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BOB HEIDENREICH: Customer Education

Also, I like to ask customers if they have already had a deck appointment before. Normally a person schedules three to five appointments before he or she commits to a project. If you’re the first appointment, you’re going to burn through time explaining the basics. You’re also the person who quotes the price of the deck—sometimes putting the customer in “sticker shock.” Try to set your appointments back a few weeks, allowing other deck dealers to name their price, ultimately giving you the upper hand.

And while price is probably the most sensitive aspect of a sale, it helps to know what your customer’s budget is. Some people might be offended if you ask them how much they’re willing to spend. Because of that, I usually ask customers how much they think a deck will cost. I follow up by questioning preferences. Do they want cedar? Composite? This gives me an idea about how much they’re willing to spend. Sometimes, if customers tell me exactly what they want, this could be a red flag. I often tell them that during the appointment I can suggest some designs that will fit well with their house. If they are not open to this idea, it tells me that they might be shopping for the lowest price.

Finally, location can be an important factor. If the person lives too far away, it’s hard to take on that project. Also, if the person has just moved into his or her house, they might not be ready to commit to a sale. For instance, in our area, people typically buy a deck in the third to fifth year of home ownership, so these factors can be essential.

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I truly believe 90% of our problems come from 10% of the customers. If we can avoid these people in the first place, we save 90% of our problems. Writing down these details can help avoid failure and repeat success. I might miss out on a few good opportunities, but I also know that I am avoiding bad opportunities as well. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at decks@msn.com.

This article is the first part of a three part series:
Read part 2 of 3 here
Read part 3 of 3 here

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