Contractor Update

For those who are general contractors who perform all types of services, it can be easier to find qualified work during har economic times. But for small businesses that specializes, times like these can be tough. Is it time to diversify?

With consumer confidence at its lowest level in fifty years, people are reluctant to make calls to get their improvement and repair projects completed. Fewer leads coming in can mean fewer jobs. To stay in business, keep your cash flow strong.

So, this brings up the question - should you generalize your services and take on a broader range of projects? As always, it depends on your business. If you have enough work lined up for the near future and you have cash flow to expand marketing efforts, you should be okay. However, you should think about expanding the number of lead sources you have.

If you have some work still ongoing but the phone has stopped ringing, it could be another story. To stay liquid and stay in business, it might be wise to use your marketing budget to bring in a broader range of jobs. If you have the expertise to add additional services to your business lineup, you may be doubling or tripling the amount of jobs you can bring to your business. That may be enough to get you through the tough economic times. You can return to your specialization later.

Being a specialist in this industry means your services will always be in demand if there is little competition. But demand can drop when worry takes over. Take a second (or third) look at your business and make the necessary changes.

Labels: Small Business Advice, Small Business Marketing

In most parts of the country there has been a downturn in the economy. Many contractors are feeling the pinch because the phone is not ringing and job leads are drying up. Fears of a recession have people holding off on major projects. At times like this, the first step many business owners want to take is to cut back on costs.

This could be a mistake for most companies.

The answer to surviving any economic downturn is not to hide the presence of your business. It's important to increase your marketing spending when times are tough. The outlook for 2008 is not good. This means there will be fewer and fewer leads to go around to all the contractors in this country. Fewer leads means fewer chances to land that job.

A major factor in increasing our rates for subscribed members is that we want to increase spending on our advertising campaigns. We need to spend more to bring in more job possibilities for our contractor network. And you should do the same thing when it comes to your advertising budget.

It could mean cutting costs in other areas of your business, but closely examine how you can spend more to market your services. If you don't, there's a good chance potential customers will choose your competitors over you. They'll be visible and your business won't be.

Interesting Economic News for Contractors:

NEW YORK (Reuters) - "Black & Decker Corp and Stanley Works on Monday gave dim forecasts for 2008 as a slowdown in the U.S. housing market has stifled demand for building equipment."

"Black & Decker, which makes DeWalt power tools and Price Pfister faucets, offered a first-quarter profit outlook that was lower than Wall Street forecasts, and Stanley Works cited a 'possible mild and short-lived U.S. recession,' for its full-year sales growth forecast of flat to up 1 percent."

"Investors were worried about Black & Decker due to indications that home remodeling projects were declining more than expected, but less disappointed by Stanley Works' outlook after the company had earlier tempered investors' expectations for 2008, said analyst Nicholas Heymann of investment firm Sterne, Agee & Leach."

"'We recognize that the U.S. economy is slowing, and we do not expect a housing recovery in 2008,' Chief Executive Nolan Archibald said in a statement. 'While our international momentum and new product pipeline remain strong, we are forecasting that organic sales will decline at a low single-digit rate in 2008.'"

"Analyst Heymann said investors were concerned about the home remodeling outlook. When the economy slows, remodeling picks up as people renovate their homes rather than build new ones, he said. But the credit crunch is making it more difficult for homeowners to get loans."

"'Remodeling isn't going to be as helpful during this downturn,' he said. 'It's basically a bit of a shock.'"

RECESSION TALK

"Stanley Works, which makes carpenter's hand tools, door hardware and hydraulic tools, stated 'We're anticipating a very mild and short-lived recession... by definition that would mean two quarters of negative GDP growth in the U.S.,' James Loree, chief executive officer, said in a conference call with analysts and investors."

"Deutsche Bank analyst Nigel Coe called Stanley Works' 2008 outlook 'clearly challenging,' but said the company was still executing 'very solidly' in a tough environment. "

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Labels: Small Business Marketing

More and more of your potential clients are spending time online while they're at work. Almost a full workday, 7.8 hours per week, in fact. That comes out to 31 hours per 4-week month. It's increased 70% since 2001. *

What Does this All Mean for Your Contracting Business?

A lot.

More and more people are searching for what they want online, and they're doing it while they are on the job.

Will they find your services while they are searching? They may be searching for a remodeler, plumber, landscaper, or architect by using any of the search engines. They might click on a Pay-per-Click ad but most look at the "natural" or "organic" search results.

