If you generate leads through door-to-door solicitation, you understand the importance of the first impression. Make a good one and you’ve won yourself a property inspection. Make a poor one and you’ve won yourself a bitter walk to the next house. Cold calling is an uphill battle, so you’ll need to give a solid pitch to your prospective customers to spark their interest, gain their trust, and win their business. In our time serving and speaking with restoration contractors, we’ve had the unique experience of hearing a multitude of at-the-door sales lines with a wide range of potency. In this article, we’ll break down the best and worst pitches we’ve encountered from your industry peers. If you want to take your outdoor selling to the next level, use the following analyses as your “do’s and don’ts” manual so you can stand out and get more jobs.
Worst Pitch #1
“Hello, my name is [name] with [company]. We’re in the neighborhood helping homeowners identify damage from the recent storms, and I was wondering if you’d be interested in having your property inspected today.”
BORING AND BASIC. This sales pitch makes lullabies sound like heavy metal. It makes melatonin feel like caffeine. If a bear heard this, it’d be forced into hibernation. We think you get the point. Humor aside, this pitch will land you very few leads because every homeowner has heard it. It’s the same one they got from the last guy who came knocking, so it doesn’t stand out. What you say needs to differentiate from what they’re accustomed to hearing, so steer clear from stale stuff like this.
YES OR NO ANSWER. Another problem with this pitch is that it restrains homeowners to either a “yes” or a “no.” Since they met you roughly fifteen seconds ago, they’re going to be naturally inclined to reject your offer so they feel safe and in control. Your goal should be to prolong the interaction as much as possible so homeowners can develop trust and see the value of what you’re offering. “No” is a conversation-ender, so don’t set them up to say it!
LIMITED OFFER OF SERVICE. While a property inspection is where the process most commonly starts, it’s not the one-size-fits-all solution that suits the current needs of everybody you talk to. Some homeowners have already filed claims with their insurer and want someone to come to the adjustment to make sure all the damages are acknowledged. Others already have the insurance estimate and are looking for the right contractor to hire for the repairs. These are things that you could have discovered in your conversation with the homeowner but didn’t discover because you only asked if they wanted an inspection. Make sure you’re not killing possible leads with a message that narrows the scope of your service.
Worst Pitch #2
“Hello, my name is [name] with your manufacturer’s warranty department. I’m here to perform a mandatory inspection on your roof/property to continue your roof’s/home’s warranty eligibility.”
DISHONEST AND FRAUDULENT. Let’s start with the obvious: if you’re not actually performing warranty-related inspections, you’re lying to the homeowner. Although this tactic may persuade many people to let you check out their property, the relationship between you and your patrons will nevertheless be built on deception. If you’re currently using this ploy to drum up business, we recommend practicing a more forthright approach.
JEOPARDIZES YOUR REPUTATION. If the ethical issue isn’t a sufficient reason to hang this pitch up, keep in mind that most contractors who engage in dubious acts like this are eventually outed and must face social, litigious, or criminal consequences, all of which can shatter your reputation. Sacrificing a few extra jobs to stay on the straight and narrow will bolster your integrity in the eyes of your community, empowering you to thrive in the long run.
Best Pitch #1
“Hello, my name is [name] with [company]. We’re in the neighborhood helping homeowners identify damage from the recent storms and I just wanted to take a minute of your time to ask when the last time was that you had your property inspected.”
OPEN-ENDED. Contrary to the “yes or no” structure of Worst Pitch #1, this slightly altered message makes a world of difference by inviting homeowners into a conversation. You’re no longer making yourself unnecessarily vulnerable to a premature death of discussion because you’re no longer making it easy for homeowners to reject you. They don’t want to be rude, so most times they’ll answer you. You’ve now created a dialogue between yourself and your prospective customer that will allow you to showcase your expertise, which significantly increases your likelihood to hear “yes.”
MAKES THEM THINK. With this pitch, you force the homeowner to actually think about how long it’s been since a professional looked at their home. In many cases, they won’t remember, making them feel a stronger desire for your help.
