Life After COVID-19: Help for the Here and Now
I hope this finds you well. The last three issues of the Residential Metal Roofing Executive Report have discussed how to “Prepare For Life After COVID-19.” With construction being re-opened in many states (if it ever closed), and life starting to take on some feeling of normalcy, home improvement contractors are facing changes yet again. We hope that the information we provide in this article can equip you to find success despite the present circumstances.
First, I want to invite you to attend the final session of the 2020 Metal Roofing Summit – and we have saved the best for last! We are opening this session up free of charge to all who wish to attend.
Featuring Dan Lane and Frank Farmer of Metal Roofing Consultants, this online webinar is titled “Manage Customer Expectations and Get All Your Money!” During these tough economic times, customers are reluctant to spend their money, especially if they distrust or don’t communicate with their contractors. Dan and Frank will share their best practices, developed over the last 20 years, to keep sales, installation, and customers all on the same page!
Early on in their business, Dan and Frank found themselves struggling with customer communication, often losing money due to misunderstandings. Through their years of experience, they’ve developed more effective ways to streamline the customer and contractor relationship. In this free 90-minute webinar, they will discuss:
- How to work with detail-oriented customers
- How to establish worksites with supportive customers
- Easy ways to handle delays
- Getting paid for additional work
- Getting paid for building permits
- How to get the customer to pay by check, not credit card
- Preventing service calls that are not your responsibility
- Earning consistently high reviews.
This will be a Zoom webinar. Attendance details are below:
June 18, 2020
11:00 AM- 12:30 PM Eastern timePlease click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82402214203or call 669-900-6833 and use ID: 824 0221 4203
We hope that you can join us for a very informative session with folks in the trenches just like you!
Speaking of being “in the trenches,” we are constantly hearing feedback from home improvement contractors operating in the wake of COVID-19. Here’s what we’ve heard:
Closing Ratios Are Up but Leads Are Down This isn’t a bad thing – everyone will always feel blessed by higher closing ratios, signaling a vibrant market where buyers are looking to make decisions. But new leads are equally as important, so why are they down? Current trends are:
- Increasing numbers of homeowners who see this as the right time for investing in home improvement
- Homeowners who want to make significant contributions to restarting the economy in their area
- Homeowners who have decided to invest in their current homes rather than build new ones
- Homeowners are getting fewer bids and doing more online research prior to a decision
The catch is, the number of leads coming in is lower than normal for this time of year. So, how can you respond to this? Here are a few ideas:
Always be examining the cost effectiveness of your lead generation efforts. Allocate more money to the methods that work best for you and focus your investments on the channel bringing you the most leads and the highest closing ratios. Whether referrals from past customers or brand-new clients still learning about metal roofing, provide the same great service. One thing we’re hearing from many contractors is that high-end customers are the most active right now.
Focus on re-hashing older leads. Oftentimes it is easiest to get appointments with folks who already know you. Create a relationship with potential customers and continue to engage them without being pushy. Persistence can pay off!
Refine your sales presentation and make sure your salespeople are sticking to it! Closing ratios continue to increase if your sales presentation helps the homeowner set their criteria and evaluate their needs before presenting a solution, you can effectively guide the homeowner to the best decision for them and their home.
Do radius mailings and doorknob hangers around current and past projects, referencing existing jobs in their area. This is a great way to show off jobs you’ve completed, letting customers see your workmanship firsthand. If a customer is really interested, being able to go and see a completed project “in the wild” can be a great advertisement.
Make sure that your company has a great CRM system like LeadPerfection and that you’re taking full advantage of all it has to offer. CRM systems can really take your business to the next level, providing a way to efficiently store customer data, manage appointments, and keep track of salespeople. CRM systems like LeadPerfection offer a comprehensive customer data transfer plan and will work with you to customize the CRM system exactly to your business’s needs.
Join the Metal Roofing Alliance as a source of low-cost leads of customers actively seeking metal roofs. The MRA can provide you a way to contact interested homeowners, access to training, and useful resources for you and homeowners. The MRA even offers educational and marketing material that can be customized with your branding!
Work your past customers for referrals – bring them flowers, power wash their driveway for free, ask to put a sign in their yard –let them know that you depend upon them for referrals. Continuing a relationship with your past customers builds a positive reputation in their eyes, improving your chances of a referral. Customers won’t be led to advocate your company unless you do an exceptional job and continue to provide great service.
All signs are pointing towards a great next few months for quality residential metal roof installations. We expect a lot of upcoming work to be with higher-end homeowners, so targeting your marketing accordingly would be wise.
Remember:
- Always be looking at your lead generation and your outgoing media
- Get in touch with older leads
- Stick to your sales presentation
- Use mail and signage around past projects to create new ones
- Take advantage of a great CRM system
- Join the Metal Roofing Alliance
- Catch up with past customers to help develop new leads
Please remember to attend our Metal Roofing Summit webinar this week – a great opportunity to view some excellent presentations at no charge.
Watch for our next issue of the Executive Report when we discuss the construction labor market in the post-Covid-19 world. Is labor availability getting any better? Only if we make it that way!
Thanks so much. Please contact me anytime. I hope these tips are a blessing to you and your business.
Todd Miller has spent his entire career in the metal building products manufacturing industry. He is president of Isaiah Industries, an organization recognized as one of the world’s leading metal roofing manufacturers. Todd is currently Vice President of the MRA (Metal Roofing Association) and a Past Chair of MCA (Metal Construction Association). Through his website, he strives to raise the bar on standards and practices to provide property owners with the best possible products for successful roofing projects.
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