As we all know, first impressions matter. The first time that you speak to a perspective client over the phone is no different. Many times we can rub a homeowner the wrong way if they are not set up properly. Other times we lose a potential sale if it is simply a race to set up a time to meet so we can get off the phone and continue on with our day.A balance needs to be made along the lines of building rapport while setting a client’s expectations properly for the meeting. The idea is that we don’t want to assume too much about a client prior to meeting them. The most successful estimators get in front of as many qualified customers as they can because they know that profiling a customer over the phone too much simply gets things started on the wrong foot. Here are some tips for setting up a good estimate while communicating what to expect from the building process.

1. Beginning the conversation. Make sure that when you finally do reach the homeowner regarding their requested bid, you are friendly, introduce yourself, explain why you are calling, and make sure that it is a good time to talk about the project.
2. Creative exchange. Ask them about what they would like to have done, when they are looking to do it, and have them share some of their creative ideas that they have for the project. The construction process can be a very exciting time for a homeowner, as it allows them to be creative with their living space, so the estimator/contractor should share in that enthusiasm. A homeowner likes it when the person doing the work for them is just as passionate about the project as the homeowner.
3. Assume the sale. Tell the homeowner about how the job could potentially go and some of the common pitfalls that you will avoid as an experienced contractor.
4. Ask for all decision makers to be present. This is extremely important! The reason why we want all decision makers present is because you are providing a free estimate to line up work. If you present to just one of the decision makers you will go back and forth answering questions and re-working the bid due to separate requests. Contracting is a consultative process and we all hate the “I need to talk to my wife” excuse as we know it will just prolong the process. Consult with both homeowners at the time during the estimate.
5. Schedule the meeting. The most successful contractors will set a time with the homeowners based on their schedule. This shows the homeowners that the contractor’s time is valuable and everyone wants to work with a contractor who is busy. Make sure that the homeowners write the time down and they devote the proper amount of time to the bid.
6. Thank them for their time and tell them that you look forward to meeting them.
7. Confirm the appointment. DON’T FORGET to confirm the estimate 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Good luck!

Tags: appointment, converting leads

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 1st, 2008 at 12:22 pm and is filed under Lead Management. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.