The Sales Mistake We’ve All Made
A client texted me the other day, and it triggered a memory from 2005 or 2006. I had to quote a roof job on one of those cool, retro GMC motorhomes. Funny thing was—I had just finished spraying one a few weeks earlier. I could’ve blurted out the price instantly… but I didn’t. I did something different—and it’s made me a lot of money ever since.
Most salespeople quote too fast. And that mistake costs them more than they think.
Step 1: Let the Job Be the Villain
When it comes time to quote, don’t just throw a number out and hope they don’t flinch. Walk the vehicle with the customer.
Say the hard parts out loud:
Fully mask off the entire rig
Edge prep from ladders
Working at height with OSHA-compliant fall protection
Cure time that ties up the spray booth (this was a white roof)
That creates a third-party villain—risk, complexity, and compliance—not you. You’re not the one making the job expensive… the job is.
Let the job be the problem. You’re the solution.
Step 2: Ask Questions That Surface Value
Don’t defend your price. Instead, ask the kind of calm, diagnostic questions that make the prospect say out loud what really matters:
“What prompted you to bring your RV to me to have the roof sprayed?”
“If it isn’t sealed right the first time, and you’re out on holidays and it leaks, what happens?”
“You said you were restoring this so you don’t just want a quick ‘lipstick’ job, do you?”
You’re not selling a spray job. You’re protecting their vacation—or their pride in restoring something classic.
Once they say those stakes out loud, they’ll hear your quote through a completely different filter.
Step 3: Anchor High — Then Step Away
Now that they understand what’s involved, you say:
“Okay—most folks expect around $25–$30 per square foot on motorhome roofs because of the safety requirements and the huge amount of prep. But let me see if I can sharpen that.”
Then, you physically leave.
Go confirm your numbers. Take at least five minutes. Let that $30/sf number marinade. (Pro tip: use a clipboard or calculator. Make it feel like precision.)
Step 4: Return With the Deal They Wanted All Along
When you return, say:
“Good news—it pencils in at $16.63/sq ft. I know that sounds low, but I ran it twice. If you book it now, I’ll honor it. If you leave and I find I made a mistake, I reserve the right to change it. Is that fair?”
That line does three powerful things:
It protects your margin
It gives the buyer a win
It builds urgency to close now
What’s at Stake (So It’s Not You vs. Them)
If you skip this framing, you become the villain.
Your number gets hammered
Your profit disappears
You risk rework, callbacks, or leaks mid-vacation
If you frame it properly:
You control the conversation
The price sounds reasonable
You protect your margin without haggling
Action Step
Record every conversation between your sales team and prospects.
Listen back. Where did you frame the hard work—or skip it? Where did you ask diagnostic questions—or fall into the “let me explain” trap?
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Next Week...
Next week, we’ll discuss anchoring high and coming back the hero.
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