Selling with a Home Court Advantage

by | Nov 5, 2013 | Blog, Content | Social Media | Email, Sales | Networking

Athletes love to play on their home court. Being intimately familiar with every square inch of the field is reassuring, and the supportive crowd gives them the confidence to play their best.

In a way, the same is true in sales. If you can get a customer to come to your office or showroom, you’ve already scored the first point. Unfortunately, many home service businesses such as heating and air conditioning, plumbing, landscaping or roofing rarely have the opportunity of selling on their turf, so they don’t have that home court advantage. The sale is in the client’s home, where they are most comfortable, and you aren’t. That isn’t likely to change, but there are ways to use information, brochures, web content and emails to move the game to a more neutral setting.

Use Your Website to Level the Playing Field in Every Selling Situation

What kind of information can even the playing field in your next selling situation? Here are a few examples. This content can be a blog post, the text of an email or even a video.

  • What to expect when you meet with our salesman: Most people don’t know how to buy home service products. Furnaces, siding and roofs are not something they purchase every day. Fear of the unknown makes people uncomfortable and maybe even a little defensive. These  “rules of the game” reduce the fear by letting the customer know there is a process for shopping and that you can help them through it. Sending the rules in advance puts the sales person in control of the meeting.
  • Employee  Profiles: There is always that uncomfortable time at the beginning of a sales call as the customer decides if they are going to like or trust you. Collapse that part of the game by sending a link to a photo, video or bio to introduce the salesperson before he or she shows up.
  • Frequently Asked Questions: You want a customer who asks questions; it’s an important part of the sales process. It’s how you know the prospect is engaged. But too many questions at the wrong time can derail a sales call. Create a list of the most common questions and send them ahead of the call.
  • Testimonials and Reviews: When you are at a sporting event and the crowd around you cheers, their enthusiasm is contagious. Great reviews help bring the roar of the crowd to your sales call.

At the end of the day, a great athlete (or salesperson) with enough preparation and practice can score on any field. Do your homework and lean on your marketing tools to help make you feel as if you are playing on your home court with every sale.

Your Home Court Advantage

by Lorraine Ball | More than a Few Words

got a project?

Whether you need a new website or some help with your social media we are ready to start the conversation.

Selling Tips - Use your website to build a home court advantage

more on this topic