okay fantastic yeah please send it over
to me I'll review it correct yeah it
sounds over to me and I'll review it and
then I'll send you over proposal and
then we can lock it down and as soon as
I can be there is a week from Thursday
correct okay so it's great talk to you
soon the way I'll tell you what I think
one of the biggest struggles that people
are having in our industry is how to do
a proper sales presentation right and so
I think first and foremost when I talk
to my clients if they're struggling that
area I ask them you know how long are
you taking to do your presentation right
and and it's usually the answer that I
get is about you know 15 20 minutes half
hour maybe sometimes five minutes right
and so I think that's the the biggest
thing that's broken right there the
other thing is how their qualifying
their clients so I just want to talk
about those two issues right now and
basically how are you qualifying your
customers right I mean some of the
prospects that I think that you're going
out to see you don't have any business
and going out and see them in the first
place so let me explain first of all I
think you need to explain how your
process works at least a little bit
before you even go out there right so
one of the things that they're always
there the clients are always asking or
telling you is that they need you to
come out and give them a price and so I
think that we want to explain to them
that well sir you know I can give you a
price before I ever even put my hand on
my tape measure and come out there and
the price is a total replacement cost
value right and then you have to explain
that a bit not in too much depth but you
have to cover that a bit on the phone
you know before you even go out there to
make sure this is not someone that's
looking to pocket insurance money or you
know to get out of paying the deductible
or something like that or they were
looking to use your estimate to get the
insurance company to pay a lot of money
to them right you have to look out for
all those things although sometimes I
think that those problems exist simply
because the client doesn't know any
better I think it's up to us to educate
that client you know and I think a lot
of times when you do that and you
complete all these steps then where
before you may have had a client that
that was their mentality that was their
mindset when it it's not that they were
trying to be fraudulent right that they
were trying to be a shady client it's
just that they were trying to be a savvy
customer like a lot of us right they're
trying to get the best deal and you have
to give them a little credit because
most clients don't go through this all
the time like we do right and so they're
not familiar with how it works and so I
think we have to help them with that so
you know when a prospect calls you up
and they're in and you're getting their
name and their telephone number and
their address and and hopefully you're
asking them for a basic description of
the damages and how it happened I think
you need to add five questions to that
and I'd be curious to know you know if
any of you guys are asking these
questions you need to ask five questions
and those five questions are number one
have you already notified the insurance
company number two have they already
sent somebody out number three what they
say number four who is the insurance
company number five and when are you
looking to get the project completed
right separate the pretenders and the
people are just looking to get ideas to
take advantage of you and really start
to only go places where they're actually
serious contenders and not pretenders
right well they're serious prospect
where they're serious prospects and
they're the type of client that you
think qualify to do business with you
not the other way around I think we need
to first start there and decide for
ourselves that we're only going to do
business with those who qualify to do
business with us right they think it's
the other way around and I think that
you're falling into that trap a lot of
times by allowing them to qualify you
when you should actually be qualifying
them
so those are the five questions about
pretty qualifying your client and so now
I want to talk about what happens when
you get to a prospects property right I
think too many times the mistake that
we're making right away as we're showing
up and we're just kind of letting the
the client take the lead if you will so
that so the client we get there they
know what were there for and they're
right away trying to take our hand and
lead us over and show us where the
damage is right and I think that's
backwards I think we need to take
control and so yes sir I'm gonna take a
look at all of that for sure I'm gonna
look at everything in fact I'm gonna
look at everything
you know I'm an inspect the entire
property for storm damage and if that's
what we're there for storm damage and
I'm gonna spend a lot of time doing that
before I do
I brought the I brought a packet of
information with me and I just want to
take a few minutes if I could to sort of
give you a brief summary of what's
included so that you understand what's
here so maybe in that packet you have
your your contact you know mr. Jones
this is our contact information there's
our addresses how to get in contact with
us a phone number website email contact
after-hours number that kind of thing
