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Do you need sales scripts?
If you regularly answer similar questions from clients, saved responses can help you structure the conversation. Even a business owner who handles sales personally can use introductory messages from their notes and prepared answers to common concerns.
For example, you could open a conversation following a referral with: “Hello, [name]. Designer [name] mentioned that you are looking for a contractor and checked that you were happy for us to contact you. Is now a good time to discuss the project?” Use this introduction only when the referral is genuine and the contact has been agreed.
When a client compares prices, you could say: “I understand you are comparing proposals from several contractors. Let’s check whether the estimates cover the same scope of work, which materials are included and what additional costs might arise. If you would like, we can show you an anonymized cost breakdown from a comparable completed project.” Keep the final sentence only if you have such an example and are allowed to share it.
A script helps a sales representative keep the purpose of the conversation and the essential questions in view. It can help you:
- find an appropriate question or answer more quickly;
- prepare for situations in which you usually feel unsure;
- agree on a consistent approach to conversations with your team;
- clarify agreements and reduce the risk of misunderstandings.
Use your own data to check whether inquiry-to-sale conversion improves: compare the proportion of similar inquiries that progress to the next step. A script alone does not guarantee more signed contracts.
The structure of a sales script
You can start with five blocks. For each one, prepare an objective, a few questions and alternative ways to continue depending on the client’s response.
1. Greeting and introduction
Introduce yourself and your company, explain why you are getting in touch and check whether it is a convenient time to talk. Suggest a clear next step: “I could message you about this on Thursday afternoon. Would that work for you?” Agree on the timing with the client.
2. Understanding the client’s needs
Ask open questions about the apartment or house, the desired result, the timeline and the budget. Then check whether the project is a suitable fit for your company: do you provide the required work, operate in that area and have a crew available? If the property is too far away or the request is beyond your capabilities, explain the limitation before making promises or preparing calculations.
3. Presenting your service
Connect your company’s actual capabilities to what the client has told you. Instead of listing every advantage, choose those relevant to the project: for example, experience with comparable properties or a specific process for agreeing on an estimate. Offer a meeting that includes a site tour only if access has been agreed with the property owner.
4. Handling objections
Prepare responses to “It’s expensive,” “I need to think about it” and “I’ll do it myself.” First, clarify the reason for the concern. A price difference may reflect a different scope of work, while a request for more time may mean the client needs more information. Your response should help them understand the issue without pressure.
5. A sale or the next step
End the conversation with a specific agreement: booking a measurement visit, sending a preliminary cost calculation, or discussing the estimate or contract. A measurement visit or an estimate sent to the client does not yet mean a contract has been signed. Prepare a separate phrase for each stage and a way to check that the client has agreed.
Review real conversations with your team: where the client’s needs remained unclear, what objection came up and which next step was agreed. Use these observations to refine your prepared responses and check the effect of the changes.
A basic renovation sales script
The following sample responses are for conversations with someone who has bought an apartment in a new development. They illustrate possible wording, not the services of any particular company. Replace the square brackets with factual information and remove anything your team does not offer. Clarify timelines, prices, warranties, discounts and free services separately.
1. Greeting and initial contact
If the person has not contacted you first, use this version only when contact is appropriate and has been agreed, for example following a referral:
“Hello! My name is [name], and I represent [company name]. [Person who made the referral and agreed the contact] mentioned that you are considering an apartment renovation. We provide [actual types of work] in [city or area]. Is this a good time to ask you a few questions?”
“Have you received the keys yet, or are you still waiting for the development to be handed over?”
2. Understanding the client’s needs
Continue based on the answer, without asking about the keys again:
“Have you decided whether you will manage the renovation yourself or hire a contractor? Which tasks would you like a team to take on?”
Or: “Are you planning to start renovating as soon as you receive the keys, or later? Do you have a preferred completion date and a budget for us to work with?”
3. Advantages and a short presentation
“For your project, we can offer [relevant service]. Let me explain how we organize the work.”
Choose only the statements that describe capabilities you can substantiate:
- “We can show you [specific property] in a nearby development if we arrange the visit with its owner.”
- “The design is prepared by [our studio or a partner]. We can also discuss working from your design or a separately agreed specification.”
- “We handle material purchasing on these terms: [purchasing and payment process]. We will confirm any available discounts for specific suppliers and items.”
- “Before work starts, we agree on the contract, scope of work, payment schedule and process for changes.”
- “The warranty terms for [types of work] are set out in [relevant section of the contract]. I suggest we go through them.”
- “We include the agreed schedule and the conditions for changing deadlines in the contract.”
- “We will check which scope of work and materials fit your budget. If the budget is insufficient, we will discuss the options and limitations.”
4. Inviting the client to take the first step
If your company offers site tours, you could suggest:
“We would like to invite you to visit [property where access has been agreed]. We will show you the current stage of the work and discuss which solutions could suit your apartment. We can provide a preliminary cost after receiving [necessary information]. The visit terms are [price or confirmed absence of a fee, duration]. There is no obligation to sign a renovation contract after the meeting.”
“When would be convenient for you? I will check that a visit is possible and confirm the time.”
5. Responses to common objections
If the client says, “I’m not planning anything yet”:
“I understand. If you would like, I can send you our price list and portfolio. Would you prefer to revisit this in a particular month, or should I wait for you to get in touch?”
If the client says, “It’s expensive” or “We’re looking for something cheaper”:
“What budget do you have in mind, and what is essential for you to keep? We can check whether the scope of work or materials could be changed. If we have suitable finish options, I will show you how they differ in price and what is included.”
