Hi Paul
May i say this topic has been an extremely good read
I like yourself started out looking at the top end of the market and offering a service rather than just a clean!! I set my stall out as being completely profesional from the moment i get there. When i enter the home i put on overshoes. I will have my briefcase in one hand and testing kit in the other.
I will conduct the relevent tests, ie burn and dye, all the while letting the customer see what i am doing and giving them a brief explanation.
I write down my findings on the Quotation pads that i had made, and give to the customer at the end of my visit.
When i have completed the
CARPET AUDIT i sit down with the client and explain my findings and recomenend a method of cleaning. I convert about 8 from 10 customers there and then on the spot, sometimes i might get a phone call later, but i do agree that if they say "i'll get back to you" it usualy means that you don't get the job
Now this is the important bit, about 6 months ago i started to get complacent and stopped doing this for a very short while because i actualy thought that it was my natural selling skills that got me the job, and i wanted to save time.
WRONG. my conversions went down to about 4 from 10
i soon went back.
Good luck mate, i'm sure it will work for you
Ian