How do you show up in the natural or organic search results? The search engines must consider you an "authority" that can provide the searcher with what they're looking for.

How Can ConstructionDeal.com Help My Company Show Up Naturally?

This brings us to a great advantage of listing your company in the ConstructionDeal.com Contractor Directory. Not only will our thousands of daily visitors be able to view your business on our Directory, your listing becomes part of what the popular search engines are looking for. For example, Google and Yahoo! both search our website every day and will discover your business name in our Directory. Even if you have your own website, it's not as popular or as heavily indexed as our site. If you look at your Directory listing, you'll see that we have put your business name within the URL address -- right after our website address. And it looks something like this:

www.ConstructionDeal.com/ company/XYZ_Contractor

Having your business name listed as part of our website gives your company more power when it comes to showing up in the major search engines. It's possible that, after a while, people may be searching online for your business and find your ConstructionDeal.com Contractor Directory listing before they find your own website. It's important to make sure you include lots of potent "keywords" in your company details page that describes what you do.

As more people are utilizing the Internet to find what they need, you want to do everything possible to make sure they can find your business.

Also, don't forget about our Priority Directory Listing Plan -- this puts your company's Business Card at the very top of the page. Very few search three or four pages down into ANY directory so you can make sure your listing gets seen first... this means more calls directly to you and more work. All for only $199 for six months.




* Source - eMarketer

Labels: Directory, Small Business Marketing

What is the name of your company? The name of your business is extremely important, but many contractors don't take advantage of branding their company. By branding, I'm talking about name recognition. Branding is getting the name of your business on everyone's lips. Your company name should be big, bold, and prominent on everything you might put it on: your yard signs, magnetic truck signs, flyers, yellow pages ad, or your radio commercials.

Check out this example (right) - I know what the company does, I can easily make out their phone number, but... what is their business name?

If your business name is branded on your materials, people have a better chance of remembering you the next time they need your services. Open up your yellow pages phone book and look up the services you provide. Notice all the ads in there where companies have strong headlines that say, "Save Money!", "7 Days! 24-Hour Service!", or "No Jobs Too Large or Too Small!" Notice most of them don't have their company name as large as their Benefits or Features headlines. You can easily see the phone numbers, but what are the odds their previous customers will be able to find them again? Or will they be enticed to call another service instead?

My HVAC company has a catchy name - NRG - and it's emblazoned on my thermostat, a refrigerator magnet, and on the outside of my air conditioner. I get a personalized holiday card from them every year. I get a maintenance reminder flyer every 6 months. Guess which name pops into my head every time I need those services?

No matter if you're a business with just one person or you've got 100 employees to cover a whole state, you need to make sure your customers remember your name. It's how you get referrals and repeat business which is the life blood of every company. You'd be amazed to see that a few contractors register with ConstructionDeal.com and list their "Company Name" as "None" when they register with us. Guess how much repeat business or referrals they would get if we let them be listed in our Directory with the business name "None".

Exactly.

Labels: Contractor Branding, Small Business Marketing

Eco-friendly products. Sustainable practices. Green building. Green remodeling.

These terms are fairly new but are being tossed about by many people. The movement to make and update homes that do not harm the environment is not going to go away. Many of your potential clients don't completely understand it all but they know they want it. They're looking to use products that consume less energy, won't pollute the planet, and save them money.

No matter what service you provide, it would be wise to adopt a greener vision for your business. Not only do your customers want to do what they can to help, they're going to start looking for companies to educate them and provide them with sustainable products and services. By learning all you can now, you can get a jump on your competition. A good place to start is the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). They offer advice on how to get your projects certified, education on energy saving concepts, and accreditation for professionals who have demonstrated knowledge of green building practices.

Having qualified projects under your belt, along with green-friendly products at your disposal, an help your bottom line. Being a leader in the field will help you attract new clients, build repeat business, and offer a great source of referrals. As a green company, you'll be able to market your services easily by letting people know how they can save the planet as well as save money. Green projects reduce waste sent to landfills, conserve energy and water, provide healthier environments, reduce greenhouse gases, and can qualify people for rebates and incentives. All are great selling and marketing tools for a green contractor.

Take some time to learn about the products and practices involved with LEED certification. The more you know, the more your business can earn. And you can make more of a difference.

Labels: Small Business Advice, Small Business Marketing

It's been said that spending money on yellow pages advertising will continue to be a good marketing value for service professionals for years to come. Many contractors continue to buy ads every year, hoping to get a huge return on investment. I cannot see a day that will come in the near future that will cause companies to stop buying space in the printed phone book.

