Most inefficiencies in a home improvement contractor business begin with their sales process or lack of a sales process. Successful home improvement contractors have a repeatable, predictable sales process. Whether you’re a large business with crews in multiple locations or you’re a sole proprietor who does all the selling and work on each job, the key factor for successful growth is having an efficient, solid sales process.
Capture the Lead
When you acquire leads, make sure you have a system like a CRM (Customer Relationship Management Tool) to properly organize those leads. If you’re just getting started, this can be as simple as an excel spreadsheet or part of another system you might already use. One Click Contractor offers CRM Lite functionality built right into its platform.
As your CRM gets more advanced, consider capturing your lead source (where your leads are coming from). This can help businesses to direct marketing and/or advertising funds accurately to drive the top of funnel leads.
Set the Appointment
Once you’ve received the lead and entered it into your CRM, it’s time to set an appointment with the customer. Money loves speed, and so do your customers. This means as soon as you get a legitimate lead (not a tire kicker), reach out to them at your FIRST opportunity.
NEVER let a hot lead sit idle!
If your customer is in research mode, they are probably contacting other providers to get estimates as well. When you don’t respond quickly, they will move on to the next business, so reach out to them as soon as you possibly can.
Present Options, Create Estimates, Bring Visions to Life
Now that you’re in the customer’s home, it’s time to diagnose the problem, present options, and create dynamic estimates, proposals, and agreements. You can do this by discussing options, educating homeowners, and helping bring their vision to life.
Remember: in this part of the sales process, the customer doesn’t want to welcome a stranger into their home. They invited you into their home because you’re the trusted expert. Own that expertise and display it through your education process with the customer. Provide tools and solutions to their concerns. Make their concern, your concern!
Decisions are hard and some home improvement projects can carry a rather large price tag. It’s your job to make this process feel simple and painless to the homeowner. Make *YES* an easy choice.
Close the Sale
Once you’ve presented the customer with their options, including a customized estimate, how do you get to that YES? You’ve put in all the hard work, done all the right steps, leveraged all your tools, and now it’s time to master the momentum and ask for the close!
Do not leave an appointment without specific next steps and a timeline for follow up! Here’s an example of how this might sound:
“Thank you for your time Ms. Jones. I know you need to talk about this kitchen remodel with your husband this evening. I’ll be back in touch on Friday to answer any questions you might have about this project and if you’re ready to get started at that time. I’ll need to get a deposit for the project, and remember this pricing is good until <Insert Date Here>.”
This approach might be new, but remember that it’s a disservice not to make an offer to a customer in need of your products or services. ASK for that sale and BE CONFIDENT.
Followup, Rehash, Referral
If you don’t get a yes the first time around, keep that person’s name at the top of your rehash list. For a rehash, about a third of the time homeowners will purchase the exact same product for the exact same price. The remaining two-thirds of the time, the rehash will involve either a price drop or a price increase, or a change of scope. The fortune is in the follow-up, so ensure that you don’t leave valuable rehash dollars on the table.
Once a homeowner becomes a customer, it’s time to ask for the review and referral. Reviews are the lifeblood of many contractor’s businesses. Getting great written reviews can be very valuable in securing your next job. Also, if you have those reviews posted on your website or lead aggregator (like Angie’s List or HomeAdvisor), they will aid homeowners in the research process.
Ask if customers can recommend you when asked on Facebook or through the Nextdoor app about home improvement contractors, and in-person to their friends and family.
Time is Money
Ultimately, time is money. A faster, more efficient sales process means a contractor can do more jobs and make more money. One Click Contractor provides the best all-in-one virtual sales platform that allows you to measure, estimate, sell, and get paid in the most efficient, easy, and accurate way possible.
