6 Sales Tips to Help Move Your Business Forward

By Cass Jacoby, RCS Reporter.

Sales techniques that will help you land your next big project.

Contractors know that there is much more to sales than cold calling and generating leads. A good salesperson is the foundation of how you build trust with your customer base, creating loyal clients who are more than happy to give you a referral. While sales might seem straightforward, it is always a good idea to learn new techniques to ensure that you stand apart from your competition.

Here are six sales techniques and how you can implement them to help your company succeed.

1 – Up-to-date pricing

It is no secret that pricing is changing much more than it used to. Because price is such a big part of the sales pitch process, make sure you’re charging customers the necessary amount by updating your pricing regularly. ABC Supply suggests you check your prices at least once a month. Contractors can easily use myABCsupply to check current pricing on the building materials you order from ABC Supply.

Further, remember to note price increases in your documents. As costs fluctuate, adding these clauses to your contracts and keeping letters from manufacturers and distributors documenting cost increases will help ensure you don’t lose money.

2 – Qualify bids

Sometimes it feels like you need the lowest bid to win a job, but that isn’t necessarily the best way to go about business. Instead, you want to make sure that you share your value proposition with your customers along with the estimate, so that customers can understand how you got to that number. A value proposition is what differentiates your business from your competitors and is a great tool to help you back up why your services cost what they do.

3 – Use software

You’ve probably read it a million times by now, but automating processes increases your efficiency and your company’s bottom line. It will also help you differentiate yourself, manage customer relationships and stay ahead of the competition.

4 – Be present in your customer meetings

The secret to a detailed sales presentation that addresses all of your clients’ project requirements is to actively listen to your prospective customers. Especially in today’s more virtual settings, it is more important than ever to be engaged. Come prepared with questions and ready to really listen to your customers’ wants, needs and challenges.

Make sure everyone is clear on what needs to happen after the meeting ends and when you’ll follow up. ABC Supply suggests fully understanding what the prospect is looking for first and then sharing your additional ideas or opportunities with them. By addressing their primary must-haves and including bonus ideas, you’ll demonstrate your ability to listen and exceed their expectations.

5 – Focus on benefits and features

At the end of the day, you are there to provide a solution to a problem a client faces. That’s why it is important to highlight why you recommend certain products and what features they have that will add value to the project. Most customers won’t be fully aware of how certain products will help them reach their desired outcome, so make sure to educate them fully about each product and explain why these are good long-term investments.

It’s so important to help your prospective customers feel good about their decision to move forward with you and the project. Offering visuals, explanations of products and testimonials from past successes will go a long way in terms of your sales pitch.

6 – Build meaningful relationships

There is no better selling technique than making sure your customers feel understood. Take your time getting to know your customer so that you know more about whom you're selling to rather than what you are selling. This will help create the foundation necessary to form a long-lasting customer relationship. After all, the roofing industry is first and foremost a people business, so make sure you let your customers know you care!

Learn more about ABC Supply in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit www.abcsupply.com.