FSB -- Dear FSB: I own a small graffiti-removal business and have more than 16 years' experience in this specialty. I waste about 90 minutes daily telling callers who see my yellow pages ads, which clearly display accepted payment methods, that the service isn't free. I suspect they feel that, as crime victims, they shouldn't have to pay us. Don't they know it costs money to run a company? -Dennis Twiss, Owner, Graffiti Patrol La Mesa, Calif.
Dear Dennis: Your frustration is valid, but fight the urge to grouse at clueless callers, says Bill Brooks, head of the Brooks Group (brooksgroup.com), a sales training firm in Greensboro, N.C., and the author of 18 books on selling. "Remind callers that, even though they are victims, graffiti doesn't just vanish there are costs for the labor, equipment, and supplies used to erase it," says Brooks. "When government property is defaced, you pay for graffiti removal with your tax dollars. With your own property, you pay more directly."
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After making that point, Brooks suggests two more tactics. "First, prepare a succinct statement that explains why your service is the best," says Brooks. "If your expertise allows you to pick the ideal removal solvent, say so." The key word is "succinct." Brooks says his research shows that after 24 hours the average prospect recalls just one of your selling points.
To decide which of your service's benefits is likeliest to stay with a potential customer, use the second part of Brooks' method. "Listen to the caller's concerns, and say, 'May I ask a few questions to make sure we're the right service for you?' " says Brooks. "Once you know what type of surface (e.g., a sidewalk or a wall) has been damaged and the likely material used, then focus on that and omit everything else."
But not everyone has the skill, desire, or patience to sell effectively. Notes Brooks: "If you just can't do it, you may want to hire a sales rep." 
