If you only work by referral, then you’re in trouble

Posted by: Avery Tags: remodel business strategy Posted date: March 10, 2011 | Comment

Just think about it… The internet rules the world these days. Let me walk you through a real world scenario:

I tell you that Yard Dogs just finished all of my landscaping. After coming home from work you see the yard ,hear my testimonial, and you’re ready to hire them too. What’s the first thing that you do that evening? You go and find them on Google so you can start educating yourself about the company and looking at their website.

You look at the listing on Google and click the link and find “Site Under Construction”.

Disappointed, you hit the back button on Google and see a website for a related company called The Garden of Eden. When you click through you see an amazing website. There is so much information that you find all of the answers to the questions that have been racing through your mind while planning your own landscaping project.

Being a good guy though, you end up calling both Yard Dogs and The Garden of Eden to schedule an estimate. Both estimates come in close, but in talking with both landscapers it becomes apparent that Garden of Eden is light years ahead in what they know and how they conduct themselves during the estimate. Guess who doesn’t get the job.

Wake up call!

If you think that working by referral guarantees you a job, then you’re living in a dreamland.Even your referrals are evaluating you well before you walk through the door. Our wood flooring business has landed two jobs in the last two months where the homeowner already had competing estimates from contractors who were referred. On one job, we were the fifth estimate and still got the job.

I have three suggestions for anyone who is having a tough time with their contracting business and counts on referrals.

Make sure you have a good looking and complete website
Start a blog and write regularly
Join a toastmasters club near you. Poorly articulated language will never land the jobs with the right customers.

Making these changes will ensure your continued success. While the market races to the bottom in price, it is now easier than ever to stand above the competition with a great website.