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So, you woke up this morning, looked in your wallet and decided, or your significant other told you, that you need more income. Unfortunately, unless you’re the Wizard of Oz you can’t just wave your magic wand and make it happen.
There are certain cold hard facts that you need to understand as you move into your personal “income improvement project”.
- If you work for a major brand your target audience is limited by the number of technicians and shops in your territory.
- There’s normally only eight to 10 selling hours in each day.
- Depending on the distance you must drive between shops you can only average a certain number of stops per day.
What I’m getting at is that you only have so many hours in a day and only so many people you can see per day. Fortunately, even with those limiting factors, you still have multiple solutions for your income improvement project:
- Close more sales with the technicians you call on now.
- Close sales with the technicians at your repair facilities who are not buying from you now.
- Close more sales of more expensive stuff with the technicians you call on now.
- Make sales calls on Saturday (ugh … OK, bad idea).
- Work on social media posts/emails harder and better.
From my point of view, the best way to solve your income improvement project is to close more sales with your current and prospective customers at your current stops.
You need to become the Costco of mobile jobbers. Costco? If you shop at Costco or Sam’s Club you know darn well it’s almost impossible to go in there for a simple $4.99 chicken and come out with only that chicken. You come out with some new clothes, beer, wine, a gigantic bag of chips, and maybe that 80” TV you’ve been wanting. What you may not realize is that Costco uses the simplest closing tool ever: the limited supply close. They have trained you so that you know if you don’t buy it today, when you come back they will all be gone, or the price has gone up, so buy it now.
I have an old paperback book called “The Closers” written by Ben Gay III that was published in 1980. In the book, the author lists what he calls the 20 greatest closes on earth.
I love some of the names he uses to describe these closes, such as the assumptive close, the sharp angle close, the intimidation close, and the airplane close.
Let’s focus on a few closing techniques that fit the mobile jobber business model.
Assumptive close
This closing technique works great when a customer asks you about a product.
Customer: “I’m thinking about getting a new cordless impact drill.”
Jobber: “Super, I’ve got a great selection of tools on the truck for you. Let’s see which one fits your needs the best so you can use it yet today, OK?” This is your first assumptive trial close.
“You probably will not need a backup battery since your use will be sporadic, correct?” This shows the customer you are thinking of him and not trying to oversell. It’s also an easy trial close.
“Will you be breaking loose heavy-duty nuts on rusty truck wheels or just normal automotive nuts and bolts?” Based on their answer to this question you will now suggest the correct product for the need.
“Based on your needs, I think this XYZ model I have right here on the truck will fit you perfectly. OK?” This should be your final assumptive close so don’t say a thing until you get an answer to your question.
As soon as the customer agrees with your closing statement, hand them the drill and say thank you. Don’t say anything more about the product. Just move on to the impact sockets they might need.
Remember, from the first words out of your mouth you are assuming the sale is made and all you’re doing is helping the customer decide on which model or size to take.
I know that you’re thinking of the old saying “assuming something just makes an ass out of you and me”. If the assumptive close is your only closing tool you could be in trouble.
Sharp angle close
If your customer has said something to you like “this tool you’re suggesting sure is smaller than my old dead one; I can’t imagine it’s as powerful”. You can now move into the fun-filled sharp angle close.
Jobber: “Just to be sure what you’re saying is, that if this cool, new, lightweight tool is as powerful as your old one you’ll take it, correct?”
With the sharp angle close, you’re simply throwing the customers question or objection right back at them and letting them close the deal themselves.
Airplane close
Should you run into a customer who simply has a hard time in making up their mind, the airplane close may do the trick.
Customer: “For me this is big decision, and I just am not sure what to do.”
Jobber: “I agree with you that it’s a big decision. I’m sure when you think about it, you make big decisions every day of your life and pretty much all of them come out perfect. It’s kind of like getting on an airplane. You know that a very small number of planes crash each day and yet you get on the plane and happily fly to your destination, don’t you? Well, this decision is somewhat the same. You’ve bought from me before and it has worked out very well and you’ve been happy with the outcome. Just like that vacation flight you took. Plus, with me if you don’t like your decision, you can simply return the product and we’ll find the right one for you, OK?
Intimidation close
This close doesn't include brass knuckles or physical threats. This is a close that only fits when selling a tool that the customer uses all the time.
Jobber: “I know in your job you use this tool multiple times every day as do your coworkers. I’m pretty sure that if you want to borrow the tool more than a time or two your coworkers will not be happy with you. Let’s get you set up with this new tool so you can get back to work without bothering your friends.”
Realizing the fact that selling can become monotonous sometimes, a fun way to spice it up is to try to successfully use different closing techniques. I’m sure you have some of your own you use from time to time in varying situations.
Remember, no matter what closing technique you use you must ask for the order and be quiet until the customer answers.
The next step is to set your income goal and develop your own income improvement project target focusing on the result you want.
Now go sell something.
