In the next few years, the bird control industry will continue to grow at a 6% rate. There are pest bird issues to be found across every region of the globe. When your bird control project is sold correctly, it can become a very profitable business for you and your pest control company.
Most PMP professionals do not always know that when it comes to birds there is specific biology at play to solve pest bird issues. You shouldn’t try to reinvent the wheel. It is wise to copy what already has a proven track record, instead of spending valuable time seeking new solutions. This also applies to sales and becoming a successful closer.
Key 6 Selling Tips:
- Use SEO and inform your existing customers you are certified. It is critical to let your customers know that you are specializing in birds. There are many amateur attempts at solving birds. Becoming certified trained and letting customers know that you are trained is very important to the sale. Make sure you build this into your website and digital presence through Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
- Follow-up immediately. After you have proposed a bird control solution in-person, you are often just half-way done with the sale. Many customers will gather more info to verify your proposed solution and then search for less expensive methods. It is critical that you follow-up immediately and help them through this process as a consultant. Focus on removing any objections that they bring up until you close the deal.
- Deal with decision makers. Solving a bird control problem is often delegated to someone who knows nothing about pest situations. Upper management will let someone on the team less critical gather information and then report back and have senior manager make final decisions. The most successful people in bird control sales will align with the middle-level person and approach the final decision-makers together as a team. Always try to do this whenever possible.
- Understand pricing thresholds. To base your proposal on function only without regard to understanding the economics behind your customer situation is a mistake. You must get a feel and understanding for the operation of the business and what their budget is. One company may easily spend $100,000 in a heartbeat while another can't afford $1,000 for anything. You need to develop an ability to read the situation appropriately and learn what the value of the solution would be to your specific customer need.
- Listening is the most important skill. In the sales process it is important to ask open-ended questions that cannot be answered with a yes or no. Open-ended questions cause the customer to tell stories and elaborate. A successful salesperson will do this and then listen intently to every detail to gain valuable details about the situation. Seventy percent of the talking should be from the customer.
- Test areas sell jobs! Whether it is previous failure or just general skepticism, customers often doubt that a problem can really be solved. Whenever there is a large project to be done with big numbers, break the job into smaller test areas first to prove efficacy. Especially on large budget jobs, this can make a huge difference to the end customer. Spending a lot of money and having it fail and not bring value is a serious problem. Providing tests first with video proof and other testimonial sources can help sell the bigger job down the road and gain a long-term customer.
Bird Barrier America offers a free bird control training that includes a sgement on selling bird control projects. It is part of our certified installation program. To learn more: birdbarrier.com/training