this is our BBB information this is our
liability insurance information this is
our certifications for this and for that
and all the bells and whistles right and
here are some reference information and
then here is a step-by-step sort of
process of how we work right because I
want you to understand now the direction
of how all of this is going to go so
that you know each and every step as it
comes what's getting ready to happen
right and so that there are no surprises
and there's no hidden agendas right so
so first is really step one what I'm
doing now which is you know which is
introducing ourselves to you and
explaining how we work right and second
I'm gonna do a detailed inspection like
I said before with the entire property
and I'm gonna take hundreds of photos
drone video other video stuff moisture
detectors course table whatever it is or
things that you're you know you're going
to do there and I'm going to compile all
of that and if there is storm damage and
if I do think that there is a you know a
project that we want to take
on here then I'll put it all together
into a proposal and I'll sit in the
proposal by the way so so what I do it
there is I want to describe the process
of how the insurance process works right
I want to start there I want to go over
with the client and explain to them how
the insurance process typically works
you know the claims called in
juster comes out we try to be here when
the adjuster comes we inspect they
inspected for damages if they see that
there's damages they'll write you up an
estimate and that estimate will look
like this and that's when I bring in
some props with me and sort of a
prospectus or a binder if you will maybe
laminated and what I want to do is if
you've ever watched my what's wrong with
this insurance estimate episodes
basically it consists of a real-life
case study of an actual insurance
estimate where the insurance adjuster
wrote up this estimate here's the
estimate with all the personal
information redacted so that you can't
tell who it is but maybe leave the last
four of the claim numbers so you know
it's authentic and but leave everything
else in its what we're gonna do with
this is we're gonna show them and they
may have already received this which you
know before you come right because
you've already asked them has the
insurance company been notified did they
send somebody out what they say right
well they say to you that the insurance
company came out and they agree that the
roof needs replaced what you know that
they have one of these estimates in
their possession and probably a check
right so if you know that going into it
then part of your presentation is you
can structure the way that you converse
with them as if you may recognize this
because this is Xactimate let me tell
you about Xactimate it was made by a
company called Xactware
and what they do is they keep track of
every single item in construction just
about so for example Xactimate keeps
track of what it cost to remove and
replace one linear foot of baseboard for
example it also tells you what it costs
to remove that piece of baseboard and
just reattach it like just reinstall it
like maybe had to fix the drywall so you
had to take it out and put it back on
right so and then it also gives you a
price for painting that base like
priming that baseboard painting that
baseboard staining the baseboard sanding
the base
so gives you a lot of different prices
for everything really in construction
and that software those prices update
every month and the prices in Dallas are
different for example than the prices in
Houston so every market its market
specific and so things like aluminum
refer to that recently right
aluminum shingles fiberglass asphalt
shingles are petroleum-based so that's
like things like this lumber all these
things are a commodity so prices go up
and down with the market so and supply
and demand comes into play too so if
there's a hurricane or a major major
hailstorm in the market expect those
prices to go up you know pretty quickly
thereafter and so that's how the
insurance companies price the estimate
after they find damages right and so the
good thing is is that we also use
Xactimate - so you would think that
there would be no conflict between us in
the insurance company as to how we come
up with the price for this project but
the problem is is that most insurance
companies whether intentionally or not
it's not that they're using the wrong
prices it's that they're leaving out so
many of the crucial and critical items
that should be in this estimate to do a
complete and correct job and so one of
the things one of the most crucial and
important things that comes into play
with these types of scenarios is that
the insurance company typically has to
pay for what they call ordinance and
laws so that's like building code
upgrades right and most policies will
have this included especially if they
have a mortgage on the property right
and you have a mortgage so I like to
actually stop right there and ask them
do they have a mortgage when you're
describing that part most policies will
have that ordinance and law covers the
building code upgrade coverage so that
means is is that if the rule for example
we're talking about roofing if the roof
was put on at a time before certain
codes require that for example flashings
have to be replaced if the rusted
