Hello All,

So, how does one develop his salesmanship/sales skills? How does one sell on the phone? The literature on the Wildlife Expo ]"Selling Work (and Yourself) Over the Phone"[/b] [u][/u] says you have ten seconds to capture the potential clients attention. Okay what do I say in those ten seconds? No I couldn't make it to the Expo.

My phone calls fall into four types. 1. person shopping for a price 2. the person who wants it done has the money and doesn't ask the price 3. the individual who wants free advice. 4. the person that has a price range they are willing to pay.

I know that I need to chat up the potential client, and hold off on mentioning my price. I make a point of not competing on price. So, I usually lose future clients when they are shopping around. I have fallen into the trap of giving the client to much information.

Appreciate any thoughts on the matter.

Chuck

It's a lot like trapping. When trapping, you pay attention to detail and let your target tell you where they are willing to go so you can set your trap accordingly.
A good salesman listens to the prospective customer's opening remarks and quickly identifies what it is that the customer wants and needs to hear.
The only way that I know of to develop that skill is repetition. Just like in trapping, the more you do it the better you get.

Thanks BIC it makes sense.

Chuck

I don't think that there really is a standard for phone selling. I'm an over-seller just like Chuck but I do try to put myself in the

customer's shoes and tell them what they need to hear. I've learned from two of the best; My wife and my daughter and each one is

different on the phone. You develop a style that works for you with each of the different types of customers that you named.

Eventually you will become fairly accurate at sorting out the people that can't afford you, almost immediately. The worst calls are

the people who let their little kids call you and you have to figure out what they want.

I usually just have them start by telling me details of their problem, noises, time of day, length of problem, and then give them their options, exclusions, trapping, and my overall recommendations. Then I tell them the cost.

After that I give them a few recommendations on if they choose to do it themselves. Precautions when cleaning raccoon poop and why they need to be careful when handling wildlife. I do not tell them how to trap. All of the safety recommendations I give are usually good deterrents for them to do it themselves, but they feel I am more helpful .

Coondog,

we all have our particular skills or areas where we excel and for me selling is mine. I have always

good at it and come from a sales background. I was a sales manager for a mid sized company for over 7 years before going fulltime in this business.

I think a lot of people get into this business and fail because they fail to realize without selling the job, there isn't a job. This work is all about getting the next job or customer, not trapping some moles or gophers or killing bugs or whatever. Anyone can kill a bug or trap a gopher.

When you say "chat up the customer" that scares me. Telling isn't selling. You need to develop a script that doesn't sound like a script. Nobody wants to talk to someone they perceive as a telephone machine gun sales person just firing through call after call. The only way to develop this is through experience. Are you calm and comfortable talking to people or do they scare the crap out of you?

First you need to be prepared for what type of call is coming in...

1) just looking for a price... They know they have an issue but they either really don't have the money to just get it taken care of or they don't perceive it is a big enough issue. Don't try any sort of scare tactic cause 99% are going to see right through that. Ask questions, comfort them, make them feel like they have the man they should be talking to on the other end of the line. If your better in person and aren't busy get them to commit to a free inspection. If I can get myself on my prospects property the chances of selling the job go up immensely.

2) we hear some sort of noise... Obviously they heard something and are curious. Talk them through it by asking questions... Whats it sound like- where do you hear it- when do you hear it, etc... that will help you figure out what it is and make them realize you aren't some quack with a beat up truck and a bad mustache and scruffy beard.

it goes on and on. if someone says they need to talk to their wife/husband just subtly remind them what they are looking for and that your the one for the job. Remember they called you. They know they have some sort of issue and they are looking for someone who can magically make it disappear. Be that person but make sure they understand the reality of this business. Make big promises, but make sure you can deliver on them. Don't promise something you cant deliver on and if you don't know it wont hurt to admit it but research it and be in the know.

I could go on and on but im just rambling now. this is the funnest part of this business. Learn it and master it. Get to the point you don't need every call or job and it will get a lot less stressful.

good luck

Not to piggyback, but how do you guys deal with people who call for service but are shocked to hear we charge for services? Is there any way to get those people on board?

the only time that's an issue for me is when every single fur trapper here will trap beaver for $20 ea. good riddance, I don't want that job anyway! the local conservation officers all give out names of numerous guys who will do it and that's fine by me.

Explain to them that you are a professional. The big one is not every red neck with a conibear has insurance to protect the client

Pretty good info. for the most part. My wife and I gave that presentation (might offer it at next WCT seminar) at the NWCOA Expo. Chuck, No.'s 1, 2 and 4 are good leads and can be sold. I can't condense an hour's presentation into a few lines, but in a nutshell: convince the customer that he can trust you, and be respectful in every way.

As I've learned how to make the service sound like its worth more,I hear that less.

When I say that I chat them up. I mean that I don't quote them the price right away. I get as much information as possible and then quote a price.

When I first started a client would call ask what do you charge and I would quote them a rate. The potential client would say thanks and bye. Now, I try to develop a rapport with the potential client.