Believe it or not, financing can be one of the most powerful sales tools in your arsenal. Offering a monthly payment option is a great way to capture more buyers and close more sales. But how do you use financing as a sales tool? At which point in the sales process should you be offering it? What are the most effective ways to present it to your customers? And, how do you respond to objections or questions? Lease Consultants Corporation is here to help you answer all of these questions – yes, you can become an expert in selling financing!
When Should You Offer Financing?
Offer financing up front!!! Don’t wait for your customer to ask for financing options – they may not even be aware that you have financing available. Come prepared to quote the customer a cash price as well as a monthly payment option. This way, the customer knows up front that they have a choice, and they can make the payment decision that best fits their budget.
If you wait and offer a monthly payment later in your conversation, it can send your customer the wrong message. They may think to themselves, “What’s the catch?” or “Why would I finance my equipment when I can buy it outright?”. By quoting a monthly payment option alongside the cash price, you set the customer at ease by showing them that they have options for acquiring your equipment.
How Should You Offer Financing?
HOW you offer financing is just as impactful as WHEN you offer it. Every customer is different. Some will prefer to learn more about your monthly payment options during your conversations, and may even apply on the spot! Others will appreciate the chance to take a step back, review materials to learn more, and will apply online when they’re ready. Thus, it’s important to understand the different ways to present financing to your customer, and to have the tools that make it easy.
- Conversation:
Quote a monthly payment up front when you know your customer is interested in purchasing high-cost commercial equipment. Make sure your customer knows that LCC does only a soft credit pull when they apply, so there will be no effect on their credit score just to see what they can qualify for. Plus, we will approve the customer for more than the requested amount, as the credit permits. This gives you the opportunity to create a bigger sale, and your customer will have even more options for equipment and accessories.
- Online:
Our online finance portal, EquipMoney.com, gives you every online tool you need to close a sale. Not only do we offer an easy-to-use online credit application, we also provide you with a monthly payment calculator. This lets you easily show the customer their monthly payment options – simply by inputting the price of the equipment and selecting a lease plan. You can either quote the monthly payment directly to your customer, or you can send your payment calculator link to them via email or text. Once they’ve decided on a monthly payment option, the calculator takes them straight to the credit application. Our online application is available 24/7 from any device.
- Quotes:
Sending a quote to any customer is quick and easy through EquipMoney.com. Simply enter the desired price and payment plan into the EquipMoney payment calculator. From there, you’ll be able to share the quote with any customer by simply entering their email address.
- Marketing Materials:
Sometimes your customers will come to a purchasing decision all on their own if they’re supplied with the right resources while in your store. Our marketing materials will be your best friend when it comes to closing sales. Not everyone will respond to information presented to them verbally. Some people need to see the details on paper. Here at LCC, it’s our goal to make sure every commercial customer is educated on their purchasing options. We provide our equipment vendors with professional marketing materials to be placed throughout their business. We offer any level of cobranding desired. Whether you need tags for your showroom equipment, a counter display piece, or even a banner for a show, Lease Consultants is here to help!
Overcoming Objections
The most common reason cited for not offering financing is fear of customer objections or not knowing how to respond to them. When talking with a customer, we know that you want to be prepared for any questions and knowledgeable in your reply. The good news is that most of the questions or objections you hear in regards to financing boil down to just a few areas. Here are the most frequent ones, and how to respond:
- “I’m concerned about the interest rate increasing the total cost”
- Show the customer that there is more to the machine than just the cash price. For example, financing may provide advantageous tax benefits for the business. Financing also keeps their cash on hand, while that equipment generates income or savings from day one. It gives your customer the equipment they need now without a significant upfront burden.
- “I’d rather own the equipment at the end of the term”
- At Lease Consultants, all of our plans offer ownership at the end of the term. And we make it easy. Most of our plans either require a $1.00 buyout at the end of the term, or the surrender of a pre-paid security deposit. Our process is transparent and easy – we do not have automatic renewals. The buyout is included in the customer’s final lease payment, making transition of ownership at end of the lease simple.
- “What if my business needs change before the end of the term?”
- Financing actually makes it easier to stay current with your businesses’ needs. You do not have a large outlay of cash tied up in your current equipment. We make it easy to change out or upgrade equipment at any point in the term with just a change to your monthly payment.
- “I’m concerned the whole process will take too long”
- We understand the importance of timing when it comes to a sale. EquipMoney, our finance portal, makes the entire process digital and fast. Well-qualified customers will receive instant approval upon application. Our documentation process is handled thru DocuSign, enabling the customer to sign on any device. LCC makes the application and documentation process simple, meaning your customer has their equipment sooner.
- “I’ve financed in the past and it was a terrible experience.”
At LCC, we understand concerns based upon past experiences. That is why our financing options are designed to address those issues. We believe in transparency: clear terms, no hidden fees, and easy-to-read documentation. Our customer-oriented approach makes for a more positive experience for your customers, which in turn builds that customer loyalty with your business.