Contractor Update

Overcoming Objections - Risk

ConstructionDeal.com — Fri, 02 May 2008 22:14:00 +0000

Risk is more than a great board game that takes way too long to play. Risk is something your clients face when making decisions about their project. Risk is a major influence for people.

It is why some people choose a familiar company or product over an obviously better choice. When you're explaining your services to clients, keep the risk factor in mind. They may not pick your company because it involves taking a chance.

How Do You Overcome Risk?

Try to take risk out of the equation. Whenever possible, provide a guarantee. Money back guarantees or satisfaction guarantees go a long way to letting clients feel more comfortable taking a chance on you.

Allow people to try out your products, if you can. A trial or test of how a product works or how a material looks over a period of time can do wonders. You might even be able to promise them that you will remove or replace a product for free if they're not happy.

Another option is to prove your experience. Risk goes away when people are convinced they are dealing with an expert. Provide testimonials, before and after photos, references, awards, associations you may belong to, and more. If they can see you are a specialist or good at what you do, you have a better chance of closing the deal.

Sales Advice - Communicate What You Know & They Will Buy

ConstructionDeal.com — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:51:00 +0000

Communication is your friend. When you are selling your services to a potential client, always keep in mind that what you know isn't always what they know. You may forget to include all the great details that would really sell your company and land you the contract.

For example, you might make a statement like this, "We provide outstanding service to all our customers." It's a great thing to say to people but if you stop there, you're not communicating. Why is your service outstanding? What do you do to make it so great? Do you do something different from your competitor? Talk with the potential client, don't talk at them. You know that you offer 24-hour emergency service or that the products you install have a 10 year warranty. But these people don't.

"We have X years of experience in this industry." Doing what? This is a great jumping-off point but it has to be taken further. Break down those years and share the type of work you've done and demonstrate your passion for you've been in this business for so long.

"I'm confident we'll do this job right." I'm happy for you. But communicate with me why you're so confident. Do you have new state of the art tools? Do you use only the best materials? Does everyone on your team have 10 years on the job? Make them confident.

"We do this job better than anyone else." Very good. But... you know what's coming next. Give us the details, right? Right. Let them know why you're the expert. Tell them what they need to know and maybe what they don't need to know. If they see (and hear) you are capable, they will sign on the dotted line.

Contractor Sales Mistakes - the Follow-Up

ConstructionDeal.com — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:01:00 +0000

Last week, we talked about the non-stop sales pitch mistake. This week, we talk about when contractors stop too early. Failure to follow up is a common sales mistake of which many contractors are guilty. I know that "follow up" is a buzzword used far too often in most industries. But a sales follow-up is very important to maintaining your business.

What is a follow-up? Following up means continuing the conversation with your client. If you promise to call back, then you should always call back. If you schedule an appointment, then you show up for the appointment. But following up goes beyond good manners. A follow-up means calling your client after the work is complete to check on job satisfaction. Taking the time to call means a lot to people and could mean repeat business. Going another step further, a simple follow up call to ask for referrals will mean more work in the pipeline for your business.

If you have a sales call or presentation that does not lead to a contract, let the people know you will be following up in some way. This gives you a second chance to make the sale and close the contract. Giving up on the first (second, or third) try may not be the most practical decision. By getting back with these potential clients, you're keeping your business name fresh in their minds. That is how your company can go to the next level.

Contractor Sales Mistakes

ConstructionDeal.com — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:31:00 +0000

All contractors are salespeople. They only want to be contractors, but sales is part of the job. When giving a sales pitch over the phone, or in person, it is important to make sure you make no mistakes. With an economic slowdown (some say "recession") in the works, every lead is important to every contractor.

One major sales mistake that plagues many contractors is when one must go into "sales mode" and start making that pitch to prospective clients. Sales mode usually involves a rambling off every job detail and cost in a non-stop monologue. It can be tedious or even frightening for some to have to act as a salesperson. So many try to get through the pitch as fast as possible to get it over with.

