I am doing that I share the book with the customer and ask them to take a moment and look to see if they know anyone in the book. It gets them to look all the way through not just the first pictures. I also explain this is a photo representation of what homes looked like before we did our work and how well they looked afterward. It is hard to question a photo on the quality of your work. Remember the adage, “seeing is believing”. When you are ready and have your proposal complete, ask the homeowner what they thought? You may get valuable information you can use during your close. Make sure you ask your customer if they have any questions regarding the pictures or letters.

Once you have finished with all questions you can start doing your presentation with the proposal working towards a closing question. As I work through the presentation, but just before I give a price, I ask this question “Since you are considering investing a significant amount of money with my company, does it make sense to know just a little bit more about me and the company?” In 20 years only 1 person said no. This is the transition to using the second presentation book……….. And next month we will cover it in detail and how to use it. Until then good selling!

Patrick began his HVAC career over 20 years ago as a service technician and installer. He quickly moved into sales and has been highly successful as an in-home salesman, sales manager and general manager. He is currently the senior sales manager and sales trainer for one of the largest residential HVAC companies in the Chicago area. In 2007 he completed his Business degree from the University of Phoenix and currently sits on the advisory board for the HVAC program at Harper College.

Using the Presentation Book Part 3: Personalize it  August 2008

by Patrick Carr

My last two articles have been about presentation books with this month’s article being the conclusion to this topic. If you did not read part 1 and part 2 please take the time and read them so you get a complete understanding of how and why this method is so powerful. Be assured this method does work! What is in your personal presentation book is up to you and should be personalized. I hope to give you a guide in this article so you can put your own book together after I share what is in mine.

I have 13 pages in my personal presentation book. I will go through them one at a time but first understand I sell from the perspective of value. I have always worked for companies who sold on the high side. Quality vs. quantity is my preference. If you want to get more money for your jobs you have to build more value into your sale through your presentation. The presentation book helps you do that.

I believe when selling to a customer you do it in this order, sell yourself, sell your company, then sell your product. If the customer likes you and believes in your company they will buy your product!

My book is set up in that same order. The first page should be about you personally. I have a copy of my college degree and talk about my education both in HVAC and in business. One of my sales representatives has a photo of himself in his policeman’s uniform as he was an officer for 10 years. It sure conveys a feeling of trust to the homeowner. Another sales representative uses a photo of himself when he was 3 years old walking around with a tool belt on as his dad was in the business and shows his customers although he might be young in years he grew up in the business. Make this your own but make it something that you can show the customer your strength, in knowledge or character.

I currently sit on the local college’s board of advisors for their HVAC program. Pages 2 and 3 open up side by side and are letters from the college on their letterhead thanking me for my participation in the program. It shows again my credibility by third party validation and I give back to the community. All of that helps to convey knowledge of the industry making me the expert. The pages are for them to view while I talk to the points. I do not read the letters or any of the pages. I talk about the subject matter on each page and how it relates to the homeowner.

Page 4 starts talking about the company. It is a page with 15+ bullet points and I have 2 highlighted to draw their attention. One of them is every employee gets drug screened and background checked. I point out that approximately 50% of the people who apply with my company can not pass the screening process. Those people still work in the industry, just not for my company. I ask how comfortable do they feel having someone working in your home not knowing if they have a clear criminal record and can pass a drug screen test. This gets them thinking. Other items would be NATE certified techs, custom sheet metal, in business since 1986. I think you get the point.

My next page is a recent photo of me holding an award. Again it is third party validation and this is important to our customers. It shows the quality of the company.

Page 6 is a copy of the BBB logo which we are members. You could have any logo, boy/girl scouts (shows that you support the community) ACCA logo, Angies List or any other item that again says to our customers you are a quality organization.

Page 7 and 8 are photos of Carrier’s Distinguished dealer and Presidents awards. These awards set us apart from the pack. You again can use any recognition your company has received for this spot.

Page 9 is a copy of our business license and page 10 is our liability insurance certificate. We are unique in that we have $35,000,000 in liability insurance. That makes us hugely unique so I point it out. If you have more coverage than your competitors let your customers know.

Page 11 is a photo of an iceberg. I talk about what you can see like a furnace or condenser. That’s what is above the water. The things you cant see like 24 hour a day service or no subcontractors. Custom sheet metal, factory trained and NATE certified technicians. This is what is below the water. This is my favorite page and I spend the most time on this one. Here is where you get to toot your company’s horn. Do it loud! If you don’t tell them how good and different you are who will?

Page 12 is about studies that have been done like North Carolina Alternative Energy Corporation stating 90% of all A/C installs are put in with some type of energy wasting problem associated with the install. That means 9 out of 10 are installed wrong! I have several items like that on this page with the one I mentioned highlighted. I again talk to the points I do not read them. It is very important that you know all the items on your pages or you will appear to be a rookie and lose credibility.

