Does your company have a strategy in place for one-legged sales calls?
Any seasoned sales rep has experienced the one-legged appointment. The
one where you enter the home and realize only one of the two decision makers is there, leading you to think, “this is a dead end”.
But what if, running the one-legger was actually in your best interest? What if, you use the one-legger to build credibility, dive deeper into your prospective customer’s needs, and form a more targeted sales pitch for later? Sure, these situations aren’t ideal, but with the right tactics under your belt, you can use a one-legged appointment to increase your overall chances of making a deal.
Using the One-Legged Appointment to Your Advantage
Your approach to a one-legged appointment vs. a standard sales call shouldn’t be night and day. You should still try to establish credibility early on, make your product presentation, and avoid using confusing sales jargon. There are, however, some basic do’s and don’ts you should follow when on a one-legger that can help increase your chances of making a sale.
Don’t: Leave After 15 Minutes (like the last or next salesperson)
If you’ve set aside 60-90 minutes for the appointment, why not use it. Regardless if you’re only talking to one decision maker, they’ve blocked that time to speak with you, so ask the same questions and present the same key information you would if both decision makers were there. Plus, this gives you the opportunity to take measurements and come back to your next meeting more prepared!
Do: Build Enthusiasm About the Project
A one-legged appointment presents you with the unique opportunity to make your demo and explain the benefits of the project without pressuring your prospect to give a signature. Essentially, you should strive to make that one decision maker an advocate for your company because their opinions will influence on the other decision maker at some capacity.
Don’t: Stick to Your Original Questions
When both decision makers are present, you have two people talking – giving you less time to go more in-depth with your questions than you would with just one-decision maker. With a one-legger, you can drill deeper into your prospective customer’s answers with more comprehensive questions to gain more insights into their needs. This way, when you return, (in-person or remotely) to pitch both decision makers, you have more information about their current situation and can better tailor your presentation.
Do: Suggest Calling the Other Decision Maker
Before you leave the home, it’s not a bad idea to suggest calling the other decision maker on speakerphone to give them a quick recap of the appointment. This gives you a chance to not only engage with the other decision maker, but to also set a time for another appointment that works for both of them.
So, you can view one-legged appointments as a waste of time, or you can view them as a great opportunity to engage with your prospect. And by keeping the above information in mind, you can leverage those one-legged appointments to increase your chance of closing the deal. You can also streamline appointment processes at your home improvement company by using a CRM solution, like improveit 360’s industry-specific CRM system. Improveit 360 has several powerful tools designed to help home pros set, manage, and capture important details about appointments, plus it can even automate internal and external appointment notifications and reminders.
To learn more about how you can streamline your appointment process with improveit 360, schedule a discovery call with one of our team members today.
