CEO of Surface Solutions Countertops Inc.
How is your year going in business? Better or worse than expected? I think we can all agree that business practices that once worked in years past are not as effective in today’s market as they once were.
In the midst of Covid-19, it seemed like many people were spending freely on home improvement projects, but in the last 12 months, we have experienced a change. Homeowners have not been spending as freely; in fact, they are more skeptical about making purchases.
In my opinion, this could stem from stimulus checks, PPP and EIDL loans. People may have played the system, which could have resulted in two different outcomes: a homeowner with extra money to spend on projects or someone who became an overnight contractor and decided to start a business out of their truck.
I’ve seen many people burned by fly-by-night contractors doing work not up to code, not having insurance if something went wrong or offering no warranty for their work. As a result, I’ve noticed that customers are more hesitant than ever to hire contractors. This also puts a strain on legit contractor companies’ staffing as some of their crew may have thought they could go out and do the same work and make more money but quickly learned it’s not that easy.
So, how can you get back in the game? How can you earn consumers’ trust in this kind of landscape? Let’s look at three ways you can adapt to the new standard in the home improvement industry.
1. Video Content
I can’t stress enough how important it is for you to document and show potential customers how you do what you do. It is simply not enough anymore to show before and after photos of projects because it doesn’t show who did the work, how it was done and why they should hire you over someone else. Putting frequent video content out on your website, social media and your Google profile can go a long way to set you apart from your competition.
People do business with those they know, like and trust, and what better way to build that rapport than by showing them through the magic of video? Pictures are just not enough anymore, so step up your video content ASAP!
You don’t have to spend thousands and hire a video crew if you don’t have that budget. Smartphones these days take plenty of high-quality video, and there’s even easy-to-use video editing software you can do from your phone or desktop.
2. Collaborations
Collaborations with other companies are a great way to get your foot in the door of customers whom you might not have otherwise. Working with related companies such as a painter or a plumber, if you’re in the remodeling industry, can be a great resource for this.
I can’t tell you how often I get asked for a painter and vice versa when a painter sends a client my way looking for countertop work; this goes for essentially any home improvement trade. Collaborating is a great way to open new doors without extending your advertising budget. And really, collaborating is just another fancy way to say referral.
3. Referrals
Referrals are one of the best ways to gain clients because, typically, the person referring you to a new client has already used your services and had a good experience. Collaborations are more like a referral from a business, where a true referral would be direct from a consumer to another consumer, saying how much they loved your work and your process. If all of your ducks are in a row and you meet their budget and timeline, there should be no reason not to land a job from a direct referral.
So there you have it, my top three ways to start adapting to today’s new standards where consumers’ expectations are at an all-time high, and they are more skeptical than ever—and have every right to be. What will you do to stand out and put their mind at ease?
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