What makes a great landscape or lawn care sales or account manager? According to Marty Grunder, of Grunder Landscaping, who led the NALP Sales Bootcamp events in Philadelphia and Dallas, there are five strategic things that good sales pros have in common.
They know who their ideal client is. An ideal client is different for every company. Do you and your staff have a vision for who your ideal client is?
They are very knowledgeable. Make sure they are well trained about your services.
They have a passion for the industry. If they are just coming into the industry, it is your responsibility to get them excited about what your company does and all the great things the industry makes possible including baseball fields, golf courses, backyard and outdoor entertaining and the health benefits that landscapes bring.
They follow a system. Systems enable ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Sales are more than hard work; your team needs to follow a system that will lead to high retention of current clients and will lock in new clients that are a good match for your company.
They have to do more than the competition. Hire good people and then give them incentives.
Grunder went in depth into his 11-step sales process, but one small aspect that got our attention is the topic of client referrals. Don’t miss out on this key strategy to bring in new business.
If your team isn’t getting referrals perhaps they are making common mistakes. They don’t ask. They just assume the client will refer them. They think they don’t know anyone. They have no referral plan. They rely on social media to spread the word.
Make sure your sales team is running like a well-oiled machine, and don’t miss the NALP Field Trip with Marty Grunder and Frank Mariani of Mariani Landscape for an in-depth networking and professional development experience, August 8-10, 2018, which will be held at Pacific Landscape in Portland, Oregon.
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