In our latest Trade Secrets e-letter, I passed along some “magic words” for sign sales from veteran sign pro Art Schilling [East Coast Artie’s, Surfside Beach, SC]. He sometimes tells a client that rather than spend $500 on truck lettering, they should consider using it for another type of advertising. Most realize that $500 doesn’t go far in other media, and that changes the complexion of the sales process in a hurry.
He’s got more advice on selling signs, too, from his years in the business. I’ll let him do the talking as he shares a few more great tips on sales. –Tom McIltrot
To me, your sales approach is a critical issue if you want to succeed in the sign business—especially in today’s market. You have to help the customer quickly see the value they are really getting for their money. Over the years, you learn what to say and what not to say.
One of the hazards of being in this business is that you think about signs a lot, and you start to assume everyone believes you know what you’re talking about. It’s not so.
Most business owners only buy a few signs in the life of their business. They don’t realize the benefits good signage can deliver. For them, a sign might be just a necessary evil. But most people appreciate you taking an interest and helping them solve this problem.
First I qualify the customer, then I qualify myself to the customer. When someone comes in and asks if I do real estate yard signs, I say I do, and prices start at $40 for a double-sided 18-by-24 in a frame. If they say thanks and head for the door, that’s the end of it.
If they say, “Oh, forty bucks…” then I say, “Let me explain how this works…” Then I’ll ask if they’re trying to rent or sell the property, if there’s a logo involved, and I’ll explain how they can get the most impact for their money. They start to pick up that I believe in what I do, and that I have skills and experience to offer them.
Build a relationship rather than just taking an order. I don’t shove an order form at them and say, “Write down what you want it to say. It’s 6 square feet at $5 a square foot, plus the frame, and you can pick it up on Thursday…” They can get that anywhere. I want to help them solve the problem.
If you have negative attitude towards the prospect, it will come through unconsciously. Some shop owners expect the customer to come in knowing the benefits of effective signs. Most don’t. They’re clueless, and it’s not their fault. This is your time to show that you’re here to help them get what they really need.
Help them justify the cost in their mind. Say a real estate person comes in for a 4-by-8 sign to sell a piece of property that will earn him a $12,000 commission, then looks at me stunned when I quote him $400 for the sign. I might smile and say, “I’d love to see you sell that property without spending anything, but I know this is the lowest cost advertising you can get. And it’s right there on the site, 24/7. This will get your message out.”
Don’t tell them they are wrong. What about the person who shows you a drawing off the computer and says, “My son is an artist and he designed this sign for me. How much will it cost?” You take one look and see what looks like distorted stick figures. Some people will start off telling them what’s wrong with the drawing. This may insult them or put them in the difficult spot of having to explain to their son that he is no sign designer.
I’m more likely to say, “Hey, this is a great place to start. He’s on the right track, and I can see a few things we can do to increase the contrast so that you get more impact from that busy street in front of your store…” When they see your version, they will have to agree it looks better. When they get home, they can say, “He liked your design a lot, and made a few changes to sharpen it up a bit…”
Show that you have something more to offer. Just taking an order may be easy, but it doesn’t give you much to sell. But if you sharpen your design skills and you make an effort to help the customer get a more effective sign, it’s a new ballgame. You can listen a bit, then say, “Wow, you’ve got a great opportunity here to get some really powerful advertising at a great price…” The customer will go home with a product he feels good about, rather than a red panel with skinny silver sparkle letters that he now realizes no one can read.
This approach works. It has worked for me and many other sign people for many years. It will pay your bills. It will deliver clients who send their friends to you for signs. It will give you an edge in a tough economy, and help you set your business apart.
--Art Schilling
