Referrals and repeats are hands down the best way to generate more business.
Although they yield fewer leads, each lead costs $0 to acquire AND they tend to close at a higher rate.
Nothing is more powerful than a customer that had a great experience, was satisfied with the job, and is happy to spread the gospel about your services.
Yet 93% of contractors that we talked to aren't capitalizing on these leads - simply because they don't know HOW.
Fortunately, it's an easy fix.
It's all about revamping your customer experience and perfecting the "ask" after a successful install or job.
In this article, we're going to show you how to do just that.
You may vaguely remember the term confirmation bias from your high school psychology classes.
Basically, confirmation bias is the tendency to form an opinion about something within the first few seconds, and then actively look for more or interpret information to support that opinion.
Think back to pre-COVID times, when you could actually watch live bands. Did you ever watch a few seconds of a song and think to yourself "wow, these guys suck"?
If so, the flat vocals and mishit guitar notes probably began to really stick out.
This matters to your business because homeowners are having the EXACT same thought process when they interact with your company for the first time.
By addressing these reasons for someone to dislike your business from the get-go and having someone reach out to you for a quote, you've got a leg-up on the sale and potential referral or repeat.
I'm not going to sugar coat this - this touch is likely where you're failing. And failing hard.
Buyer expectations have changed thanks to Amazon.
Even though buying an air fryer and buying a new roof are wildly different experiences, the consumer expectation is still shaped by the air fryer experience for everything they buy moving forward.
What does your process look like once they sign the dotted line and throw down a 50% deposit?
Here are three messages you need to send to each customer after the sale is made to create a smooth post-sale, pre-install experience.
“Hello [Customer Name]. I just wanted to check-in. We are still waiting on your products to be delivered, but we are excited to get a time scheduled soon. In the meantime, check out our blog on what to expect in your appointment here: [Link To Content]”
“Hello [Customer Name]. I just wanted to let you know that we received what we need to complete your project. I would like to schedule a time for our team to come out and complete the work. What time might work well for you?”
“Hello [Customer Name]. I’m excited about our appointment on [Appointment Date] at [Appointment Time]. I just wanted to confirm that this time is still good for you?”
Remember - these three messages are the bare minimum. More touchpoints will always create a better customer experience. Be persistent but provide value every time you reach out.
P.S: Your install team will thank you, too.
Happier, well-informed customers tend to not bother them when they arrive on the job site.
So, the project is finished. The homeowners are satisfied and the installation/end result is flawless.
Now it's time to make the "ask" - but are you asking the right thing?
It's always great to follow up with standard referral questions like "please refer us to friends and family" or "keep us in mind for future projects," but where you can get the most bang for your buck is by leveraging social media.
More often than not, homeowners are active on social media with friends and family members - and why wouldn't they want to show off the project or renovation they recently had completed? Especially if you can sweeten the deal with a gift card or small gift.
Here's a way to visualize the ask from a conversational standpoint.
This allows you to be more proactive with your referrals, where you can see post engagements and track the homeowner's response.
It also gives you an opportunity to leverage a screenshot of the post as a testimonial on your own page or website.
Mastering the art of the ask takes time and an easily repeatable process, but in the end, you'll start to see your brand - and bottom-line revenue - grow.