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Step One: Entry
It's very important to get your presentation started on the right foot. Here are some guidelines.
Preparation - Before you knock on the door
Objective: Be prepared for any situation or question that will arise during a sales presentation. Be able to position your product as the solution to your prospect's problem no mater what the problem is.
You must be prepared:This really goes without saying, but it's vital that you know your own product inside and out, and you should know your competitors' products inside and out as well. You cannot be caught off guard when a prospect asks you about any competitive product or you will lose credibility.
It's imperative to know more than just the features of your product - that's an amateur approach - focus on all of the possible benefits that those features could provide to a person, family or a company. Make a master list of these features and benefits (and continually add to it) and memorize it. As you get to know the prospects in each of your presentations, you will know which benefits to focus on.
To be a successful salesperson, you must have the mind set of offering benefits to customers and meeting each of their individual needs.
Remember this quote by Zig Ziglar: "You can get anything in life you want if you just help enough other people get what they want."
The presentation you're about to give isn't just about your product. It's about the people sitting across the table from you and how your product will meet their needs. Once you really understand this, you're doing better than the average salesperson out there.
Positive Mental Attitude
Before you think about meeting with prospects, you must develop a positive mental attitude. If you go into a sales presentation with a negative attitude, you might as well just hand the prospects your competitor’s business card and not waste any more time. Focus on being enjoyable to be around and confident in your abilities and product. Remember that people want to do business with people they enjoy being around.
First Impression
Objective: Get the presentation off on the right foot. A poor first impression can be very difficult to overcome.
It’s critical. You must make a positive first impression. Luckily, it’s really not that difficult. Just act like you’re entering a job interview. Been a few years since you’ve interviewed for a job? Here are some guidelines to follow:
Appearance
Get a haircut. Be clean shaven. A good rule of thumb is to dress one step nicer than you think the prospects will be dressed, and if you don’t know how they will be dressed, err on the side of over dressing.
The main point is that your prospect should be focused on your presentation - not on your flashy or grungy appearance.
Timing:
If you’re a few minutes late, your prospect is likely forming an opinion about you before you’re even there to defend yourself!
Be on time by taking into account the possibility of traffic congestion, taking a wrong turn or getting lost. What’s the worst thing that can happen? You get there early and focus yourself on your presentation for a few minutes before you make your entry?
Demeanor
Stand up straight, smile sincerely, be confident, look them in the eye. Start building trust from the outset of the presentation.
Get Acquainted
Objective: Get acquainted with the prospects and do your best to make them comfortable with you. More importantly, this is a great opportunity to learn about your customer and determine how to mold your presentation to meet them where they are.
Nobody expects you to start your presentation right when you get in the door, so you have a few minutes to get acquainted with your prospects, and don’t overlook that a little small talk can go a long way - if you pay attention, it will help you improve your presentation.
So what's the easiest way to get acquainted with prospects and even get them to like you? Take an interest in what they have to say. First you have to get them to open up...
Questions... and Listening
Pay attention to your surroundings when you go to a prospect's home. What's their neighborhood like? What's parked in the driveway? Whose pictures do they have hanging on their wall? Basically, what do you see that you can either compliment them about or ask them about to get them telling you about themselves.
This is a time for open ended questions. Don't ask any questions that they can simply answer "yes" or "no" to. Remember you want your prospects to open up and do most of the talking.
After you ask a questions, listen - and pay attention. Mirror their body language, make eye contact, and nod your head or use other non verbal communication to make sure they know you are really taking an interest in what they have to say.
The more you learn about them, the better you can make your presentation for them because you're going to focus your presentation on how your product specifically benefits them.
Transition: As important as breaking the ice is, don’t get too carried away with trying to learn the life story of your prospects. Pay attention to their verbal and non-verbal cues that say let’s move on. If you don’t get those cues, make the transition to why you’re really there: to demonstrate your product. You have set the stage with your Entry. Now it’s time to work your way closer to the all important demonstration that you are there for, but the Pre-Demonstration outlines some measures you must take before getting there.
Step Two: Pre-Demonstration
The most important aspect of a sales presentation for window or films is the actual product demonstration. That's why this whole section is devoted to setting the stage for the demonstration.
Like an appetizer prepares a diner for Filet Mignon at a fine restaurant, the time leading up to the product demonstration must put the prospect on the edge of their seat, anticipating how well your window will perform and being anxious to feel your product in their own hands.
Uncover their Wants and Needs
Objective: Identify problems with their current situation, and determine what qualities and benefits of your windows they feel are the most important - and that they will be willing to pay for.
