When it comes to construction, one of the best ways to increase profits is to upsell customers. Whether it is for better products, better warranties, or just more peace of mind for them, it is good for you when your employees can get customers to make improvements and upgrades beyond the original scope of work.
Upselling, however, isn’t always easy. Whether your salesmen are new and timid or homeowners are a tough sell, it can take a lot of convincing to get a commitment to a better product, service, warranty, etc. There are a few things that you, as a leader in your company, can do to make your team more effective in their upselling efforts.
Take The Time To Train)
Some guys are just good at selling, and upselling, they can get contracts signed and warranty upgrades agreed to without hardly any work at all on their end, but some guys just aren’t; they struggle to create a good relationship with the homeowner and to get contracts signed, much less get product upgrades in the mix.
Taking the time to train all your guys on good tactics for upselling can hugely benefit your company. Helping them to have rebuttals for denials, tools to explain the value added, and tactics to open the upgrading conversation will make them more effective at upselling, but also at selling in general. Have them practice on each other, role play the scenario so that they can get used to fending off excuses and working the benefits into the conversation; the more they practice on each other, the easier it will come when they try with real homeowners. It also gives the salesmen an opportunity to help one another out. That great salesman can show your new guys how he goes about selling, convincing, and getting the deal done. The new or timid salesmen can ask questions, and clarify things they are unsure of. Getting all of your guys together in one room gives them the opportunity to teach each other and collaborate amongst themselves the best ways to upsell homeowners.
Use Your Resources)
Part of being able to upsell is to know what it is you are persuading the homeowner to add to their project. Whether it is a product like an impact resistant shingle or anti-wear paint, or a better warranty for using only one company’s products, your guys need to know everything about it so that they can ensure the homeowner that it is the right thing for them do to.
This is where having good, strong relationships with manufacturer reps is essential. The manufacturer representatives are a wealth of knowledge, and it is their job to get your company to use more of their products. Many reps will be more than happy to sit down with you and your salesmen to go in depth into how certain products work, how they are better than others, and even ways to sell them to the homeowners. Similar to the training, working with the reps gives your guys the opportunity to ask questions, see demos, and become experts on the products and services they sell. Being able to understand exactly what they are selling and how it will be a benefit to the homeowner will make you salesmen exponentially better at gaining the homeowner’s trust, and convincing them to upgrade their project.