The Initial Phone Call- Using a Checklist
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| Customers will respond to an ad
of yours by giving you a call. The purpose of their call is to determine
if you meet their needs. But, regardless of how anxious you may be to land
your next project, customers still need to be pre-qualified to make sure
they are right for YOU. During an initial phone call, you may want to have a checklist handy to make sure you cover pertinent points. A series of detailed questions may not be a bad idea, as you will be able to determine if this is a client and job you are up for. This can be done to weed out people who are just looking for the lowest price- not a quality builder. Or, as you may call them, ‘bottom feeders.’ Here is a sample list of some things you should be asking clients, and these can be adjusted to meet your specific needs: * Name, mailing address, phone and fax number and e-mail address * Project address * Method of finding out about your business * Project description * Motivations for project * Is there a designer? If so, who? * What stage of design are you in? * Permit? * What qualities/expectations client has for builder? * Preferred process of choosing a builder * Preferred schedule * Flexibility in schedule * Budget All of these are important to ask, as you can use these answers to answer your own questions. Is this a project in an area within your normal range of travel? Perhaps they were a referral but are too far away for you. Is this project large or small enough to meet your crewing needs? Sometimes a job is too small for you to do, and as ‘nasty’ as it may sound, it could be a waste of time for a bigger company. And, for a smaller company, a project could just be too large-scale. Also, as mentioned above, when you get to the budget questions and the expectations of a builder, you may be able to weed out potential customers who may want more for their money- a lot more. At this point, you can simply let them know that you do not sell price, but value. After all, what is the end result worth to them? You can use this to attempt to build value through a personal meeting, as after they see what you can do and get excited about the project, the price you ultimately give may end up meeting their needs, so do not get totally discouraged. On the other hand, if price is their only factor, you may want to politely let them know you are not the right builder. So, pre-qualifying over the phone using this checklist can be a great tool in connecting personally only with customers you feel confident about working with. Then, after you get through the call, you can take the next step of setting up a meeting, where you can really show your stuff! |
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