How To Convert Incoming Calls Into Customers?

14 replies
hi there guys.as some of you know.i do adwords management on the side for a few companies and one client is an interior house painter.(1 man show with two employees).

i have started to generate 20-30 new leads for his business but he is not closing them properly efficiently.Most of the inquiries are calls (3/4 calls , 1/4 emails) and here is how they go.

Lead : Hi there i am calling to enquire on your painting services?( or similar variant)

Client : Sure How Can I Help You?

Lead : Goes on to explain number of rooms what is needed etc etc..

Client : Cost would be around $1400-$1500,would have to come down and have a look to quote more accurately

Lead : Ok i will check with my husband/wife/father/mother and get back to you.
Or : Ok i will think about it and get back to you if i am interested

Client :Ok sure

i tracked the incoming calls and over 70 percent of the calls went like this.It was almost like those two were automated responses.Very rarely were the clients saying ok sure come down etc etc..


How can i help the client script his dialogue from the start so that he converts alot more of the calls into buyers.I know there are a few respectable guys who are good on the phone here and would appreciate your advice.
#calls #convert #customers #incoming
  • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
    "Just so that I can help you the most, would it be OK to ask you a few questions?"

    Sure.

    Are you painting over wall paper, new walls or over existing, paint?"

    Blah

    "will there be steam and moisture in the room?"

    Blah

    "Would a stary night effect on the kids room ceiling
    which gets the kids off to bed earlier be a benefit?

    OMG yes please!

    Bingo, your client just got the sale.

    I've seen a guy with no industry knowledge outsell owners of a muffler shop
    and a owner of a tire shop just by asking permission to ask questions with that exact opening line.

    Could come up with better questions if I knew more about his biz.

    Best,
    Ewen




    Originally Posted by rathnavelpandian View Post

    hi there guys.as some of you know.i do adwords management on the side for a few companies and one client is an interior house painter.(1 man show with two employees).

    i have started to generate 20-30 new leads for his business but he is not closing them properly efficiently.Most of the inquiries are calls (3/4 calls , 1/4 emails) and here is how they go.

    Lead : Hi there i am calling to enquire on your painting services?( or similar variant)

    Client : Sure How Can I Help You?

    Lead : Goes on to explain number of rooms what is needed etc etc..

    Client : Cost would be around $1400-$1500,would have to come down and have a look to quote more accurately

    Lead : Ok i will check with my husband/wife/father/mother and get back to you.
    Or : Ok i will think about it and get back to you if i am interested

    Client :Ok sure

    i tracked the incoming calls and over 70 percent of the calls went like this.It was almost like those two were automated responses.Very rarely were the clients saying ok sure come down etc etc..


    How can i help the client script his dialogue from the start so that he converts alot more of the calls into buyers.I know there are a few respectable guys who are good on the phone here and would appreciate your advice.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    This is a big part of the qualification process.

    Many of the people who call you will be looking for price only. They want to turn you into a commodity and make it all about price.

    http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...vanishing.html

    This will help you.
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    • Profile picture of the author shockwave
      Originally Posted by Jason Kanigan View Post

      This is a big part of the qualification process.

      Many of the people who call you will be looking for price only. They want to turn you into a commodity and make it all about price.

      http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...vanishing.html

      This will help you.
      I could not agree more - especially in the home services niche (I do lead generation in this niche too). Homeowners will typically shop price because to them it IS a commodity.

      The key is to get in front of them. Perhaps start with a "ballpark range" or a "It typically starts at $x.00 and goes up from there". Once you're in front of the homeowner is where you differentiate yourself from the competition.
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  • Profile picture of the author misterme
    It's not that people are looking to turn anyone into a commodity but that they don't know what to ask about except for price. They may be seeing you as a commodity in addition to that, but the bottom line is, turning a typical inquiry call into an appointment requires a different approach than giving out prices, obviously.

    Ewen's right about asking permission to ask questions first, as that gives control of the call to the business. But a $1500 sale like that isn't made on a phone. Your painter is talking price too soon. That's all his call is about right now, giving out prices. You absolutely need a script. To convert an inquiry into an appointment these days requires a strategy, a step by step way to get to the desired result.

    And what I see from your description of the calls is he hasn't enticed the caller to want to meet. Unless the price is rock bottom lowest in the market, price isn't any reason to meet, right? Instead he needs to bypass price temporarily so he can speak and get the caller involved and excited about the project. You're not selling a paint job. You're selling a brand new look to the house. You need to differentiate yourself on the call, not wait to do so if and when you meet. He needs to get them excited.

    That's part asking questions and part building desire. There has to be a "hook" that grabs the prospect in. Then, when he has them agreeing with what he can accomplish for them, then he volunteers up price but still needs to do that in a way that leaves exact pricing up in the air until he can meet, naturally.

