1. Meeting the representative at the home proved to be less obtrusive to my schedule and that of the reps. This way we both were free to travel in different directions after the appointment. This also allowed me some distance and time for digestion of my findings prior to debriefing. 2. When entering the home, introduce yourself to the homeowner and then stay as silent as possible. Adjust the rudder when necessary but avoid “captaining” the ship. 3. Take mental notes, not written ones. Writing while observing the presentation will do nothing but distract the homeowner and make your representative nervous. 4. Allow the presentation to flow without interruptions. Try to observe as if you were the homeowner. 5. At the conclusion of the presentation, give the homeowner your card, thank them and exit. 6. Go directly to your car and avoid “debriefing” in the driveway. Let your rep know that you will review with them at a later point. Invariably, your rep will want immediate feedback. Avoid this and give yourself some time to organize your thoughts. 7. I find a nice location to “pull over” and park. At this time I record my comments, notes and areas of discussion while they are fresh in my mind. I have found if I wait until I return to the office I inevitably get inundated with emails and other distractions. 8. At this point, you are ready to draft and send an email to your representative. I prefer emails, as this provides a record of your findings for discussion at your meetings. 9. Schedule a weekly or bi-monthly meeting to discuss and review the presentations. 10. My review also includes all email and other communications to the prospect so that we can sharpen our efforts and improve upon results. 11. Lastly, I used this time to evaluate the entire process. Was the lead qualified? If the homeowner was an existing customer, how satisfied did they seem to be? Did they mention any negative issues about their experience as a customer? What kind of condition was the utility room in? Was there a company emergency sticker on the equipment and a service tag attached? I suggest scheduling your observations at least once a quarter. I guarantee that you will be pleased with this process, as it helps to provide better results, in turn, growing your sales. ICM ICM/September/October 2016 23
ICM September-October 2016
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