Now is the time to let them continue to talk. Now is not the time to talk about your product. This point in the presentation is about painting a picture of what is wrong with their current situation and how it could be better in the future. Pay very close attention to what they have to say because you will use this information to close the sale.
Many prospects simply want the cheapest windows available - they don't realize that quality costs. Initially, price will be their main criteria to base their window purchase on. Maybe they’re not sure they need new windows at all. If this is the case, ask yourself this: How are they going to react when you come barging into their living room saying your window is sooo special, and they need to buy this, that, and the other thing? Probably not very positively. You know that your high quality window will pay for itself in the long run and be a worthwhile investment, but they may have to go through the process of coming to that realization themselves.
It is your job to facilitate their process of discovering their needs for your windows. How’s it done? Ask questions, and listen quietly to what they have to say. Ask questions like:
“What made you decide to go shopping for new windows?”
“What problems are you having with your current windows?”
“What are you looking for in a window?”
“What products have you looked at already?”
“Are you aware of how the sun can damage those pictures on your wall?”
“Have your heating/cooling bills reflected the high energy costs lately?”
Those are just a few examples. Asking questions like these will help you uncover what is important to them. Really try not to say much after you ask them. Bite your tongue when you feel like you have something to interject, and be sure that they have said everything they wanted to say.
It is so much more important to gather information about them as they talk because the more you know about them, the better you can present your product directly to their needs during the product demonstration stage.
Build Trust in your Company
Objective: Build their trust in you and your company. Obviously, people are much more likely to do business with people and organizations they trust.
You must make sure that your prospects will be comfortable doing business with you. You must convey your company’s commitment to excellence, establish credibility, and ensure your prospect that they can put their trust in your company’s name.
To do this, simply bring out the strong points about your company like the number of years it’s been in business, the professional organizations it belongs to (like the Better Business Bureau, etc.), and other satisfied customers who gave testimonials.
Convey a high level of pride and excitement you and your company have in offering it’s high quality product, and talk about how you will stand behind the product. Give examples of other window companies in your area that have come and gone since you have been in business (remember, don’t trash your competitors – just give them the facts).
Set the Stage for your Product Demonstration
Objective: Build the anticipation for the demonstration to ensure maximum impact
Now that you know more about your customer, their interests, needs, and the problems they are facing, you essentially know what they want in a window. Remember Zig Ziglar’s quote: "You can get anything in life you want if you just help enough other people get what they want."
Now that you are about to extensively talk to them about your product, you have the opportunity to do something extremely important: Getting away from the idea of selling them a window, and moving towards the idea of offering them an opportunity to invest in a product that will satisfy their wants and needs while it pays for itself.
For the rest of the sales presentation, you must talk about your window in those terms - an investment that will meet their specific wants and needs. Now this isn’t to say that you don’t teach them about all the other great aspects of your window and company, just put the most importance on the factors that are the most important to your prospects.
Make them expect a hefty price tag / build value into your product
Objective: Make the value of your window to your prospects, greater than the price tag.
Michael Zabec talks about Price Conditioning in his excellent book “10 Steps to High Definition Selling.” The goal here is to create a perceived value of your window that is greater than the actual cost of the window, so when you eventually quote the price, your prospect will be pleased or even pleasantly surprised.
To achieve this effect, break the window down and talk about all of the great materials within the window. Talk about how and why they are better than materials that your competitors use (be careful, don’t trash your competitors – just give them the facts).
Explain the amount of research that went into producing this great window and how your company stands behind their warranty. Use strong words that relate to the quality and innovations of your window.
In short, be sure they understand you have a high quality window that is a long term or permanent solution to their needs. After all, we're not talking about a cheap quick fix here.
This can also be a great time to remind them about their wants and needs you uncovered before. For example, mention how long engineers worked on developing a certain feature on your windows with the goal of blocking the most heat from the sun as possible. Inform them that this is one of the ways that your windows are going to help them save on their energy bills.
Make the Shift
Objective: Instead of putting on the hard sell, lead them through the thought process of realizing they need your window.
Thus far, you have been asking open ended questions. From now on, you will generally only ask questions that you already know the answer to - generally the answer will be "yes" or "no."
Ask the right questions prior to the demonstration
A few examples of good questions to ask at this point are:
You: So you're telling me you would appreciate lowering your utility bills?
Prospect: Yes
You: Well let's take a look at how this window will do that for you.
You: So would you say it's important for your windows to protect your (fill in the blank) from UV damage?
Prospect: Yes
You: Well why don't we see how this window compares to something similar to your windows or other windows you might be thinking about investing in.
