How you can be the luckiest contractor, but first
We were working on a home in October a few years ago.
A busy afternoon and I was still working side by side with the crew. I had recently added another crew member to the mix who had his own business for a couple of years prior.
In the course of about one hour on that fall afternoon, my cell phone rang 4 times with 2 accepted bids as well as two calls for estimate requests.
New Guy: “You are the luckiest contractor I know. I never had that many calls in such a short amount of time for work.”
Me: “Lucky, you call that Lucky?”
Me: “Do you know what it takes to be Lucky in work?”
New Guy: “Your phone just keeps ringing for work”
Most contractors out there depend on a truck magnet and yard signs for work. Now a days it is possibly a Facebook post telling everyone what they do, a couple business cards tacked up at the local coffee shop, and maybe a craigslist advertising.
Then sit back and hope for some LUCK.
The following is what made us the “Lucky” Contractor.
First, I got active and I joined a few networking groups in my community.
Where:
- Business Network International (BNI) a weekly 7 am meeting that has mandatory attendance and the members are accountable every week for referrals and one to one meetings. I eventually became President of our chapter and committed additional time to it and its members
- I joined and became president of the local Board of Trade. We held biweekly meetings and organized business and public meetings and functions
- I became an officer in the church, heading various committees
- I volunteered at our local food pantry on a set day every month
- I joined my local (PDCA) Painting and Decorating Contractors of America and became the President of that chapter and volunteered for the regional board.
“The ABC’s of Sales: Always Be Connecting”
Second, I Got Things Done… Jam Sessions
How:
- I dedicated my early mornings to my business by having uninterrupted time
- Allot a set amount of time 45-90 minutes to GET THINGS DONE with NO distractions
- Set your cell phone on airplane mode
- Make a list of the things you want to accomplish
- No kids, pets, spouses, ringing phones, Facebook, Talk radio
- Lists and Goals
- Daily list made the night before of things to be done the next day
- Daily, monthly and yearly goals
- If you do not have a written goal you can and will not achieve what you are truly capable of achieving.
- Share your goals with your spouse, friend or significant other.
- Accountability partner, This will assist in keeping you aiming in the right direction and on track.
- Post your goals were you will see it every day, This will remind you what you are striving for.
Third, We Created Happy Customers.
How:
- Providing exceptional customer experiences.
- Reminding our customers we are here for them by staying Top of Mind (TOM)
- Following up, returning calls, doing what we say we are going to do, and more.
- Provide an experience they will not receive with any other contractor.
- Reward them for referring us to their Friends (Club 50)
- And following up again to stay Top of Mind (TOM) 4 times a year.
We all get lucky now and then in business where that call comes in when no one was expecting it.
But to stay “Lucky”, it takes work.
Make sure you are doing the right work. Just 1 idea can save you hundreds of hours.
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