How To Close The Sale: 7 Top Tactics Industry Veterans Use

You've done all the work to get the lead and set an appointment with the homeowner, and now it's time to close the sale.

It's important to remember you don't have to close every appointment you run. In fact, veteran reps often advise focusing more on educating the homeowner and less on the close. More on that in a bit.

You can increase your chances of a win by bringing value, references, finance knowledge, and negotiating skills to the table. Here's a look at how veteran home improvement contractors use these tactics to close the sale.

First things first: be yourself. People tend to buy from those who are genuine and authentic, which makes it important to let your personality shine throughout the appointment.

Get a sense of the homeowner's grasp on home services and form common ground with them, usually by focusing on their interests and the parts of their home that matter most to them.

Being yourself and building common ground specifically around their interests goes a long way toward earning their trust.

Remember, you're the expert here. Educate the homeowner on how their home can be built and maintained. If you focus more on educating the homeowner and less on the sale, you will gain their trust.

This can be as simple as explaining how a puncture in a shingle causes problems, how water can seep from clogged gutters into the roof's underlayment, or how the size or layout of a home affects HVAC airflow and temperature.

You are giving them something and not asking for anything in return. They will be subtly inclined to at least humor you, and maybe someday, buy from you. If you focus more on educating the homeowner and less on the sale, they will be more likely to buy from you in the future.

If they're a savvy homeowner, they may already have opinions on this. If they are already knowledgeable, or think they are, this is a good chance to build camaraderie. Don't get scared away by talking to a knowledgeable homeowner. Educate well, and they will call you first the next time they have an issue.

The most powerful voice in the room is often the one who is not there. Testimonials and case studies from satisfied customers can be a powerful tool for closing the sale. These help build credibility and demonstrate the value of your services.

Materials and videos from industry experts that you can leave behind, text, or email later, or show in the moment, go a long way. Jim Johnson champions this approach, and the sales reps trained by him often see great results by bringing his materials into the home with them when selling.

You can do this by asking previous customers to write or record a testimonial that you can bring on appointments or showcase on your website.

Check out Chris' Lead Scout™ blog where he talks about how you can use ProjectMapIt to create engaging customer testimonials and show them off when you're in the house selling to a homeowner.

Chances are you're asking for a lot of money. Many homeowners won't be able to afford the service in full up front, so make sure you're always offering a financing option to ease the short-term pain. If the homeowner is hesitating, remind them of the reasons people benefit from repairs and big home improvements: increased home value, avoiding costlier repairs down the road, lower utility bills as the home gets more efficient, and simply having a home that is safe, comfortable, and enjoyable to spend time in.

By offering financing options, you can make it easier for them to say yes to your proposal. If you have questions about financing, we recommend contacting Christopher Scoville, a home improvement industry veteran with plenty of experience in contractor financials. The more knowledge and connections you have in this process, the more credible and trustworthy you become.

Be prepared to negotiate with homeowners in order to close the sale. This may involve offering discounts, flexible payment terms, or other concessions to meet their needs. Don't be afraid to start a bit high on your pricing to leave room for this.

Another common tactic is to offer three Good, Better, Best estimates so the homeowner feels a sense of control over the pricing.

Negotiating will feel more comfortable once you really get to know the homeowner, so make sure you're building rapport throughout the appointment. This will help you determine what matters most to them and ultimately help you close the sale.

Setting deadlines for homeowners to make a decision can be an effective way to close the sale. Give the homeowner a special offer with a deadline, or set a date when the quoted price expires and has to be rechecked.

This creates a sense of urgency and encourages them to decide sooner rather than later. Any discount or promotion you offer should also come with a deadline in order to get commitment. This also protects you from fluctuating supply and labor costs, which affect your bottom line more than ever these days.

It sounds simple, but how many appointments have you run where the homeowner didn't reach back out, and neither did you?

Make a habit of following up a minimum of five times for each appointment you run. There are tools that can help with this, either as a reminder or by automating the process.

Here are a few pro tips:

Send resources. While you're with the homeowner, tell them you will send a few resources. This gives you an opportunity to nurture them over time by emailing or texting helpful videos or write-ups related to their issue. This kind of education is a powerful way to build trust and earn a sale or referral down the road.

Say thank you. Send the homeowner a "thank you" email a few days after your appointment.

Check back in. Call or text to see if they have any questions.

Use your deadline. Use the deadline or promotion you set previously as a reason to reach back out.

Stay on their radar. Add their email address to your marketing list so they keep receiving useful information from your company.

Send something physical. Postcards or handwritten notes, sent through a platform like Lead Scout, keep you top of mind with the homeowner and their neighbors.

"It takes about 7 touches to close the sale. Very few people will buy on the first appointment so you have to learn how to follow up." ~Dmitry Lipinskiy, Roofing Insights

By staying in touch with the homeowner, you can help move them closer to a decision. Consider checking out ProLine, automated messaging software that connects to your CRM and sends consistent follow-ups to past appointments. Hatch App is another tool a lot of contractors find helpful because it automates much of the interaction with the homeowner.

There are a number of things you can do to increase your chances of winning a home improvement sales job. By bringing value, references, finance knowledge, and negotiating skills to the table, you can set yourself apart from other contractors and close more deals. Be sure to educate potential customers about your services, offer financing options, and follow up after each meeting. These tactics will help you build trust with homeowners and earn their business.

Now that you know what veteran home improvement contractors do to close the sale, it's time to put these tips into action. Use them to sell more jobs and close more leads. With a little practice, you'll be a pro at closing the sale in no time.

LeadScout keeps every appointment, follow-up, and lead status in one place, so the tips above turn into a repeatable system instead of a checklist you forget by Friday. Start free today.