The key to overcoming this sales mistake is to ask more open-ended questions. First, by asking for more details, you'll be pre-qualifying the potential client. You'll also be finding out exactly what it is that they want. By knowing more about the person, you'll be able to tailor your pitch to make sure you meet their precise needs. Also, you'll be forced to slow down your sales presentation which will make it more effective than the non-stop "sales speak" assault.

Questions are the necessary ingredient to make better pitches and close more contracts.

RELATED POSTS:
The ABCs of Closing
Overcoming Objections
It Costs Too Much!

So, are you ready to register your business - for free - with ConstructionDeal.com? It's a great way to view all the leads in your neighborhood. You can see how many others are bidding on jobs in your work categories. You can see how many leads there have been in the past. And if you like what you see, you can subscribe today - your membership will give you instant access to all the new leads in your area.

Call if you have any questions - 866-663-4711

Contractors - Pass Along Your Wisdom

ConstructionDeal.com — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:00:00 +0000

If your business has more than one employee - you - it is important that you pass along everything you know to help keep your company rolling along. Your company depends on your knowledge, wisdom and experience. I have a philosophy for every small business owner - "Learn it, Do it, Teach it."

When you pass on what you know to a good worker, you'll end up with a great worker. But it shouldn't stop there. Thanks to your training, that good worker has become a great worker and should now teach other employees what he or she knows. When excellent workers leave your company - and this happens to every company - you'll be missing their talents. To prevent this, make sure they learn from you, perform well on their own, and then pass along their knowledge.

This practice of "Learn it, Do it, Teach it" keeps any one person from becoming indispensable. It protects your business. And, as an added benefit, it helps those star workers gain additional fulfillment beyond a job well-done. Helping others learn a trade or craft can be very rewarding.

Pass on your experience and skills to your workers, follow up and evaluate their work, and have them pass on their skills to new protégés. You'll sleep much better at night knowing you did.

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Construction Jobs, Renovation Jobs, Home Repair Jobs & More!
As always, Registration with ConstructionDeal.com is free. Sign up and view local remodeling, building, repair, and installation job leads in your area. Tell us about your company, choose your work radius, and view lead activity in your neighborhood. Become a subscribed member when you're satisfied!

Contractors - Really Know Your Customers

ConstructionDeal.com — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 18:07:00 +0000

Any talk of sales advice always gets the term"know your customer" thrown about a lot. Here's some practical advice that can help you understand who is paying for your services and why they're doing it. The more you know, the better the chance you have of getting the job.

There are driving forces that will cause people to hire you. These sales triggers help satisfy a need your potential client has. To get to know these clients, you need to ask yourself several questions. By knowing the answers, you can effectively sell your services and land that coveted contract.

Everyone has triggers to make them hire your company. The needs that most apply to you include: saving money, saving time, improving quality of life, increasing safety, and making life easier. If you can craft your sales presentation to address these needs, you can close the deal.

How do your services save them money?
How do they save them time?
How does your service increase their safety?
How does your service help their quality of life?
Can you make their lives easier with your products and services?

These are not the only triggers and you can continue to ask yourself questions to come up with more answers. Those answers will be used in everything you discuss with potential clients. You'll address subconscious needs and desires before they even bring them up. You'll close more sales and your business will grow.

RELATED POSTS:
No Job Too Small
Overcoming Objections
Top 9 Sales Cliches

Looking for leads? Register for free with ConstructionDeal.com. Tell us about your business and your location and we'll show you how many job leads we have in your area - for free. Like what you see? Subscribe to one of our low cost plans and work more!

Contractors - How Much Is Too Much?

ConstructionDeal.com — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:49:00 +0000

When it comes to selling your services and products to potential clients, there is a tendency to want to give them as much information as possible. The rationalization is that if they know a lot about what you can do or the products you install then they will hire you.

