8 simple steps to closing more jobs 2014

Rivers of Revenue LLC May Not Be Used Without Permission 133Stoneridge Road New Providence, NJ 07974 Phone (877) 280-0715 [email protected]

www.ClosingSuccessSystem .com www.BestMarketingWebsitesforContractors.

- 1 -

8 Simple Steps To

Close More

Charge More And

Make More Money With A Lot Less Effort



- 2 -

My name is Mike Jeffries, and I am the managing partner of Rivers of Revenue, LLC. Ive worked with home service companies since 2002 helping them improve their results from all the time, effort and money they spend getting and keeping more customers.

The #1 Problem most companies have is that You are Closing Less Than 50% of Your Sales Calls. The Symptoms Include:

Tough To Get Appointments Scheduled When The Prospect Calls You Prospects Only Seem Interested In Price Cancelled Appointments at the Last Minute Lowering Your Price Just To Get the Job Losing A Job To a Competitor when You Are Sure Your Company Is Better

Ive created, what I consider to be, a simple to implement, easy to understand, complete program that will allow you and your sales team to increase your closing rate by 10-50% almost immediately, without spending any more money than youre currently spending (or planning to spend) on lead generation.

The 8 steps outlined in this report are the exact same steps I use with my consulting clients.

This is NOT just theory. Everything I cover has been field tested, tweaked and proven to dramatically increase the closing success of my clients as youll see throughout.

And they are SIMPLE, yet Ive found that very few, if any, companies do them. And those that do them (our clients) - have the confidence that that they can close any job at the price they deserve.

Sincerely,

Michael Jeffries Managing Partner Rivers of Revenue, LLC



- 3 -

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ARE YOU CLOSING LESS THAN 50%? ............................. 4

WHY THIS SIMPLE PROCESS WORKS ............................ 5

WHERE MOST COMPANIES DROP THE BALL ............. 6

THE ONLY REAL WAY TO CLOSE MORE JOBS ............... 7

THE SECRET THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO CLOSE MORE BUSINESS....................................................................... 8

THE 8 STEPS YOU MUST DO TO INCREASE YOUR CLOSING RATES ............................................................. 10

1. PROSPECT INTERVIEW SCRIPT ....................................... 10 2. A PRE-MEETING COVER LETTER ................................... 12 3. THE PRE-MEETING PACKAGE......................................... 13 4. RECONFIRM APPOINTMENT ............................................ 14 5. PROSPECT MEETING SCRIPT ......................................... 15 6. THANK YOU FOR THE MEETING LETTER .......................... 17 7. FOLLOW UP PHONE CALL .............................................. 18 8. TRACKING CHART ......................................................... 19

IN SUMMARY. ............................................................... 20



- 4 -

Are You Closing Less Than 50%?

If you can read, write and follow simple directions, CONSISTENTLY, then this outline will give you the tools to close more business from the leads you are

already generating

Everything you need to build a No Brainer Closing System

Proven in the real world to allow you to: Close More, Charge More and Make More Money with Less Effort

What would it mean for your business in the coming months if you could book all the business you could possibly handle?

Instead of closing 3 out of 10 calls, you or your sales guys come back with contracts after almost EVERY prospect meeting.

No longer will the profitability of your business rest on the shoulders of one GOOD sales guy (maybe thats you).

You have at your fingertips the steps and tools to make an average salesperson goodA Good salesperson GREAT.and a great Salesperson a superstar.

And to do this, you wont have to spend thousands of dollars on: sales training or consultants who know nothing about your industry or on a new advertising program. In fact, you wont have to make any major changes to the way you do business.

All you will have to do is to implement often overlooked and critical steps in the buying process that are based on common sense.

Now, instead of rolling the dice and throwing countless dollars into advertising, trying to generate more and more leads, riding your sales guys to do better and worrying about where the next project will come from, youll have more than enough business.

Your sales team will now be excited about going out on calls, because they will now know its probably going to put money in their pocket.

