Sales pipelines are vital to keeping you in business. But cold calling is like running your nails down a chalkboard! It’s important to dedicate time throughout the year to consistently build a strong pipeline of sales prospects. We’ve come a long way from the cold call era and incorporating lead-building into your business processes is very manageable.
Whether you label it a sales funnel, sales prospecting or building a pipeline, the goal is getting more closed sales to hit your bottom line. In general, pipelines should be filled with a list of people who are likely to become customers. Ideally, you want those leads to be qualified. Following are simple techniques home improvement dealers can use to build a sales-packed pipeline.
Referrals
Tap into the positive energy of current customers.
When you finish a project and your customer is happy with the work, ask for a referral. Not the asking-type? Leave a referral card listing your social media channels and website link. Customers can leave testimonials on your social pages or share the referral card with friends and family. Use your social media channels. It’s a missed opportunity for businesses that aren’t using it for their prospecting efforts.
Awareness
Stay in front of customers and prospects.
As demand and buyer behavior change, your prospecting strategies should evolve, too. Find new ways to stay in front of your potential customers.
- Use Apps. TikTok reaches an entirely new set of prospects and many contractors are benefitting from some lead-boosting video clips.
- On Hold Messaging. Use a customer’s hold time to state an influential message: “Dreaming of an upgrade? We’ll help you pay for it with our affordable financing!”
- Email signatures. Your email signature is prime real estate. Add a simple call to action such as “Like our work? Refer us!” Make sure your email signature includes your social media links, phone number and website address.
- On paper invoices, add a personal note to thank the customer and ask for a friends or family referral. On digital invoices, add a link to your website referral or testimonial page.
Follow Up
Patience and tenacity are valuable.
Your customers and prospects are busy people, and after they hang up the phone or finish reading your email, it might be a while before they even think about your business again. Make sure to create a follow-up schedule that reminds prospects you exist, but doesn’t make them wish you would stop reaching out altogether.
Schedule calendar reminders to email or call your past customers every three, six or 12 months to ask how they’re doing and how you can assist them in new ways. Also ask if their friends and family need any renovations or upgrades.
Foundation Finance makes it easy to interact with customers and prospects by providing customized financing brochures, email and social messaging, and eye-catching posters and window clings. If you’re not part of our dealer network, it’s easy and free to enroll.
You can build on us. Enroll today in the Foundation Finance dealer network. Contact us for more info: 1-855-241-0024, [email protected].
