How to close more sales by asking the right questions.
It was the middle of summer, hot, and humid. The conference room air conditioning was struggling to keep up. But it was a great day because my client and his executive team were meeting with the decision-makers of a national corporation in their main headquarters to discuss snow & ice management.
On the surface there was no opportunity for us. My client was not an existing provider and they told us at the outset that they had no intentions of replacing any existing providers. But they still wanted to meet with us, which was interesting. Why would they want to meet if they were happy with their current suppliers? We knew there was more to the story.
I kicked off the meeting by facilitating introductions and presenting a brief but impactful presentation. After some surface-level discussion, I was reading the room and could see that my client was becoming increasingly impatient with the lack of depth to the conversation.
At the next pause, he blurted out one of the greatest sales questions ever: “Why are we here?” And then he didn’t say another word. There was just silence.
The Vice President of Property Management responded by sharing a “secret” that one of their regional providers was failing and they were considering giving my client an opportunity. We then spent the rest of the time discussing the strategy, timing, and logistics.
As the meeting was wrapping up, the VP smiled and said “I don’t know if you guys know how to plow snow but you can sure give one hell of a sales presentation.”
This single four-word question turned into a multi-million-dollar portfolio of work.
If you’re interested in learning how to sell at a deeper level and close more snow sales, we invite you join us in Milford, MA for Forum for Sales, being held August 6-7 at Milton CAT. This is a day-and-a-half event. August 6 is a full day with a networking dinner. August 7 is a half day. Anyone involved in snow sales or account management would benefit greatly from attending this event. Click here to register or for more information.
Another opportunity to improve your snow sales effectiveness is July 22 when we will be holding a virtual workshop from 9-4 pm ET. This workshop is titled “Selling Snow Contracts: Are you an estimator or a closer?” It is perfect for those who are unable to attend Forum for Sales but still wish to develop their selling skills for snow contracts. Click here to register or for more information.
If you have any questions about this event, please feel free to reach out to me at Phil@SnowfightersInstitute.com.
Now go forth.
About the Author:
· Phil Harwood is a leading snow industry consultant and Snow Commander of the Snowfighters Institute, twice honored with the prestigious Snow Industry Commitment Award by SIMA.
· Phil brings over 40 years of industry experience as a snow business owner, manager, and consultant, combined with a law degree, executive MBA, and BA in marketing. Combining his education and experience, he offers unique insights and proven solutions.
· Phil is the founder of Tamarisk Business Advisors LLC and Tamarisk Legal Advisors PLLC. He is a licensed attorney, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
· Phil will be the lead presenter at the upcoming Forum for Sales educational and networking event, being held August 6-7, 2025 in Milford, Massachusetts. Click here for more information or to register.
· Phil will also be leading the OPS Management educational and networking event, being held September 10-11, 2025 in Dayton, Ohio. Click here for more information or to register
