Homeowners are ready to hire contractors, so you need to be prepared to provide the services they are looking for. As a business owner, are you taking advantage of the recent increase in growth opportunities?
One of the best ways to maximize your efforts is by learning about the latest trends in homeowner insights within the last few months.
We are pleased to be sharing information about how homeowners are spending their time when planning upcoming projects. Not only do these insights affect your sales approach, but they help you shape your conversations in the first appointment with each prospective client.
Homeowner Research and Planning
Timing is a critical factor before a homeowner decides to move forward with a home improvement project. Our recent survey shows that homeowners are hiring contractors more quickly. As a result, 21 percent of homeowners are ready now to get started on a project.
We also see an uptick in homeowners doing more research and planning before hiring a contractor. For example, 56 percent of homeowners spend between one and five hours researching the industry before contacting a home improvement professional. Last year it was 53 percent.
Additionally, 20 percent of survey responses indicate that homeowners are hiring contractors with zero hours of research. On the other hand, 15percent of surveyed homeowners said they spend more than 10 hours researching before reaching out to a contractor.
Why are homeowners eager to start their projects right away? It could be due to the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. After spending months at home during the lockdowns, homeowners are ready to be proactive with their outstanding home improvement lists.
Contractors: What You Need to Know Before the First Appointment
When going into the first appointment with a new customer, create the right strategy to speak to the homeowner’s motivations. Here are a few best practices to ensure your first consultation is a success:
- Be Ready to Discuss Details: Don’t waste the homeowner’s time by sticking with generalities in the conversation. Since people are ready to move forward quickly, prepare to discuss the overall project and anticipated cost of the services.
- Do Your Homework: Besides having information about the industry, also learn about the homeowner and their house. Knowing the history of the property shows your commitment to providing quality services.
- Bring Your Portfolio: Pictures are the best way to showcase your capabilities and experience. So show up to the first appointment with your portfolio in hand. Homeowners will be glad to see examples of your other projects.
- Implement a Follow-Up Process: Most people aren’t ready to sign a work agreement during the initial consultation. However, following up is a critical part of your sales process if you want to close the deal. Use this proven follow-up process to maintain communication with your leads.
- Provide Alternative Solutions: You need to be ready with alternative solutions if homeowners encounter any concerns about the project. For example, offer financing suggestions for people who don’t have the money to pay cash for these services. Or offer material substitutions if the homeowner is looking for a way to reduce overall costs.
A little bit of preparation can go a long way to build trust with each lead. Then, when you are addressing homeowner’s concerns, they feel confident in moving forward with your services.
If you would like more information about industry trends, then download our Modernize homeowners insights report, or subscribe to our newsletter to receive weekly news on the latest content.
