Sales Presentations
Aim
To explore the techniques for making sales presentations and consider the specific techniques for presenting price.
1. Sales presentation techniques
1.1 Do not start with technical details, demonstrate your understanding of clients’ needs first by saying for example:
‘I understand you are looking to have a building survey carried out on a 3 bed semi in Horsley Drive, Cambridge’
1.3 Know your way around our main websites (in case a prospect refers to something they have seen online)
1.5 Involve the customer by asking questions like ‘How does that sound?’
1.7 Respect customers’ existing knowledge using phrases such as;
‘As you are no doubt aware a Schedule of Condition is a record of how the property is taken on’
1.9 Never raise expectations too high and promise something you are unsure you can deliver
For example, don’t agree to our surveyors doing a written valuation if you think they will only do a verbal valuation (It is better to under promise and over deliver)
1.2 Present benefits relevant to your customer’s needs (presenting irrelevant benefits puts the customer off as they then think they will be paying for benefits they do not require)
For example, say;
‘As well as the Schedule of Condition which is a record of how the property is taken on we also include a free Property Report, which is a detailed survey of the structure of the property and confirms whether or not you are taking on the right property without any major problem
1.4 Be prepared to be flexible and fit in with the client’s needs
Don’t presume they are free on the Thursday you were thinking, have an alternative day in mind
1.6 Check the clients understanding for example after you have explained what a Specific Defects Report is and the aims of the report ask;
‘Is that the type of thing you are looking for?’
1.8 Use visual aids such as example surveys and emails to the client. People believe what they see!!
Customers have a natural distrust of sales people
2.Techniques for presenting the price
2.1 Always present the price after you have advised of the benefits to the customer
2.3 Sound confident and matter of fact when giving the client the price
2.5 Never sound embarrassed or apologise for our price
2.2 Use phrases such as ‘our prices are competitive’ or ‘excellent value for money’
2.4 Do not stutter or stumble over your words
The best surveyors are not the cheapest!
3. Educate the customer on exactly what it is they are asking for
3.1 Clients that want cheap are usually uneducated – educate them
3.2 Emphasise what is included in our surveys. Never presume the prospects know
Emphasise you get what you pay for! If it’s cheaper it is usually for a reason!
5. IF A CLIENT HAS BEEN QUOTED CHEAPER ELSEWHERE SELL THE DIFFERENCE;
Say ‘Our surveys offer excellent value for money in comparison to the cheaper alternative you have been quoted’
5.1 If you have quoted £795 plus vat and the client advises they have been quoted £700 plus vat sell the difference in price.
5.2 Ask firstly if they have seen a copy of the competitor’s survey (9 times out of 10 they haven’t!)
5.3 Advise although all surveyors are members of the RICS they don’t all have to work to the same standard
5.4 Then advise for an additional e.g. £95 our surveyor will meet them at the property, we will turn the report around within 3 days, we will advise of the solution and costs involved if problems found, we use the latest equipment etc. etc.
4. The price benefit sandwich technique
This involves sandwiching the price between the benefits which helps to soften the price for example;
BENEFIT ‘Our surveys offer peace of mind’
PRICE ‘The cost of a full residential building survey on 24 Station Close would be £795 plus vat’
BENEFIT ‘A high percentage of our clients use the findings of our survey to renegotiate on the price of the property so in many cases our survey costs are recovered’
1.2 Present benefits relevant to your customer’s needs (presenting irrelevant benefits puts the customer off as they then think they will be paying for benefits they do not require)
For example, say;
‘As well as the Schedule of Condition which is a record of how the property is taken on we also include a free Property Report, which is a detailed survey of the structure of the property and confirms whether or not you are taking on the right property without any major problem
1.4 Be prepared to be flexible and fit in with the client’s needs
Don’t presume they are free on the Thursday you were thinking, have an alternative day in mind
1.6 Check the clients understanding for example after you have explained what a Specific Defects Report is and the aims of the report ask;
‘Is that the type of thing you are looking for?’
1.8 Use visual aids such as example surveys and emails to the client. People believe what they see!!
There will always be someone that is cheaper than us
6. Refer to competitors as CHEAP/ CHEAPER (people do not like the word cheap! Cheap implies it is not very good)
6.1 Discuss the downsides of buying a cheaper survey (but be factual)
For example;
‘We do not recommend having a cheaper homebuyers survey as these are almost like a tick list and sometimes not even carried out by a qualified chartered surveyor. We get a lot of clients come to us whom have had a cheaper homebuyer’s surveyor which has not provided them with enough information and we then go out and do a full residential building survey for the client thus in effect they are then paying for 2 reports!’
8. Highlight the potential costs of not having a survey
An example would be;
The money you can save by having a survey should major defects be found far outweighs the cost of the survey
7. Make your price look/sound as low as possible
An example would be;
‘The cost of a full residential building survey would be £795 plus vat ‘
DO NOT SAY ‘The price would be £954’
A sales person has a distinct advantage over any marketing materials in that they can hold a dialogue which encourages a two-way conversation and they can respond to each customer’s situation and requirements in a way no marketing material can.
Read more about sales Questioning Skills click here