The problem is, in most circumstances, that too much information can literally stop a client in their tracks. A recent study by researchers at the University of Iowa showed when people were given a lot of information about a product they were less happy about it than those given fewer details.

The research showed that once people made a decision to buy a product, they want to like the product and justify any decision to keep it. It's part of the sales idea of selling the sizzle. They just want to connect with the emotional aspect of a new granite countertop or hardwood floors. The client may not want to hear about every little advantage or product specification.

People are bombarded by so much information these days that it might not be best to overload them during a sales presentation. Life is fast-paced enough, for your clients, without having to try to straighten out all the details on a remodeling or home repair project. Also keep in mind that some clients may want a lot of information and can handle the overload. It's good to have "leave behind" materials on the products or services you provide for those who want to digest everything they can.

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Be Part of the Solution

Looking for more leads? Register for free with ConstructionDeal.com. Enter your information and your location and we'll show you how many job leads we have in your area - for free. Like what you see? Subscribe to one of our low cost plans and start working more!

The Value of Public Relations

ConstructionDeal.com — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:56:00 +0000

Last week, the entire coffee chain of Starbucks was closed for a three hour period. If you didn't hear about this, you're probably living under a rock. The official statement from the company was that they were going to be training their "baristas". Guess how much money they had to spend to get everybody and their mother discussing the fact that the company would be closed for a few hours?

Not much, if anything at all, would be the correct guess.

Now, guess how many news outlets, blogs, websites, and people were talking about Starbucks last week? Why... thousands upon thousands. Even I am discussing the company in this Update. All at no charge. It's absolute genius, if you ask me. Am I suggesting that it would matter if you announced that your business would be closing for a few hours next week? No. But you should think about the power of public relations. PR is the act of letting local news outlets (newspapers, radio, websites, etc.), other businesses, local associations, and all others about your business.

If you've got something newsworthy, like a hot promotion or a new coupon or even the fact that you're hiring or opening a new location.... all these things can be news. News can get people talking about you and your business. Sure, it helps to be a bit flashy or controversial, but if you've got a story to tell many may listen.

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Dealing with Tire Kickers
Silence is Golden
Overcoming Objections

Have you subscribed your business yet? As a paid member of ConstructionDeal.com, you'll have access to the contact information for all the job leads in your area. If you have any questions about our service, call us at 866-663-4711 (8am - 4pm PST) and we'll do what we can to help. Register for free to view all the lead options and subscribe when you're ready to work more!

Contractors - - Is Your Phone Ringing?

ConstructionDeal.com — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:55:00 +0000

Depending on which news report you hear, read or watch -- the country is in the midst of a recession. Or, it is not. We could be heading for one or a recession might actually be diverted. Whatever shakes out, this much is true -- the housing market is in a prolonged slump.

The normal business model used to suggest that when the housing market is down, and people are staying put, then the remodeling industry kicks in and does well. But not this time. Many are reporting the requests for anything but basic repairs and modest upgrades are down nationwide.

We, at ConstructionDeal.com, want to hear from our network of contractors - is your phone ringing? How is business? We'd like to report how things are going in your area. If you could, please email us and let us know if your business is doing worse, about the same, or even better in 2008. Email at marketing (at) constructiondeal (dot) com and let us know.

If you'd rather not email, you can leave a comment right here on your blog! Just click on "Comments" right at the bottom of this post.

Thanks in advance for participating.

Contractors - Your New Business Profile Update!

ConstructionDeal.com — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:20:00 +0000

Many of our contractors perform work in multiple categories. Some specialize in only one or two. We have an exciting new update that allows you to create customized profiles for each categories you've signed up for.

These specialized profiles give you the chance to create online promotional tools to better explain the work you do. The more that potential clients know about you and your services, the more likely they are to hire you.

Log in to your account, click on "My Business", and you'll see the new options.

