It takes time and effort to communicate effectively enough to develop a rapport with a customer, according to JoAnn Dunn, director of training, Lawn Doctor, Marlboro, N.J., and education committee member of the Professional Lawn Care Association of America.
As a result, lawn care operators and landscape contractors should be prepared for this challenge by exploring the following areas:
- Product knowledge – Know your products and services, their features, the advantages of those features, and what those advantages mean in terms of customer benefits. You can’t be effective in selling yourself if you don’t know what you do, what you use and why you use it.
- General knowledge – Know what is going on in the world and the area that your customer base lies within. Knowing what affects your customers gives you the insight necessary to relate more effectively with them.
- Industry knowledge – Know what has happened in your industry, what’s happening now in your industry, and what is expected to happen in the future. This information will not only give you a better understanding of your profession but will also equip you with current events that can help you make future business decisions.
- Competition – Where else can you customers buy similar services? How do they compare to the service that you provide? Why is it smarter for your customers to buy from you? Know the answers to these questions before the prospective customer asks you.
- Skills knowledge – Both your sales skills and your people skills interrelate with each other. One without the other will definitely affect your ability to grow your business. You must know how to effectively interact with your customers, your peers and people in general. One way to become more comfortable is to participate in your local Chamber of Commerce meetings. You will not only meet people from your community but you will also become more at ease talking about your business. The more you do it, the better you become.
- Self knowledge – Success in sales, excellence in your profession and success in your personal life can only be achieved if they are in harmony with your self-image. Know yourself, your dreams, your desires, your strengths, your weaknesses and those qualities within you that you can develop to reach your goals.
Most people want to succeed and grow their businesses. The difference between those that just do OK in their profession and those that excel is that the successful business owner embraces the philosophy of preparation and execution. They understand that their success is not just about the service they provide – it’s also about who they are as people and the effort they make when they deal with their customers.
The author is director of training, Lawn Doctor, Marlboro, N.J. This article first appeared in ProSource, a PLCAA publication.