When the Phone Stops Rehinging

Has the phone stopped ringing? I bet It has. Or at least slowed down.

If you’re wondering if it’s just you, fret not my successful painting contractor, everyone else is experiencing the slow down. I’ve spoken with over 70 painting contractors in the last two weeks and across the board leads are down to a trickle now.

What will be different is how you respond to the problem. Like any problem the solution lies in making smart decisions and taking swift and decisive action.  Those that wait for the problem to get better on its own, or wait for spring… Just be mindful this may not be the typical spring.

Don’t get Caught Flat Footed

Have you ever seen what happens to a deer when it encounters the headlights of an oncoming car at night? … The term is a deer in the headlights. Manny if not most of your competitors are panicking. Their scared and they don’t know what to do. This may be more of an opportunity than you realize. But first let’s explore the downside of doing nothing.

Hope is not a Strategy

If there is an ongoing turndown, what is your plan? Maybe you have one already, and you have started implementing the necessary steps to overcome the slow down. Great! Maybe you’re waiting to see what happens next.  Big mistake. Because it’s that hesitation that will separate the successful from those broken-down contractors who just haven’t squirreled away enough nuts for an extended slow down. Don’t be caught in the headlights with only hope. Not a good plan, and you know it.

Don’t become the Boiled Frog

If you’ve ever been to a workshop, a sales training class, or read self-help and business growth books you’ve heard this one. But in case you haven’t, here is the metaphor. If you take a frog and throw him in a pot of hot water, the frog will immediately jump out of the pot. But if you take the same frog, and put him in cold water, and slowly turn the temperature up, a few degrees at a time, the frog won’t notice until it’s too late. Then he’s boiled.

In the next several weeks I’ll be sharing one of 5 bulletproof strategies to get the phone ringing, estimators estimating, and painters painting.

5 Strategies to Get the Phone Ringing Again.

I will go into more detail about each one. I’ll share with you What to do, why to do it and most importantly how to do it.

Here is the Plan

You can do a few of these or all of these. I recommend starting with one at a time. My coaching would be to focus on quality first.

This is my third time since I’ve been coaching and training contractors that there has been a major downturn. Been there done that, as the saying goes. This isn’t my first rodeo. I have experience you need to guide you out of the current downturn and into an extremely profitable year. Although there is always more than one way to skin a cat, here is what I’ve found most effective.

The first thing you want to focus on is doing a better job of closing your leads. In the next email next week, I’ll will go into detail more for you. Take more time on your sales calls and make sure you’re maximizing every lead you run.

The Second strategy is to set up calendar, time block dedicated time to following up on all open leads.  Make it an appointment and make sure you reach out to everyone you’ve seen in the last 90 to 120 days.

The third strategy is to expand your lead generation efforts. Look at both digital and some non-digital lead gen tactics. Lead generation and sales will be mission critical in the next three to four months. You must start this now or risk being shut out this spring.

Fourth, Start taking a serious look at non- traditional lead gen tactics. For the last couple of years, I’ve been saying “offline is new online.” It’s less competitive and cheaper than traditional digital marketing.  (Google pay clicks are higher than every at as much as $11.00 a click) I’m going to lay out for you l 5 strategies you can start doing immediately to get the phone ringing over the next 5 weeks.

Fifth, get a coach. I know this may seem self-serving but that’s not the point. Find an expert who will help thrive instead of dying on the vine waiting for things to turn around.

Each week for the next five weeks I’ll be emailing you a deep dive of five strategies. But for now, you can see the outline below. This way you will know what’s coming and be ready for it.

1. Week # 2 Focusing on closing leads while you’re at the house- If you don’t your competition will.
   1. Slow Down – be more thorough treat every lead like it’s the most important
   2. Sales Skills are a must. Read books take training- practice your presentation
   3. Offer incentives to buy now – Preferred customer discounts

2. Week # 3 Dedicated Follow up
   1. Leave with an agreement when you’re talking next
   2. Schedule follow up time. Mandatory- Time blocked
   3. Work all open leads until they buy or die

3. Week # 4 Expand your lead generation – invest in non-completive lead generation
   1. Use both tradition non-traditional
   2. Use digital and non-digital lead gen
   3. See step 4 for a more complete list

4. Week # 5 Non- traditional; lead gen
   1. Networking
   2. Door Hangers
   3. Post cards
   4. Proximity Marketing
   5. Email

5. Week # 6 Get a coach or professional training
   1. Difference between a coach vs. Consultant
   2. Assessments help you find some missing skill sets
   3. Get the skills you need to improve substaintly your sales and lead generation game.