The post below regarding marketing has got me to thinking about a topic we've discussed here before.
The million dollar question...
Q. How do we sell encapsulation to the client?
A. We don't!
OK, we will touch briefly on the aspect of the cleaning technology. But that's all. We'll only touch on it BRIEFLY.
As you can see from the marketing flier that I've produced for you guys, it discusses the Releasit/Cimex system in the very simplest terms for the prospective client. But notice that the flier is written in the context of FIXING PROBLEMS. That's why the customer is hiring you. They want their problems to go away.
Look at it another way. Have you ever brought your truck to the mechanic to get some repair work done and asked the man at the counter what brand of tools he uses? Could you picture asking whether they use Craftsmen or Snap-On wrenches? Do you ask what steps he will go through as he adjusts your valves? OF COURSE NOT. All you want is to get the problem fixed. How the mechanic accomplishes the task is his business.
The customer doesn't care what tools the mechanic uses. Of course, mechanics care very deeply about what tools they use. In fact if a couple of mechanics got together for lunch, tools might likely be a topic of conversation. So why would we want to approach marketing with mindset of a mechanic or a technician. I would suggest leaving the tech talk out of it. It would be ineffective to approach marketing from a mechanic's perspective.
Now as carpet cleaners, it's natural that we we're interested in tools and methods. But it would be good to keep the "tech talk" limited to discussions with other cleaners, not your prospective customers. The customer cares very little about tools and methods. They simply want their problem fixed. They want a fair price. They want to improve the appearance of their carpet. They want to extend their carpet's life. They want to feel that they're dealing with a professional company. They want assurance with a strong guarantee. The list goes on and on. But in most cases tools and methods are not what they care about most.
Sell them on the fact that your new cleaning system is being used by businesses all over the country to address the problems that they're experiencing. You can mention that a number of the largest carpet mills are endorsing various versions of the type of system you're now using. Explain that the carpets will now stay clean longer. Guarantee that the spill stains will be eliminated for good. Tell them that they can put the carpet back into service in a short time because of your quick drying times. Show them that maintaining their carpets can extend the life of the carpet. Offer a reasonable price. Back it with a satisfaction guarantee. Introduce that they'll be dealing with your well trained and professional staff. Sell them on your training and years of experience. Etc.
But above all, sell them CLEAN carpet.
Your customer wants clean carpet, that's all. There is certainly no need to muddy the water by throwing information their way that they don't need. Now if they ask for details about your cleaning process, answer their question directly, and then be sure to go go on to explain how this aspect of the cleaning process will benefit them.
Take a close look at DuPont's successor INVISTA as an example. Here's one of their marketing pieces that explains their Resistech encapsulation program...
http://antron.dupont.com/pdf_files/literature/i_vitalization.pdf
Notice how they only briefly explain their Resistech encap cleaning process on page 3 of 4. The cleaning process receives just one paragraph of attention out of 4 pages of information. And as you can see, Invista is marketing to solving the customers problems and extending the life of their customer's carpeting investment. Smart!
So follow their example and target customers needs and how you'll fill those needs. Leave the mechanic's talk out of it. Focus on providing a quality cleaning service that will resolve their problems. Sell them "clean carpet" rather than "carpet cleaning".
Rick Gelinas
