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Have you ever been on a sales appointment and had your prospect ask, “Do you have any reviews I could read?” “Can I see some photos of your work?” “Do you do work in my area?” Maybe you already have a great presentation in place that answers these questions. If you don’t, it’s time to consider adding little nuggets during the entire sales process, to help you close more deals.

Social proof is the idea that a homeowner sees that everyone is doing work with “x” company, so they should also be using that company for their next home improvement projects.

Types of social proof for contractors would be:

• Online reviews.
• Social media posts.
• Websites showcasing past work and reviews.
• Digital mapping platforms to show where you have worked.

As officials and leaders weigh public health and safety against the desire to reopen businesses and public spaces, it seems obvious that things won’t be all the way back to “normal” for a long time. But the pandemic will eventually subside, and business will pick up again. When it does, folks will have to tackle what might be the most important long-term challenge for businesses. That is, how can we plan and prepare to succeed in a post-coronavirus world?

The truth of the matter is that many things will be different for longer than the pandemic is around, and there will almost assuredly be permanent changes that home improvement pros will have to navigate. Adapting to those changes will be key to maximizing the opportunities that go hand-in-hand with a changing business landscape.

For contractors and other home improvement professionals, days often start early and end late. With only so much time to split between all the things that need to get done, prioritizing is a fact of life, and that usually means putting customers and current jobs first.

Unfortunately, that reality often means things like sales and marketing don’t get as much attention as we’d like. Despite busy schedules, it’s important to invest time in the things that help businesses grow – and to know which things actually get results.

We’ve met thousands of contractors, and we’ve noticed patterns among those who stand out. Read on to learn the half dozen things that these pros do consistently, and how they can fit into your business.

In the wake of COVID-19 (coronavirus), the past couple weeks have been trying on many levels. Families are trying to understand how to stay safe and adjust to a “new normal” for the foreseeable future. Small business owners are navigating a very different (and in some cases difficult) marketplace. Contractors are no exception, and nobody knows for sure what the coming weeks and months will look like as guidance and rules continue to roll out. The only thing we know for sure is that things will be abnormal for a while.

As small business owners, our first priority is always protecting the safety of our workers and customers. For contractors, there are gray areas around entering customers’ homes or property, especially because people are proceeding according to their varied personal preferences right now.

As a company that works with thousands of contractors, we’ve taken some time to ask what steps, precautions, and best practices are being followed in the industry right now, and have compiled some of the best advice we’ve heard here for you.

Home Improvement businesses, from roofers to landscapers to remodelers, all have one thing in common: there aren’t enough hours in the day. Fortunately, it takes almost no time to invest in the growth of your business.

Believe it or not, the most impactful part of a job is the five minutes right after you finish the work. Here’s why: taking a few moments to do two crucial things before leaving a job site for the final time can have an enormous impact on your business.

Read on to learn what they are and why they matter…

There is now a WordPress plugin which allows you to add a fully turn-key map to your website with a simple shortcode: [map]

This plugin makes use of the Project Map It service which is great when you need a little more functionality than simply placing pins on a Google map. Some cool features are:

• Synchronize your Zillow, Facebook Business, and Google customer testimonials to pins.
• Add a photo gallery to pins.
• Highly Search-engine optimized (which is hard to find with a map)
• Automated customer testimonials/surveying

Installation:

1. Create an account on Project Map It and setup your map.
2. Install the WordPress plugin.
3. Place the[map] shortcode anywhere you want the map.