But some interesting numbers are come out on a regular basis that suggests the yellow pages are not quite as effective when compared to the power of the Internet. For example, a report from a media investment bank forecasted that spending on online advertising will pass ad spending in newspapers. Most companies advertising on the 'Net are not increasing their budgets either. They are diverting them. This means that for online ad spending to grow at a whopping 17%, like last year, the money must go to put ads where the people are going.

Alternative media spending is expected to rise at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.4% through 2011, to $197.11 billion. Traditional advertising and marketing will see an aggregate CAGR of 3.2%, to $438.99 billion in 2011.

Another report, from Jupiter Research, repeats the growing power and reach of online advertising:

New Jupiter Research Numbers say that the total advertising spend online will match that of print magazines by 2007, and then surpass it in 2008. Jupiter Research analyst Niki Scevak said online advertising will continue its rapid growth pattern as it becomes more performance-driven, to the benefit of publishers, advertisers, and their clients.

Where are you spending your ad dollars? It might be an important business move to make sure you have a presence on the World Wide Web. Having a website may not be enough as nearly half the American population now has broadband technology in their home. In addition to gaining new leads from sites such as Construction Deal.com, you may need to have ads in online directories or banner ads on the online version of your local newspaper. Email can certainly be a great lead tool for your business, too. Pay-per-click could be a great resource as well.

The point is that the ease and convenience of technology is pushing more and more of your customers onto the Internet to find what they're looking for. And while it still may be a necessary evil to put ads in your local yellow pages, it should not be your only marketing outlet. Gaining new leads online is the future because that's where your competitors are spending their money.

Construction Deal.com spends a large portion of our advertising budget online to attract new leads for contractors and service professionals. We have ads in major search engines, like Google, Yahoo!, and MSN, as well as smaller search engines, websites, and online magazines. We act as a marketing arm and online presence for many contractors and companies. The great thing about advertising on the Internet is the ability to track the effectiveness of all the advertising. It can be much harder to track the return on investment for a yellow pages ad, unless you have a special phone number within your ad copy.

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Labels: Contractor Advice, Small Business Marketing

More and more, contractors and service professionals have to rely on the latest technology. Computers, cell phones, PDAs, and the Internet fill our lives. Adding to the ever-expanding list, it would be wise for every company to invest in a quality digital camera.

Reasons to Get a Camera
A camera can be an important new tool for your business.

• You can take Before & After pictures for your website and your brochures.
  
• It would also be a great idea to take shots of details of each project - before, during and after - to help protect yourself in case a problem arises or if there is a dispute with your client.
  
• Photos can be used in your print ads - high quality shots can be inserted in yellow pages ads and door hangers.
  
• Digital pictures can be easily emailed to prospective clients.
  

There is a whole host of reasons to make the investment in a new camera, if you haven't already done so.

How to Choose the Right Camera
There are some very inexpensive cameras out there, but you want to consider what you'll be doing with it. Your new cell phone may already have a camera in it and it may be nice to email those pictures to family and friends but the overall quality and resolution is limited. It's not something you want to use for any type of marketing.

• Because you may be using pics on your site, or in your ads, you'll want a decent camera. Look for something with 3 to 6 Megapixels. The more the camera has, the more expensive they are.
  
• Look for decent storage if taking a lot of pictures before you can download them to your computer. Cameras come with 1 and 2 Gigabytes of storage these days. This will allow you to take as many shots as you want. You may take 100 pictures on a jobsite and only use 10 percent of them.
  
• If you need low light pictures, try to find a camera that has flexible ISO or low light settings and adjustments. Many have a flash, which can be handy, but a flash picture can get really "blown out" and not look great in print or on websites.
  
• Most of your shots will be done "hand-held." See if you can find a camera with some sort of image stabilization mode. This takes the shake and blur out of your pictures that are not taken on a tripod.
  

Types of Cameras
There are many cameras out there, from ultra compact (inexpensive) to SLR (professional), but your best bet is to look for a "compact digital camera". They are low priced and have good features to show your work. A compact digital is small and lightweight, which means you can keep it with you at all times.

How to Take Great Shots
Without going in to a complete photography lesson, here are a few quick tips to getting good shots on your work sites.

• The first tip is an easy one, but you'd be surprised how many people still do this -- keep hands, thumbs, and fingers away from your lens.
  