You'll see a list of all your profiles for each category you've selected. Each one will say, "Add" next to them. Click on "Add" so you can first summarize your business description. Once you've completed this, you can next provide your license, bond, and insurance information -- for that specific category! For example, if you're an electrician and a general contractor, you may have two different licenses. Or your state may only require a license for one category. You can now customize each profile with awards, associations, and specific business descriptions for each service provided. The "We Do It All!" statements never inspire confidence.

Don't worry if you've already entered a business description. There will be a link to your old profile so you can copy and paste that to your new, individual profiles. The link will disappear after a short time, so don't delay!

It is very important to fill out profiles for all your categories. We will be showing this information in your contractor Directory listing as well as the emails sent out to project owners. We will also be ranking your company based on how complete your profiles are. If you've selected too many categories when you originally signed up, this is a great time to delete those excessive categories.

It Costs Too Much!

ConstructionDeal.com — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:48:00 +0000

Overcoming objections is a fact of life when selling your services and products. One major object that every contractor hears is that it "costs too much." No matter what service you offer, there is usually a significant price tag associated with it. It can be a lot for any potential client but it does not always mean you won't be able to get the contract signed.

What do you do when you hear those dreaded words - that it costs too much? There are several things you can do to get around this complaint. The first thing to consider is your price may be fine but that you have not provided enough value to justify the cost. Acknowledge the concern ("I understand. Quality work always costs more.") and pile on additional benefits to show the potential client the cost is just right.

When you hear the complaint for a second or third time in your sales pitch, you could be dealing with a situation. Use this opportunity to find out more about their situation. It could be that they are not ready for your services. But dig a little to make sure there might still be an opportunity for you to get the job. Use this chance to also find referrals from friends and family.

Think about starting off your pitch with the fact that your services and products are very expensive. By the time you've finished, you have shown them the overall value for what it costs. Many have it in their minds to start negotiating with you, no matter what price you give, but this way allows you to keep your price firm. Tell them you may be able to do it for less but that you'll have to remove many of the products or services (and the benefits) you've discussed.

RELATED POSTS:
Silence is Golden - More Sales Advice
Dealing with "Tire Kickers"
The ABCs of Closing

Are you a contractor or service professional looking for more leads? Register with ConstructionDeal.com to view all the job leads we have in your area. It's free to create an account. Tell us about what you do and where you do it... and we'll show you what we've got available. Very few lead services are as open and transparent as ConstructionDeal.com. If we have enough possible work for you -- you can subscribe and start calling project owners today!

How Your Contractor Account Works!

ConstructionDeal.com — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 22:39:00 +0000

Our ConstructionDeal.com network of contractors frequently send us questions about our services so we wanted to give a quick rundown of how things work on our site. It's important to know how to use our system so that you can get the most out of what we offer.

There are 4 major sections to your account: Leads, My Company, Preferences, and Membership. When you log into your account, you'll see these sections in the top left-hand corner of the page:

LEADS
Our leads section shows you any current leads, based on your chosen categories and radius. It also shows a 60 day history of past leads. This is effective to show contractors how much recent activity there has been in the area. Many ask about the RESPONSES section and the STATUS section in the Lead Summary Page.

RESPONSES - shows you how many contractors have already looked at the contact information for the project owner. 6/10 means the project owner wanted calls from 10 contractors and only 6 have responded so far. 12/No Limit means the project owner wants an unlimited amount of contractors to call and 12 have already looked at the contact information.
STATUS - shows you the current state of that posted project. New means it's still an active job. Closed means the project owner has gone to their account to close the job because they've already found someone. Expired means the job was open for a certain amount of time and that time has passed. It's not longer an active job. Locked means that the number of requested responses has been met - 5/5 or 10/10. Only jobs with "No Limit" cannot be locked.

MY COMPANY
Our My Company section is where you can edit your Company Name and Contact Information. Here, you can change phone numbers or the manager name, fix misspellings, add your website address, add a second phone number or fax line.

