How to Sell Home Generators as an Add-On to Heating and Cooling Products

How to Sell Home Generators as an Add-On to Heating and Cooling Products

Having a hard time with your angle on certain home heating and cooling products? Help has arrived!

Because we are completely dependent on them and they are not in any way luxury items, heating and cooling products often sell themselves. However, when it comes to add-ons like home generators, it’s a bit of a different story. How do you sell generators to residents of a mild climate, where there aren’t major storms that can disrupt power sources? How about homeowners who are convinced that they could last without power for even days at a time with no problem? Here are some tips:

Tip #1: Cost Makes Up for Loss

Customers often hesitate to spend money on generators when they don’t think they are at that much risk for power outages – or even if they think they could deal without power for several days at a time.

So it’s important to educate homeowners on the full range of challenges of going without power. When the power goes out for several days, there are expenses that most homeowners haven’t even heard of – until they have to deal with it. Point out the following costs of a power outage:

  • Food replacement. When the power’s out, the food will spoil. Replacing all of your refrigerated and frozen food can cost hundreds of dollars.
  • Broken pipes. If the power goes out during the cold months you risk frozen pipes, which will leave you facing the repair costs when those pipes burst and break.
  • Temporary housing. If your house is not safe to stay in while the power is out, there is the added expense of a hotel or temporary housing.

Tip #2: Loss of Daily Luxuries

Most people take for granted the ability to switch on the TV, heat something in the microwave, or even blow dry their hair. These are all things we do daily without thinking about it – but nothing demonstrates this more fully than when there’s a power outage. Have homeowners walk through their usual day-to-day routines. How often is an electrical appliance involved? If they still insist they’d be fine, make sure they understand they won’t be able to charge their smartphones or tablets. That should make an impression.

Tip #3: Safety First

If your potential generator buyer is hard-core about toughing it out if the power goes out, your last line of offense is to point out the safety issues. Are there pets or young children in the home? They may have a hard time without heat or air conditioning, refrigerated food, or the ability to have a hot meal? What about elderly individuals who might be dependent on power for medical equipment? Even the idea of managing without any lighting during the night can be a safety concern due to risk of falls and injuries without the ability to call for help.

There are so many reasons to consider a backup generator; it’s often hard to understand the resistance to investing in one. So when you get pushback from your customers, use the tips above to point out the benefits.

Looking for more support like this one on selling heating and cooling products? Contact us today for helpful tips and information about becoming a McCall’s dealer.