    He also needs to know what to say when they prematurely bring up price, what to say when they say they need to speak to their spouse, and how to close on the appointment. That's the way I've written my scripts for my business and my call to appointment rate is very high.
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Originally Posted by misterme View Post

      It's not that people are looking to turn anyone into a commodity but that they don't know what to ask about except for price.

      Ewen's right about asking permission to ask questions first, as that gives control of the call to the business. But a $1500 sale like that isn't made on a phone. Your painter is talking price too soon.
      My God! You get it!

      Yes, they have no idea what to talk about except price. They don't know any questions you might bring up, so they just shoot out the first thing they know...price.

      They ask price "We are competitive. But before we can quote you a firm price, we need to look at the areas painted, the type of paint needed, how accessable the areas are to paint, and the time needed. A quote is free and there is no obligation. It takes less than 15 minutes for a quick on site inspection , so I can quote a firm price. Your address?"

      If the guy is going out himself, I would add "I'll take casre of this personally".

      That's just off the top of my head, but it should work.

      Yeah, and the problem besides the homeowner only knowing one question, is that the painter only knows one answer. The one that is practacally guaranteed to get a "We'll talk about it and let you know" response.

      Of course, I posted after Ewen and Prevelent. Had I posted first, this would have sounded smarter.
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      • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
        Another way to call it is re-setting the buying criteria.

        That's why the "WARNING: Don't Buy X Untill You Get Answers To These 5 Questions" works so well in an ad.

        It's so right about buyers have such a loose idea on what to look for and ask
        when making bigger ticket purchases.

        If you can guide them into not making mistakes in their buying
        you are seen as more valuable than just touting benefits.

        The old lizard brain is always on the lookout for dangers,
        therefore you work with the buying process.

        Great topic and great minds coming into the discussion.

        Best,
        Ewen

        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        My God! You get it!

        Yes, they have no idea what to talk about except price. They don't know any questions you might bring up, so they just shoot out the first thing they know...price.

        They ask price "We are competitive. But before we can quote you a firm price, we need to look at the areas painted, the type of paint needed, how accessable the areas are to paint, and the time needed. A quote is free and there is no obligation. It takes less than 15 minutes for a quick on site inspection , so I can quote a firm price. Your address?"

        If the guy is going out himself, I would add "I'll take casre of this personally".

        That's just off the top of my head, but it should work.

        Yeah, and the problem besides the homeowner only knowing one question, is that the painter only knows one answer. The one that is practacally guaranteed to get a "We'll talk about it and let you know" response.

        Of course, I posted after Ewen and Prevelent. Had I posted first, this would have sounded smarter.
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  • Profile picture of the author DaniMc
    The more personal the painter can make any call - the more likely they will hire him.

    What I meet with clients - I really get inside their head and ask questions about what things look like and how they want things to work, then I write up summaries and estimates. After that kind of understanding and work, they almost never go somewhere else.

    For this guy, he should ask questions like -

    What colors are the walls now?
    What colors are you thinking about for the living room?
    What about the bedrooms? All the same color or different colors for each?
    What about the ceiling, does it need to be painted?
    Is the house empty or is there furniture?

    When is a good time for me to come over and measure the rooms? I will give you a written quote.

    If he has this type of conversation and is able to actually go measure and write stuff down, leaving them with a written quote - he is much, much more likely to close the deal. He should not give prices over the phone "Every home is different. I have to actually see the rooms and the current colors to know how much paint I will use." etc etc...come up with some stuff.

    When he is in the home, he should try to set a firm date to begin painting and even try to collect a deposit.
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    • Profile picture of the author misterme
      I have to actually see the rooms and the current colors to know how much paint I will use.
      To the OP, I'd suggest staying away from quantifying your prices with how much paint you need, time you need, anything like that because then you're giving the prospective customer a basis to eliminate you by having them compare your efficiency against another painter.

      In other words, if your price will be based on how much time you need to do the job, or how much paint you need, or how many men you need on the job, etc., then the next painter can tell them they can do it in less time, with less paint and with less man power, and become the better deal by seeming more proficient than you.

      So, yes, you do need to see the customer's rooms to estimate what's involved, but you need to change the game to one you can win.
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  • Profile picture of the author TyBrown
    I'm in the service business as well. The last thing I like is a conversation that goes "How much do you cost?" "We cost $x"

    As has been mentioned, this type of conversation turns you into a commodity.