You can also update your business details. Your company is (or can be) listed in our Contractor Directory and whatever you put in the business details is what people are seeing. The more and better information you provide, the better the chance that Directory viewers will pick your business over the others.

You can input a short business description, a longer description, the number of years in business and the number of employees you have. Remember that proper capitalization and spelling are very important!

PREFERENCES
Our Preferences area, you can adjust all your job lead settings. Here, you can add or delete job categories. You can refine your category settings under the SERVICES section. For example, if you are signed up under the Landscaping category, you can click on Services and add or remove any specific services that your company does or doesn't do (such as Landscape Lighting, Sprinkler Installation, or Landscape Design.) It allows you to specialize and ONLY receive leads for jobs you do.

You can adjust your job radius - the distance you're willing to travel to perform a job. If you've selected to only work specific cities, we suggest at this time that you switch to radius only. We're still working out kinks in the system and you may not be seeing all the available jobs.

You can request to add or remove your company from our Contractor Directory here.

Finally, you can change your password here or ask to be removed from our email mailing list.

MEMBERSHIP
The Membership section is there to provide details on our various membership plans, to show you previous transactions with us, to update your credit card information, and to show your current account status (and to make changes to that status.)

If you have any questions about these sections in your account, please call our Customer Support staff at 866-663-4711 Mon-Fri 8am to 4pm PST. Or email us at support (at) ConstructionDeal.com

2008 Contractor Marketing Outlook

ConstructionDeal.com — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:01:00 +0000

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. "

Subscribe to ConstructionDeal.com
You can register for free to view leads in your area. Once you've registered your business, and if you've got leads in your account to bid on, subscribe today to get the contact information for those valuable leads!

Visualize Overcoming Objections - See Is Believing

ConstructionDeal.com — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:05:00 +0000

Professional athletes are good at what they do because they practice visualization. Visualization is the ability to create a mental model of a situation. When the quarterback comes out of a timeout, he's got the play in his head and is visualizing a completed pass to a wide receiver. In a down-turning market, contractors should consider using a form of visualization to help them land a potential job.

Practice Makes Perfect
Visualization is a form of preparation. It's a mental simulation of what's to come. Every type of contractor must sell his or her services to potential clients - part of the sales process is overcoming objections. The trick to closing a sale is to be the authority while presenting an authoritative presence. The project owner must believe you're the right person for the job. The key is to have the ability to answer any and every question (or objection) imaginable.

So you need to imagine them all.

It's easy to dismiss a potential client's concerns by rattling off your answers "on the fly". But here's where it's important to put yourself on the other side of your introductory handshake and imagine what questions they'll ask. This visualizing you do will help you be prepared with the perfect answer every time. Having that perfect answer will calm fears they may have about which company to hire. Before any sales pitch, visualize yourself answering all possible objections.

Visualize yourself being calm, cool, and collected. Your knowledge and abilities will land you the project. And generate quality referrals, which you need to grow your business.

Seeing is believing.

RELATED ARTICLES:
Sales Advice: Silence is Golden
Get the Contract Signed
Overcoming Objections

Contractors: Need More Job Leads?
Not a subscribed member yet? Register your company with ConstructionDeal.com. Enter the type of work you do and and your job mileage radius. Review a 60 Day History of Job Leads in your area. If you like what you see, you can subscribe to our services to gain access to the contact information. It's as easy as that!

Register Now!

Want More Cellphone Battery Life?

ConstructionDeal.com — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 18:08:00 +0000

Someone was once surprised that my phone didn't have a camera. I replied to the person, "Yes. And guess what? My camera doesn't have a phone." But these days we can't live without our cell phone. It's more than a luxury. It's a tool that helps us conduct business. We wanted to provide you with some tips on how to preserve your phone battery while you're in the field, doing your job.

First, turn off that camera feature. And any other feature you don't regularly use. Besides the camera, disable the bluetooth capability, the video camera, and don't try to connect to the Internet (WiFi, GPS, etc.) These features use a lot of power.

