I rarely feel embarrassed, but this got me.
After running around town with my family the other day, I came home to find a lovely note hanging on my door…
Apparently, one of my neighbors uses TruGreen, and while Danny was making that lawn beautiful, he wanted to tell me how bad mine looks.
It stings a little.
I’m all about taking responsibility, but it’s NOT my fault the weeds are out of control.
You see, I’ve been paying a lawn maintenance company since last summer. Weed control is their job. So it’s frustrating to have another lawn care provider tell me I’m paying for a crappy job.
Will TruGreen get my business because of this door hanger? No.
But it may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, that camel being my resistance.
Here’s the lesson you can use in your sales copy:
The right message delivered at the right time is critical. But if you’re counting on a single shot to make the sale, you’ve stacked the odds against your own selling success.
TruGreen has been sending me direct mail since 2010. They’ve bragged about being keeping PGA golf courses looking pristine.
I’ve never considered hiring them because one relative’s bad experience.
But they keep showing up, looking professional… and I can’t help but wonder if that one burnt lawn was an anomaly.
Then they hit me with the “free lawn evaluation” and the door hanger diagnosing my grass’ disastrous condition.
Now I’m seriously considering making the switch.
Moral of the story: fortune is in the follow-up.
Give Your Copy the TruGreen Treatment in 6 Easy Applications
1) Sell what people already know they need or desperately want
It’s easy to push our thing onto people who think/know will benefit from it. That’s not really how selling works.
Go to an audience who wants the result you provide and half of the job of selling is already done!
2) Apply social pressure
“While in the neighborhood…” on the door hanger really means “I couldn’t help but notice that dandelions are dominating your lawn. Your neighbors probably notice, too.”
Telling your prospects that people are judging them is a low blow. But it works like crazy.
If you’re committed to helping them get the results they need, prepare to pull out all the stops.
3) Hit the pain points
If the TruGreen sign talked about making my lawn glorious, I would’ve ignored it. Pointing out the (obvious) problems grabbed my attention and forced me to consider a change.
4) Get specific
I knew my yard had more weeds than high schools have hormones. Still, the door hanger’s detailed breakdown adds credibility and helps me appreciate the severity of the situation.
5) Get personal
See Danny’s handwritten note.
6) Use “free” to get your foot in the door
That free lawn evaluation gives me an easy, low risk way to get more information. And for TruGreen to make a full-on sales pitch.
How are you offering free value to start conversations with your should-be buyers?
Being first is good. But you can still make a fortune cleaning up the mess other providers leave behind.
Work on getting your message right and keep presenting your unique brilliance to the right people. Incumbents get tossed out on their bums all the time.