You no longer need to lower your price (i.e. your profit) to get a job because in the prospects eyes, theyd have to be nuts to do business with anyone else but you.

Your installation crews are busy and getting compliments from your customers.

We went from closing 42% of our leads from yellow pages, money mailer and yard signs to over 80% by implementing the Closing Success System and it happened as soon as we put the system into place.

I have been able to raise my prices over 50% and still close virtually every lead we get.

Jim Rinaldi - President Star Painting



- 5 -

And now your biggest problem is deciding how much of the extra profits to sink back into the company and how much to keep for yourself.

Ive worked with companies from small one or two person family owned businesses to large commercial operations.

And here are two VERY important facts I know about their closing success:

Their average closing ratio is less than 22% 70% of their prospects that dont immediately close will buy within the

yearfrom someone else

Heres what these two facts tell me: Youre Leaving a Ton of Money on the Table, simply because youre not closing as many of the prospects you call on as you could be

Why This Simple Process Works

There is an age old saying in the sales world that goes like this

If you want to know why John Smith buys what John Smith buys, you have to see the world through John Smiths eyes.

What does that mean to you?

First, you need to understand a little bit more about how John Smith thinks when it comes to companies like yours.

(Please dont take this personally)

Like it or not, the perception of your industry is that youre just a bunch of bubbas: two guys and a truck.

You and your competition pretty much sell the same stuff and there are no real differences from one company to another.

They get this impression because all the ads say the same stuff: family owned business, in business since 1972, high quality materials etc., etc., etc.

Your prospects hear this same general pitch from every owner or salesperson: We give great service, We are owner operated so we care, We train our people and on and on.

A Client awarded us this exterior roofing and siding repair project. We were the high bid by $2,600 on a sale of $23,000. The other 2 companies are well known in the area. One is a well-known roofing firm and the other is one of the largest siding companies around. They said that they knew of our good reputation as a general remodeling company but that my presentation and documents I supplied - Consumer Guide and 50 references - made it an easy decision." - Kevin Ahern - President Litchfield Builders



- 6 -

Is it any wonder that almost all the prospects draw the conclusion that all contractors are the same? This makes them believe that price must be the best way to make the choice. Yikes!

Im not saying any of this is true especially about your company. But it is the PERCEPTION that the prospect (John Smith) has about your industry.

Dont believe me? What do you think of when I say used car salesman? You do have a perception true or not?

Well, so does your prospect (John Smith) when it comes to your industry.

Here is the best thing about this process you dont need to change your ads and give your competitors a clue about what you are up to.

Do these eight steps and youll become the obvious choice to do business with. This will happen from the very first phone call you receive.

Where Most Companies Drop The Ball And Lose The BusinessAre You Guilty Of This?

Here's an all too familiar scenario...

You get a phone call from a prospective client named John Smith who's interested in getting a project done at their home.

After you have a short conversation with John to get a feel for what he is looking for, he asks the dreaded question, "So how much do you think it will cost to do the job?"

You do your best to tell John that you'll have to evaluate his specific job and cost it out in order to give him a realistic quote.

John seems to understand and says he'll wait for your bid.

You set up a time to go out to John's place to take a look.

Meanwhile, John calls around to 5 or 6 other contractors and goes through the same process with them.

If youre lucky, John remembers he set an appointment with you and he is home. You show John some ideas of what's available or possible. He asks you to email your bid and you do and then you begin to wait.

As you wait, you wonder if your quote is low enough to land the job.



- 7 -

You wonder if your quote is high enough to make any money.

You wonder why it's been 3 days now since you submitted the quote and you haven't heard anything back from John.

Finally you call John on the phone only to hear him squirm as he tries to break the bad news gently, "Oh I'm sorry, we've decided to go with another company."

You try to ask John why, but since he's politeand since he's extremely uncomfortable talking to youhe tries his hardest not to give you a direct answer. Something about another company and lower prices or a friend of the family....

