First step is to implement a phone strategy and that starts with answering your phone LIVE all the time. No call should go to voicemail. Ever.
It saddens me that I even have to mention this in a video about how to get lawn care customers. It should common sense, in our industry, but it is not.
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In fact, in most markets you can go down the list of lawn care companies, your very competitors, and call them one by one, over 50% of them don’t answer their phones, in fact, I would wage that number is even as high as 75%.
Think about what signal that sends to the consumer?
At my marketing agency, thousands of companies contact us each year and most of those companies we will not accept as clients. If we call their office phone number and we get a voicemail, it sends a pretty strong signal to my team what level that company is currently operating at.
Think about it, what if I was a prospect trying to give you my money?
70% of those prospects will not leave voicemail.
They will hang up and call the next business listed below you in Google. And they’re going down the list until they get a response. They are not waiting around for you.
How to Get Lawn Care Customers – Answering the Dang Phone!
Also important, is how you answer the phone, is sets the tone for new client relationships. And if you don’t answer it gives prospects the wrong impression.
It signals that you are a small company that doesn’t have enough staff to handle another client.
It signals to that they can expect this same level of indifferent customer service if they hire you.
Think about it, If you can’t answer the phone to take their money and make a sale, why shouldn’t they assume its going to be hard for them to get you on the phone if/when they do have a problem?
Prospects are used to crappy service from your competitors. They do not want to bother with another company that doesn’t make their life easier. And ultimately, that’s what we do as lawn care and landscaping professionals, we alleviate their lawn and property maintenance problems.
So when we you don’t answer our phones, that is the signal we give.
And If you are doing any advertising what so ever, your throwing money out of the window, when you let calls go to voicemail.
Just by answering your phone live every time, you will make more sales. Imagine that.
Now, I know everyone listening to this is not in a position yet to hire office staff. I get that, I understand that. But even if you are a small company and you are the owner in the field there is still no excuse. Hire a live receptionist service for less than $200/month. Even after hours, hire a live receptionist. Answer your phone 24/7.
Heck if you do that, you can even make it one of your selling points. You can guarantee it and Include it in marketing. We Answer our phone 24/7 we guarantee it!
If I was a prospect fed up with my crappy lawn care company that doesn’t show up or return my voicemails, that would sure make me want to call you.
Your responsiveness, how you answer your phone when you’re dealing with a lead will dictate the first impression that you give that potential prospect. So It’s really important that we handle the phone strategy very well, and give it some thought and design the experience you want a new customer to have with your phone staff. Script it. Create a system.
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