By Stephen Ashkin

To be successful selling Green, you should think about prospecting as a “funnel” (a lot goes in the top, but only a few come out the bottom) recognizing that some prospects will close faster with fewer hurdles and barriers compared to others. These are important issues when a sales person has a quota to meet each month with limited time to prospect and hunt for new accounts.

The following are a list of market segments, consistent with how the information was presented last month. We recommend that you construct a simple prospecting matrix for each of these market segments, breaking each down by ease of sale.

Once you get a success in a particular segment, you can use that success as an example of your ability, build your own credibility, and establish yourself as a leader as you continue to prospect for more challenging sub-segments. And don’t forget that once you land a new account to ask them to introduce you to their friends and peers who could also benefit from a Green Cleaning program.

• Schools: Small school districts are easier to sell than large school districts. Private and parochial schools are easier to sell than public schools. More affluent schools are easier to sell than poorer schools. Newer schools are easier to sell than older schools.

• Universities: Smaller universities are easier to sell than larger universities. Private universities are easier to sell than public universities. Universities that are broken down into “campuses” or “colleges” often purchase independently from one another and are easier to sell than a university where all purchasing is centralized. A more affluent or better endowed university is easier to sell compared to a university with lower financial resources.

• Hospitals: Hospitals are challenging primarily due to the critical nature of their health mission, the risk and challenges associated with infection control requirements, and regulations creating barriers to change. Smaller, independent, and poorer hospitals may “value” your expertise on Green Cleaning compared to larger groups of hospitals that have internal expertise on the subject.

• Nursing Homes: Compared to hospitals, nursing homes are much easier to sell. But within the nursing home segment some are easier to sell than others. Independents are easier to sell than chains. More affluent nursing homes are easier to sell than poorer nursing homes. Private nursing homes are easier to sell than public ones.

• Commercial Office Buildings: Owner occupied buildings that are self-managed are easier to sell than buildings using a third-party management company. Privately owned buildings are easier to sell than publicly owned and managed buildings. Buildings with a single tenant are easier to sell than multiple tenant buildings. Newer commercial buildings are easier to sell than older ones. Class A buildings are easier to sell than Class B or C. Corporate headquarter and “showcase” buildings are easier to sell than buildings that are just utilitarian.

• LEED Buildings: LEED buildings are certainly easier to sell compared to buildings where the owners and managers aren’t already tuned into “green”. However, Green Buildings follow the same issues as identified in the segments listed above.

• Lodging & Hospitality: Last month we did not address these segments because in general they have been very slow to embrace “green” issues for a variety of issues (we will do a future article on the reasons for this). However, this shouldn’t stop you from trying. Independents are easier to sell than chains. Smaller chains and franchise operations are easier to sell than larger operations. Resorts and upscale facilities are easier to sell than economy class or fast food establishments.

• Building Service Contractors: We did not cover BSCs last month and this segment desires an entire article, which we will do in the future. Our recommendation is to discuss with all of them. You may be surprised who is interested.

Once you develop your matrix you can prioritize your prospecting list. From this we encourage you to contact them and try to setup a “pilot” program (see Issue 3) which includes your entire “green bundle” (see Issue 2) to demonstrate how your program will work. Once you have a few Green Cleaning success stories, it will become easier and easier to expand within the segment.

Good luck selling. Remember, they have to buy these products from someone, and we would prefer they buy them from you!