damaged or deteriorated most people
don't know but a nail going through the
flashing that's how it was installed
that's damaged rust on that flashing so
in wood
building codes one of the examples as
you can see from this estimate here is
that this particular roof was missing
chimney flashing but in fact it had a
chimney on it now the thing that's
significant about chimney flashing is
that this particular flashing kit had
nails through it and so that those nails
going through the flashing is actually
damaged and it's required that that
flashing is replaced and so but as you
can see it's missing from the estimate
and it really is quite amazing how many
times the adjusters out there never even
consider building codes they just go by
what they see up there and a lot of
times miss many of those items too but
this particular estimate was missing
chimney flashing it was missing this it
was missing many different items I think
need to take some time there to educate
your client so that's the key here
is educating your client cells your
client that's what closes your client in
my opinion like I've been in different
sales you know scenarios and I know that
they say like you know the client you
know they never really mean know until
they say no seven different times right
I don't buy into that garbage for this
right here
man because again they have to qualify
to do business with us so we lay it out
there all of the facts the process the
roadmap of everything that's going to
happen right we educate the client on
how the process works the insurance
process and then how we work so back to
the case study we show them how a common
insurance estimate looks a real one by
the way and then we show them the
estimate that we rode in that scenario
right showing a proper estimate and it's
basically you know mr. Jones do you
agree that that parapet wall cap
flashing should be there based on now
what I've explained to you about the
codes and what's required we're not
allowed to go out here and do the job
illegally no insurance company can force
us to do that do you agree that should
have been there so a properly written
estimate looks like this and this
estimate is based on building codes and
insurance restoration standards hundreds
and hundreds of photographs
extensive documentation and
black-and-white facts that's what really
should have been done by the adjuster
but they failed to do it but as you can
see we did it for them and then over the
third peak thing I want to show you is
the final estimate that the insurance
company wrote which they agreed to most
if not all of those items so I think
that you need to do your presentations
like that people are visual show them
how the insurance industry really works
in these types of scenarios right and
then so there's the problem and then
we're showing them how we can solve that
problem for them right so we're gonna
conduct an extensive really
investigation on this property we're
gonna pick it apart and we're gonna
include everything that should be on
that estimate and we're gonna submit
that to the to the insurance company to
make sure that they have all the right
information and so the insurance
adjuster may only spend you know twenty
minutes at the property whereas we're
gonna spend a lot of times hours you
know several hours we may have to come
several times to get that documentation
and do it correctly but if it was done
correctly they would pay for it
correctly so that's basically there's no
magic secrets about what we do that's
how we do it and so that's what I'm
going to do first is I'm going to
inspect the entire property I'm gonna
put it all together and then when I put
it all together onto a proposal and then
if you're ready to go forward at that
time you're gonna you're gonna have the
opportunity to hire me at that time and
so as far as what that proposal looks
like I want to actually give you a copy
of that proposal now a blank copy of it
as far as what the price is on that
proposal I can go ahead and give up that
secret now without inspecting anything
as I've already told you the price is
the total replacement cost value total
our CV which I've already explained to
you what that is so I want to give this
to you now I'm gonna go ahead and get
started on my inspection and I'm gonna
have a lot of homework to do before I'm
ready to get to the proposal part before
we move forward now you have homework
two quite frankly because while I'm
doing all that you can check me out
check out my references check out do
your due diligence check us out with the
BBB check out some of these
certifications so that you're
comfortable and you've done your vetting
process before we get
the table right because at that time I'm
gonna be ready to move forward and
you'll have the opportunity to move
forward at that time so but as you know
we're busy and blah blah blah so I think
you know my my best sales people that
I've been around have actually in this
industry have actually not been you know
the the outgoing you know I could sell
an ice box to an Eskimo kind of guy but
it's mostly been more of the techie guys
nerdy and gals more nerdy but you know
not really outgoing but just the facts
ma'am kind of people you know and but
they're there to do an investigation and
they have a lot of work to do right so
they're busy but those people are very
purposed but I find that those people
are good with technology like laptops
