A David Creation

My Furniture Story

I am in the process of buying a home and decided to upgrade my dining room and breakfast nook furniture. My wife and I went to a local furniture store last night just to take a peak on what was available. A salesperson did not attack us the second we came through the doors, which was quite nice. We got to spend 10 minutes looking around before someone approached us. He then walked us around, showed us a few items and then said he was not a pushy sales guy and asked if we wanted to be left alone for awhile. I thought that was a nice touch too. Long story short, we found some pieces we liked, purchased them and left all within less than 1 hour. Today, less than 24 hours of purchasing from this store, I received a phone call from someone within their company. For a second, I thought, Oh no…that great sale price on the piece we bought was not accurate and they are calling to ask for more money!” Boy was I wrong. They called to say, “I just wanted to call and say thank you for using our company. We really appreciate it. Oh and by the way, we’ll call you in a week or so to give you an update on the items you ordered and an approximate delivery date…”

The Customer Service Tip

How many times have you left a business after buying something and get a quick, “Oh thank you for your business…have a great day…Come again soon blah blah blah!” All the time right? Well, this furniture store thanked me for coming in and more. They went the extra mile and gave me a personal phone call just to say thanks. The tip is simple, make your customer experience better by doing this simple little thing: call to say thanks. Don’t do anything else. It doesn’t have to be the day after but at some point, stop, pick up the phone, call them and say how much you appreciate them using your service. That’s it…will take you 20 seconds. The little things go a long way. I was so impressed, I’m telling you about my experience with… Ashley Furniture.

I would have thought it was difficult to get a high end homeowner to be willing to do a 30-60 second testimonial for a contractor, but Burnett Painting has proven it to be successful. Here are his “secrets.”

“First, they must be Raving Fans!

At the end I ask them if they would be willing to help us? There always interested, so I explain that its very hard to get and stay at the top of Google, but with 10 second videos stating their name, town, and “Burnett Painting” that will help us as Google transcribes all of the You Tube videos and greatly helps us stay towards the top! And if they would be so kind to mention their experience with Burnett Painting.

Most are all for it. 1 out of 10 just will not do videos. and those in between need to be encouraged!

I used to use my Flip Video as it loaded to our You Tube channel easily… then I learned how I can send it directly from my Droid phone!”

Building Facebook “likes” for your contracting business takes time and patience. Yes you can run Facebook ads, deals and specials to help increase the numbers, and that can work. In this brief blog I will suggest a couple ways to increase your Facebook followers using your networking groups.

The Networking Group Tip

If you are part of a Business Networking International (BNI) group, then you know that each of you get a 60 second commercial every single week. Sometimes you will use most of those 60 seconds to remind the members what you do. After a couple months of that, people definitely tune you out. So, start with something new and different. Ask the BNI (Rotary Club, Chamber, etc.) members to join your Facebook fan page. Ask them if they’d do you a HUGE favor and invite some of their local friends to join your page too. Tell them getting new “likes” are similar to getting referrals to you! Get a commitment or a show of hands who is willing to do it. I know this sounds a little bold, but I’ve been to BNI, and people there are very eager to help and promote each other.

Tracking the Progress

Since you should have a members list, go ahead and create a spreadsheet of all the names of the members and if and when they join your business page. On that spreadsheet, keep track of the number of “likes” you have and when you get more. This will help you know if and when you should promote your Facebook fan page again…and even corner a few people who have not joined your page yet (do this in a fun and friendly way of course). For future 60 second commercials, use those times to ask your members what things they’d like to see on your page and also share any updates you’ve made such as: contest, amazing before and after shots, featured how to videos, tips on decorating, etc. Important: Also spend time pointing out other people’s Facebook pages and things you like about them. This is what social media is all about: genuine sharing and connecting with people.

Have you tried this “tip” or have another idea on how to grow your Facebook business page by networking?

A Personal and Humbling Example

My name is David, and I’m a recovering auto-poster.

It all started when someone I thought was a friend introduced me to Hootsuite, where I could type one post and it would automatically update my status on all my social media sites–Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.  I saw how slick it was, and I was hooked.  Before long, I was trying other similar platforms, like Postlings, Ping.fm and Tweetdeck.

Why did I do it?  It was so easy, so fast.  One click of a button… it was crazy!  I was saving time and making posts and I thought I was networking, and the auto-posts kept getting more and more convenient.  I thought I knew what I was doing–I had it all under control… but then the crash came.

I received a very nasty private note on Linkedin, telling me to “settle down” with my posting.  I had forgotten that all my updates were automatically posting there, and as I looked over my past posts I was shocked to see how I had lost touch–I was annoying rather than intriguing my audience on that site.