The last page is the warranty page. I again have this in bullet format with several points about our warranties like bumper to bumper coverage, and what is covered which is “EVERYTHING”

You should put the items that are unique to your company on this page along with those things that are your strength.

When I ‘m done going through the book I ask them if they have any questions about me or my company? If they say no I close the book and ask this question. “Now that you’ve learned about the equipment, myself and my company along with what makes us a terrific company, what do you think your investment will be to properly install the selections you made for your home?” (Or a question along those lines). Now stop reading for a moment and ask why would I ask this question and what difference does the answer make? If I quoted $13,000 for a system and they think it costs $10,000 I’m in trouble. Before I share the price with them I will try to build more value. If they say the investment is $14,000 I know I am sitting well and can move forward with the price and on to the close.

I hope my sharing the books will help you. Remember to make it your own, tell your story and why your company is special. It will make a difference in your closing percentage and your income. Good Selling!

Patrick began his HVAC career over 20 years ago as a service technician and installer. He quickly moved into sales and has been highly successful as an in-home salesman, sales manager and general manager. He is currently the senior sales manager and sales trainer for one of the largest residential HVAC companies in the Chicago area. In 2007 he completed his Business degree from the University of Phoenix and currently sits on the advisory board for the HVAC program at Harper College.

Leads, Leads & More Leads  October 2008

by Patrick Carr

I need leads, leads & more leads is the cry I here from my sales staff. Sound familiar? After all without a steady supply of sales leads we are dead in the water. There have been books, seminars and countless articles on the subject, yet we continue to revisit the same topic looking for different answers. Where to get more leads? And what baffles me beyond anything else is why sales people haven’t figured out how to get them. Or is it that sales people simply do not want to do the work?

Well I’m going to share with you how you can supply yourself with all the leads you’ll ever want but you’ll need to make some changes. And you’ll have to face your worst fears as a sales person.

I think we can all agree not all leads are created equal. Leads from the yellow pages and leads generated by one of your service technicians are clearly not the same quality of lead. So which lead do you want to run? Of course the better lead, me too! If we could create an even a better lead, like a lead you generate on your own, that would be better yet, wouldn’t you agree?

OK those are easy questions, with easy answers. Here is the hard question. Are you willing to do the extras to move yourself to the next level? Every sales person I’ve ever heard of selling 2 million dollars plus a year and there are quite a few, produce most of their own leads. Self-generated leads have higher close rates, higher average sales amount and you make higher income from them. That’s why the really successful sales people generate their own.

I understand referrals are the core of a successful self-generating campaign, but how do you get the referrals when you may not have many leads to start with. So here it is…the 2 words that strike fear into every sales persons heart…“Cold Call”. Cold Call, what’s that mean? Am I referring to actually going out on the street or getting on the phone and cold calling? YES I am, and why not? I would rather run a lead I generated than one someone else did any day of the week. And it’s not as hard as you think.

There are several ways to do cold calling, including focusing in on property managers, condo associations, and groups like clubs where you can offer a group discount but possibly pick up several quality leads at one time. Once you get any sale and handle the customer correctly you get moved into the realm of referrals and again you are self-generating leads. Believe me when I say this does pay dividends. It takes some work, and there is a fair amount of rejection, but if you do not have any other leads to work, you either go home or cold call.

While cold calling on property managers, I landed the biggest account I ever had. This company had 110 strip mall shopping centers and I earned all their work for over 4 years at all malls. And this came from cold calling. Service, maintenance and replacements were all part of what I did for them. Why did they have me do the work? I was in the right place at the right time and I got there by cold calling.

You can even cold call residentially in neighborhoods. Walking door to door introducing yourself as the neighborhood HVAC guy is one way to do it. You will generate service work mostly but from that work comes sales leads and opportunities for ancillary products. Pass out a couple of cards or better yet have a flyer to hand out with the business cards. Make sure it is a full color flyer with some coupons at the bottom so they keep it.

This is not for the fragile spirited, but if you strive to be the best, and want to make more money, this works! I could train almost any body to run company-provided leads, but generating them yourself makes you much more valuable to the company and, more importantly, you will become self sufficient. You’ll never need to rely on advertising again. Just go out there and do it! And as you do, you’ll watch your income and level of success grow.


Patrick began his HVAC career over 20 years ago as a service technician and installer. He quickly moved into sales and has been highly successful as an in-home salesman, sales manager and general manager. He is currently the senior sales manager and sales trainer for one of the largest residential HVAC companies in the Chicago area. In 2007 he completed his Business degree from the University of Phoenix and currently sits on the advisory board for the HVAC program at Harper College.