Presenter Dick Thomas of AtlasCare.
The focus was on sales and marketing at the recent Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) Greater Toronto Area (GTA) chapter meeting. The five presenters shared strategies on how companies might up the ante with their marketing strategies.
Rick Little, the director of marketing at ClimateCare Co-op, kicked off the evening by discussing how marketing strategies have changed throughout the last two decades. Little explained to the 50 attendees that newspapers and the Yellow Pages used to be the prime outlets for marketing, but by the year 2000 companies began implementing websites, however there was no obvious way to track return business. From 2010 until present day, tracking online analytics has progressed and businesses are spending more on digital marketing due to these developments. Despite this, Little insists, “the best money you could spend is training your front-line people, along with database marketing.
Numerous online marketing resources for are available to HRAI members. Scott Papp manager of divisional programs (contractors) at HRAI, reviewed the resources included in the organization’s member package. Aside from chapter meetings, peer exchange programs and business branding, he touched upon eRenovate, which is the newest HRAI member advantage partner .
ERenovate is an online and mobile app that aims to connect homeowners, brands and contractors with one another. Tom Cordeiro, founder and CEO of eRenovate, explained that the “verified by eRenovate” status is helping companies stand out. “We’ve never dealt with an association that is so diligent and strict with its members,” Cordeiro said about HRAI.
He noted that eRenovate has a rigorous screening program and contractors who do not have the proper paperwork for their businesses are turned away. The program allows contractors to send estimates to potential customers, view pictures of customer projects and send video messages to homeowners.
Trust was an important topic to presenter Dick Thomas, vice president, business development, AtlasCare. “Everybody is responsible for generating profit to the company, beginning with the receptionist,” he said. First impressions are important, and establishing trust between a consumer and the company is crucial. Trust and perceptions of the company begin with the first person the customer speaks to. Part of trust is “only selling what needs to be sold,” Thomas said. “And always be sure to follow up.”
Just because a salesman has a good product does not mean that the product will sell. A toolbox of skills is also needed in order to make consistent sales, and Chris Corey, principal contractor, Lead Gen, offered insight behind the psychology of sales. The six principles he asked attendees to remember include: reciprocity, commitment and consistency, social proof, liking people, authority and scarcity. Corey believes that using these attributes when working with a potential customer, will dramatically increase a company’s sales.
HRAI GTA chapter meeting sales and marketing panellists (l to r) Rick Little, Tom Cordeiro, Chris Corey, Scott Papp, and Dick Thomas.
Following the presentations, a panellist discussion allowed attendees to ask the speakers questions. The panellists urged contractors to trust their instincts and insisted that word of mouth will never go out of style when it comes to marketing and sales.
After a summer hiatus, HRAI GTA chapter meetings will reconvene at the association’s golf tournament on September 12, 2016.