Let's face it; there are really only two possible reasons why you lost the job, assuming you followed up in a timely fashion: Either your price was too high or John Smith's confidence in your abilities was too low Or worst of allboth.

In any event, you now have to wait for the phone to ring so you can live the whole frustrating scenario over again.

If that all sounds familiar, please continue reading.

The Only Real Way to Close More Jobs

Is there any way to avoid this situation?

Is there a way to let prospects know exactly what you do that makes you better than your competitors?

Can you get away from competing on price all the time?

Let me point out that every company I have worked with swore up and down that price was the only thing that mattered to prospects. That is what they thought when we started to work together. Now if you ask any of them price means nothing thats right nothingat least not for the type of customers they want to work with.

There will always be a small percentage of knuckleheads that will only decide on price. Why would you want to work for them anyway? If they did choose you based on price then you had to leave some profit on the table. Still not convinced? Ok you dont need to spend any more of your time reading this. Some of your direct competitors have probably already seen the light.

Think this sounds like a pipe dream? Actually, you could be living your dream if you just learn to implement a few simple principles.



- 8 -

The Secret That Will Allow You to Close More Business Almost Effortlessly

If you want to start closing more of the calls you go on, you must memorize the most Important FACT about your average prospect:

Your job is NOT to sell them on your company!

Your job, initially, is to TEACH your prospect how to buy your product or service, without getting taken advantage of.

What to look for.

What to look out for.

What they need and dont need and why.

Youll show them how to compare one company to the next and how to get accurate bids.

Finally, what they should expect from a quality company (like yours) when it comes to: service, materials, workmanship, guarantees and follow up.

If you fail to educate your prospects. they would be nuts not to demand a lower price!

When you start educating your prospects, up front, while theyre actively seeking a company, youll be positioning yourself and your company as the industry experts that all other companies must be compared to.

In the eyes of the prospect, youll become the Standard Bearer for your industry and the Obvious Choice To Do Business With.

Knowing thisyou can take full advantage of the opportunity and you can position your company as the obvious choice to do business with

Simply Stated: Youll be closing more of the prospects you meet, easier than you ever imagined and rarely if at all - will you have to lower your price to get the job.

In fact, companies that have implemented this process have actually RAISED their prices without any drop off in closing success.

Hmmmm So now youre closing more jobs for a higher price.



- 9 -

Are you starting to see how this program can positively and dramatically impact your business?

Even if you dont believe you could ever raise your prices consider this

testimonial from one of our clients:

You encouraged me to work with the local paint store and they are recommending me so much that they ran out of my cards this week! They gave me a referral this week and the prospect was basically ready to go just based on the pre-meeting package I sent and I hadnt even met them yet. I got that job too when I met with them. I have the system down so well that I am closing every job I want. This is a lot different from the place I was in when we started working together in 2009. Thanks for all the encouragement and training. John Parker JP Interiors



- 10 -

The 8 Steps You Must Do To Increase Your Closing Rate

Get out a pad of paper, a pencil and get ready to take notes. Heres everything you need to create a killer closing system.

There are 8 distinctive steps and Ive outlined each of them for you.

It all starts with

1. Prospect Call-In Interview Script

The Most Important 5 Minutes Youll Spend with Any Prospect

What are the Purposes of the Prospect Call-in Interview Script? This tool starts you out right, creates a positive feeling for the prospect, builds confidence in you and your company and sets you up as the most professional company the prospect will talk to. Using this tool lets the prospect know that you are interested in meeting their needs not just making another sale.

Your Goals When Someone Calls Your Company

Weed out the low price shopper (you know those people who have been brainwashed by that gargantuan retailer that preaches to always have low prices they never say the lowest just low).

Use the hours and hours youve been wasting on low price shoppers to focus on closing the good and great prospects.

Determine if this is a project you want to quote (profitable) and that you are capable of handling the project or service.

Get the prospects buy-in to review the material you are sending them before you meet.

Using A Prospect Call-In Interview Script

Now lets look at the Prospect Call-in Interview which normally takes all of 5 minutes to complete.

