The Psychology of the One-Call Close (No Pressure Needed)

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One Call Close Sales Training: Sell Them Before You Ever Close

Do you do home improvement sales on a one call close? If so this video is for you. It doesn’t matter whether you sell windows, siding, roofs, hvac, kitchens, bathrooms or flooring or any other in home sales the strategy is the same. Most people think the reason they are not selling is because they need closing skills and while that may be true…more often than not the real issue is that they are not sold before you get to the close. 

Let’s look at the basics of what you are doing. The reason you are in the customers home in the first place is that they are not happy with their current situation regarding what they want the estimate on and they don’t have a valid solution or you wouldn’t be there. That’s the belief system you have to have to be successful in this job. The customer can’t close you. It’s not because it’s a free estimate or that they are just looking  in case they decide they want something . It’s a huge violation of their space to let you in their home and the only reason you are there is that they do want something. Your job is to identify the specific problem they have and show them that you are the solution in a way that they don’t need to look around after you are done and hire you. Here’s how it works.  People buy when they make two decisions. Do they want the product and and can they afford it. If the answer to both those questions is yes then they buy. The close is much easier when they want it and can afford it. The flip side of that is that if they don’t want it or can’t afford it then as a professional sales person you shouldn’t even be closing or asking for the order. 

One Call Close Sales Training: The 6 Doors You Must Close Before Price

So the biggest key to making the sale and helping your close is to make them want it. Generally you make them want it before the price and then you handle the affordability after the price or in the close. If you make sure they want it before the price then the close is really just a matter of helping them get what they want. In most cases it’s to handle the money and make it affordable. That’s why I always say there are two place you can sell them before the price or after the price. If you sell them correctly by making them want it before the price then the close is much easier. If you don’t sell them before the price the close is harder and creates the high pressure nobody likes.. If you are hearing “you’re the first person we talked to and we have to look around to see what else is out there” that’s usually a sign that they are just not sold. If you do your sales presentation correctly the only objection should have to do with the money.  As you get better and better at the selling part of this the close gets’s easier and even the ones you miss you are really close. When you start there are some homes where you feel they are literally rushing you out of the home. Once you get good that doesn’t happen. When you get better at making them want it even the ones you miss you’ll feel that you were close. That’s how you know you’re on the right track.

So yes you have to be able to close but working on making them want it is crucial to your success. 

So how do you make sure they want it so your close works? 

 To make them want it there are only 6 steps or doors  that have to be closed to make sure they are sold before the price. Please listen to all of them to make sure you don’t miss the one that is hurting you.

And if you want the full A–Z system I teach (so you can apply this step-by-step on every appointment), the full training program “The Art Of Selling Home Improvements” is linked in the description below and it’s backed by my double-your-money-back guarantee.

One Call Close Sales Training: Door 1 — Connection and Trust

The  first step is you have to be able to get a good connection with them and lower the natural sales guard people have when first meeting an unknown sales person.” I’m not buying anything today. I am going to get 52” estimates are common sales resistance you get in this business and you have to lower that guard and more importantly get  connection with  them. Rapport or connection skills have to be stronger because of the diversity of customer we see. No other sales job has you seeing a truck driver, bank president and 80 year old widow in the same day. All require different types of connections and different styles to sell them. For example the bank president wants you to get to the point and you have to explain what it does and less how. The 80 year old widow requires a much more warm and fuzzy rapport and not only wants to know what it does but in some cases how it does it like that. You need enough connection that if they are being a you know what at the end that you can call them on it and they won’t through you out. The other thing a great connection give you is trust.  Ultimately what they are buying is you and a great rapport and trust sells you.  I always believe that if every customer believed everything you said then every customer would buy. Think about that.

One Call Close Sales Training: Door 2 — Needs, Desire, and Urgency

The second door that has to be closed is clearly what their problem is and to create more need and desire for your product. This is usually during what is called the needs assessment part of your sales call. A lot of people just wing it with certain questions but the right way to do it to have a written survey with powerful questions that you never forget. Just asking someone questions like“what’s the main reason you wanted information on replacing your kitchen?” their answer reinforces their desire and helps create urgency. “I don’t like my kitchen because it’s outdated and I’m embarrassed when my friends come over and because it’s so dark it’s depressing to use it.” A good survey has many more questions like that and when you close this door correctly you will never hear. “Well we’re not sure if we are actually going to do the work and that’s something we need to think about” in the close. 