Regardless of their purchasing criteria when you first stepped in the door, you have now gotten your prospect to say, realize, or admit that a high performing window benefit them. During your demonstration, you will make them realize that your high performance window will be the one to meet their wants and needs.
Step Three: Demonstration
You have set the stage for your product demonstration. Your prospects are anxious to see your window in action for themselves, and you are about to demonstrate that performs well and benefits your prospects in the way they desire.
The Four Keys to a successful demonstration: Educate - Involve - Prove - Apply
Educate: Make sense out of a complex topic
Effect on Prospect :
A properly educated prospect is: capable of fully understanding the quality and benefits of your product and more ready to make a buying decision immediately
An uneducated prospect on the other hand is: more confused during the demonstration process, more skeptical and less trusting of the benefits of your product, and unlikely to buy your window product without further research or consultation from others.
In a recent poll from W&D Weekly, about 70% of participants said that “Homeowners shopping for replacement windows and doors want an education, which sometimes means a longer sales process.”
The only problem is that as windows become more technically advanced, they become harder to understand.
What happens if you do a poor job educating your prospects - or worse yet, you confuse them?
1) They sit silently, afraid to speak up and ask questions, and decide that they need to learn more about the subject after you leave (without closing the sale of course)
2) They start asking you questions, putting you on the defensive, thus taking control of the sales situation
Needless to say, a confused shopper is very unlikely to make a purchase from you. Luckily, you don’t need to be an expert teacher for your prospects to learn what they want and need to know before making a window purchase. Just follow the forms linked in the next column and let your prospect fill in the blanks.
Timing is everything
The beginning of your product demonstration is the perfect time to take a few minutes and teach your prospects about the most important performance characteristics involved in choosing a window. Get on the same page with your prospect now, so you don't get into the demonstration only to realize the prospect doesn't have a clue what you are talking about.
Just tell them: "Before we go on, I want to make sure you fully understand the terms we're going to be using in the demonstration. Take a look at this form with me, and let's make sure we're on the same page."
Involve Prospects in your Demonstration
Effect on Prospect : A prospect involved in the demonstration is more likely to understand the benefits your window will provide them with, so make it interesting and even fun. The odds of making a sale to a customer who is daydreaming through a lackluster demonstration are slim to none.
A tell tale sign of a powerful product demonstration is when a customer takes a hands on approach as opposed to sitting on their thumbs watching you. Maximize your the impact of your demonstration by encouraging them to examine your samples and demonstration tools in their own hands. Work as the demonstration facilitator - verbally walking them through the demonstration while they do most of the work and find the results for themselves.
Just as the car shopper is the one that gets to take the wheel during a test drive, the window shopper should take the reigns of the product demonstration - seeing, touching and feeling your high quality product on the way to truly understanding how your product will benefit them.
A great way to get your prospects involved is by turning up the heat with an Infrared Heat Lamp. Perform the following demonstration that will stimulate your prospect's senses and hopefully make them sweat a little:
Start by turning on the Heat Lamp. The amount of heat the this lamp emits will immediately be noticed by your prospect.
Tell the prospect to think of the heat lamp like the sun, noting it can get up to 500 degrees. Have the prospect put their hands a couple of inches away from the lamp. Then, tell them you are going to try to block the heat with a glass sample (similar to what they have now if applicable).
Place a glass sample in front of the lamp, and your prospect will immediately recognize that it doesn't do much to stop the heat. If applicable, remind them that their current windows - or other glass on the market is conductive just like this sample, as they do little to stop the heat from the sun.
Next, place a sample of your window in front of the heat lamp and ask the question like:
"Can you feel how this window is going to keep the elements out and save you money on your energy bills?" There is no other answer to that question but "yes."
Keep in mind: this is a subjective demonstration, but it will make your prospect start thinking about the consequences of having inferior quality windows in their home. Even though this demonstration didn't really give any quantifiable evidence about the difference your window makes, your next demonstration will...
Prove the difference your window product makes
Effect on Prospect:Proving the performance of your product reduces fear that they are "getting the wool pulled over their eyes." The less fear and fewer objections a prospect has, the more likely they are to purchase your window.
Remember this key point, and be sure to have this mind set: during the demonstration, the Spectrum Detective, for example, isn't a sales tool for the salesperson, it is a tool used by the prospect to discover and prove for themselves that the window is worth investing in.
Anyone can read performance numbers out of their own product literature. To really make an impression, let your prospect discover these numbers for themselves while proving that you have a high quality product that will make their life easier and better.
