We all love this call. 



“Hi, I’m Joan. I’ve just called 3 other companies and would like to know how much you charge?”

YOU: Well Joan, it’s like talking to your dentist. He wants to see the patient first, and so do I, before I commit to a price on an unseen location for carpet cleaning.

Joan: But I just need to know how much. How can I decide if I don’t know how much you charge?

YOU: Joan, we are a professional cleaning and restoration firm.  I can offer you a free in-home consultation. This way I can see exactly what your needs are and give you a fair and accurate price. If I give you a price over the phone and when I arrive, it’s lower then what I told you on the phone, you’re going to love me. But how will you feel if the price is higher? I know, you’ll think I tried to scam you. I care too much about my reputation and my clients to do that. So, would you like to set an appointment with me to come and see you?

This is what you can expect, Joan. I personally will come to your home to meet and speak with you and I will never pressure you. I will offer my recommendations based off 30 year’s of experience and give you a price in writing before I begin. Plus, we use only the best encapsulation carpet cleaning detergents with AFT. And, I think you will love to see my before and after picture book of what I’ve accomplished solving other people’s cleaning challenges in both residential and commercial locations.  (Don’t use your phone. Make a real book. It’s a great salesman.)



The only thing I ask is if you are satisfied with my suggestions and price, that I will provide the encapsulation carpet cleaning the same day. I don’t come back on residential estimates. If you’re not happy for any reason then you have absolutely no cost or obligation for my visit. I will thank you for the opportunity, your time and been on my way. It’s that easy.

They almost always booked the appointment with me because I was different, maybe a little bit of a mystery and they wanted to know more. The thing that works in your favor is that when they set the consultation appointment in their mind – the carpet cleaner is coming Tuesday at 2:00 – they are already cleaning their carpet or floors even before I speak the first word when I arrive. They move furniture and are ready in many cases. So, if I’m neat, clean and respectful, with intelligent and helpful answers, especially after they saw my before and after book, I got the job and not at $19.00 per room. I always make more and they agreed to it.

People love to be educated and offered a solution to their need or problem. They hate to be pressured and sold. I never did that. It was easier on me and them, and I still had a close rate in the high 90 percentile. I used the same approach for selling my Guardian Carpet & Upholstery Protector. I mention Guardian and hand them a brochure and it does the selling. Then I follow with – “if you love the way your carpet turns out, we can talk about protecting some or all of it.” I plant a seed and apply no pressure. I let my work speak for me instead. It’s a super easy and effective way to upsell once you’re in the home. They see a great carpet cleaning job, their guard drops as you just earned some trust and credibility, and now it’s easy to add Guardian Carpet Protector to the invoice.

Back to the phone call. Who gives consultations? Lawyers, doctors, professionals. You are a professional right? You dress that way, speak that way and should charge that way after you’ve provided your superior, professional results to solve the client’s carpet cleaning or upholstery cleaning issue.

After you practice this it becomes second nature and natural, and when they hear your confidence in the way you have chosen to present your service and company, you are much more likely to land the appointment and then the sale.

By John Klucznik, President of Bonnet Pro and Key Floor Care & Restoration