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Contractor Sales Tips for Owning Your Presentation | Equipter

Written by Amy Wagner | August 14, 2018

Why should a homeowner hire you?  

That’s exactly the answer a contractor sales presentation needs to provide. Whether you’re remodeling the kitchen of a brownstone townhome or restoring a centuries-old farmhouse, the way you pitch the project will help get their signature on your dotted line—or the competition’s.

Listen.

An astonishing 82% of sellers aren’t in sync with their buyers, according to Salesforce.

Sync up—and stand out—by actively listening to the homeowners’ concerns. Maybe they want an addition that increases living space or a new exterior look that stands out in a cookie cutter neighborhood. Recognizing those pain points will help you develop and deliver a successful pitch. Repeat their needs back to them to make sure you understand, and so they feel you’ve heard them.

Show how your process solves their problem.

Whether you use a CR8000 mobile crane to move HVAC units or an RB3000 dump trailer to position landscaping stones, that equipment creates a process—one that helps you deliver consistency in quality and efficiency. And homeowners, like other types of buyers, trust a process.

During the presentation, outline your process and how it makes you a better choice than other residential contractors. Show images or, even more compelling, video of your crews on a job site so prospects easily and clearly see the difference your process will make on their property.

Personalize the presentation.

A canned contractor sales presentation does zero to help the customer feel like you’re solving their problem. Tweak the presentation to include your customer’s name, plus any information to address pain points they’ve shared. Include any pictures taken during the initial inspection or consultation, too, so you can explain trouble spots that might need to be addressed during the project.

Create a presentation that’s simple, short, and sweet!

Sweet isn’t a word you hear a lot in residential construction, but we’re using it here—no shame! Give a presentation the homeowner wants to look at...one that’s so clear and to-the-point it helps—not hurts—your pitch:

  • Avoid fancy fonts and animations
  • Use simple, large fonts the homeowner won’t need to squint to read
  • Keep slide backgrounds free from distracting images or designs
  • Incorporate bullet points or numbered lists when possible
  • Stay away from long blocks of text
  • Finish with an overview to show you understand their challenges and you offer the right solution

When you can’t go face-to-face...go remote.

Homeowners are on the go, and it’s not always easy to find a time that’s good for all the decision makers. While face-to-face is preferable, remote presentations can get you in the door virtually.

Web conferencing software makes it simple to share and deliver a polished contracting presentation, whether the homeowner is on the road for work or on vacation at the beach. Many conferencing platforms are easy enough to navigate that many of your clients can use them, even if they’re not tech savvy.

Schedule the next step.

Be specific about what happens after the sales pitch. Instead of saying: I’ll call you next week or Call me when you’re ready, try: I’ll call you Wednesday. Does 9 am or 3 pm work better? This gets you on their calendar and reduces the time drain of playing phone tag.

Don’t deliver a sales presentation that makes you seem like just another guy or gal with a truck and some tools. Use these contractor sales presentation tips to stand out from the competitive pack and close more sales.