Don’t Wait For The Sales Meeting! Your Contractor Marketing Should Make Prospects Fall In Love With Your Company On The Spot.
If Your Marketing Works Properly, Prospects Will Decide To Buy From You Long Before The In-Person Sales Meeting.
By Rich Harshaw
It’s Valentine’s Day (almost!) and it’s your turn to play Cupid.
I’m talking about finding ways to cause your prospects to fall in love with your company… so they are practically begging to do business with you. And I’m talking about achieving this level of adoration BEFORE you ever set foot in their home for a sales meeting.
Sound impossible?
Stick with me. It’s not only possible—it’s imperative that you learn to do so.
See, the way this industry has conducted itself for the last fifty years doesn’t really work that well any more. You know the drill, right? Generate a home improvement lead, set an appointment, show up at the prospect’s home for the meeting, go through your presentation, close the deal, walk out with a check.
In today’s internet-connected world, people don’t want to wait until the sales meeting to decide if they want to do business with you. They want to know ahead of time. And the companies that figure out how to facilitate that “falling in love” are the ones who are going to win. Big time.
Your Website Is The Key
First of all, realize that every single customer you’ll ever get is going to look you up on your website.
That’s pretty obvious. But have you ever stopped to ask yourself this question? WHY are they looking you up on your website?
The real answer is that they are hoping to find something that will validate their decision they are about to make to CONSIDER buying from you. To receive this validation, they need to get as much information as possible about your company—and they want to get it RIGHT NOW (while they are on your site).
In other words, they are trying to do some “due diligence.” The problem is that most contractor websites are so pathetically devoid of any REAL information—instead, it’s just filled with platitudes—that the prospect can only hope to get a “feel” for your company based on the design quality of your site, the photos that you may or may not have posted, and other surface-level breadcrumbs you may leave.
Here’s a novel concept: help them do their due diligence!
When you realize that a) most people have NEVER remodeled before, b) they have no idea how to evaluate a contractor, c) the industry has a negative reputation in the first place, and d) they can only guess at how much the project will cost… it’s NO WONDER they are STARVING for information!
Yes, STARVING!
So set out a buffet!
To stick with the metaphor, your buffet (of information) should contain far more choices than any normal person could reasonably consume in one sitting. You want to stock the buffet full enough so that they can pick and choose what THEY find to be delicious (helpful, relevant, interesting, thought-provoking). Make sure that they walk away stuffed—and satisfied. Don’t force them to wait until the sales meeting to get a bite from you. Give it to them right here, right now, on your website.
What To Put On Your Buffet
Identity: You’ve got to communicate in powerful, unmistakable terms WHO you are, WHAT you’re all about, WHY you’re different/better, and WHAT people can expect when they do business with you. We call this creating an IDENTITY.
Read that last paragraph again. Then see if this satisfies that hunger (copied from a random home improvement website and name changed for privacy):
XXXXXX Renovations Inc., is a design build remodeling company that has been creating beautiful spaces in the areas of Southlake, Colleyville, Keller, Trophy Club, Grapevine, Flower Mound, Roanoke, North Richland Hills, Bedford, Hurst, Euless, Fort Worth and surrounding areas since 1990. Our award winning design build remodeling services include kitchens, baths, whole home remodels, additions, universal design and green building.
Our design build process is designed to give you confidence that your home will be well designed, well constructed and well taken care of from conception through many years after completion. XXXXXX Renovations Inc., is a husband and wife owned company who personally oversee the complete operations of their company and projects.
This leaves the prospect still hungry—it’s full of platitudes and generalities. It sounds “nice” the way a Hallmark card sounds “nice.” But it’s not particularly compelling, interesting, educational, or profound.
Now compare it to this:
Welcome To Stress-Free, Quality-First,
“Not Done Until YOU Say It’s Done” Remodeling.
Successful Remodeling Doesn’t Happen By Accident.
It’s Deliberate, Measured, & Absolutely On Purpose
We’re Sticklers For Details.
We Obsess Over Perfection.
So… We’re Not The Fastest.
And We’re Not The Cheapest.
We Are, However, According To Our Clients…
THE BEST.
That’s a great start, you have to admit. It makes a promise. It uses powerful, believable language. It sets the stage for what you can expect as a customer. It intrigues you enough to learn more.
And when the person is intrigued enough to want to learn more, that’s when you’ve got a great chance to make them fall in love.
Proof – Building A Case
It’s not enough to just claim to do really cool, love-worthy things. You’ve also got to give your audience some kind of reason to believe you actually deliver on those things you’re promising.
The best way to accomplish that is to provide… drum roll please…. Even more information! To continue the thought from the headlines above, here’s what you’ll see when you continue to read the text:
Does it really matter how a remodeler FEELS about remodeling? That’s kind of a weird question, I know. But I think it’s an extremely important one.
I started this company because I absolutely LOVE remodeling. My father and grandfather were both remodelers, and I worked for them since I was just nine years old. It’s all I’ve ever known, and all I ever wanted to do. I continued working with my father throughout high school and went on to “construction college” in 1988.
Shortly thereafter in 1992, I started this company… with a dream of creating (literally) the world’s greatest remodeling company. I recruited a “Dream Team” of professionals who focus on two things—and TWO THINGS ONLY: Quality work and customer satisfaction.
We’ve completed more than 1,500 major projects since we started, and we boast nearly a 100% customer satisfaction rate. Apparently, we’re doing something right. That’s what happens when you’re really good at what you do. More importantly, that’s what happens when you absolutely LOVE what you do and truly CARE about your clients.
Give us a call today to discuss your upcoming project. We’d be honoured to give you our advice and an estimate.
What we’re doing here is giving additional, supporting information to lend credibility to the original claims. The owner of this company who CLAIMS to be a stickler for details and obsessed with perfection explains that he LOVES remodeling… that his family has been in remodeling for generations… that he recruited a dream team of professionals… and that he’s completed over 1,500 projects with a 100% satisfaction rate.
That kind of sounds like, you know, somebody who’s a stickler for details, and obsessed with perfection.
The words prove the promise.
Specific Types of Proof
Other ways to provide proof—that you can put on your website—include videos, online reviews, case studies, photo galleries, and customer references.
Click the links above and you’ll see exactly what I mean.
The idea here is simple: Show your prospects that other people (LOTS OF OTHER PEOPLE) already love you. That’s why they leave positive reviews. That’s why you’re willing to give names and phone numbers as references. That’s why you have so many cool pictures. That’s why you’ve got awesome case studies.
Your prospects see that stuff and layer it on top of the expectation you’ve set with your powerful identity… and BOOM—they fall in love.
It’s not magic. It’s not voodoo. It’s simple psychology of persuasion.
Your job is to facilitate the decision-making process.
Your job is to help give them what they want (compelling information) when they want it (right now!).
Do this and prospects will fall in love.
Do this and prospects will be willing to spend more money.
Do this and you will see immediate, positive upticks in your sales and profits.
It’s Valentine’s Day. Time to play Cupid and make your prospects FALL IN LOVE.
Website Audit: Want to know if your identity is shining through on your home improvement website? We’ll perform an 18-point website inspection and give you a number grade from 0 to 100 so you’ll know for sure. We’ll also perform a comprehensive remodeler SEO analysis and show you where you’re doing well… and where you’re falling short. Just fill out this form and we’ll contact you to schedule a time to discuss. Important! Please DO NOT fill this form out if you do not intend to actually meet with us to discuss. We have to invest a substantial amount of time and work into preparing these reports. Thanks!
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© 2015 – 2016, Rich Harshaw. All rights reserved.