Keep the battery cool. Leaving it in your truck or close to you, in a pocket, will use up battery life. Turn off the vibrate feature - it also requires more power. And keep the battery contacts clean. Dust and dirt will accumulate inside your phone, which slows down the energy transfer. Use a Q-tip and a little bit of rubbing alcohol to clean the metal contacts.

Finally, if you know you're not going to be able to use your phone, or you're going to be in area with no reception, turn it off. Just leaving it on burns up battery life. Keep in mind that batteries don't last forever. Remember not to throw them in the trash when they're done. They can be quite toxic and it may be illegal in your area. Check with the manufacturer to see if it can be refurbished. If not, dispose of it at the retailer or a local recycling center.

Contractors: Get Your ConstructionDeal.com Gear!

ConstructionDeal.com — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 21:47:00 +0000

Many have requested that we have our own line of T-shirts and other items, so we've started a CafePress.com store.

If you're interested in a shirt, mug, mousepad, or even a yard sign, you can order it today.

We'll have a larger selection of products soon. This was just to get the ball rolling as soon as possible.

Check out our current product line right now!

Happy New Year!

Contractors - What Do You Do?

ConstructionDeal.com — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 23:55:00 +0000

Many lead referral companies give you a limited number of category choices. You can select DRYWALL, FLOORING or REMODELING. What if your business only handles Tree Removal Services and your only choice is to select LANDSCAPING?

At ConstructionDeal.com, we're doing things differently. And better than our competition... As a registered member, you can now go in to your account and select just the services you perform.

Our new process allows you to receive only the leads that you decide are right for you.

Here's How it Works:
Say your company only wants to get Hardwood Floor Refinishing leads...

Instead of signing up for our FLOORING category, you can check off the service "Hardwood Floor Refinishing". Or if your company installs ceilings, but doesn't repair or remove ceilings... you select only the "Ceiling Installation" service.

But, if you do want to receive all the ceiling or flooring leads, you can! You just check off all the services within that category.

You Talked. We Listened.
A lot of our contractors only do specific types of work and this is our way of making sure they only get the leads they need. Many contractors do various jobs, so we'll continue to meet those needs, too.

Steps to Update Your ConstructionDeal.com Account:
All you have to do is log in to your account, click on Preferences in the top left, and review your list of selected categories.

In Preferences, you'll see your category list.
Next to each category is the word Services.
When you click on Services, a new page will show all your choices. Only select the Services your company performs.
Then, click on Save.

Here is an example of what the Service choices look like (for Architects & Engineers):

ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS CATEGORY SERVICES

To get jobs for the services your company offers, please select from the list below:

Architect Services
Civil Engineering Services
Drafting & Design Services
Environmental Engineering Services
Geotechnical Engineering Services
Mechanical Engineering Services
Other
Permitting Services
Structural Engineering Services

Do this for each category you have chosen. This helps make sure you only receive leads that you want.

Let us know if you don't see your service listed! While we cannot accommodate every single type of business, we'll do what we can!

If you have questions, call Customer Service at 866-663-4711 (Mon.- Fri. 8am-5pm PST).

What Do You Know About Your Clients?

ConstructionDeal.com — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 20:49:00 +0000

First and foremost, contractors in the remodeling, repair and building industry know their jobs. But do they know, or care to know, their clients? While it is very important you understand how to build, repair and renovate, I believe it's equally important to understand the people who pay you. Sure, you can get referrals and recommendations if they love you, or love your work. But there is more to it.

Clients have a lot of needs. It's possible many contractors don't care about them, but that could be a huge mistake. Every client's needs involve how you and your finished project are going to make them feel. With every meeting, before you begin a project, know your client wants to feel understood, listened to, and appreciated. These may seem like minor, insignificant, and useless concepts. But you may not realize that your clients mostly all buy products and services based on emotion. And they choose contractors based on trust (and not just price!) Intangibles based on trust and emotion are nearly impossible to quantify.