6. Wrapping up and staying in touch
“I can prepare a preliminary cost calculation based on your information by [realistic deadline]. We will use comparable completed projects as a reference, then account for the floor area, scope of work and current prices. We will agree on a more detailed estimate after [measurement visit or another necessary stage]. Where would you prefer to receive the calculation: via [available messaging app] or email?”
If you manage projects in the 101 App, you can generate a detailed balance report for a selected period in the “Documents” section of a project’s page. It shows receipts and expenses by category. This report helps you examine the actual amounts from a previous project; you need to check how comparable it is to the new property and whether the prices are still current. The steps are described in the guide to creating a client report (in Russian).
How can you personalize a sales script?
Adapt your responses to the information the client has provided. Check assumptions about their priorities by asking questions first.
1. Refer to a specific residential development
If you have worked in that development, mention specific features you have dealt with:
“We carried out [type of work] in your development, [name]. We are familiar with [verified feature of the layout or existing finish]. Before starting, we will check the building management company’s current requirements again.”
If you have not worked there, use a different response: “We will review the layout, the apartment’s condition and the building management company’s requirements before agreeing on the work.”
2. Adapt to the client’s stage
A conversation with someone who has received the keys differs from a conversation with someone who is still choosing an apartment. Clarify their stage and offer a service you actually provide.
“If you have just received the keys, we can offer [actual inspection or handover inspection service]. It includes [scope], costs [price] and is subject to [limitations].” Use “free” only when you have confirmed that there is no charge, and explain the terms of the offer.
“If the apartment has not been handed over yet, we can discuss the concept and an indicative budget in advance. We will confirm a possible start date after you receive the keys, we inspect the property and we check the crew’s schedule.”
3. A convenient way to communicate
“Would you like me to send two examples of similar renovations and a price list, then discuss the details once you have looked at them?”
“Would you prefer to message, have a phone call or arrange a video meeting?”
Record the chosen channel and what you have agreed. You can read about approaches to communicating with different age groups in the article on Gen Z and millennials (in Russian). Let the individual client’s answer guide your choice of format: age alone does not determine their preferences.
4. Focus on the client’s project
The following conversation topics are starting assumptions for clarifying needs:
- For a couple setting up their first home, ask about functionality, atmosphere and timing.
- For the owner of an apartment intended for rental, ask about the budget, the expected rental start date and durability requirements.
- For a family with children, ask about safety, storage and material specifications.
For example: “If you plan to rent out the apartment, we can compare finish options in terms of cost and maintenance. What spending level and rental start date are you considering?” Do not promise a payback period without a calculation: the choice of finishes alone cannot determine it.
5. Reviews and examples of your work
The following is a hypothetical project description, not a verified company case study. The figures of 45 m², 1.5 million and 9 months illustrate how to structure the story:
“We completed an apartment of 45 m² in [residential development]. The planned budget was 1.5 million [currency], and the actual cost was [amount and breakdown of expenses]. The work took 9 months. I can show you photographs approved for sharing by the owner and explain what the scope included.”
Before using this wording, replace every figure and circumstance with information from a real project. Distinguish the planned budget from actual costs and specify which work and materials are included; share only materials you are permitted to distribute.
6. Understand the property’s specific requirements
For an upscale residential development, wording that addresses specific working arrangements may be appropriate:
“Before starting the renovation, we check the rules for access, material deliveries and noisy work. We agree on a schedule that takes account of the building’s current requirements. Which requirements from the building management company are you already aware of?”
Keep this wording only if it reflects your company’s actual process. Following the schedule cannot guarantee that there will be no complaints from neighbors.
How should you ask ChatGPT for a script?
You can use ChatGPT and other text models to draft alternative questions, responses to objections and messages. Check the resulting text before using it: it should match your services and agreements. Evaluate sales results using real inquiries.
Include context in your prompt: the company’s services, the client’s stage, the communication channel, the conversation’s purpose, tone and limitations. This approach follows OpenAI’s guidance on clear prompts with sufficient context. After the first version, explain what needs to change.
A prompt that is too general
“Write a renovation sales script.”
It does not specify the services, the client, the reason for contact or the desired next step, so the answer will need substantial revision.
A prompt with context
“Prepare an initial call script for a company that renovates apartments in new developments in [city]. Contact has been agreed through [referral source]. The company provides [list of services], works in [areas], and charges [price and terms] for a measurement visit. The goal is to understand the client’s needs and, if the service is suitable, arrange a measurement visit. Use a polite tone without pressure. Start by asking whether it is a convenient time to talk. Add branches for ‘It’s expensive,’ ‘I haven’t received the keys yet’ and ‘I’m not planning anything yet.’ Do not invent discounts, warranties, available dates or project experience. If information is missing, leave a question for the sales representative.”
Or, for a follow-up:
“Prepare a messaging conversation in [messaging app] for a client who asked about building a house from aerated concrete and agreed to a follow-up. Write as a sales representative from [company name]. Here is what we know: [floor area, plot, decision stage, previously discussed questions]. We offer [actual services]. The goal is to check whether the project is still relevant and suggest arranging a short conversation. Do not promise a price or deadline without the necessary information. Add a closing option if the client is no longer interested.”
Ask for several opening options and choose the one that sounds natural for your team. Then check all the facts, read the dialogue aloud and remove unnecessary questions. Try the changes on comparable inquiries and note whether they lead to an agreed next step.
The Russian-language 101 community publishes material for business owners in construction, renovation, finishing and design.