    A conversation to sell a service should include an interview process that:
    - Has the service provider asking questions about the job, the home, the challenges, etc.
    - This allows you to get personal and get to know the prospect, it allows them to feel a connection with you.
    - Allows you to educate them on why your service is better
    - Allows you to educate them on things you do that competitors don't, etc.
    - Allows for disqualifications i.e. why they WOULDN'T want to work with you (we're only a high end service, we only work on homes where people educate themselves on the painting process, etc.)
    - Overall, allows you to build value and find pain so that a big price tag is justified.
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  • Profile picture of the author tryinhere
    Originally Posted by rathnavelpandian View Post

    one client is an interior house painter

    How can i help the client script his dialogue from the start so that he converts alot more of the calls into buyers.I know there are a few respectable guys who are good on the phone here and would appreciate your advice.
    That will happen a lot in adwords / mum and pop tradies etc, the guy is a painter not a marketer , sales guy / closer, yet your role now in adwords is far beyond just running a campaign for you client in that you now need to add a full blown marketing and sales service as well.

    Just do not do all of this for peanuts because most of them will hound you and then blame you when nothing works, it's almost like I paid for a click so where is my customer now! expectation, this also extends to shitty landing pages and low conversions / well tell me how to set up my site and do it for me.

    As for the answer yes giving prices on the phone and yes the customer just spurts that question but the painter just spurts the incorrect answer and is just as at fault.
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    • Profile picture of the author DaniMc
      Originally Posted by misterme View Post

      To the OP, I'd suggest staying away from quantifying your prices with how much paint you need, time you need, anything like that because then you're giving the prospective customer a basis to eliminate you by having them compare your efficiency against another painter.
      That is a great point. I didn't even think of interpreting it that way. My main point was to get an appointment to go into the home and have a face to face conversation, give them ideas, answer questions, and leave more info...a chance to build a relationship.
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      • Profile picture of the author misterme
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        Yes, they have no idea what to talk about except price. They don't know any questions you might bring up, so they just shoot out the first thing they know...price.
        And, as I'm sure you know, they're also thinking there's nothing else needed to know except price, and with price, can now make comparisons between businesses and make a decision. And that's pretty much why people ask for prices.

        Originally Posted by Prevalent View Post

        That is a great point. I didn't even think of interpreting it that way. My main point was to get an appointment to go into the home and have a face to face conversation, give them ideas, answer questions, and leave more info...a chance to build a relationship.
        I realized that was your point, I only wanted to touch on the example you came up with. By some default setting, business people justify their price by discussing what it costs them or how much work they need to put into it. So the customer may decide to do business with an outfit that knows how to contain their costs or more efficiently uses their materials. Maybe it takes you five days because you're not as good as the guy who said he can do it in three.

        There's an array of what this painter can turn his presentation into. He can show them how his is the more efficient result, even if his price is higher. He can tap into into a higher view of what his services will accomplish for the customer beyond a paint job; he can bring more value into the equation.

        Again, he has to change the game into one he can win. And that's going to be, as DK says, "in a competitive universe of one." That's going to be about this painter's unique value propositions, with the key word being "unique." And that's why they need a script. Because this painter has to make sure he mentions these things, and a script in front of him will remind him of what needs to be said.
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        • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
          Something else you could look at with the painter
          Is to come up with a performance guarantee.

          Have this in the ad and it will lower the price shoppers
          and sway more to phone him rather than other painters.

          Performance guarantees work exceptionally well for tradespeople.

          The best ones are taking away the biggest frustrations consumers
          have had in dealing with them... Turning up late and not cleaning up
          after them. Part of the guarantee is a payout for not doing those things.

          A plumber did this in his Yellow Pages ad. Year on year increase in sales
          were $180,000.
          An electrician adapted that same ad into another location
          and it brings in an extra $30,000 per month. I built and sold
          lawnmowing businesses based on this type of guarantee.

          Once again, it positions you beyond compare before the phone talk.

          Best,
          Ewen
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  • Profile picture of the author Tjpiper
    Help your client understand that the point of a phone call with a lead is to set an appointment to meet the customer and progress the sale. Customers calling on price alone will be less likely to convert to a sale if they are given a price for the service and it is left at that. They will likely be calling elsewhere until they find the lowest price or until they call a company that will close them on their service instead of relying on having the lowest price.

    Teach your client to sell their service instead, then talk price later.

    Maybe a conversation could go something like this:

    Lead : Hi there i am calling to enquire on your painting services?( or similar variant)

    Client : Sure How Can I Help You?

    Lead : Goes on to explain number of rooms what is needed etc etc..

    Client: We can definitely do that for you! (client then goes on to qualify their service - we have x years experience, I am confident that we can provide you with the best service, we guarantee our service, etc...) When would be a good time to stop by to look at the project so I can give you the best price on the spot?

    If the lead agrees to a meeting time, the sale is just about made!
    If the lead still asks for a price or says they will call back, have the client ask when they could expect to hear back from them.

    The client should always get the phone number or email address of the lead so they can call back to follow up and close the sale if lead said they need to think about it.

    The person answering the phones should be trying to set an appointment and sell the value of their service, not the price. The person doing the on-site appraisal should be doing the same.

    The client should always try to maintain control of the onversation by ending with questions such as : "does that work for you?" or "does that keep it in your range?"
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