Every question should have a purpose and should provide you with vital information about your prospect so you can be more successful.



- 11 -

Here are just some of the vital pieces of information you will learn:

How they found out about you so you can measure which ads are working; What do they want done so you can figure out if this is likely to be a profitable

project; Who else they have spoken to so you will know what other competitors have ads

that work; When you can meet all the decision makers and so much more.

Every question should give you vital information that will lead to more sales and give you an easy-to-use way to evaluate every ad or lead generation tactic you use.

And the best part about a good prospect interview script is that you will stop wasting your time dealing with prospects that only want the lowest price or are just kicking tires.

Stop winging it and develop a series of questions to ask a prospect when they call your office. It only takes 5 minutes up front to avoid wasting 2 hours or more on a sales call you arent going to close especially if you know you offer a quality service at a competitive price.



- 12 -

2. A Pre-Meeting Email or Letter

Its Like Starting the 100 Yard Dash at the 50 Yard Line (Yeah Youll Leave Your Competition in the Dust)

Virtually all contractors miss this golden opportunity to set themselves apart from all of their competitors.

Most companies find it hard to just return all of the calls from prospects requesting a quote they dont have the time to send out a pre-meeting package.

Here is the beauty of this tool. You really only have to create it once! Most of the information is going to be identical for all of your prospects because it outlines, in very simple terms, what they can expect at your initial meeting. So once you have your initial email/letter drafted you just cut, paste and send. 2 minutes tops.

NOBODY DOES THIS. And when you add this step to your closing success system, you will continue to build credibility in the prospects mind. This step makes it clear and in very simple terms what they can expect from you.

What are the Purposes of the Pre-Meeting Email or Letter?

Educate your prospect on what to expect in the process. Provide the outline of all the good information you are going to share in the email

and later in the meeting.

This tool sets them at ease by recognizing their fear of getting hosed and how your process will help them make the best choice regardless of who they choose.

It continues to build confidence in you and your company and sets you up as the most professional company the prospect will talk to.

Using this tool lets the prospect know that you are interested in meeting their needs not just making another sale. Other companies figure they dont need to send anything in advance they run right out to see the prospect or they are confident that they can sell anyone in person wrong, wrong, wrong. No one wants to be sold.

All companies miss this chance (unless theyve worked with us) so the door is wide open for you and now you can drive a 16-wheeler through it.



- 13 -

3. The Pre-Meeting Package

The Materials You Provide to the Prospect Before You Step Through Their Door Will Clearly Establish You

As the Obvious Choice to Do Business With

This is a key component that goes with the pre-meeting email (or letter) and continues to build credibility and your company. It lays out in very simple terms how to find the best company (that would be you).

Some companies may send out product information often supplied by the manufacturers of doors, window, cabinets, etc. But these do nothing to build YOUR credibility with the prospect because anyone can send the same stuff!

Other companies figure they dont need to send anything in advance they run right out to see the prospect or they are confident that they can sell anyone in person wrong, wrong, wrong. No one wants to be sold.

All contractors miss this chance (unless theyve worked with us) so the door is wide open for you.

Remember, the prospect needs to be educated about what to look for and what to look out for. They also need to learn all of the important and relevant information they need to know in order to make the best decision.

The materials YOU provide answer these questions. So when you show up for the appointment, you will be confident that you can easily answer their questions and start talking about when you will start their project.

I advise that the materials you provide a prospect before you ever meet them should focus on your company, your experience, your processes and your follow-up.

These tools scream credibility and integrity it will be so obvious to your prospect.

Do you really think anyone but my clients are doing this? Of course not. That is why this is so cool.

Now when you show up for the appointment, you wont have to spend much time telling them about your company they will already have all that information so you can get right into discussing the details of their project.



- 14 -

4. Reconfirm Appointment

Common Sense? Yes Do Most Businesses Do It? - NO

Your Goals for the Reconfirm the Meeting Call Script

Make sure you dont waste your time if the prospect has forgotten about the meeting or worse hired someone else without even meeting with you.

