Sometimes the key to better results lies not in the use of new ideas, but in getting rid of old ones. Here are five things to get rid of for better sales results in 2019:

1. Trying to be all things to all people

Too many alarm companies try to be all things to all people. Unfortunately, the world doesn’t work that way.

It’s tempting to pursue any lead that comes to us, but not all are a right fit. If your company is built to sell to mom and pop businesses and you get a lead on the new Amazon plant, you’re wasting your time and theirs. Your solution set isn’t what they need, and neither is your demonstratable skill set.

Champions only work with their ideal customer profiles and walk away from leads that don’t fit.

2. Copying your competitor

All the time I hear alarm company owners say, “I want a website that looks like (insert competitor here).”

And I say, “What if you are copying from a dummy?” Eight out of 10 of your competitors are struggling. They have a hard time generating leads and making sales — is that what you want to copy?

And here’s another problem with copying: all companies look and sound the same. All of them say the same things, they carry the same equipment and they rave about their service. That makes it really hard for the prospect to distinguish one company from the other.

So, why should someone spend their hard earned money with you instead of the other guy? Focus on answering that in your marketing to grow your sales.

3. Price discounting

Why would you set a price for your goods or services and then discount it? The only reason I can think of is that you don’t have a steady supply of prospects willing to pay for the true value of your work.

Instead of discounting, I suggest you give stuff away. I’d rather give away a quarter’s worth of opening and closing reports to close a commercial deal than discount the installation price. There are many reasons for that, the biggest one being it gets my customer trying a service they might ultimately pay for.

On the residential side, one dealer offers to beat anyone’s price, and another gives away a free doorbell camera. The free doorbell camera draws many more leads and results in more RMR.

Remember, when you discount price, it is gone forever. However, if you strategically give away the right thing, you help the customer and can earn more in the long run.

4. Meaningless calls to action

A call to action statement is designed to get an immediate response from the person hearing it or reading it. Too many alarm companies’ websites and web pages don’t contain any call to action statement. The pages hope that someone reading them is so inclined to contact the company — they never ask the reader to do so.

I recommend you use call to action statements that bring value to customers. Instead of “Like us on Facebook,” try “Facebook Fans Only Specials.” Instead of “Call us for a free consultation,” try “Get your free camera now.”

5. Distractions

According to a survey conducted by Constant Contact, the average small business spends less than 10 percent of its time on marketing. If we all agree that leads and sales are the lifeblood of our business, then why don’t we spend more time on them? In 2019, quit confusing the urgent with the vital. Quit confusing activity with results. Spend time on marketing to grow leads. Life is a camera — focus on what’s important and you’ll capture it perfectly.