10 Ways to Close More Sales in Your Cleaning Business
Landing new business as a contract cleaner can be difficult. Competition is fierce and budgets are tighter than ever. To put it bluntly, customers have all the control.
In this environment, selling requires more than a walk through and polished proposal. If you don't want your weeks or months of prospecting go to waste, then you need to close the deal.
Here are 10 techniques to help you close more deals.
1. Involve All The Decision Makers
You simply cannot make a sale if you're not talking to the person with the power to buy. If a prospect says, “I'll need to run this by…” then you're already behind the eight ball. Waste less time and close more sales by establishing early on who has the authority to sign up for your cleaning services.
2. Don't Pitch Up Front
Many salespeople start their calls or presentations by outlining all reasons the prospect should hire them. The truth is, though, your prospects don't care about your business or offering. They care about solving their problems.
To close more sales, start with the prospect. Ask about their specific challenges, validate their concerns, listen for objections, and respond thoughtfully. A customer who feels heard and understood is far more likely to sign on the dotted line.
3. Focus on Benefits
Another common mistake is spending too much time talking about the wrong things. Your client doesn't care how you do what you do (features), they care about the results you create for them (benefits).
Shine the light on how your service will improve their business and budget. If you can get them to assign a specific dollar value to getting those benefits, your price will seem like a no-brainer in comparison to what they will gain. That's the art of creating value in a prospect's eyes.
4. Showcase Your USP
In a competitive marketplace, it's not enough to just sell your services. To stand out in the crowd—and close more sales—you need to have a clear Unique Selling Proposition (USP). Your sales reps should be able to articulate what makes your company different than the other options in your area.
Does your staff have special skills or certifications? Do you have references from well-known clients? Do you offer specialty services? Do you support local charities? Are you knowledgeable about green cleaning? Do you offer an exceptional level of personal service?
Figure out what makes your company different and highlight it in your sales pitch.
5. Price Competitively
Knowing your costs is imperative. It's the only way you can make a competitive bid and still make money on an account. But it's also important to figure out what your competitors are charging so don't price too far above or below market average.
Be mindful of the prospect's budget and suggest add-on services accordingly. Getting too pushy with all the extras can quickly turn off buyers, especially those watching their dollars.
6. Sweeten the Deal
The truth is, a little extra can sometimes go a long way. Saying “if you sign today, I'll throw in____” can make the difference with certain prospects. Just make sure your entire sales team knows the rules about throwing around bonuses or discounts.
What are you willing to do to close a sale? You might want to consider extras like a discount on the first month's service or a one-time additional service for free.
Some contractors take a different approach to sweetening the pot. Instead of discounts, they offer a satisfaction guarantee. Many prospects feel more confident signing with a new service provider if that company stands behind their work enough to fix problems or offer a refund.
7. Ask for the Sale
Strong salespeople don't leave it up to the prospect to close the sale. They ask for a signature on the dotted line. Exactly how to make this big ask can take some trial and error. Here are some of the most common methods—play around to find what works best for you.
- Assumptive Close: This tactic involves some positive thinking, acting as if prospect has already decided. "When would you like service to begin?” "I'll get the paperwork ready now."
- Question Close: Ending on a question that removes objections and secures a commitment to buy. “What do I need to do to make this work for you?” "Is there any reason, if we gave you the service at this price, that you wouldn't do business with our company?"
- Take-a-Chance Close: People who don't want to feel pushy or sleazy may prefer the unassuming question, "Will you give us a chance?" This commitment-free approach downplays risk and ramps up trust.
- Direct Close: The simplest technique can sometimes best most effective. "Will you commit to doing business with us today?"
8. Wait for the Right Time
It's important to wait to ask for the sale only when your prospect is primed and ready. How do you know when it's time? Here are a few telltale signs that indicate the tide had turned in your favor:
- Asking very specific questions about the cleaning services you provide (training, policies, supervision, quality control).
- Asking you to repeat or clarify something you already talked about.
- Asking about additional project work you can provide for them.
- Asking for references or inquiries about other customers you currently service.
- Bringing up specific issues with their current cleaning service or asking how you'd solve their current cleaning problems.
- Asking who will be managing or supervising their account.
- Asking more specific questions about you and your background.
- Re-clarifying your proposal price and the terms and conditions of the proposal.
- Asking about your time frame for taking over a new account.
9. Follow Up
If you aren't able to immediately close the sale, don't give up. Follow up is a key component of closing more contracts. When a prospect requests time to review a proposal, schedule a time to touch base and discuss the next steps. If you ultimately don't win the contract, don't take it personally. It could be that the timing wasn't right and you may still be able to close the sale later. Periodically check in with the company to ask whether their situation has changed.
10. Improve Over Time
Selling isn't static; best practices change over time. Also, what works well for one company or one salesperson may not work best for another. The best sales teams regularly review their sales processes to shore up weak spots.
Every 10 or 20 proposals, conduct an analysis to identify what worked well and what didn't. Why did some close and others didn't? What made some close quicker than others? What were the key indicators that a prospect was ready to move from one step of the sales process to the next? Regular reviews will help you improve your process to close more contracts.
Use the feedback to make your product (and also your pitch) even stronger.
Getting skilled at closing can take time, but it is among the most important techniques a salesperson can master. Use these tips to improve your closing rate and, over time, refine your process until you create the system that works best for you.
[You may also like Ten Reasons Why Salespeople Fail to Sell Their Cleaning Services]
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