PRO on the Go Video: Common Ground

Finding common ground with customers is a powerful sales tool. Terry Begue of Begue Painting shares how he uses this strategy to build strong client relationships and get the job.

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Video Transcription:

Every professional painting contractor has their own methods for winning the job and closing the sale.

For Terry Beg, of Hartville Ohio, finding common ground with potential customers is key.

What I do is, when I go to a customer's home, if the garage is open, before I even go to the door, I look in the garage for golf clubs or kids toys or a croquet set and it gives me a little clue as to what they do.

When I go into the house, I look for pictures on the wall of family or a workout area and I find what is important to them, and I make sure that they know that that's important to me.

If it's family I love talking a little bit about my kids.

If I see that having kids is important to them, if they have a swing set in the backyard, if they have a workout room and they work out I let them know I wish I had more time to do that.

It's showing them that you’re like them.

You're not some shyster trying to bilk them out of the kids college fund.

You're just a regular guy or a regular gal providing a needed service.

And showing them that you're like them, you live in their neighborhood.

I love when I give a bit in my hometown, I make sure the customers know.

I'm also from that town and a lot of times that gets me hired alone.

Just the fact that we live in the same area or the same neighborhood.

Finding common ground is powerful, because people tend to want to work with and be around people who are more like them.