The key to selling HVAC replacement equipment in the 21st Century is understanding your customers, then making sure they get what they want, need and value.
- People buy from people they trust
People trust people more than products. The first sale you have to make is yourself. 80% of the sale hinges on your ability to establish a relationship built on trust. If people don’t trust you, they won’t buy, no matter how low the selling price. Keys to establishing trust include taking full responsibility, backing statements up with proof and showing you care the value the customer receives will far outweigh the price.
- People buy from people like them
We all share common interests with everyone we meet. The more meaningful these interests, the stronger the bond that can be established. Three interests people have in common and are usually anxious to talk about are their jobs, their family and recreational activities. Remember: People buy from people they like, and we like those who are like us.
- People want to deal with specialists
People want to deal with people who know what they are doing. Help people realize if they make a mistake selecting the company and their “system”, they can pay for the mistake for 20 years or more. Specialists justify their higher price by doing the job right and assuring the customer they will get 100% of the benefits they’re paying for. 95 percent of the time if specialists don’t do the job, something will be overlooked, and the customer will be paying for energy efficiency they’ll never get.
- People want value for their money
When offered, most people will pay more for higher value. Don’t hesitate to customize the ultimate system, then present the benefits each component offers. By providing everything you believe the customer needs on the outset, you haven’t taken the buying decision away from the customer. If necessary, its much easier to remove a benefit and it’s cost than to try to add benefits later.Ways to offer more value include showing why you’ve chosen your system, describing why it’s better, documenting “net” cost savings and discuss how you’ll reduce or eliminate any fear and risk.
- People buy when not being sold
In the 21st Century, your job is not to sell replacement equipment . . . it is to help people make a wise buying decision. When selling is the primary motive, there can be a wall of resistance between you and the customer. However, when customers realize that your objective is to provide the right information to help them make an educated decision, resistance melts.Now the customer can focus on buying instead of resisting being sold.
- People want to enjoy the buying experience
Buying large ticket items, like replacement hvac equipment, can be a fun, exciting and emotionally charged experience for your customers. Get them involved in the experience by asking questions, getting them to help you survey the facility and seeking their assistance with data collection. Remember, enthusiasm is infectious. The more excited and “pumped up” you are about your system and the benefits it offers, the more pleasure your customers receive. The more pleasurable the experience, the more people will buy.
- People want unrecognized needs satisfied
To determine what people want, ask questions. To discover what they need, observe their lifestyle, hvac system and surroundings. Next, choose the accessories that satisfy the needs you’ve discovered. Now customize a system based on your findings and present the benefits of the system to your customer.
- People want customization
One of the best-kept secrets to selling replacement equipment is customization. We’re individuals with unique needs and want to be treated like it. Though most people don’t know it initially, they want a replacement system customized to meet their unique needs, and they are willing to pay for it.
- People want proof
Explain how your system provides the value they are looking for. Justify your higher price by describing your quality materials, providing testimonial letters, running a return on investment analysis, using before and after energy bills and showing photographs. Do what’s necessary to document that the benefits far outweigh the initial cost.
- People don’t want to be manipulated
Manipulative closing techniques of the 70s and 80s won’t work when selling replacement hvac equipment in the 21st Century. Today, people refuse to be tricked into buying. If the customer trusts you, can afford your system and believes you offer the most value for their money, just ask them to endorse your proposal so you can get started providing the benefits they’re looking for.
- People crave assurance they’re doing the right thing
When it gets down to the wire, many people resist making a buying decision. Many times, the sale could go either way. To get the scale to tip in your favor, assure the customer they are making the right decision at the right time, and in the long run, they’ll be proud they went with your quality system.
- People tell others when you exceed their expectations
When selling replacement equipment, you should keep two sales in mind: the one you’re making now and the referral this customer can provide later. Promise a lot and deliver more. Make dealing with your company an event. Go out of your way to protect the customer’s facility and furnishings. Inspect every job after completion. If something isn’t right, have it corrected immediately. After the customer’s expectations have been exceeded, ask for referrals.
