Reassure the Homeowners

During this step, it is important that you:

• Don’t forget to keep putting the homeowners’ minds at ease. You can accomplish that by establishing credibility and instilling confidence in your inspection and the manner in which you will assist them.
• Solidify the sale.
• Reduce the chances of the homeowners using another contractor to do the work after you have gotten their insurance company to pay for everything.

You will be able to achieve all three of these objectives if you are able to get the homeowners to recognize they have made the best possible decision.
After you have completed all the required paperwork and the sales process is coming to a close, you don’t want to appear too hasty by hurrying out the door once they have signed. This will only make the homeowners revert to their original suspicion that you are just another salesperson who just wants to make a sale. The final few minutes of your meeting are just as important as the first few, because you will be reassuring them their decision is valid.


There are several steps you can take during this final interaction with the homeowners to achieve the ultimate result you want:

• Call the office to see how we are able to schedule the project commencement date after approval from the insurance company.
• Make sure they have your business card. That way they will feel more comfortable knowing if they have questions or if they want to check on how things are progressing they can reach you. Whether or not they will need to call you is not the point, the fact they have this information will help them feel more at ease.
• Tell the homeowners they are doing the right thing safeguarding and improving their property while enhancing the value of their home.
• Your last impression is as important as your first, because it will instill credibility and confidence that you will need after you leave the home.

This is critical, because it will help the homeowners resist things like:

• “Advice” from neighbors, friends and family who might tell the homeowners they have made a mistake, decided to work with the wrong company, etc. Whether or not the homeowners seek out this information is irrelevant. As soon as they mention the project will soon be starting, they will start getting input from others. Unfortunately, some of it may be negative.
• Any unresolved apprehensions they may have about the project are because you forgot or neglected a procedural step. If you follow the Project Steps you will do all you can to protect against this – because you will address every possible apprehension the homeowners may have now or in the future.

It’s important you understand that you’ve taken the homeowners on an emotional roller coaster ride in this process. It’s natural. You probably experience the same feelings when you address such a situation and work toward resolving it. What’s most important is you don’t leave the homeowners “coming down” too fast from the highest point on that roller coaster. Understanding the homeowners’ concerns and reservations about the project will let you be empathetic toward them.

Remember the homeowners have:

• Naturally felt very unsure and negative about a salesperson they do not know coming into their home and trying to sell them something.
• Had to endure a stranger crawling around their home, seeking out problems.
• Discovered even more problems than they originally thought, or those problems are more serious than they originally thought.
• Learned many contractors aren’t reliable, are pushy, or are out to simply “make a buck.”
• Found many contractors aren’t professional, etc.
• Learned there is a big difference in experience and quality of workmanship between the many contractors in the industry.
• Learned there are significant differences in the warranties these contractors offer.
• Learned the difference between local roofing companies and your company. You are an expert in insurance restoration and work on roofs, siding, gutters and windows and that you will help them deal with their entire insurance problem.

The homeowners have reached their emotional peak – the highest point of the roller coaster – when they decide to get their project done with you. You have literally ridden the roller coaster with the homeowners, and were responsible for taking them from the lowest level – when their attitude was most negative – to the highest level, when they have made the best decision. Yet, the ride isn’t over. The key to securing the sale is bringing the homeowners down to a more stable level so they won’t “crash” down after you leave.

This “crash” can be viewed as buyer’s remorse or the time when a buyer rethinks, regrets and may retract their decision to allow us to help them. This happens very infrequently but there are several things you can do to help the homeowners (and you!) avoid having another contractor do the work.

• Calm the homeowners before you leave by speaking carefully and thoughtfully with them, assuring them they have made the right decision and they will be more than happy with the end result.
• Leave their home as you would leave a friend’s at the end of a friendly visit. Make some small talk, without it sounding contrived, and help the homeowners feel like they can trust you during the next few days until the project begins.
• Don’t rush out of their home. Continue to be respectful of their time, but don’t make the homeowners feel like you are taking their money, with your attention turned toward your next sale.
• Remember not to overdo the chitchat near the end, otherwise the homeowners may go back to not trusting you because you appear to have a hidden agenda.

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