Selling EPA RRP work will be challenging.

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Due to the lack of public awareness conducted by the EPA, Sales people will have new challenges to deal with when it comes to selling work that falls under the new EPA RRP Rule.  

Unless consumers are pre-educated about lead hazards, the new RRP rule and the required work practices before a sales call, the sales person will be spending a fair amount of time explaining these things over and over again on every sales call.   This will likely become monotonous for the sales person and will increase the length of time for sales calls.  It also may have the effect of sidetracking the conversation in a way that changes the prospect's focus away from buying something and or even making a decision.  A good example of what salespeople might experience in discussing the new realities of the RRP with their prospects might be observed in this video where Fox News Business interviewers discuss the RRP Rule with Jim Lett of A.B.E. Doors & Windows, a remodeling contractor from Allentown, PA

I see a two part solution to address the RRP sales challenge:

First, the company should assemble and offer RRP related information for prospects to view and contemplate before the sales call.  This info could be sent to them in advance and or could be posted to the company's website.  Short videos addressing each topic posted to your company's web site would be a great way of doing this.  The information should include topics that answer the kind of questions and concerns a consumer would have, and if possible, relative to the kind of work the company performs.   If the company only offers replacement windows, the type and amount of information the consumer would need could be much less and different than if the company offers full service remodeling.  The salesperson should call the prospect prior to the scheduled sales call to confirm the prospect actually reviewed the information.  This could be done under the guise of confirming the appointment.

Second, the salesperson should be well trained on the same topics and be able to discuss and answer questions about these topics with their prospects in a straight forward way without coming across as an alarmist.  As always, even though it might be tough and or tempting to do, keep politics and religion out of the sales process!

Here is a possible list of topics to consider:

• The dangers of lead paint and how lead poisoning can occur
• Importance of hiring a Certified Renovator
• Work practices and their purpose
• Considerations for occupants during renovations
• Options for testing and related considerations