• Don't go wide. Many amateur photographers stand too far away from their subject. If you're a countertop installer, don't stand back and take a shot of the whole kitchen. Make one end of the countertop start just at the edge of your left frame and the other end of the counter stop at the right frame. Or, get even closer to show the detail of the countertop material with a sink and faucet in the shot.
  
• When taking shots with people, try to get them at about waist-high and up. Showing a full length person standing in front of the entire company truck doesn't really sell the personality. Waist or chest high shots, with the company van in the background work much better.
  
• Also, when it comes to people and pictures in general. Each frame is broken up into "Thirds." A top third, a middle third, and a bottom third. Look at any TV show or movie -- you'll see that all the actors heads are mostly in the top third. Their eyes are right on the line between the middle and top third. There is very little "head room" over their heads. Try to put the main focus of your subject near the top third.
  
• Make sure there is plenty of light. Open windows, doors, turn on lights, and use your flash if needed. A dark shot is basically a useless shot.
  
• Practice a lot. The more shots you take and new settings you try the better you'll get.
  

Labels: Contractor Advice, Small Business Advice, Small Business Marketing

Open up your yellow pages to your job category and you'll see ads from companies doing the same work as you, in your area.

They are your competition.

But how much do you know about these other businesses?

What kind of specialty work do they do? Are they offering coupons in the local papers? Do they do emergency services or work on the weekends? What kind of products do they sell? And the most important - - how much of your business are they taking away?

You probably only know a few answers to all the possible questions about your competition. You might not think it's important. You do your work and provide high quality services and products and that should be enough. But when any business is not aware or ignores what their competitors are doing they can easily find themselves passed by. The phone stops ringing and no new business comes in no matter how much they spend on marketing.

Other companies in your area will constantly be improving their services, their staff, the benefits they offer to customers, adding new ways to access their business, and new technologies.

Since it can be hard to really know what they're doing and how they do it, it might be a good idea to a little spy work. You can call them up, as a customer, and find out how they run their business. Ask questions and find out what services they offer and what products their using. You might even be able to find out some costs. You could even have a friend or family member set an appointment with a few local companies to see how they handle their sales pitches, what offers they have, how they do their presentations. Then, they can report back to you on what they find.

It could be that you have nothing to worry about, but it could also give you a chance to catch up with them before it's too late. Way back in the day, IBM sold computers.

What will they say your company used to do?

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Labels: Contractor Advice, Small Business Advice, Small Business Marketing

As a contractor, you certainly have a lot of tools you use on a daily basis. You have one powerful marketing tool that you might not be taking advantage of - your telephone. Your business phone and your cell phone can do more than talk to clients. It can be a marketing communication device. That's a fancy term for saying that you're not always available to answer your phone but your phone can help bring in leads.

The Phone as Marketing Tool
While you're on the job, traveling, or unavailable to take phone calls, utilize your answering machines and your voice mail features. You can record more than just a simple message asking the caller to leave a name and number. This is an opportunity to remind potential clients of the services you offer, the benefits you can bring in to their homes, and the unique selling points of your company (special hours, discounts, coupons.) Your phone message can also provide fax numbers, web site addresses, and alternative phone numbers for better customer service.

Why is Your Phone Important?
It is usually the first point of communication with new customers. And you know what they say about first impressions. If they're not happy the first time they contact you, they may go elsewhere.

Customer Service with your Phone
Calls should always be answered, even if it is a recorded message. If someone is going to be on hold for more than 30 seconds, take a message and call them right back. Hopefully your phone system will have an automated attendant - use this for your marketing messages, but also make sure it is easy to use. Make sure they can "Press 0" to talk to a live person at any time. Finally, make sure your staffs know where you are and can contact you in an emergency situation.

RELATED POSTS:
Get the Contract Signed
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Labels: Contractor Advice, Customer Service, Small Business Advice, Small Business Marketing

Is your yellow pages ad giving you less and less return on investment? There might be a reason for that. As more and more women are making the decisions in the average U.S. household, most appear to be turning to the Internet to find what they're looking for.

According to Burst Media, "Over half of US female Internet users ages 25 and older say the Internet is their main research source," (published June, 2007.) "The Internet was named far more often than other methods. Around 10% or fewer of respondents said they got their information from 'asking family and friends,' newspapers and magazines, television or other sources."

Another interesting fact - even though women are using the Internet as their main source to research products and services, they are going to fewer websites than men. This means that they're checking fewer sources to find what they need (according to Frank About Women's Understanding Online Shopping Behavior Topline Summary.)

If they find you, are you grabbing their attention?

