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Turn Prospects into Clients and Clients into Partners with an Advanced Education System

completed by the firm, and introduced to some past clients by way of
video testimonials.

They meet the staff and are introduced to the design remodel
process step-by-step. The staff covers the good and the bad and sets
the expectations for a successful project.

All of this systematic presenting is done in advance of finding out
the specific details of the homeowner’s project. This unique approach
helps this firm stand out from its competition and creates far better
working relationships with people who eventually become clients.

On to the Core Steps: Discovery, Presentation, Transaction

Discovery—Have a Plan
The discovery phase is initiated when prospects call or e-mail

you, requesting an appointment or asking if you could help them
in some manner. It is important that you have a systematic way to
handle these requests.

If you call prospects back and engage in an unstructured ques-
tion-and-answer session, you are likely to lose them to some specific
point before they fully grasp what it is that you have to offer. I suggest
that you pose a few simple questions in your first contact that will
allow you to get a feel for how ready they are to understand the need
for your products or services. I like to ask prospects what led them
to call me or what’s going on in their business that needs fixing. (I
always ask for their Web site address too.)

It’s important to cut this first contact off at this point. Resist the
urge to tell them all of the great things you can do for them. Often a
call like this will come in out of the blue, and you don’t want to wing
it. This is a system we are working here.

Another value of this practice is that it projects a professional,
selective, and thoughtful approach to your client selection process. I

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