Not All Social Sites are Created Equal

Because the big three social networking sites have Status Updates in common, “experts” advised us to save time by using one platform to post updates to all three at once.  As social networks mature, however, we are seeing how Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin are different in many ways.  On Facebook people just want to connect, hang out and share.  Twitter tends to be more focused on networking and news updates.  Finally, Linkedin is a great place to do research, join a business group and do B to B networking.  There is a different atmosphere, audience, and purpose for each social site, so your status updates need to be thoughtfully delivered to the right place. Consider your audience and get to know what your readers on each site are interested in.  Once you know them better, you can tailor your posts more specifically and make sure you aren’t becoming a voice that your audience tunes out.

When Is It Ok?

Now, having just bared my soul and exhorted you not to be an auto-poster, I do think there are times when it is ok to auto-post. The main thing is to make sure you are posting awesome content that will be well received. For example, I have a number of clients who never visit my website to read my blogs, yet they visit my Facebook page often. So I make sure my blogs auto-post to my Facebook page. I then have occasional posts on Facebook that are relevant to some of my Linkedin-only readers, so I make sure to auto-post those updates on Linkedin as well.

The bottom line is to know your audience. You need to ask them what they want to hear about, what is interesting to them. You then need to know where your audience spends their time. Once you have those two things in place, you can then post the right content to the right networking sites and rest assured your social media is working for you.

Do you have an auto posting story you’d like to share?

p.s. By the way, Hootsuite and Tweetdeck have their places. If you must auto tweet, best to use one of those programs. Also, Hootsuite is perfect for “scheduling” your updates (you can write them all up and schedule when they go out).

Billboard Ads

I’ve been asked on a number of occasions what I think about billboard advertising. Many contractors want to know if it is a good use of their advertising budget. The answer depends on the situation. I love the idea of advertising on a 40′ billboard on a major freeway, but in general, it is not practical for most small service businesses. In today’s market, billboard advertising has become slightly more competitive and somewhat affordable. I know of one painter who did secure a 40 foot billboard for less than $800 a month on a major Los Angeles interstate. I typically see prices for $3,500 to 5,000+ a month. If the contractor really wants to brand his/her business and has the extra cash, billboards could be a good way to get the word out. However, I would not spend more than $1,000 a month!

Networking Is Better

Another painter I know was strongly considering a $5k a month billboard share program. He was promised supposedly 40 different billboards. This too sounds enticing! Yet, I consulted him to save the $5,000 on billboards and spend it on hiring a sales or marketing person. I asked him how much a professional salesperson could bring in the door if he was paid a minimum of $5,000 a month. A good networking person could definitely bring in more qualified sales leads for a service business. So that would be my advice: stick with networking and referrals. By the way, I am not suggesting everyone pulls out $5,000 a month to hire a networker. Many times you and your current staff can do this sort of thing. This particular client wants to get in the growth mode and does not have much extra time on his plate to network himself. In his case, hiring someone to network is a good option.

Have you had success with billboards? Why or why not was it successful for your business?

I know many service companies are dying to get online reviews. It is not as easy to get them as it is for the hair salons, massage therapy, or restaurants. That is why every online review to a service contractor is gold! Getting a homeowner to take the extra 5-10 minutes to write those reviews sometimes is like pulling teeth. Therefore, I have two simple ideas to point out today:

1. Don’t give up asking for reviews online. People want to help. So ask for their help by getting them to write about their experience online.
2. When a client, on his or her own initiative writes an online review (again without being told), you need to go the extra mile and thank this client. Write them a note and/or send them a simple gift. Most of my clients work for very wealthy and busy people. Many of these folks won’t be avid online reviewers because of the time commitment. However, when they do, you know they are well pleased. Make sure you treat these folks as special clients. These are the ones that will be customers for life.

How do you get your customers to write online reviews? Are you having success in getting online reviews? Also, how have online reviews helped your business grow?

Once upon a time, contractors lived in an ideal world where doing quality work and treating people right were the only necessary marketing tools… but that fairytale is long past.  Santa Clause isn’t real, and contractors need to maintain a quality reputation, a visible brand, a continuous marketing campaign and spike their website text with just the right keywords to be found online.

In the past decade, startup companies have exploded onto the web-marketing scene, making millions of dollars in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) with little out-of-pocket expense.  Established contractors with excellent local reputations are losing sales to new competition with names like “San Diego Best Painter” or “Nashville Remodeling Company.”  Their websites are cluttered with spammy, awkward text such as, “We are the best Louisville Remodeling Contractor in the Louisville KY area!”  and “Have you ever called a Columbus MD area house painting contractor to have your Columbus MD house painted?”  These companies don’t work to develop a respectable brand or invest in longtime customers—they just want the phone to ring.

