If you are looking for some business tips to help you find the best clients, we have just what you need.
Let’s face it. All clients are not created equal. What’s good for your business goes beyond just bidding and winning jobs. The customer needs to be a good fit too. A critical skill in business is learning to go after customers and jobs that make your time and energy worth it. Learn to look for jobs that aren’t a drain, emotionally or financially. The truth is that there is more work than contractors right now. For you, that’s excellent news. And, these four top tips will help you find the best jobs and clients.
Will You Enjoy Working With Them
It’s okay to ask yourself if a potential client will be easy to work with and make the job enjoyable or if there are red flags that signal a nightmare scenario. If you suspect that you’re bidding on a job for demanding clients, it’s okay to walk away politely. Remember, find people who value the work you provide and are willing to work with you to get the job done. You have a helpful service to offer. Save your energy for the clients who value you.
Understand Who YOU Are Looking For
If you don’t know who your ideal target customer is, defining that is your top priority. How will you know when you find the best clients if you don’t know who you’re looking for? Take a moment to picture the perfect client and job. What’s it look like?
Ask yourself:
Who are the clients?
What do they do?
What are their pain points, and can I help solve them?
Where do they spend their money?
How do they speak to you?
Having a clear strategy helps you reach your ideal client. You want to be a big fish in a small pond. Understanding your target market helps you get the potential customers you desire. Ultimately, building a business is about more than sales. Your goal should be to create something you enjoy and attract clients you want to work with.
Set Boundaries
Calling you at 7 a.m. on Sunday. Nope.
Texting you with a list of issues at 9 p.m. Nope.
Running out to “chat” as you climb into your truck to go home. Nope.
Changing 7-million items at the last minute. Nope.
Your clients want you to be in charge (even if they don’t know it). They hired you because they have confidence in your competence. It’s beneficial for you and them to set healthy boundaries for what’s acceptable and not while you work together.
Consider the Risk/Reward
It’s not uncommon for clients to look for contractors who offer ridiculously low prices. As a professional who provides products and services, that can be seriously frustrating. You provide good work and should be paid for the value you offer. The issue may be that you’re looking for business in the wrong places. Your goal should be to reach potential customers that understand your value. The internet is a blessing and a curse. Thanks to the old world-wide-web, everybody thinks they know everything, and they think they can get it done for pennies. This is not your ideal client. If a potential client’s first question is, “How much will it cost?” they are not your ideal client. Be picky about where you expend your time and expertise.
Ah, summer. The moneymaker! You’re in the thick of the busy season. It’s easy to get caught up and put off planning for leaner times. Don’t make that mistake! One of the wisest ways to prepare for the slower season is to build value-added services into your business now. These four “all-season” money-making services keep your bottom-line consistent and strong all year long.
As a contractor, pricing your services is one of the most important keys to business survival…and one of the most difficult to master. Charge too little and your business won’t make it; charge too much and you risk losing business to competitors. We’ve all been there, and we feel your pain.
Do you want to grow your contractor business with great marketing, but don’t want to break the bank? We’ve got you covered with three of the best contractor marketing tips that won’t break the bank.
First, understand inbound marketing!
Inbound marketing is more of a methodology than a list of strategies and campaigns. Inbound marketing aims to attract prospective clients to your business versus going out to find them with traditional marketing like email lists, cold-calling, advertisements, and direct mail. Inbound marketing entices your audience to “opt-in” to your marketing. The best news of all? Modern inbound marketing is much more affordable than traditional marketing, making it the best approach for small to mid-sized businesses. The following three inbound marketing techniques are realistic and effective.
We devote a lot of time sharing what to do to make your business more successful. This month, we’re sharing four things smart business owners should avoid doing!
A recent post on a popular contractor locating service website asked this question: “Why are contractors so bad at calling people back?” He posted that 70% of the contractors he had contacted failed to call him back. Time for an uncomfortable confession: Sashco fields this same question multiple times every week. We hear, “You gave me the names of these contractors, but none of them are calling me back. Why?” Having more calls than you know what to do with is a great “problem” to have. So, how can you ensure that you respond to every legit call? Maybe it’s time to consider the help of a call service to handle incoming calls and scheduling. We are talking about the pros and cons and how to know if hiring a call service is right for your business.
Are you wondering what the secret is to running a successful family business? Here’s everything you need to know!
It is challenging running a family business successfully. After 84 years in business, the Sashco family knows what it takes to succeed!
Here’s what Les Burch said when we asked him, “Les, if you could only give one piece of advice to someone running a family business, what would it be?”
What We’ve Done Well.