For contractors and service professionals, it's become very important to have a presence on the Internet. Most important would be to have a website. And not just a single-page site with your company name and contact info. If the main decision-maker in the household is using the 'Net to find services and do research, you should be there. You need to provide details about your company, photos, testimonials, and helpful information.

And companies still on the fence about Internet lead providers, such as Construction Deal, need to realize that this is where the business is headed. Nearly half of all the jobs posted on our website are from women. People have put aside their phone books and are going online to find what they need...

Will they find your company?

If you're not already a member, register for free today -- see how many leads we have waiting for you. Continue to review your account, at no cost, for as long as you want. When you're ready to become a member, just let us know! Call 866-663-4711 or join online.

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Some More Statistics from the Articles:

"Over half of women said they had shopped online in the past six months. Online shopping increased with household income. About half of respondents with annual incomes of less than $35,000 had bought something online in the past six months, while 68% of households with annual incomes of $100,000 or more had done so."

"Adult female Internet users typically visited four or more Web sites in the course of doing product research, while men used an average of nearly five."

* Source - eMarketer

Labels: Contractor Advice, Small Business Advice, Small Business Marketing

At Construction Deal, we're in the midst of a website redesign so I thought it would be important to talk about making sure you get your site right. As a small business owner, you either already have a website or know that you need one. But it's important to make sure your site is effective or it's a waste of time (and money.)

How is a Website Effective?
First, it draws people in. Your clients are bombarded by 3000 advertising messages a day. Add to that the hundreds of emails, text messages, and phone calls. So, they tend to filter, skim, and edit what they see and hear. You basically have 3 to 5 seconds to pull in potential clients when they come to your site.

Second, you need to let them know that you can meet their needs.

Not Just Design - Marketing!
For the first part, a quality website designer can help give you a professional and modern look. Make sure your designer knows marketing and not how to make pretty pictures and flashy graphics. The goal of the site should be to let potential clients know about you and how you can help them.

Include:

• Before and After Pictures
• Testimonials
• Plenty of Contact Information
• A Call to Action: "Call Now!", "Request a Free Quote!"
  

Sell the Benefits!
For the second part, you need to sell the benefits of your company. Whether you're a general contractor, a plumber, or roofing company you need to let clients know what you can do for them. Don't confuse this with the services you provide: "We install and repair..." or "We remodel kitchens and..." or "We Do Everything!"

Every other general contractor, plumber, and roofer probably does the same thing you do. You need to be unique - your website should let them know what you'll be able to do for them. And it should inform them while they should choose you over your competitor.

Some Examples of Selling the Benefits:

• Why Wait? Emergency Service to Your Door within 60 Minutes!
  
• Save Money - We Charge by the Job NOT the Hour!
  
• Don't just Keep Up with your Neighbors -- Surpass Them
  
• Increase the Value of Your Home Today
• Cut Your Energy Bills in Half AND Save the Planet
• Protect Your Home, Protect Your Assets... Protect Your Family
  
• Your Biggest Investment Deserves the Very Best

Look at the websites of all your competitors. How many just list the types of jobs they do. They may list business hours and contact information. But how many really let the potential customer know how their services will affect their lives? Very few.

Put yourself above the rest and provide a tag line or a bulleted list of all the ways your services and products will CHANGE potential customers houses, lives, and pocketbooks. They'll notice you and come back to you when you hit them on an emotional level.

Labels: Small Business Advice, Small Business Marketing, Websites

I found a post on the BNET blogs called the ABC's of Closing and it's worth checking out. What I like about the article is that it's telling you to recognize that you're not trying to trick a potential client into using your services, but you are instead moving them toward making a decision.

Here are some real word examples from the post about what doesn't work in closing a sale and what does work. See if any of them sound familiar to you:

• INEFFECTIVE: The assumptive close. Ask the customer to make a meaningless decision that assumes a decision has been made. Example: "Do you want that in the hunter green or the hunter orange?"
• INEFFECTIVE: The flyfish close. Promise something valuable then take it away if a decision isn't made now. Example: "We have a special offer - a 15 percent discount - but only if you decide to buy now."
• INEFFECTIVE: The puppy-dog close. Let the customer try the product for free in the hopes the customer will fall in love with it. Example: "We'll give you the product free for your evaluation and only charge you if you don't return it."
• INEFFECTIVE: The reverse close. Ask a customer who's saying "no" a question intended to elicit a "no" that actually means "yes." Example: "Is there any reason that you wouldn't do business with our company?"

