I spent more than half my career in industries where the ultimate sale was made face to face across a kitchen table, to consumers who were not necessarily excited about the purchase.   Let’s face it; heating and air conditioning and insurance, are just not products people wake up excited to buy.

So what do you do as a marketer or salesperson in these product categories?  How do you engage customers, who really are not very excited? Part of the challenge is to shift the focus, and talk about things of interest to the consumer.  Present yourself as a more well rounded person or company, interested in the community and you have  better chance of closing the sale.

Here are a few good examples:

1. Sponsoring local kids sports teams or community clean up events or help a needy family
2. Share information on a broader range of home services – For example create a home services directory featuring roofers, painters, plumbers, etc and give it to homeowners as part of your proposal.  How do you pay for the printing? Share the cost
3. Create home safety manuals – again with information on a wide range of subjects.. what to do if you are choking, have ingested something poisonous, or if there are extreme weather conditions, flood, hurricane, tornado.

How do you make connections with your customers and prospects?