As a tradesperson you may well be competing for business in your local suburb, wider city or town. While competition can help bring people's work up to scratch so they don't lose business, it can be tough to stand out from the rest.
Here are three ways you can make your home building, plumbing or painting business stand out as the best.
While homeowners love the final result of home renovations, the process can stretch people's patience if it takes longer than expected.
You'll need to be realistic with how long it takes to complete a job. It's unrealistic to offer a short timeframe just to please homeowners if the job is likely going to take longer.
Doing a quick job could also lead to a drop in quality. It's important not to meet homeowners' time expectations at the expense of your workmanship – this could hurt your business in the long run if problems appear at a later date.
Once you've established a realistic timeframe to complete the work, make sure you stick to it. Even if significant kitchen renovations or the addition of a further bedroom is going to disturb homeowners' day-to-day living arrangements for a month or two, if they can see the light at the end of the tunnel, they won't mind waiting.
Go that one step extra and provide your clients with daily or weekly updates (depending on the duration of the project). A friendly email that outlines recently completed tasks as well as what's left to go gives homeowners a concrete idea of what's happening. Just be sure to explain it in terms they'll understand – not everyone is going to follow your tradesperson jargon!
Many small home renovation jobs might only take you a few hours, making the thought of signing paperwork unnecessary.
The bigger the job, the more important it is to have a contract for your services. However, that's not to say that you shouldn't get into the habit of signing a contract for smaller tasks. A written contract protects both parties. It highlights what you're promising to deliver – no more and no less.
You can include terms such as start and finish dates, invoice terms and most importantly, who bears the responsibility of unforeseen costs.
If you're undertaking a significant renovation project that involves knocking down walls or brickwork, you'll need to establish who has to clear debris away.
Not only does a contract protect both parties, but it also makes your business seem more professional.
A family, couple or individual's home is their pride and joy. They're getting renovations to improve the space, whether structurally or aesthetically.
While you might start to see certain design trends and home decorating ideas continue to crop up in people's homes, it's important to remember that their property is incredibly unique to them.
In order to make your business stand out, you need to get personal.
This involves your dealings with existing and potential clients as well as the job you do.
First of all, it's worth taking the time to field a few calls from interested parties and explain what your business can do for them. If someone has taken the time to call you about your building, plumbing or painting services, they're already on the road to hiring services – you just need to convince them that you're the right person for the job.
Asking questions about their home, what they want to achieve and how much they can afford to spend will make a lasting impression as it shows your interest in their unique property.
Secondly, think of ways you can tailor your work to their home. For instance, if they're after decorating ideas when it comes to paint, offer to view their home in order to make the perfect recommendation.
April 3, 2014
The Resene Trade Blog
Information of interest for professional painters