Making a Great Case

Today on the podcast, Chris and Chris talk about making a great case for the customer to take your professional recommendation. Just like Tom Cruise in the movie A Few Good Men, you have to bring together seemingly insignificant and disconnected facts to make a great case and win over the jury. In the movie, Cruise’s character is trying to get Jack Nicholson’s character, Colonel Jessup, to admit that he gave an illegal order that caused the death of a marine. Cruise uses a phone bill, the Colonel’s travel habits, and airport log books to make his case. He tied all of those things together using his presentation skills. He convinced the colonel to admit he gave the order. It was apparent to the jury and undeniable to the audience. You need to make a great case so it’s apparent and undeniable to your customer to go with your recommendation.

Here’s how to make a great case: 

Translate to customer language 

Avoid jargon the customer may not know.

Tie back to your evaluation questions

For this one, you need to ask the right questions such as:

• What’s going on? 
• How old is the house? 
• How old is the device, fixture, unit, system, etc.? 
• How long have you been here? 
• How long will you be here? 
• What was the date of your last annual maintenance and safety inspection on your system? 
• Is there anything else you’ve noticed with the HVAC/Plumbing/Electrical system, like (suggest common issues Eliot customers usually don’t see as issues)

Use Physical Evidence

Every good case has physical evidence. Photos, videos and third party resources will help you make a great case. And always remember the three Ps:

• Problems
• Possibles
• Prevention

The three Ps ask, how did we get here, what can we do about it, and how do we prevent it from happening again?

Adapt to the DISC Profile

Using and adapting to DISC profiles will help you empathize with customers and get you on the path to making a great case. Learn more about DISC profiles.

Be the Expert

By making a great case, you make it easier for your customer to make the best long-term decision. You use your expertise and skill to help the customer in the best way possible. 

Download the podcast!