Confirm that they have received your pre-meeting package and that they reviewed it.

Reinforce that you are the most professional and thorough company they will meet.

What are the Purposes of the Reconfirm the Appointment Call Script?

Demonstrate that you are a company that follows through on all aspects of customer service.

It continues to build confidence in you and your company and sets you up as the most professional company the prospect will talk to.

This tool gives you the opportunity to find out if they reviewed the pre-meeting package and if they havent to provide a gentle reminder of the importance of reviewing it before you come.

It eliminates the no-show or my brother-in-law is going to do it or whatever excuse they might offer if they had second thoughts about meeting with you.

More than just a friendly reminder, this gives you an opportunity to further establish your professionalism. This simple, small step adds to your credibility

Even our smallest clients with either part time staff or the spouse as the staff do this because it only takes one minute.



- 15 -

5. Prospect Meeting Script

This is where most companies (really) fail!

Dont leave the outcome of the sales call to chance or dependent on the skill of the sales person.

A well thought out meeting script will allow your sales team to easily overcome the standard objections and avoid the lowest price trap.

What are Your Goals when You Meet the Prospect?

Educate the prospect that price is not as important as the value you get for the price you pay.

Confidently handle the price objection and the availability question. Reinforce that your company is the most professional company that they will

meet with. Get the deal signed.

What are the Purposes of the Prospect Meeting Script?

This tool takes all the guesswork out of your presentation and ensures that you can confidently overcome the most common objections.

This tool sets them at ease by recognizing their fear of getting hosed and how your process will help them make the best choice regardless of who they choose.

It continues to build confidence in you and your company and sets your company up as the most professional one the prospect will talk to.

Using this tool lets the prospect know that you are interested in meeting their needs not just making another sale.

Why the Meeting Script is SOOOO Important

Virtually all companies fail big time right here. This is your opportunity to separate yourself from your competitors and to avoid competing only on price.

Most meet the prospect and wing it and then they go into sales mode - strictly based on price.

The well thought out meeting script gives you a repeatable process that you or even a green salesperson can follow.

You will be armed to overcome all the lies that other competitors tell just to get the deal signed.



- 16 -

Your prospects will realize that choosing based on price alone is the worst way to choose. They will now understand that the combination of price/value is the best way to make the choice.

I mean if price was the only way to choose why would anyone by a Lexus or Mercedes or Audi? Isnt a car just a way to get from here to there?

Your prospects will also come to the conclusion that it does make sense to wait for you rather than take a chance on some other company that promised to start in 2 weeks (even though they cant).

The prospect realizes that you and your team are the experts and the most professional company in the market even if you arent a big guy or a name company.

The more you practice the better you will get and then in a very short period of time you will be confident that you can close every deal



- 17 -

6. Thank You for Meeting Letter (Nobody and I mean NOBODY does this)

Just One More Step that Separates You from Your Competitors Its Like Getting an Extra Out in the Bottom of the Ninth

Your Goal for the Thank You Letter

Educate your prospect one more time on why they would be nuts to buy from anyone else but you.

o MAIL this dont email it - this is much more personal and you can even hand write a personal note on it.

What are the Purposes of the Thank You Letter?

Reinforce the key reasons why your company is the obvious choice to buy from and it also gives you one more chance to ask for the business.

It continues to build confidence in you and your company and sets you up as the most professional company the prospect has met.

Using this tool lets the prospect know that you are interested in meeting their needs not just making another sale.

Why the Thank You Letter is SOOOO Important

This reminds the prospect of the key reasons why they should only hire you you follow-up and follow-through.

Mailing this with a personal note on it makes it much more personal in todays email world and it will make you stand out even more.

Every other competitor has already forgotten about the prospect if they didnt get the deal when they met with the prospect.

This tool demonstrates that you do all the little things to ensure their project will be done right at the start and at the finish.