they have the ability to upload videos
and photos it doesn't take them a lot to
figure that out they know how to convert
things and do a PDF and how to attach
things to emails and that kind of thing
but they typically can be organized and
show up on time I don't prefer somebody
like that more so than the outgoing I
don't have to do anything because I'm
God's gift of creation mr. bigshot sales
guy you know so I just think that if you
focus more on educating your client
right before anything else then I
believe that the selling and the closing
takes care of itself and I think before
by the way before getting into any of
that I think the first five to seven
minutes that you spend with a prospect
forget about all of the the reasons why
you're there but first start by
genuinely it has to come from a genuine
place genuinely trying to make a friend
so building rapport you know the first
five to seven minutes with it with it
with a client you know if you're in
their office and you see a Chamber of
Commerce thing on the wall ask him about
that Chamber of Commerce thing on the
wall people love as you probably heard
to talk about themselves it's the it's
their most favorite subject and so I
think you can get people talking about
themselves by asking them a lot of
questions right about themselves and so
that breaks down the barrier and the
tension and allows them to be a little
more comfortable also one other thing
wherever you intend to close that client
with that proposal or call it the
proposal or you know call it the the
contract proposal or the contract
presentation if you will wherever you
hope for that to go down I would suggest
that you try to do your presentation
part of it in the beginning at that same
place so if it's a residential job if
you're hoping to get to their kitchen
table or their living room try to do
that in the very beginning no I
understand I'm gonna go and take a look
at all that but is there somewhere we
can sit down I brought together a packet
of information I'd like to go over it
with you briefly what's included before
I leave with so you know it's a way to
kind of do that but I just think that
you need to qualify your prospects
better right try to make a friend ask
them to come along with you on the
inspection and as you're going on here's
another thing I never asked people for
their insurance company paperwork right
I never did that I don't think you
really need to so but before I leave
make no mistake about it they're shoving
that insurance paperwork into my hand
you know so how to really do that is as
you go along in your inspection you know
you've already asked questions like has
the insurance company come out what did
they say so you kind of know where they
stand
you should without having to see their
insurance paperwork yet so if I want to
see it though a way I might do that is
what the insurance adjusters say when
they came out about this here about the
parapet wall flashing does that included
on there because that's actually code
required so was that included I don't
know let me go get my insurance
paperwork right and so if they don't do
it there it's on to the next step it's
on to the next thing what the insurance
company say about this when the adjuster
was here what do you say about this well
just about that I want to ask that
question 100 times even if they do have
the paperwork and then after I asked the
question they give me the answer then I
want to give them the prescription right
so or the protocol if you will so like
okay I understand
well typically what they what they
should do in a case like this is they
should also do this in that right in any
case where there's a modified bitumen
roof you know the any parapet wall has
to have parapet wall flashing right and
so like like getting them information
that they can use and educating them
explaining them about the exact I mean
how that works right empowering the
client the property
giving them more information so that
they can make a better informed decision
anyway so I like to say this too whether
you hire me or not don't take my word
for it right ask your agent or don't
take my word for it do the research
right so totally no pressure at all
I'm just really there to complete the
steps man and then when I complete all
those steps just like I promised the
client I would at the beginning right
and I come back and I put that proposal
together and I describe everything for
them they already know what I'm gonna do
right I review all the photos with them
I review all the video footage from them
everything is complete and
black-and-white on that proposal I
explain everything I don't try to gloss
oh I want to make sure they are on board
this is a marriage man we're gonna be
together for a while so I want to make
sure they're 150% in and not half in
like I had to fool them to get them in
and then they find out later right so I
want them to understand each and every
piece of information that I'm there to
give to them and they they understand
every every particle of that proposal
right and then when I'm done with that
proposal and I'm all set and I know that
I've done my job I've done all these
steps and I worked hard at it right then
I slide it across the table and I say if
everything meets with your approval then
I'll just need your signature there
there and there
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