7 Easy Tips to Help You Land Your Next Big Project

Why should a home or business owner hire you instead of your competition? That’s the answer your sales presentation needs to provide.

Regardless of whether you’re remodeling a roof, renovating an entire house or replacing siding, you need a professional pitch that goes beyond detailing the cost in order to help prospective customers understand why you’re the right choice for the job.

Here are seven tips to help you create a winning sales presentation.

1. Dress Professionally

It’s important to dress for success and put your best foot forward when you’re heading into a sales presentation meeting. Change into clean, professional attire if you’re coming from a jobsite. ABC Supply offers customized apparel, logos and stationery through its Freedom Programs to help you project a professional image and show that you operate a business your client can rely on to deliver quality work.

2. Listen to Your Prospects’ Requests

Actively listen to prospective customers to really understand what they want, so that you can create a detailed sales presentation that addresses all their project requirements. It sounds simple, but if you miss the mark in your presentation, prospective customers will feel like you’ve wasted their time.

Once you’ve covered what the prospect is looking for, then you can consider sharing additional ideas or opportunities that they might not be thinking about. Is there a more sustainable solution for the look the client wants? Do you offer additional services that the customer might not be asking about that may be needed in the future or could enhance the overall look of the project? By addressing their primary must-haves and including bonus ideas, you’ll demonstrate your ability to listen and exceed their expectations.

Some clients may be more educated about their projects than others, so we’ve included some advice in this infographic about how to navigate those conversations.

It’s also always a good idea to wrap up your sales presentation by summarizing any outstanding questions or items that you need to follow up on to show you’ve been listening.

3. Plan For Visuals and Samples

The projects you’re pitching often come with big price tags and are viewed as long-term investments. That’s why it’s so important to help your prospective customers feel good about their decision to move forward with you and the project.

Visuals can be a great way to sell your capabilities and get people excited. Consider including photos of the client’s property, virtual renderings, before and after shots of similar projects, or even bringing product samples to your meeting. ABC Supply offers Pictureit, a tool that lets you virtually design a home’s exterior, to help your prospect “try on” different products and see what the end result will be.

4. Share Your Value Proposition

It can sometimes feel like you need to have the lowest bid to win a job, but that’s not a sustainable approach for your business. Instead, it’s important to accurately estimate the cost of a job while sharing your value proposition to help customers understand why you’re the right contractor to work with. A value proposition is what differentiates your business from your competitors and is a great tool to help you back up why your services cost what they do.

5. Include Testimonials

One of the most powerful ways to prove you can do the job is to share examples of success stories from satisfied customers. After you finish a job, ask them the following questions and see if they’d be comfortable with you sharing their review with prospects.

• Why did you choose our business?
• Were you satisfied with the work? Why or why not?
• How would you describe what it’s like to work with my team?
• Was my team responsive and accommodating?
• Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Incorporate the positive reviews in presentations where you’re pitching similar types of jobs. Learn more about how you can manage your reputation and reviews to help you win new customers.

6. Provide Financing Options

When you’re pitching a job, your prospective client may have concerns about how they can pay for the project. Consider including financing options in your sales presentations to give customers information about how they can finance their home improvement projects.

ABC Supply offers in-home financing with GreenSky® through its Freedom Programs. It’s a win-win service that helps you grow your business by making a project more affordable for your client.

7. Establish Next Steps at the End of the Sales Presentation

Make sure everyone is clear on what needs to happen after the meeting ends and when you’ll follow up. Do you owe the customer any more information? Do they know when they’re hoping to make a decision? Instead of saying, “I’ll get back to you next week,” let them know the specific date and time that you’ll plan to circle back.

Delivering a sales presentation that fails to impress your customers can hurt your business. By using these sales presentation tips, you’ll show that you’re prepared, professional and ready to get the job done.

Check out the ABC Supply blog for tips on helping your business stand out even further, including advice on how to answer difficult questions.