In case you missed the news because you were out pounding nails, the housing market has started to recover. Sales rose in all four regions for the 3rd time in a row in June, which hasn’t happened since the boom in 2004. Once people start building confidence in the market, they’ll be calling you for the job they’d been putting off. What does this mean for you? You need to stay visible.

Website Awareness

Website presence is a big plus. It will give your company added exposure. Consumers like to see your work. This is the perfect medium to show before and after pictures of past projects. If you don’t want to mess with domains and piecing it together from scratch, try a turnkey website offered through companies like Homestead. It’s an easy way to get your site up and running fast. Get a magnetic sign for your truck’s door and include your website.

Google Search

Getting around Google’s search rankings is another way to reach potential customers when they enter keywords to search for local businesses.

Log into Google and see if you’re listed by typing your business name and town or keywords and your location, e.g. electrical contractors in Sarasota, Fl. The results will show a map and the local businesses will always come first. Are you listed?

If you’re not in the local database, you’re missing out on some free business.

Here are the easy steps to get you in that local directory:

• Go here and submit your company’s information.
• In two weeks, you’ll receive a letter from Google with your pin number. Enter the pin number in the URL they give you.
• Log into your new Google account, where you can enter your company’s contact information, services, special niches, coupons, specials and hours of operation.

Realtor Referral

Right now, I have 5 contractors working on my new (old) home. I’ve got an electrical contractor, painting contractor, a general contractor that’s helping me with a thousand small jobs, and two bathroom contractors who are partners.

Why am I telling you this? Because three of those contractors were highly recommended to me by my realtor – and I didn’t shop around. Stay visible by networking with realtors. Attend their weekly meetings. If you don’t know where and when the meetings are, then call a realtor and ask.

Take a Walk

Canvas neighborhoods. I’m not talking about door-to-door sales because that’s annoying.  But if you have a niche, like roofing, painting, siding, windows, fencing, etc, and you can see from the street that a house desperately needs work in any of those areas, approach the homeowner and say, “I noticed your roof is missing some tiles, which might indicate the roof is nearing its lifespan… lucky for you, I work in this area a lot and specialize in roofing.” Treat the homeowner with concern about their problem and it won’t seem like a sales call. You never know, a harmless conversation about a certain flaw like missing tiles could turn into a big job for you.

Thank You

Don’t forget to write thank you letters!

NARI announced this past week that they are launching a new podcast program called NARI Radio. The site will offer a variety of business topics; everything from green remodeling to business fitness to sales strategies. The podcasts are free to view, and because everyone is busy these days, will only last about 10-12 minutes apiece. NARI is tapping the knowledge of three industry experts, Ron Cowgill, Mike Holmes, and John Gordon to host the programs.

NARI is an invaluable resource for homeowners and contractors alike. It was established 25 years ago and now has 58 chapters nationwide. Its mission “is to advance and promote the remodeling industry’s professionalism, product, and vital public purpose.”

NARI offers certification to show homeowners that your company adheres to their high ethical and professional standards. In addition to receiving a NARI certification, it helps to have the assistance of a referral resource such as CalFinder. These agencies help alleviate many of the fears and misconceptions homeowners have of contractors. You can learn more about becoming a member of NARI on their site. You don’t have to be a member to access their new educational resources. You can access their new radio feature by clicking the NARI Radio tab and then downloading the podcast.

We’ve found that the longer the initial call lasts, the better. In essence, spend time talking and making sure the client feels comfortable prior to the estimate. The degree to which this call goes well directly correlates to your opportunity of booking the job.

Keep in mind that an ideal initial phone call lasts roughly 10 minutes and includes the following productive elements:

Introduction

A proper introduction is critical to the success of this phone call. Introduce yourself and the name of your company. Provide a basic background of the company and briefly describe your specialties.

Establish Need

Ask questions to understand the customer’s need. What do they want to have done? Why? Each customer wants something unique and is looking for a particular type of contractor. Find out what’s important to this client. Have they had good experiences in the past with contractors? If not, this presents a great opportunity for you to surpass their expectations.

Job Qualification and Expectations

By this point, the customer is geared to reach the heart of the matter. Ask plenty of questions to establish expectations and requirements for the project at hand.

• When are they looking to have the work done?
• Have they gotten any estimates thus far? How many are they looking to get?
• When you have this information, prepare the homeowner for an estimate with the following details:
• How long the estimate will take.
• What information they should have ready.
• Encourage both decision makers to be there to ask questions.

Confirmation

Provide the customer with a few times slots for setting up an estimate. Later that day, send them a confirmation email with a link to your website and your phone number in case they have to reschedule.

Remember, if you make your initial phone call personable as well as professional, chances are the job will be yours.