The author also has some examples of how you should be funneling your potential client toward making a decision to hire your services:

EFFECTIVE:

• "How does that sound to you?"
• "What do you think about that?"
• "What timeframe would you need for delivery?"

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Labels: Sales Advice, Small Business Advice, Small Business Marketing

As a business owner, you're constantly trying to market your services to let potential customers know about your company. Your marketing plan may include listing your business details in several places - you may have ads in the phone book, in a newspaper or on the radio, and company information may be on brochures and business cards. Whenever a service professional talks about his or her business, many will list the features that best describe what service is provided. But, here's a tip - people don't buy features, they buy benefits.

What's the difference between benefits and features? If you're going to place an ad in your local yellow pages, you'll display your company name and contact information. Many companies will put down a list of projects or services they provide. For example, a plumbing company might mention they: install water heaters, specialize in copper re-piping, and handle septic system installations. Your competitors are probably listing the same features. But what's in it for your customer?

A benefit addresses a need. You can turn a feature into a benefit by providing solutions to problems your customers may have. Instead of stating you have several plumbers on call, state you can dispatch a plumber quickly to respond to any emergency. Most plumbers deal with copper pipes - tell your customers how copper will benefit them and that you can save them money because you install more than any company in the area.

When your planning your ads and brochures, write out all the features that your company offers. List what sets you apart from your competition and then write out how that will affect your customer. You'll find that you get better results from any of your marketing forms.

Labels: Small Business Advice, Small Business Marketing

Some common questions received at our customer service center involve how we get our leads, whether leads are real, and how the whole process works. I think there may be confusion about how the Internet is fast-becoming the method of choice for homeowners to find service professionals.

Many contractors are spending a large portion of their advertising budgets on phone book ads. And it is a good idea to make sure your company is listed and in the public eye. But contractors may not be aware of how many people are using the world wide web to fulfill their needs.

If their need is a new roof, plumbing repair, or landscaping services, more and more people are going online. For example:

• Nearly 95% of all airline tickets are reserved or purchased online.
  
• Online sales during this past holiday season were up 25% while brick & mortar stores had only a modest increase in sales (close to 5%.)
• 98% of homes in the high income bracket have Internet access.
  
• People are spending more time on the Internet than watching television (averaging 8.9 hours per week in 2006.)
  
• As of December, there are 211 million people online in America. This is more than 3/4 of all Americans over age 12.

All this means is that people are searching online for information, shopping, planning, and looking for help. They're coming to Construction Deal to find companies to help with home and business remodeling and repair projects. There are several services that can provide you job leads. However, Construction Deal is one of the few that verbally qualifies leads to make sure we have the right contact information, that the property owner is truly looking for help, and helps keep them informed of the process.

Here are some more interesting stats about online usage:

• For the first time, more women are going online than men. And, women now make 75% of all the home remodeling and repair decisions in the modern household, as of 2006.
  
• 68.5% of users consider the Internet a very important or extremely important source of information for them - up from 56.3% in 2005.
  
• The number of online purchasers has risen to it's highest percentage in any studies of the 'Net. Over 51.1% of Internet users have made a purchase online.
  
• Homeowners are using the Internet at work for personal reasons, which explains why many are posting jobs through online services, like Construction Deal and not using their yellow pages. 85% of Americans can access non-work related websites while on the job.

Our renovation, home repair, and new construction leads have come to us online from all over the country. You can tap into our knowledge of the Internet to provide you additional jobs to help your revenue grow and your business expand. Some online services may promise you a lot of leads but never qualify them. Several online services even charge you for leads without letting you review them. Many make you buy a minimum number of leads. We do none of these things. We may not have as many leads as they do -- at this time -- but we provide stronger leads than any other service today.

And we're continuing to add additional resources to bring in more jobs for our network of members. If you're interested in becoming a member to review local leads, you can join for free. If you're satisfied with the 60-day history of leads we've had in your area, you can add one of our premium plans to your membership to get the contact information for all current and new leads that continue to pour in on a daily basis!

Labels: Contractor Advice, Small Business Expansion, Small Business Marketing

A contractor's business can fail or succeed based on how well referral sales go. You spend most of your marketing budget trying to acquire new customers. And you spend a lot of time and energy trying to gain a new customer's trust. The advantage of a referral sale is that it is a warm lead.

Why do People Give Referrals?

