In my last blog, six days ago dated November 21, I wrote that during this economic downturn you can increase market share by continuing to market and even at times increasing your marketing. I reminded you that an increase in market share does much more than positively impact the current year. It impacts your company for many years!
In my book HVAC Spells Wealth, in the Marketing Chapter pages 143-146, I explained how you can estimate the total annual HVAC residential retail revenues in your area allowing you to compare them to your revenues. You then know your share of the market. Go back and read the exercise, then calendar computing the number once annually so you can continue measuring your company’s share of market improvement.
I concluded the blog by encouraging you to work on getting your coworkers more involved in producing sales. My goal as a contractor was to create a culture in my company that displayed a sincere care for both customers and coworkers. Next, was to develop a customer focused and marketing driven culture. In order for a company to be marketing driven all coworkers must participate in the sales process.
Here are the three methods of coworker participation in the sales process. First, make sales. Second, develop and turn over sales leads. And third, practice certain guerrilla marketing tactics. Service and maintenance technicians have the greatest opportunity to make sales and turn in sales leads. That’s because they interact with several customers each day, often 4 to 8, and through practicing good customer relations and having good technical skills they are “heros” to their customers. You should be meeting with your technicians at least once weekly providing them with the information they need, training them on how to make presentations and encouraging them to do so.
Develop a spiff program for all of your coworkers rewarding them with money for their sales results. Spiffs are covered in detail in HVAC Spells Wealth, Coworker Chapter, pages 72-76. Properly trained and encouraged coworkers can easily sell your service agreements and system enhancements (that’s my term for accessories) products. Some companies have their service technicians sell replacement equipment systems. Other companies prefer that their coworkers, including the service and maintenance technicians, turn in sales leads so a comfort consultant can make the presentation. Personally, I prefer the second method.
More on this very important subject in my next blog. Ron