Consider that by getting to know your clients can do more than help you get the contract or gain valuable referrals. Listen, with interest, to what they tell you. Repeat it back to them to let them know you not only heard it but understand it. Share common experiences and stories to develop a quick rapport. Let them teach you what they know about their property. The reward for you? By gaining their trust, you will get great communication with almost every client throughout the whole job. If you can appeal to their emotional side without talking down to them, they will be more apt to expand their project and spend even more with you.

By getting to know your clients, you can have someone willing to talk comfortably with you and tell you what they want and not just need. You can get them to sign long-term maintenance contracts because they want you back on their property. You can avoid anger and disgruntlement when surprises and problems arise (and they arise on nearly every job.) You can get them to take chances with you and trust your judgment. You will, of course, also get those recommendations and referrals because they believe in you.

It does take time and it does take patience. But it can be the difference between a good and a great experience. And great can mean a whole lot more success and profit on each job that just good.

Think about a time you visited a doctor and it didn't go very well. Ever have a doctor, or dentist, who only had to hear about one or two symptoms and proceeded to cut you off as you wanted to go into greater detail? Because they had already figured out the problem? Even if they were right, they didn't promote trust.

And if they were wrong... Well, that's another story.

RELATED ARTICLES:
Contractors: Know Your Customers
Sales Advice: Be Part of the Solution
Overcoming Objections

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Contractors - How to Network and Expand Your Business

ConstructionDeal.com — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 18:29:00 +0000

Do You Network?

Contractors like to work. What many contractors hate are the things you have to do in order to keep working. Sales, marketing, finances, etc. These are all part of being a small business owner. Near the bottom of the list of all things necessary is schmoozing. But the act of networking can really help you expand your business, especially in a slow economic market.

What is Networking?

Basically, it means you're building business contacts. By creating relationships with others in a similar business or industry, you can help bring in referrals. And it's not just a matter of shaking hands, passing off a business card, and asking people to send work your way. It does require effort. You don't need to become best friends with every contact, but you should get to know people you want in your network contacts. Passing on expertise and sharing information helps others to remember you. Networking works best when you can reciprocate and provide help to others.

Who Should You Network With?

Schmooze with the people who can send traffic your way. People in real estate can help. They know people who own property. By reaching out to realtors, mortgage officers, and management companies, you can be the one they send clients to whenever they are asked. Anyone who supplies materials can be a resource for referrals. Contractors who specialize in other types of work can also be part of your network.

Where Do You Network?

It's not easy to truly network from your office or while you're on the job. You need to have face to face contact to really schmooze. Conventions, trade shows, home improvement stores, real estate offices, seminars, classes, parties, sporting events, just about anywhere. Always have business cards on hand and a smile on your face.

How Do You Network?

Focus on what you can do for them and not what they can do for you. Think about how much you would want to help a person who is committed to helping you out. Once people know you can be passionate about what they are doing... they're never going to see you as a schmoozer but as someone they want in their network.
Always listen more than you talk. When you make them the center of attention, you'll have a friend for life. Everyone loves to talk about what they do and talk about themselves. But don't just hear them, truly listen to what they're saying. Learn about them and you'll get a better idea on how you can help their business succeed. When you can do that, they'll tell everyone they know about you and your services.
Help them remember you. Always keep the business card on hand. You don't need to through your tri-fold, full-color brochure at them but you should give them a quality card with your name, number, email, and website on it. If you can, make sure the back of the business card is blank so that they can write out a quick note to themselves on who you are and where they met you.
Follow up with them. Don't just get acquainted with someone and then hope you can ring them up for a favor several months later. And don't stalk them by calling several times a day and waiting outside their door with flowers every morning. But follow up a week later to touch base, share a bit of juicy information, and remind your new contact that you're there to help them.

