Sales
Sales questions, answered.
Closing more of the leads you already get, without becoming a salesperson.
How do I raise prices without losing customers?
Tell the truth, give notice, and don't apologize. The customers who leave over a fair increase weren't going to stay long anyway.
What do I say when a customer says my price is too expensive?
Don't drop the price. Ask what they're comparing it to and what they were hoping to spend.
How do I follow up with leads without being annoying?
Follow up faster than you think, longer than you think, and with value not pressure. Most owners give up at attempt two when the average close happens at attempt five.
How fast should I respond to a new lead?
Five minutes if you want to win them. After an hour, your close rate falls off a cliff.
How do I close more sales?
Ask for the sale. Most owners walk a customer to the edge and then wait for them to jump.
Should I give discounts?
Only in exchange for something: cash up front, off-season scheduling, or a referral. Never just to close.
Should I give free estimates?
If your trade does, yes. But charge for the second visit, the design, or any work that takes real time.
Why do customers ghost after a quote?
Usually because you didn't ask for a decision. You sent a number and waited.
How do I ask for referrals without being weird?
Right after you've delivered something they love. Plain words. Once.
How do I get more Google reviews?
Ask every happy customer, the day the job ends, with a direct link.
How do I respond to a bad review?
Once, in public, calmly, and short. Take the rest offline.
How do I handle a difficult customer?
Solve the problem if it's real. Fire them if it's not.
Do I need a CRM?
Yes. A simple one. Today. Even a shared spreadsheet beats memory and sticky notes.
How do I handle customers who only care about price?
Qualify them out in the first call. They're not your customer and trying to convert them costs more than ignoring them.
Does cold calling still work?
For B2B and commercial, yes, if you're patient and pick the list carefully. For homeowners, no, your time is better spent on Google.
How do I write a quote that closes?
One page. Clear scope, clear price, clear timeline, clear next step. Confused customers don't buy.
What do I say when a customer asks 'Can you do it cheaper'?
'I can if we change what's in the job. Tell me what to take out.' Don't drop the price for the same scope.
How do I get rid of tire-kickers without being rude?
Move the next step earlier and harder. A real buyer schedules. A tire-kicker won't.
Should I text customers?
Yes. For most trades it's now the preferred channel. Just keep it professional, signed, and inside business hours.
What do I do when a customer asks for references?
Send three, with permission, who match their situation. Then call those references first and tell them to expect the call.
Should I give repair quotes over the phone?
Give a range for common jobs, never a firm number sight unseen, and always disclose that the final price depends on what your tech actually finds on the car.
How do I get techs to sell without turning into pushy salesmen?
Train them to diagnose out loud and present options, not to pitch. Customers trust a tech who explains, not one who upsells.
How do I handle customers who demand a price over the phone?
Give a real range when you can, and be honest about why an exact number requires eyes on the job. Refusing to give any number at all loses the call.
Should I offer financing on big installs?
Yes. A financing option turns a customer who can't approve $9,000 today into one who can approve $140 a month today, and it costs you a small dealer fee, not your margin.
A customer went silent after I gave them an estimate. How many times should I follow up?
Three follow-ups over about two weeks, spaced out, then one final close-out message. After that, move on and let them come back to you.
A customer won't sign the change order but wants the extra work done. What do I do?
Stop and hold. Doing unsigned extra work trains every future customer that your paperwork is optional, and you'll never collect for it.
Should I bid on jobs I expect to lose?
Yes, sometimes, on purpose. A high bid on a job you don't want protects your schedule and your price, it's not a wasted bid.
How many bids should I give away for free versus charge for design?
A straightforward walk-and-price bid is free. Real design work, drawings, or multiple concept revisions is a paid service, always.
How do I handle scope creep from a homeowner who's home all day watching the job?
Set the ground rules on day one about who talks to the crew and how requests get handled. Waiting until it's already a problem makes it personal instead of procedural.
When should I walk away from a customer during the sales process?
Walk away when they're negotiating you down before you've even started, or treating a free estimate like they already own your time. Both are previews of the whole job.
How do I fire a bad customer without burning a bridge or looking unprofessional?
Be brief, be honest that it's not a fit, and don't relitigate every past incident. You're allowed to stop serving someone who costs you more in stress and margin than they're worth, and doing it calmly protects your reputation more than tolerating them does.
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