Know your characters: understand your clients to connect better and sell more jobs

THE WINS understanding who your buyers are develop a targetable buyer description you can use to close

more sales learn to use personas and commonalities to overcome common

obstacles during the sales process

BUYER PERSONA

A buyer persona is a semi-fictional representation of your ideal customer based on market research and real data about your existing customers.

BUYER PERSONA Identify your best (and worst) customers Look for patterns as you go Identify characteristics they share.

Neighborhood Gender Marital status Profession Income level Education level

BUYER PERSONA

Psychographics: the study of personality, values, opinions, attitudes, interests, and lifestyles demographics=who, psychographics=why psychographic traits of your clientele can transcend

demographic categories!

BUYER PERSONA

White collar professional Within 10-15 years

of retirement Recently married FINANCIALLY LIQUID Values quality Enjoys DIY projects Myriad non-garden

interests

Doctor Bob

PREQUALIFYING THE LEADBECAUSE NOT EVERYONE LOVES YOU

PREQUALIFYING LEADS

Is what they want something we provide? Do they value what we do? Do they value it enough to PAY FOR IT? Use a script!

PREQUALIFYING LEADS

Do you still need to prequalify if you’re charging for the consultation?

SCENARIOS

The excellent referral The shopper The “doesn’t believe in paying for design”

THE INITIAL CONSULTATIONENOUGH ABOUT ME, LET’S TALK ABOUT ME

THE INITIAL CONSULTATION

Purpose Agenda Logistics Outcome

P.A.L.O.

SCENARIOS “tell me everything I should do. Hey can you draw that out for

me? How about I take notes?” The idea dump (squirrel!) “IDK, you’re the designer, that’s why you’re here. Tell me what

you’d do.” “I’m not giving you a budget because….” Client has a limited budget but HUGE ideas Client specifies a low initial budget but you think they’ll spend

more

MORE QUESTIONS FOR THE PANEL

Do you design to their budget, OR to their wish list? When do you find you need to say NO to a client or prospect?

PLAN PRESENTATIONIT’S TIME TO START THE MUSIC, IT’S TIME TO LIGHT THE LIGHTS

SCENARIOS

“I don’t get it” – client is oblivious, can’t even find his house on the plan

Objects to cost, shuts down “won’t this look too different from what the neighbors have?”

MORE QUESTIONS FOR THE PANEL

How do you fire a problem client? Dealing w/ hostile and abusive clients

GETTING REVIEWS AND REFERRALSON A SCALE OF 9 TO 10, HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE ME?

SCENARIOS

Asking for a review Asking for a referral Addressing a negative response

SCENARIOS

What scenarios have YOU encountered that you’d love to see ouresteemed panelists take a crack at?