We have made mistakes over the years for sure, but we have done at least one thing right and it was intentional. You should never hire family members should solely because they are family. This is the one of the most common mistakes family businesses make. It’s a natural mistake because inherent in the concept of ‘family business’ is the fact that several family members work in the business, through many generations.
Nothing can hold a family business back more than a family member, especially in a key position, who is not suited well for their job. They cause discouragement among other employees and sometimes the loss of good ones.
The original Sashco family.
Give “The Speech.”
Before you ever hire your first family member, set clear ground rules. Here’s the speech — “Because you are family, we’d love to have you work here, but we aren’t pressuring you to do so. We will only hire you if you fit the job. Like anyone else, you must have the talent and skills needed to fulfill the position. You will go through our formal interview and decision process. If you get this job, you will know we would hire you even if you weren’t a family member. We won’t put you in a position just because you are family and rob you of knowing you are a respected contributor to our team.
You will receive our regular market wage and start at a scale commensurate with your experience and performance. And, you will be on the same bonus and incentive programs as our other company members. Because you may also be a part-owner of this company, we want you to understand that ownership and job duties are separate concepts with distinct reasons for income.
Owners get distributions, and employees get wages — don’t confuse them. If you are an owner and we declare a distribution, you will get that whether you are employed here or not. If you get a distribution and are also an employee, it won’t subtract anything from your regular wages or bonus.”
The crucial “Bs.”
Family businesses are often put in a bind because family members expect to get awarded positions and income just because they are family. Doing this hurts the enterprise and, ultimately, all the family members. With missed opportunities and when profits decline, the business suffers.
Be fair, be intentional, be a business at work and a family at home. This advice will help protect your business and your relationships.
Humans. We are visual people! That’s why images grab our attention! Why is this important to your business? We are bombarded with images, especially online. But, do we remember them? Did they catch our attention in a way that caused us to remember what they represented, what business they advertised, or what the message was behind them? Great graphics can be a powerful way to capture your audience’s attention and remember your message if they stand out! We’re giving you our top five tips on how to do that effectively.
Don’t compromise at the end of a long and arduous journey by using an inferior stain not designed for logs. Capture and Cascade deliver performance worthy of the journey that got you here.
Moves with your logs and timbers
Won't hide the wood grain
Easy clear coat maintenance with Cascade(R) exterior clear coat
Backer Materials that Seal Things Right the First Time Backer Rod, Grip Strip, and Log Gap Cap all help you create the ideal joint desing for a long-lasting, durable seal
Logs are in constant dynamic motion. That's why there's Log Builder®, the sealant made for log structures. Stretches up to 500% of original size, while still maintaining tenacious adhesion to the wood.
When other chinking pulls away, Log Jam holds its seal With Log Jam chinking, you can keep the cozy feel and rustic look of a log home without compromising comfort and performance.
Easy to Use - Hard to See Keep out weather, bugs, and moisture without seeing it. Conceal disappears into the woodwork so you don't know the wood starts and the caulk begins.
It's Music to the Eyes Symphony works in harmony with the unique character of your logs and wood to reflect an atmosphere or cozy warmth and elegance while creating and scuff-resistant and durable surface that's easy to dust.
Right Color. Right Quantity. Right Now. Never run out of stain at the jobsite again. Stock exactly what you need in your truck or trailer at the jobsite.
Easy to mix
The same color, durability, and application you've come to expect from Capture Log Stain and Transformation Log & Timber
Maintenance Made Easy Now that Capture® Log Stain is applied, it’s time for Cascade® Clear Topcoat to bring out the depth and character of your unique woodgrain while protecting it against moisture, mildew, and algae. Predictable and affordable routine maintenance with Cascade throughout the years means your home stays protected and beautiful. Easy!
Keep the Color the Color Colorfast delivers the ideal canvas for stain application and leaves behind the strong foundation necessary for long-lasting color. It’s color confidence for your log home.
Rot, weather, insects, fungi all pose a serious threat to your logs. Protect your investment—treat your logs first to make them last. Tim-bor® helps protect your home from the costly damage caused by rot and insect infestation.
Bugs don't stand a chance
Easy to mix and apply
Prevents decay fungi
Costs 5 times less than glycol-based borate products
Remove Wood Felting and Raised Grain Remove wood fuzz (called felting) after power washing or media blasting, and knock down excessive raised grain with Sashco's finish sanding tools
Clean and brighten bare logs and wood, remove surface dirt, pollen, and kill mold for maintenance, and keep your logs looking fresh with CPR Log Cleaner and Brightener