Despite the temporary success of these kinds of companies, it is important to resist the temptation to hop on this webwagon.  While poorly written copy with keyword-driven text is dominating the top web searches, customers can distinguish between a reputable contractor and a flashy marketer with no substance.  Avoid cheap SEO companies that will please the search engines but turn off your clients with watered-down, generic, cut-and-paste content.

Stay with Your Brand

Unfortunately, to get quality rankings on the search engines today, you do need keywords. If you are a painting contractor, you need the words “House Painting Company” and “Painting Contractor” to appear on your site, as well as the names of your target localities.  But don’t change your brand and name. If your company name is Franklin Brothers Remodeling, keep that name. Stay the course. Just make sure your online marketing is done well.

Hire a quality web designer, a good search engine company and a creative, professional writer. Get those keywords worked into your copy in a natural, human manner.  Don’t go cheap, friends. Companies call every day trying to sell you on the idea that your company can be #1 on Google, Yahoo, and Bling. Ignore these offers. Marketing 101: be consistent on and offline. Make sure your website and web marketing describe who you really are as a company. Homeowners and businesses are wising up to the fact that the contractors with funky little websites and trashy text are here today to sell you a job, but who knows where they will be when you have a problem or need more work.  Show them that you are committed to doing things right, and that you are in their community to stay.

Your Feedback

What ways are you branding online? What is working for you? Do you ask consumers what they thought about your website: what they liked, did not like? Are you finding them to be real picky when they research online? How have you maintained a consistent brand on and offline. Love to hear your thoughts on this topic.

I recently was asked by a contractor how he could keep better track of his leads. He said he was frustrated to not really know where his leads were coming from and didn’t know where to start. Keeping track of your leads is one of the most important decisions you can make in your business. Tracking your leads helps you make better marketing decisions on where to place your marketing dollars and where to spend more time prospecting or networking.

Here are a few quick tips to help you get started. For of all, I recommend keeping a digital copy of your leads, not a notepad. If you use a notepad, make sure you transfer your leads into your computer so you can easily run reports in the future.

1. Digital Tracking: Use a Google Spreadsheet, MS Excel or a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) program to track your leads. When choosing a CRM to use for your business, make sure the lead tracking and reporting are strong features.
2. Track the Source: Track your leads based on the Source (i.e. Customer Referral, Website, Door Hanger, BNI Meeting, etc.)
3. Track the Dollars Spent: Track the estimated dollar amount for each bid you do: Won and Lost. This is crucial. If you get 35% of your leads from your direct mail efforts but only close 10% of those leads (and the job sizes are small) this will trigger a reaction. You’ll have to make some changes to how much time and money you spend on direct mail.
4. Reporting: Run several reports on a monthly basis and evaluate your marketing efforts. I have a client who can run a 10 year report on his radio campaigns. He can tell me how many leads he received, how many jobs sold, and the dollar amount of jobs sold and lost. He can also run reports that tell us what years and months were the best for his radio advertising. After reviewing the reports together we can make an informed decision on whether we’ll continue advertising on the radio. So far, it has been worth it!
5. Implementing: Lead tracking and reporting are useless unless you commit to viewing your reports and implementing changes when needed.

How do you currently track your marketing efforts? How has it worked for you? Let me know your thoughts. I’ve just shared some simple guidelines for those who do not current track their leads.

Last week I reminded my friends to ask for referrals. It is a simple thing to do but often overlooked. This week, I have yet another simple suggestion: write a thank you note to a prospect when you get a “no.” Here is what is going on in my mind and probably yours as well: “Wait a minute, the guy used another contractor! He told me my price was more than double the other guy! The homeowner was a jerk! If I did that for all the nos I get in a week, that is like 2 hours of writing notes per week. I simply don’t have the time!” blah blah blah! Head Trash! Purely head trash!

Why write a note for a job that you lost? Because no one else does it. You never know if that homeowner or business will use a competitor, have a bad experience and call you back in 6 months or even 6 years! Spend your time doing the things that really matter! If you need help writing your notes, then get help. You know what I don’t like about writing notes? I don’t like looking up the address, hunting for stamps, and walking out to my mailbox! I know! I’m lazy. So, I got help with my problem. My office manager, Kirstie, does that part for me! I write the notes, put it in an envelope, seal it, and hand it off to Kirstie! She does the rest!

Write a note and say something like, “Thanks for allowing me to bid on your project! It was a pleasure to meet you. If you ever need my assistance in the future, please don’t hesitate to contact me.”