• They might want to help out friends and family by making sure they get the same great service that he or she received
• They could want to be perceived as the person who knows how to find the best contractor or service professional
• They most likely want to help you and your company out for doing good work on their project
  

If your clients are happy with your service, they will be giving other people a glowing recommendation of your business - for free. It is very important to ask for referrals from all of your clients because it is a great way to keep your business going and increase your revenue.

How to Get Referrals

If you want your clients to give you a great testimonial, you need to not only offer a great service but you need to go beyond their expectations. I've found that most companies who are afraid to ask for referrals are those who do not trust their own abilities and do not believe in what they have to offer.

Start the process of requesting referrals when you close on the contract. Do not ask immediately but... set the stage. Let them know you enjoy working with homeowners and helping them complete their projects - you don't enjoy doing any of the marketing work. Tell them that after you've done the job, and if they're happy with the quality, that you'll be asking them for referrals.

When you have completed your work is the best time to ask for a referral. The homeowner or business owner can see the quality of work you've done. They can see the benefits. When they are happy that the job is done, close to budget and on schedule, they will be very happy to spread the word.

The Wrong Way to Ask for a Referral:
"Do you know anyone else who needs a new roof?"

The Right Way to Ask for a Referral:
"I'm glad you like the work. Because we use this product and that installation method there will be no leaks and it is guaranteed for 30 years. No one else in the business does it the same way. I'm trying to let as many people know about our service as I can. If you know of anyone who's home would benefit from our method and products, please call them and give them my information. Oh, and if you can write down their phone number or email address, I'll follow up with them in case they have any questions."

Make sure you leave plenty of business cards and any product or company brochures you may have. Would even be the perfect time to give them a refrigerator magnet so that your phone number is always handy - in case they don't know anyone at that time who needs work done.

When Else Can You Ask for a Referral?

• If you run into a major problem on the job site and you solve that problem... ask for a referral. Once the client knows that you're capable of overcoming a severe issue and that you're flexible, he or she will be happy with your service and be willing to pass your name along.
  

• If you are able to present your client with really good news - like the product being shipped has arrived early, or you were able to give the client a discount - go ahead and ask at that point. When they are happy that you could provide a surprise or were able to go beyond their expectations, it will be easy for them to sing your praises.

To get started on your journey to land more first-time customers to impress and gain valuable referrals from, you can register your construction, remodeling, or repair business with Construction Deal. It's a free membership that allows you to:

• Receive Leads matched to your business in real time (preview only)
• Review Complete Lead Details
• Create your advertising profile for your company online
• Access Construction Industry News & Trends
• Receive our activity update with lead information customized for your company
• Get outstanding customer support

We have a variety of premium plans available when you're ready to add one of our premium plans to you're account. And we'll be adding a Pay-Per-Call plan shortly, as well as a free Contractor Directory!

Labels: Referrals, Small Business Advice, Small Business Marketing

When you want to get the word out about your company, you know you are going to have to advertise. It is what every business has to do - spend money for ads in the yellow pages, on the radio, in the newspaper, and online. It's a necessary evil.

What you might not know is the best form of advertising is not something you can pay for. According to the company BIGresearch, most Americans are being influenced by word of mouth. Our new digital information age has made it easier for consumers to talk to more than just their friends and family. They can post reviews and opinions on websites, blogs, forums, and through emails, texting, online video, and more.

For your remodeling or repair business, this means your customers are able to not only talk about your company - it means that other consumers are listening. "91% of consumers regularly or occasionally seek advice about products and services before making a decision," according to eMarketer.com. You need to make sure that you're performing quality work, with quality products, and that your company continues to focus on customer service and taking care of your clients' needs.

Word of mouth is powerful and it can easily be passed to many with today's technology. It's worth more and works better than all the money you're spending on your ads, on your yard signs, or on your radio or newspaper listing. And there is not much you can do to control WOM. Be the best in your industry and you just might find more work than you know what to do with.

Don't forget to bookmark this page as we'll continue to offer advice for contractors and other service professionals. Simply right-click on this link - Construction Deal Contractor Update - and click on "Bookmark this page" or "Add to Favorites", depending on your browser. Our goal is to help your company find job leads and expand your business!

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Labels: Small Business Advice, Small Business Marketing

Your company logo is the curb appeal for your business. It's usually the first thing your customers see when they're introduced to your company. Your logo is not your brand, but it's part of the brand that tells customers who you are and what services you offer.

Logos work well for businesses that sell a tangible product because it enhances the product and adds value - the Mercedes Benz symbol, for example. But for companies that offer a service, it's harder to attach a notion of quality. This is why any company involved in remodeling, building, or repair work has a logo to demonstrate what they have to offer.

