Phone interactions are crucial steps for contractors who offer home services. It’s an opportunity to make a positive impression, learn more about potential customers, and provide them with the information they need to make the best decision possible.
Because interacting with leads can be time-consuming, it’s important to have a go-to strategy for qualifying customers right away.
Watch this amazing interview for how to Qualify customers over the phone and consider this amazing call solution (Pink Callers):
Before the Customer Calls
You can leverage different marketing channels to share strong calls to action and get people to pick up the phone. However, the information you share before prospects call you can help you qualify leads more easily.
Your SEO efforts can target users who are ready to hire a contractor by focusing on keywords that indicate a prospect has already done some research for their project.
Your content marketing campaign can help you qualify leads by answering common questions so that you get fewer calls from people who are in the early stages of the research process. Presenting your services in a clear and concise manner can also help people determine if you would be a good match.
Identify the Main Goals and Pain Points
When a prospect calls you, your goal should be to listen to them and figure out what their goals or pain points are. If you turn this interaction into a sales call, you will come across as pushy and might not present the lead with the information they need.
Empathetic listening will help you learn more about what the prospect is after. Pay attention to the words they use and listen for hints that indicate what the ideal outcome would be for this potential customer.
Is the Customer a Good Match?
Ask questions to get a better idea of what the prospect is after. Find out what kind of price range they had in mind.
On average, a kitchen remodeling project costs around $23,000, while remodeling a bathroom costs approximately $10,000. Is the prospect’s budget in the correct price range for their expectations? You should also ask if the potential customer has a timeline in mind.
Establish Clear Criteria
You need to establish clear criteria for qualifying customers. You know your target audience better than anyone.
Once you establish enough information on them and their needs, you can better prepare yourself for a face-to-face consultation. The information provided will give you the ability to negotiate if some of the lead’s desires don’t match up with your reality.
For instance, if cost is an issue, you can suggest a different, less expensive material they might not have originally considered.
Ask About Other Potential Decision Makers
Remodeling a home is usually a decision that spouses make together. Find out more about how the couple makes decisions. If there is another decision-maker, ask a few questions so you can anticipate the kind of information this other person will need to make their decision.
Schedule a Consultation
The final step for qualifying a customer is to schedule a consultation. It makes things more concrete, and it will lead to another discussion where you’ll be able to share more precise information about the project once you have seen the customer’s home.
Lead Nurturing
You’re not going to qualify every lead who calls you. However, long-term nurturing can pay off. You can offer a way to keep in touch, such as sending text messages, emails, or connecting over social media.
You can use these different channels to keep delivering valuable content and maintain a positive relationship with the prospect. Delivering content can help them get closer to making a decision. Plus, establishing positive relationships means you will get more referrals, even if someone didn’t use your services.
By qualifying a lead over the phone, you can build a larger, more reliable database of customers. This database will increase your company value if you want to expand or sell.
Results
Qualifying customers over the phone will grant you more freedom to do jobs fully and correctly. Most contractors who don’t use these methods struggle to keep track of leads and put out fires. But by tackling this problem preemptively, you’ll have more time and energy to do your job well.
Final Thoughts
Qualifying customers over the phone can help you save a lot of time and ensure that you only drive to the consultations that are likely to result in a sale. You can learn a lot by listening to the pain points the prospect is sharing. Still, you should also ask about their budget and expectations besides establishing additional criteria unique to the services you offer.
