Before reviewing the six characteristics of successful salespeople, we need to talk about sales in general. Selling is an acquired skill, not a God-given talent. Salespeople are communicators, not manipulators. For many people, their only sales experience has been with a pushy car or insurance salesperson. Such prejudices are commonplace and totally wrong.
Leadership is not a business title.
All too often, the most successful sales performer is promoted to the role of sales manager, and we assume that the individual, having never been trained even once on the skills of leadership, will somehow develop them by osmosis.
Defects happen. No matter what you buy, from the fanciest flat screen television to the cheapest sweater you can find, there’s a chance your product will have a defect in it. The same goes for shingles and roofing products. There are always going to be defects that creep up after a job is complete.
The current shakedown in the construction industry allows for two very important things to happen that are to the benefit of both the organization and the workers. It allows companies to refocus on training their workforce for the long term and it helps clean up the subcontractor industry.
According to a 2006 research survey titled “Towing Troubles” conducted by Customer Profiles Ltd. and Master Lock (www.masterlock.com), fewer than 13 percent of first-time owners were told how to safely load their new trailer. This procedure is critical to counteract the reactive forces a trailer contributes to common fishtailing.
The most frequent question I am asked in my travels: Do you know a good salesperson that is available for hire? My answer is always the same. If they are any good, they aren’t looking. And if you want good salespeople, then don’t try stealing them from a competitor. It rarely works. If you want good salespeople, build them.
Rooftop garden construction consists of two equally important phased applications: the waterproofing application and the garden assembly. The ultimate success of a rooftop garden depends largely on the proper design and installation of both of these applications.
Many small contractors mistake wages with what they should charge a customer for their services. Since many contractors start out moonlighting and doing side jobs, such logic is understandable. Unfortunately, side work is just that, side work, and the part-time contractor is probably earning most of his or her livable income through regular employment.
How much to charge for your services is the focal point of any trade business. Charge too much and you won’t get the job, charge too little and you’ll go broke. Then you have to face the facts that every job is different, estimating is an inexact science and customers always can get a bid that’s cheaper if they shop around.
To some of you, welcome to the Web version of Roofing Contractor. To many of you, welcome back. To all of you, thanks for reading Roofing Contractor and for putting up with this unvarnished bit of self-promotion for our Web site. But that is the point of this note: self-promotion.
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