Do small and medium-sized businesses need a logo? Most large construction and remodeling companies, as well as franchised repair or maintenance firms, all have a logo. When potential clients see their logos, it symbolizes their service and represents the quality and reputation that comes with it. If you want clients to remember you, even if you're a one-man operation, it makes sense to incorporate a logo into all your marketing efforts.

Human beings are bombarded by advertising messages every day. They say the average consumer sees over 4,000 ads on daily basis. Do you think they'll remember Dave's Plumbing the next time they need your services? Most people can remember when there is a visual attached. The logo belongs every where you have your company name: on your trucks, business cards, invoices, contracts, yard signs, and more.

Here are 3 tips to make sure you design the best logo for your business:

• Be Memorable - something that shows what your company does in the same tone as all of your other marketing. It can be humorous or serious, colorful or muted, flashy or conservative. But it must be in tune with all other marketing, advertising, and correspondence for your business
• Be Readable - many times, a company will have a large, elaborate logo that looks great spread across their website and fills up the whole screen. But it must look just as good when it's condensed down on a business card. A simple design could be the best approach for your logo. It could be a tool, a truck, the roof of a house, or anything you feel symbolizes what your business offers your clients.
• Be Unique - the logo shouldn't be a copy of your competitor's logo. It should stand out from the crowd in order to be remembered as well as not to send any business your competitor's way.
  

If you do some research, you'll be able to find several companies online that will help design a quality logo for you. It can be a very inexpensive part of your marketing plan and it is a key component for any branding strategy. Shop around a few websites, look at examples of previous work and see if their style and sensibility on design matches your business.

Labels: Contractor Branding, Small Business Advice, Small Business Marketing

Many times, we hear certain phrases over and over and when we're pitching to a potential client, we tend to repeat the same cliches over and over.

You may not even hear yourself doing it, but the client could be turned off and tune out your presentation. When it sounds like "sales-speak", you can lose the trust that your reputation as a service provider has earned.

Here are some phrases to avoid when bidding on your next project:

1- "What would you say if I told you..." or "How would you feel if I could get you..." - these types of sentences just scream salesman. Talk to them about what you know - avoid the gimmicks. They'll listen.

2 - "What would it take to get you to sign today?" I can just picture an eager salesman, sitting on the front edge of the chair, pen in hand, with his tongue slowly dropping from his mouth. I have written about this before, but my favorite close has always been, "Do you have any other questions or concerns that would keep us from getting started?"

3 - "This offer is for a limited time only." People hate pressure tactics. If you can make the offer at any point in time then you should be able to make it again two weeks from now. Sure material prices could go up but you don't know they will. You're reasonably sure of it, but you don't know.

4 - "...But wait! There's more!" I laugh. No, there is not. It's all part of the same package and you've just split it up. People always hear this on the info-mercials - "Act now and we'll throw in an extra set of steak knives!" It can cheapen the value of your products and services you provide.

5 - "I won't be undersold!" or "We're the lowest price in town! Guaranteed." Problem is, you can't really guarantee it because it probably means that you do the job differently than the next contractor. Or you use less expensive materials.

6 - Consider these platitudes: "We go the extra mile", "We treat you like family", "We're professionals." My answer to every single one of these would be, "I would hope so." You're not telling me anything I haven't heard before. Make sure you differentiate.

7 - "I'm your friend. You can trust me." Really? You've been talking about a kitchen remodel for 30 minutes and you both like to bowl. Bosom buddies you ain't.

8 - "Here's what you need..." It basically means I've listened to what you've said and I'll ignore it for what I know to be much better for you.

9 - Using "always" or "never" in your conversation. It can't possibly be true for every circumstance and a generalization like can come back to bite you where it hurts. "We're always on time!" Ha! That's just plain comedy. Promise what you can deliver on. "We'll do everything we can to be on time" will go a lot longer for your company.

Be an expert. Listen to potential clients. Really listen. Pitch yourself, your skills, and your past experience. That's all you need.

Fill in the blanks: Cliches do more harm than _____, because they just go in one ear and out the _____.

Register Your Company with ConstructionDeal.com

If you're ever in need of a quality contractor or service professional, post your remodeling or home repair project with Construction Deal.com. It's a free service for all homeowners and business owners. Tell us about your project and we'll send your request out to our network of 65,000 pros. We'll save you time because contractors will call you.

Labels: Contractor Advice, Small Business Advice, Small Business Marketing