One Call Close Sales Training: Door 3 — Sell Your Company as Lowest Risk

The third thing you have to make sure they are sold on or the door is closed is that you properly sell them on your company. If they only want to do business with you and your company then it’s less likely that they will want to shop around and get other estimates. When someone wants a coach purse or a rolex they aren’t shopping at other purse or watch companies. It’s as much as part of the purchase as the product itself. The biggest thing you need to learn is how to sell your company in a way that separates you from everyone else and in a way that doesn’t sound scripted to annoy the customer. Position yourself as the lowest risk way to get the work done. The main reason people don’t buy is because of risk. Risk of making a mistake by buying poor quality and no warranty etc. Home improvements are expensive and anyway you can position your company as the lowest risk the better it will be for you. 

One Call Close Sales Training: Door 4 — Price Conditioning Before You Reveal Price

The fourth thing or door to make sure is closed is that you have to properly price condition. Home improvements are not things people have purchased before. Someone who is getting a estimate on a home improvements usually hasn’t done that before and a of times has no concept of pricing. Price is a perception the customer has. The perception is based on information the customer has received before you get there. It could be other estimates, what their uncle joey told them it would be or they searched internet. The fact is that since the perception is based on information they have gotten you can change the perception by being more credible than the information that originally created the perception of price they have.

There are three perceptions they could have of price before you get there. First they they may have  have no perception or idea of the cost. Then you have to create the right perception. The second perception of price is that  they may have the correct perception of the cost . They already know an acrylic wall system for a bathroom could be 18- 20k. These are easy sales you then just reinforce their correct perception. The third and more common is that they have the wrong perception of the cost. They think a new roof is 5k. Then you have to change the perception through your price conditioning.

The point is if you price conditioned them correctly when you give them the price they shouldn’t be surprised but shocked at low it is compared to what they thought it was going to be. Price conditioning them is making sure they have the correct perception of price before you actually give it to them. Typically you should be using third party information like Cost Vs. Value to reinforce your credibility. You don’t actually give them the price here but if they believe that a kitchen remodel is about 75k and you told them that refacing gives them the look of a new kitchen at ½ to 1/3 of the price they shouldn’t be shocked when they see your refacing job is 20k. Remember you control this. If they think your cost is 5k that means you did a 5k presentation and vice versa.

One Call Close Sales Training: Door 5 — Features Sell, Benefits Close

The fifth thing to sell or make sure the door is closed is the actual product. You sell this by being detailed and showing the features and then selling the benefits of it. Most sales people just show them the feature but the benefits are what sells. You can tell them the feature is that your windows has a lifetime warranty but it is much more powerful when you explain that the benefit is that can have the peace of mind that they will never have to worry about their windows for as long as they live there and it will be the last time they ever have to get the job done. Buying is an emotional decision not a logical one. Learning to sell with emotions is the key. What do you think it would be like to have a new furnace and know your home will always be warm and cozy in the winter time without having to wear layers of clothes in your own home? What would it be like to finally have air conditioning after all this time and know that when it’s 100 degrees outside that you come home and your home is nice and cool? And by these examples learning to get commitments to reinforce their want for you your products. 

One Call Close Sales Training: Door 6 — Sell the Installation With Details

The sixth thing to sell and make sure the door is closed is how you sell the installation process. You have to be detailed and the more you can explain the more credibility your company and the product will have and the value you build. Even if you were replacing a toilet you can say we take out your old toilet and put a new one in or you can say we are going to disconnect water supply line ,drain the toilet then remove the mounting bolts and lift and dispose your old toilet. Then we will remove the old  wax ring clean the flanges and and check the subfloor for damage. Then we put in a new wax ring, put new mounting bolts in and reconnect the water line checking for leaks at the supply and base. All new and done right. Details build value. 

To recap.. They are sold on you , you get the need desire and urgency out in your needs analysis, sell them that you are the only company they want to do business with, price condition them in a way that they think your price is fair without having to look around, sell them on your product and sell them on your installation and get commitments on each section then the only remaining objection should be the cost. It’s like selling a suit bit by bit. First they tell you they need a suit. Then that your company is the brand they want the suit from, then they tell you they want the materials, color, fit and design then when you ask them at the end if they want the suit the only thing they should say is yes.

Now you are ready to close. Leave any of these things out and the close won’t work.

If you liked this video and want to see more on the selling part check out the video on “Sell more by using emotions”  and if you’re ready for the complete step-by-step program with my double-your-money-back guarantee  both listed above or in the description below.

Happy Selling!