Just for a moment, let’s play a little game. I want to reveal the importance visuals have in sales and service. Now, this exercise will require you to think about rating — on a scale of 1 to 10 — the different examples I will describe, so you will “see” what I am talking about.
Photo: ©istock.com/Trifonenko
Salesperson A arrives late in a dirty, old beat-up truck with equipment in much disrepair thrown into the back. He has no uniform, no ID badge, and looks like he might have slept in his clothes last night. There is a faint whiff of body odor. The proposal he just handed you was written on the back of a business card, and you can barely make out the price and what you’ll be getting if you buy from him. No inspection was performed to determine your needs. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this person?
Salesperson B arrives on time in his clean, personal car with a magnetic sign attached. He looks and smells clean, and wears a work shirt with his first name embroidered on the pocket. He takes a brief look around to assess your problem. The proposal he hands you is pretty basic, with no details of the scope of service that would be included if you bought from him. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this person?
Salesperson C arrives a few minutes early to make sure he wouldn’t be late, in a very clean, fairly new, professional looking truck. Even the inside cab was clean and organized. He wears a company-issued photo ID badge that matches the photo of the appointment confirmation e-mail you were sent the day before to ensure safety and security. His proposal is detailed, and the graph drawing of your home is to scale and very professional looking. You can legibly read all the paperwork, and have a clear understanding of what you would be buying. He even used a flashlight and professional equipment while conducting a very through inspection on your property to determine your needs. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this person?
In these three scenarios, which salesperson gained your business? In today’s world, being professional, looking good, smelling good and being good in every way is a must. People use their eyes when making a purchasing decision.
You can reach Johnson, a past president of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), president of Sevierville, Tenn.-based Johnson Pest Control, and founder of ACES for Business at ray@johnsonpestcontrol.com.
Leave A Comment