Happy Holidays from ConstructionDeal.com

ConstructionDeal.com — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 22:38:00 +0000

It's been a busy and hectic 2007 for ConstructionDeal.com and we're expecting even more from 2008! We were able to launch a new website, add new service categories, and create a free Contractor Directory for our member network. Our main goal has always been to help your business succeed and we don't plan to lose sight of that focus in the coming year!

Speaking of new service categories, now is a great time to check out our new category preferences in your account. We have adjusted our system to help match our contractors with the specific type of service that is needed. For example, our old system would have a hardwood flooring job lead being posted under the Flooring & Carpeting category. For those businesses that did all types of flooring jobs, this was no problem. But for a company that only does hardwood floor installation, it was tough sifting through all the other types of flooring leads.

Now, a contractor who does specific work can check off that specific service in their account. You could still be a part of our entire Flooring category but, if you'd like, you can choose to sign up for exact matches - vinyl flooring repair, stone refinishing, hardwood floor installation, etc. All of our categories now have more targeted services and you can register your company for all the types of work your business truly performs!

And, at the first of next year, keep an eye out for new Contractor Profiles where you can add more finely detailed information about your company.

Good luck and Happy New Year!

Contractors: Be Found - Internet Usage at Work is Up!

ConstructionDeal.com — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 20:57:00 +0000

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

Contractor Marketing - Branding: What's In a Name?

ConstructionDeal.com — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:02:00 +0000

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.

Contractors: Boost Your Bottom Line with Green Building Practices

ConstructionDeal.com — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:47:00 +0000

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.

What is Your Closing Ratio?

ConstructionDeal.com — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 18:51:00 +0000

Many contractors talk to good prospects on the phone and they set appointments to meet with those potential project owners. The ultimate goal is get the contract signed so that work can soon begin. Part of the selling process is to give them your pitch about your services and products you work with. Since price is a concern with every project owner, your first instinct is to pitch your experience, past projects, quality workmanship, and timely scheduling.

You're probably lucky to close 1 in 10. For some, it might be 1 in 5, but in a competitive market some close 1 in 20.

How can you improve on that ratio? Knock their socks off. Instead of pointing out how many years your company has been in business, give your potential client powerful information about how you will be changing their lives. Your pitch could be a lesson or news story titled, "9 Ways Money is Pouring Out of Your House." Or it could be "12 Ways to Improve Your Property Value by 25% in One Month." What about, "Save Money, Save Time, and Save the Planet"?

When you provide tips, techniques, tricks, and valuable information during your sales pitches, several things happen. You will become the expert in their minds. You will
be offering potential clients something above and beyond your services that will have them talking to friends and family. You will be turning the attention of your pitch to the project owner and away from you. And people love to think and talk about themselves. When it becomes about them and the ways that you will help them, you'll see your closing ration creep higher and higher.

Provide them with information that they value, that goes beyond your services and products, and it will create a need over maybe just a want or a desire. And that is the secret to bumping up your ratio.

Is the Housing Downturn Affecting Your Business?

ConstructionDeal.com — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 17:50:00 +0000

The slowdown in the housing market is affecting more than home builders and the mortgage industry. Many remodeling and home repair contractors are feeling the pinch. And for some companies, it's business as usual. One contractor told us business is still good but the jobs are not as ambitious. He said it seemed to depend on what business you are in and what part of the country you work.

If the phone doesn't ring often where you work, it's going to be a matter of riding out the storm. Many are saying this downturn could last through 2008. Of course, most saying these things have a vested interest in a quick market recovery, so it could mean the housing and renovation industries won't come back around until 2009. For some companies, it's going to mean cutting expenses. For others, it will mean finding more work. More than likely, it will mean a combination of the two.

Monitoring expenses and bringing more jobs is easier said than done. But you should resist the temptation to under bid to get a job. Maintaining cash flow is great in the short term, but cutting into your profit margins could really hurt your business. On the opposite end, pushing up prices to give you a higher margin might be tempting as well. But money is tight with many people and higher costs to them could mean even your most loyal customers will stay away or put off their projects.