Since you are working as the demonstration facilitator, they are actually proving to themselves that your window is worth investing in regardless of what your product literature says - which they may perceive as being biased.
If there are at least 2 prospects you are presenting to, have one of them take control of the Spectrum Detective and the glass samples, while the other writes down the performance numbers on a sheet of paper to compare later.
Have the prospects start by testing and recording the lowest performing glass sample you have and continue until they get to your glass. During each step explain to them exactly what the glass samples are, and for added effect, let them know which sample is most similar to what they currently own.
This test will show that your window is vastly superior to what the prospects currently have and other alternatives on the market. In the next step, you will capitalize on the demonstration by really applying your window's performance to your prospect's situation.
Apply performance to their situation and needs
Effect on Prospect : When you apply performance numbers to what the prospect has placed the most importance on, the prospect will see your window as an investment to solve their problems and increase their quality of life - instead of an expensive product of a higher quality than they really need.
You have now positioned your product ahead of other alternatives in quality and performance, but that's only half of your demonstration objective. Make sure and apply these demonstration numbers to their situation. Do this by continuing to ask specific questions that will get a "yes" response:
"Can you see how this window is going to save you money on your energy bills every month?" (yes)
"Can you see how this window is going to protect your new carpet or priceless antiques or artwork from being damaged by the sun?" (yes)
Notice what happens when you approach your demonstration in this manner. They use your demonstration tools to prove to themselves that your product is of high quality and performance, and that it solves the specific problems they have already laid out earlier in the presentation.
Take a moment to examine the difference between this approach and the average sales approach:
New:
• Prospects acknowledge ways that a window could make their quality of life better
• With your guidance, prospects prove to themselves that your window can meet those wants and needs
Average:
• Salesperson tells prospects that their window is the best - focusing mainly on product features instead of benefits to the prospect
• Salesperson relies on convincing the prospect to trust them
You have done a great job so far. Closing the sale is all that's left.
Step Four: Close
Seal the Deal Today
The importance of closing the sale during your first contact with a prospect is no secret. This means more than not taking no for an answer or refusing to leave your prospect's home until they sick the dog on you.
The key is to offer the prospect something they need and give them incentives to take advantage of the deal you have to offer today.
The Best Way to Close
Many salespeople try to improve their closing rate by focusing on techniques and scripted lines they can use at the end of their presentation to overcome objections and even pressure their prospects into saying yes. In reality, it works much better to focus on closing from the moment you walk in the door. The best way to close is to give an exciting presentation with a dynamic demonstration that gets your prospect wanting your product before you even start measuring their windows and quoting a price.
Simply use the ideas and principles discussed in the Entry and Pre-Demonstration steps to learn about your prospect and their wants, needs and current problems. Your mission is to find out what these issues are because once you know them, you have the opportunity to address those issues (wants, needs and problems) during the Demonstration step before those issues can turn into objections during the closing process.
Positioning vs. Justifying your product
As soon as you learn about your prospect's buying criteria or the factors that weigh the most heavily on their buying decision, you have the opportunity to position your product accordingly during the remainder of the presentation. Again, this has been discussed in the Pre-Demonstration and Demonstration steps, but it is so important that it bears repeating. The alternative to being proactive by positioning your product is falling into the trap of being reactive or defensive and appearing to justify or even make excuses for your product or price tag while your prospect is making objections. If you reach this point, you also have lost a lot of control over the selling situation
Let's be honest though, no matter how well you learn about your prospects and position your product to them, you are inevitably going to run into plenty of objections or speed bumps on your sales calls, and even if you are more focused on preventing objections, you must be ready for them when they occur.
Create a Buying Atmosphere
Before you start executing the closing process, relax. Many salespeople put too much pressure on themselves and the prospect to close the deal immediately, but if you are relaxed, your prospect will be relaxed. If you are tense, your prospect will be tense. You must make the atmosphere comfortable for your prospects and for yourself, so you can keep control of the situation.
There will be emotional highs and lows during the presentation and closing process. For example, prospects are generally excited during the demonstration when they see for themselves the performance of your product, and prospects are generally on an emotional low when you quote the retail price, but a comfortable atmosphere must stay constant.
Yes Questions – Lead them down the path
Remember that the person asking the questions is generally in control of the selling situation. During the Entry and Pre-Demonstration you asked open ended questions to learn about your prospects wants, needs and problems, then you shifted to close ended questions to lead them through the Demonstration.
You asked questions like: "Can you see how this window is going to save you money on your energy bills every month?" or “It would be great to fill this room up with sunlight without worrying about UV damage wouldn’t it?”