Let me ask you Have you ever received anything from a company after you met with them except for the are you ready to buy yet call? Of course not no one does this unless they have worked with my company.

All companies miss this chance buy now that you know, you wont.



- 18 -

7. Follow-Up Phone Call

So Simple and So Effective, Its Scary

This is one of those steps that youll love doing this because your prospects will be shocked at your follow-through. This one step takes maybe 3 minutes on average and will close the deal on all those who were waffling. Go ahead think if anyone has ever called you to follow-up and I dont mean to just call and ask Are you ready to hire us yet?.

Your Goals for the Follow-Up Script

This is an extra chance to overcome objections and ask for the deal. Educate your prospect one more time on why they would be nuts to buy from

anyone else but you. Close the loop you started with the prospect call-in interview and get the deal.

What are the Purposes of the Follow-Up Script?

Demonstrate that you are a company that follows through in all aspects of customer service (you actions will show them just that).

This step gives you one more opportunity that other companies often ignore to make your case and ask for the business.

Overcome objections and reinforce the key reasons why you are the obvious choice to buy from.

Why the Follow-Up Script is SOOOO Important

This reminds the prospect of the key reasons why they should only hire you you follow-up and follow-through.

Every other competitor has already forgotten about the prospect if they didnt get the deal when they met with the prospect.

This tool demonstrates that you do all the little things to ensure their project will be done right at the start and at the finish.

Most companies dont make the time to make this call and if they do they wont bother to find out what issues are holding up the prospects decision or making them consider someone else.

Think what this will do for your business if you can turn even one more deal out of twenty if you are closing at 20% ( four out of twenty) one more deal would give you a 25% INCREASE in BUSINESS just for doing what other competitors fail to do.



- 19 -

8. Tracking Chart

Seeing Youre Closing Rate Climb Will Make Your Confidence Soar And this Leads to More Success

Youre Goals in Using a Prospect Tracking Chart

Easily track how they found out about you so you can measure which ads are working.

Track your closing success for each type of lead so you can spend more money on the lead sources that generate better quality leads.

At a glance, ensure you are doing all the steps.

What are the Purposes of a Prospect Tracking Chart?

Most contractors and service companies dont know their closing rate on each type of lead so they waste advertising dollars on lead sources that dont pay but you wont have that issue.

This tool keeps you consistent in your sales process.

You will be able to track your success and the more you see it happen your belief and closing success will soar.

Why it is SOOOO Important to Use a Prospect Tracking Chart

Virtually every company wastes money on advertising that doesnt work because they dont track their leads. They also dont know the quality of their leads because they dont track their closing rate by the type of lead.

Spending an extra minute to keep track of your system and success gives you a very powerful tool that tells you where to spend your ad dollars AND it will reinforce your closing success because you will see it happen right before your eyes.



- 20 -

In Summary.

When you tackle a project in your business, you no doubt have a process that you follow to ensure a quality job.

Skip a step, or fail to do a step in your process, and the whole project is affected.

The same thing is true with these 8 Closing Success steps. Yes they are simple. And you may already be doing some of them. But Im willing to bet that youre not doing all of them and in the order Ive outlined here.

This is the exact same process I use with my consulting clients. These 8 steps have been proven time and time again to work. It doesnt matter if you own a large company or a small shop anyone who puts these into place will see an increase in their closing success.

Nothing in life is guaranteed; however this system is based on what Ive experienced and seen firsthand with my consulting clients in the contracting and service industries.

Keep in mind that the fastest and easiest way to grow your business is to first focus on closing more of the leads you are already generating. Implement these 8 steps and youll be well on your way to more stable and predictable cash flow and profits.

I wish you much success,

Michael Jeffries Managing Partner, Rivers of Revenue LLC (877) 280-0715

.

8 simple steps to closing more jobs 2014

Documents

llc rivers of revenue

effort rivers of revenue

partner rivers of revenue

simple steps

stoneridge road new

managing partner of

prospect meeting script

meeting letter