GREAT FOR BEGINNERS. This is a wonderful pitch for those who are new to the door-to-door game. It’s easy to deliver and encourages answers that any novice can handle. Since the question revolves around the last time an inspection was performed, you can easily predict and reply to the responses homeowners give. Allow us to demonstrate:
Homeowner: “I don’t even know the last time someone looked at my roof. It’s been a long time”
Your Response: “Well, I’m sure you know that it’s important to maintain it and make sure everything’s working well, so I’d love to hop up on there and let you know what I find.”
Or
Homeowner: “I actually had someone look at it a month or two ago, and he said I’m fine.”
Your Response: “Well, I’d love to give you a second opinion. We pride ourselves in the thoroughness of our inspections and take a lot of time to make sure we don’t miss anything, so I’d be more than happy to take a look myself and see if I come to the same conclusion as the gentleman before me. Totally complimentary, no obligations”
It doesn’t really matter what their answer to the question is – they just need to answer the question. Regardless of how long it’s been since their last inspection, you’ll have a good line to persuade them into allowing you to perform your own.
AVOIDS LIMITED OFFER OF SERVICE. When we analyzed Worst Pitch #1, we warned against constraining the scope of your offer, so you may be a little confused to see a property inspection specifically mentioned in this pitch. To clarify, the problem isn’t that Worst Pitch #1 specifically mentions an inspection, but that it mentions it in a way that limits the homeowner’s answer to whether they’d like one or not. When you give Worst Pitch #1, the homeowner must go out of the way to tell you about his or her current situation. In this case, however, the homeowner’s situation will naturally arise in conversation because you’ve asked a question that allows more liberal answers (as opposed to “yes” or “no”).
Best Pitch #2
“Hello, my name is [name] with [company]. I know I’m not the first contractor to come knocking on your door, so I won’t give you the same pitch I know you’ve heard. I just wanted to see where you’re at in the process with your [whatever item you’re targeting].”
ACKNOWLEDGES WHAT THEY ALREADY KNOW. Even though you mean well, saying things that homeowners already know or have already heard can often feel patronizing to them. Chances are they were well aware of the missing shingles, battered siding, or cloudy windows before you mentioned it. You’re also probably not the first person to point it out to them. Part of what makes this pitch so strong is that it preemptively overcomes the obstacle of being “just another contractor” by affirming their intelligence and previous experiences. It’s like you’re saying, “I know you’re smart and familiar with your own home, so I’m not going to talk to you like you’re not.” Even if it’s not consciously, they’ll appreciate your recognition of their intellect and be more receptive to you and your message.
GREAT FOR INDUSTRY EXPERTS. If you’ve been doing restoration contracting for a long time, this is the pitch for you. Its extreme open-endedness allows the homeowner to give an unrestricted response that you’ll always be prepared to answer. This will let you quickly identify the heart of the homeowner’s issue, which will in turn enable you to tailor your words directly to how you can solve it.
SERVENT, NOT SALESPERSON. By abstaining from any mention of a product or service that you offer, homeowners will view you as more of a helping hand rather than a vendor. Mitigating the fact that you want their business while emphasizing the fact that you want to help them will build their trust much quicker (which, paradoxically, increases your chances of getting their business). Although touching on a specific service in your pitch is not necessarily a poor play (it’s used well in Best Pitch#1), it’s crucial to your sales success to position yourself as a companion to the homeowner. This pitch helps you accomplish that.
Wrapping It Up
As you make adjustments to your sales pitch, remember that it can only ever be as good as the salesperson. Research suggests that people form their opinions of others in a matter of seconds, so don’t doom yourself before you can even open your mouth to talk. Stay off the lawn, dress professionally, and always wear a smile. Once you’re delivering, be sure to enunciate your words and use a kind tone of voice. Your awesome sales pitch will get your foot in the door, but your winsome character is ultimately what will score you customers. Finally, always perform the highest quality of work to the homeowner throughout every step of the restoration process so they can know they hired the right contractor for the job.
If you want supplements that make the most out of every job you sell, schedule a meeting with one of our team members to discuss your needs and set up your account.