These questions help prospects make small decisions that they want your product instead of being confronted with the large, daunting decision of answering the question “Do you want my product?” If you get them to answer enough of these questions positively, you have done a great job with your presentation and the close is little more than a formality.
If you get a negative response to any of these questions, it’s OK! It’s better to get their reservations out in the open so you can deal with them. Keep your positive mental attitude, relax and use the following ideas.
Overcoming Objections
Be quiet. When your prospect gives you an objection, pause for five seconds or so. Give your prospect a chance to say everything they want, and don’t allow yourself to jump in with a knee-jerk reaction to their objection.
Ask them to elaborate or explain further. Ask questions to make sure you pinpoint the real problem on which they are stumbling.
Empathize. Explain to them you understand how they feel and they have a valid concern. Use the feel, felt, found method explaining that you know how they feel, you’ve had lots of customers that felt the same way, but here’s what they found – and then put them at ease about their concern.
Be Careful with Scripts
You already have a pretty good idea what objections you are going to run into on your sales calls, and if you don’t, you need to find out. There are countless articles and books that deal with the idea of overcoming objections and closing sales. Many offer scripted lines to memorize and combat every objection under the sun. Scripted lines have a time and a place, but they often can sidestep a prospect’s concern instead of addressing it directly which might annoy or even offend them. Don’t overdo it with scripts. Instead, practice your presentation enough that you are comfortable talking ad lib about any concern or objection you might run into.
Ask for the Sale
Here is another fundamental point that is often shied away from by salespeople. At some point during the closing process, you must actually ask for the sale. Don’t count on the prospect to ask you to sell your window product to them. Asking for the sale can be done in a number of different ways
There are a few key things to remember here. First, ask for the sale at an emotional high point for the prospect instead of a low point. Ask the question in a way that you will either get a yes response or you will root out any lingering concerns or objections that they have kept from you so far. Don’t ask in a way that maximizes the pressure you put on them and puts you at a dead end if they answer negatively. Asking “Do you want to buy this product now” puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the prospect, and gives them the opportunity to answer with a blunt “no.”
Assume the Sale
A great way to ask for the sale is to simply move the sales process forward, assuming that the prospects are on board to close the deal. Go ahead and measure the windows so you can quote a retail price. Talk to them about the different options they have with each window, and help them visualize what it will be like to upgrade a room with a new window. Casually mention ways that new windows will make their surroundings better (protecting a valuable furnishing you see in a room or blocking heat through a window that the sun shines directly into). When you have the measurements, start writing up an order before you quote the retail price.
Quote the Price and Create Urgency
When you quote the price, give them the retail quote, and the discounted quote available if they take advantage of your offer today. Make sure you offer real incentives for taking advantage of what you have to offer at this time instead of next week or next year.
Negotiating - Increase the Size of the Pie
Be creative in your negotiating. Many people view the negotiation process as a competition to see who can get a bigger "piece of the pie" while focusing mostly on the final price tag. Expert salespeople focus on increasing the size of the pie.
For example, if the prospect showed interest in a certain feature or style you have available while you were coming up with their quote, but they opted for a more economical choice, you could offer to include that feature or style for free if they take advantage of the offer at this time. You took the negotiation focus off of lowering your original quote, gave them extra incentive to purchase your product now, and they will be pleased that they received the extra value added feature free of charge.
Another common idea is offering a price discount for referrals or testimonials. They get the price discount they want, and you get the leads that can create sales making the price discount well worth it to you as well. Do anything to make sure you are creating a win-win situation for you and your customer. Remember that offering them a truly great deal will make them excited to share their pleasant experience with their friends and family, and you can't put a price tag on positive publicity and word of mouth referrals.
Prevent Buyer's Remorse
Don’t just make the sale and head out the door. Warm-down with your new customers and make sure they understand exactly what they will be receiving, exactly what and how they will be paying and the process of getting their new windows. Leave them with a written summary of all of this as well as your product literature. Along with that, leave the forms they filled out during the product demonstration
Don’t forget to ask for referrals. They just decided to make an investment in a great product, so they should have friends or family that might be interested in doing the same. If they are uncomfortable with this, it is a great opportunity for you to ask questions and get to the bottom of their hesitation – you may address a concern that would have caused them to cancel the order after you left. If they are comfortable and willing to give you the names and numbers of friends and family, it’s a great indication that they are comfortable with their decision.
Before you leave, ask them if they are happy with their decision. If you sense that they might still be slightly uncomfortable, get to the bottom of it and address it while you are still there instead of finding out tomorrow that they cancelled their order.