So ya sucked it up and timidly handed your business card to a commercial prospect. GREAT! But panic strikes when they respond, “So how much do you charge?” First- calm down! A simple price request is only natural.
Simply reply, “I can help you with that. May I ask you a few questions?” At the same time pull out a clipboard with your Commercial Carpet Analysis (CCA) form. (CLICK HERE for your free CCA form.)
With pen in hand look down at your CCA form and ask, “So what type of products do you sell here?” (Write down their answer.) Then ask…
“Where is your biggest carpet maintenance issue?”
When your contact gestures toward it and says, “The break room…” start to move/stand up while extending your hand toward the problem area and ask, “Could you just show me?”
NOTE: It is essential to get the manager away from their desk (and other distractions) by involving them in a “tour of the premises”. How? By using the Valid Business Questions (VBQ’s) found on your CCA form! (Be sure to write down/make notes of all their answers.)
This “VBQ concept” works because A) it gives you more time to impress/ develop a relationship with your prospect. But even more importantly B) the more time they “invest” with you the more likely they will want a ROI on their invested effort. How will they get this “return” on a simple price request? By signing up with you!
HINT: Toward the end of your tour it never hurts to casually ask, “So have you calculated a budget for this project yet?” You’ll be amazed at how many will share their numbers.
Once you have the information from your CCA form you can develop your customized recommendations (never make a “presentation”!) with at least three (or more) price/frequency options. Let’s make this our next assignment!
Steve