From all the pictures on Facebook, it looks like the snow has fallen. It’s going on 11 years since I moved down here to Florida, from Michigan, and I still don’t miss the snow.
Now, before you might think I am bragging, I am not; remember, we work through the heat and humidity of the summer to get to enjoy the winter.
But I do remember the calls slowing down once the snow kicked in, so here are 5 ways to generate leads this winter.
Get Just 5 Google Reviews
This is the most cost effective way to rank on the first page and now it’s even more important being that Google has rolled out the 3 Pack. Meaning that they only show the top 3 local companies now. It seems that they are making room for more paid listing on the first page.
While this one can seem very difficult, we have a process that will greatly increase your chances of actually capturing those elusive Google reviews.
Step one: grab your actual Google listing link. Copy it and save it on your computer.
Next, you want to go to your customer list and search for those who have “Gmail” email addresses.
Here’s the thing: those who do not have a Gmail account, would love to give you a Google review, but they do not want to have to set up a whole new email account to do so. That is where we lose most of them.
Find 5-10 customers with Gmail accounts and send them a simple email that looks like this:
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SUBJECT LINE: A small request
EMAIL:
Hi “Customers Name”
First, thank you very much for being a customer.
As I am sure you know, more and more people are searching online for services.
Would you be so kind as to leave us a quick review about your experience with us, please?
Here is the link to make it as seamless as possible: “Quick Review Link”
Thank you very much,
Steve Burnett
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Only send out 5-10 requests a month as Google will flag them if they all come in at the same time.
Before you know it, you will be in one of the top 3 spots on Google Maps!
Follow UP To Scale UP.
This most often lost opportunity is almost as big as not asking for the job while still at the estimate, but most contractors still do not follow up.
To me this is crazy.
We have put in so much work up to this point and all we need to do is make a simple phone call.
If we’re honest, it’s probably because of head trash talk or as some call it, stinkin’ thinkin’. If you find yourself saying, “They didn’t like me,” or “The other guy probably got the job,” this is head trash talk. Or how about, “The other guy was probably cheaper and he got the job.”
For the record, it’s never all about price. If you think your getting beat out on price, then ask yourself how you can add or communicate more value. This is just one of the areas we show you how, in our DYB Mastermind Groups.
Here is what’s really going on with your prospect. They are busy. Do you get busy? I know I am busy. We are all busy.
If you are a busy person and you have a couple of life insurance guys come out to provide you a quote, and only one of them follows up with you, who are you going to go with?
9 times out of 10, you’ll choose the guy that follows up!
And here is the crazy thing, you weren’t offended that he called. In fact, you were kind of grateful because you got busy and your spouse asked you to get this done and he made it easier for you and you’re the hero.
It’s the same for us. Besides, what are they going to say, “No.” ? So what. You can’t get anymore “no” than where you are, so go for it!
Stay TOM With S.O.C.
Nobody and I mean nobody forgets TOM. Why? Because TOM stays Top Of Mind!
With S.O.C., but first,
We invest so much effort and money going after new leads when we have a gold mine in our back yard.
That gold mind is our previous customers. NO, our customers. They are only “previous”, if we don’t stay TOM.
How valuable are repeat customers and customer referrals?
To get more of these, all we have to do is be TOM and stay TOM.
S.O.C. or Send Out Cards is a very easy online system for adding your customer list form a spread sheet, selecting a cool card, write your message to them, and hit send. All for about $1 a card, postage included.
Make sure you send them an item of G.I.E. Gratitude, Inspiration, or Entertainment. They know you want referrals, don’t insult them by asking for them. Just thank them or even more fun, entertain them.
In fact, we have a complete step by step course on exactly what and how to do so in the DYB Café. And you can get it all for $1. CLICK HERE
The first time I mailed out to my customers, I closed over $15,000.00 and 3 jobs and they were all no-comp bids. Oh, and this was back when our customer list was around 100.
To get started with S.O.C. you have to sign up with a distributor. Check your local BNI or Chamber of Commerce for a Send Out Cards Distributor. If you don’t know one, you can use our account to get started here: Get S.O.C.’s Here. Again, we have step by step instructions in the DYB Café.
Leverage Facebook
This one is so easy to do, yet most do not leverage it. This is part of the ABC’s of Sales. “Always Be Connecting”
Why?
I don’t know. Maybe they have bought into the lie about keeping business and personal separate. Or worse, the “nothing personal, it’s just business.” What a lie.
Business IS relationships. And relationships ARE personal.
Do you prefer to do business with a stranger or somebody you know, like, and trust?
Or maybe you are concerned that you don’t want them to see some of your posts. Well, you might reconsider what your posting. Keep it fun and positive. Include great picture of your family.
Before we sold our painting company, Burnett 1-800-PAINTING, I connected not only with all of my customers, but also with all of my business friends in my community.
By connecting with my family, personal friends, customers, and business friends in the community, I have a little over 800 contacts and you can do the same and more.
That’s a lot of people to stay TOM with and Facebook is an awesome tool to do just that!
I didn’t and don’t recommend just connecting with every Tom, Dick, and Harry. Be selective and only connect with good people.
Part of our DYB SYSTEM is the ABC’s of Sales. Always Be Connecting.
Also, make sure you are posting all of your Video Testimonials to Facebook as well, by directly uploading them onto Facebook, not just posting the Youtube link.
Facebook is just one of the profitable avenues we unpack in our DYB Mastermind Groups. And we are launching the next group now, and only 6 get in… CLICK HERE
Join a BNI
Another profitable avenue to Always Be Connecting is BNI.
Going into winter, if you are not in a BNI group, you need to join one today and you will most likely get near instant leads.
BNI is also awesome for breaking into a new market. That is how we first broke into the Venice, FL market and that was back before we moved into Venice.
BNI is a networking group where members, once accepted, are held accountable to bring referrals for each other. They only allow one person per trade, so you will be the only painting contractor for your group.
You will also form some of your tightest community bonds in this group as you see each other weekly, have monthly get-togethers, and also meet for 1 to 1’s over coffee of lunch.
Quick Recap
- Get just 5 Google reviews.
- Follow up to scale up!
- Stay TOM with SOC.
- Leverage Facebook.
- Join a BNI.
Do these 5 things for 5 Easy Ways To Generate Instant Leads This Winter.
These are just the tip of the iceberg in our DYB SYSTEM
We have many more in our DYB Café, and they are broken down into a step by step checklist broken out into multiple courses.
P.S. NO RISK to you as we’ll refund your signup fee within 30 days at any point.
