Improving Your Sales Pitch

 

  
  You are a master of your trade. Doing the job is the easy part. But sometimes, it is getting the job that is the most trying part of the business. This article will give you some pointers on how to land the job through a killer presentation.

First Impressions- Your presentation begins before you even introduce yourself! Make sure you look professional, and remain courteous and friendly. Arrive on time, in a clean vehicle. Bring with you business cards or brochures, as printer materials make a good impression.

Take a Walk- This is an opportune time to have your prospective client personally show you around. Talk as you walk, and look at everything in person, rather than have the customer give you a ‘laundry list’ around the kitchen table. Ask plenty of questions while you are on the tour, as this shows interest and respect. This will also give you time to make
suggestions about what else may need to be done, or suggest certain types of products.

Use a Pitch Book- a pitch book for a contractor is like a portfolio for a newspaper writer - clips that show talent, professionalism, results and satisfied clients. All you need to start is a three-ring binder and a box of heavyweight sheet protectors. Then, fill the pages with pictures of past projects- before and after shots. Also, you can include letters of recommendation. It sounds trite, but a picture IS worth a thousand words. Customers can flip through the book, and get excited as they vision their own projects coming to light.


You will know your pitch book inside and out, so you can say something like, “I did a job just like this last spring, we are so proud of how it turned out!” And then, you can flip right to the page!

Sales Support Materials- this is an extension of your pitch book. In addition to showing before and after shots of your work, you can also have glossy sales sheets that highlight materials. You can contact your vendors for these. This shows that you know your stuff, and can readily make suggestions, right from your pitch book. These sales and opportunity
sheets will give your clients information on the benefits of certain products and services that you provide, but the best part is that your vendors’ art department did the work!

References: As mentioned above, reference letters are important to include in your pitch book. Perhaps, if clients are not ‘letter writers,’ you can draft an evaluation form for them to fill out. You can place your star evaluations in your binder, alongside their photos. This is key. If you do not get your survey back, you can make a follow-up call.

With these tips and a little work, you should be closing deal after deal. Not only are you manned with the tools to do the job, but also now you have a foundation to land more jobs!