40 | MAY 2020
Installer Support
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
EIGHT WAYS TO MAKE A
FIRST GOOD IMPRESSION
It’s been said that you only have one chance to make a good first impression. Benjamin Dyer, CEO
of Powered Now, explains that people buy on trust and trust starts with this first impression.
“People buy from people” is
a well-known saying. It partly
explains why some installers get
frustrated when they don’t win
work, when by all accounts they
should have done. That’s why
thinking about the first impres-
sion you make is so important.
Sure, if you’re a sole trader
and want to stay that way, and
already have enough business,
this doesn’t matter much. But if
you are just starting up or want
to grow your business it matters
a great deal. Impressions lead
to trust and trust leads to sales.
That’s why it’s so critical.
Be easy to contact
When prospects find it hard to
contact you when they haven’t
even given you their business,
they will wonder what you will
be like once you start work. It
creates a terrible impression. At
the least make sure that your
email and mobile are freely
available. Also, have a really
helpful answer message on your
phone and always return calls
quickly.
Be timely
As far as humanly possible, try
to turn up at the exact minute
you said you would. You might
not think this matters, but it is a
key opportunity to demonstrate
that you can be taken at your
word.
Powered Now’s survey of
1,000 homeowners found that
83% said that their biggest
irritations were trade companies
failing to show up when they
said and being slow with quotes.
If you want to sell to a prospect,
you must build trust. That’s why
straining every nerve to respond
quickly to customers and always
arriving on time will get you off
to a good start.
Technology can help. James
Chandler of Chandler Building
says: “We turn up on a job to
quote, do it all on the iPhone
and send it to the customer.
We’ve noticed that getting the
paperwork out to the customer
quickly normally means we win
the job”.
Establish your
professional credibility
Once you are in front of the
customer they want to know if
you can do the job competently.
So, make sure that you talk about
similar jobs that you’ve done
before. Talk around the issues
that you have overcome in the
past and mention the standards
that you work to. Discuss local
authority notices and what has
to be reported to them or Gas
Safe. Few homeowners have an
appetite for completing complex
paperwork so this heads off the
thought that they might do it
themselves or use a cowboy.
Make sure that you talk about
your qualifications, trade body
membership and insurance. Talk
about how onerous the Gas Safe
training and exams are. It’s all
too easy to assume that your
client knows this or has looked
at your web site or the message
on the side of your van. That’s
always a dangerous assumption.
It’s much better if you practise
weaving this into your conversa-
tion. But remember that nobody
likes a clever dick.
Casually explaining what your
expertise and qualifications are
can help to build the right image.
“This is similar to the job I did
last month in Acacia Avenue, that
turned out beautifully” can help.
Another type of line is, “I have
more than 20 years’ experience.
Of course, my qualifications have
to be renewed every 12 months”.
You get the picture.
want
‘ to people
have their
Be appropriate
One tradesman was
over-friendly with my wife. I
didn’t like it and nor did she.
We never used them after that,
despite being contacted several
times. Enough said.
Other installers have offered to
take their boots off, this immedi-
ately creates a good impression.
Some people don’t like visitors
using their toilets, certainly if
they don’t ask.
Being appropriate always builds
trust and has a much bigger impact
than you might first imagine.
On the first encounter you
do some work, make sure you
thoroughly clear up afterwards. If
you are just visiting for a quote,
explain that you will always clear
up and take away rubbish after
the job is finished.
Don’t take anything
for granted
There’s an old saying in business
that the word “assume” makes an
ass out of u and me. And it’s true.
You shouldn’t assume that you
will get the job. You also shouldn’t
assume that the customer knows
everything they need to know to
make their decision.
So, it’s your job to try to find
out what they understand and try
to explain what’s possible, with-
out being patronising.
Although this largely comes
from your personality, try to ex-
ude confidence. It’s not fair, but
people who talk about possible
problems are much less convinc-
ing than those who reassure the
customer. Before the prospect
buys, they need lots of reassur-
ance. So, give it to them.
chance to talk,
they don’t want
to be cut across
and made to
feel stupid
’
Behave with empathy
When you are an unknown
quantity to your potential
customer you can be a scary
thought. They will be letting this
stranger into their home. That’s
why it’s a good idea to try to see
where they are coming from. If at
any stage you have to wash your
hands they will want you to take
care so the sink doesn’t look like
it’s been used. Looking smart is
always helpful, it exudes a pro-
fessional feeling.
You almost certainly know
much more about your trade than