When I look at the most successful top producers, they have one thing in common: they aren’t afraid of going after the big dogs, and by that I mean the largest, most successful clients they could take under their wing. They also don’t shy away from the idea of a large project, no matter how challenging it might appear to be.
Considering the events of 2021, it might be challenging to engage (or re-engage) with a big dog prospect considering how their worlds have been turned upside down. No matter what their status might be, chances are they’re overwhelmed. They might put you off and say, “Call me back in three or six months.” So, how do you deal with that?
- Find a reason for them to stop stalling. Remind them that revisiting some options isn’t going to be a painful operation. If you do your homework and know you have something of substantial value to offer them, you could at least propose a potential sales meeting that would be foolish for them to miss. Make it clear that whether they engage your services or not, they will benefit from the intel you have to share.
- There is a usually a substantial cost of delay. Let’s say they’re wasting $300 a month. That’s roughly $10 a day. That’s not a lot for a company with large operations that probably wastes even more money on other things. However, if there is substantial research that proves an upgrade would make their company more competitive, profitable and valuable, then you could start having a real conversation. That kind of non-utility-cost financial windfall is too irresistible to pass up. It might dwarf their potential utility cost savings several times over!
- The more you know about the business, the more insight you can bring to the table. Aside from our Segment Guides, there might be nuances to a particular company’s situation that you could use to press the matter or make things happen. For example, proposing a particular time of year might tie in with the company’s activity calendar. If you know that they shut down the factory in August for vacation season, as they do in France, or that employees take time off for hunting in the fall, that could have a bearing on their availability for facility improvements.
- Competition can be a determining factor in getting the ball rolling. Once they realize that other companies are already benefiting from better lighting, indoor air quality, thermal comfort—you name it—they’re going to think, “I’m hamstringing myself financially by not doing similar upgrades.” Where they currently stand in their fiscal year can have an impact as well. As of this month, nearly half of the fiscal year has passed for calendar-year companies. How would efficiency improvements have a positive impact on 2021? How about the following year?
