As summer winds down and the temps begin to cool, home improvements certainly aren’t following suit. In fact, the fall season is crunch time for homeowners trying to sneak in late season projects or looking for a pro to complete a yet-unfinished DIY project.
This is the perfect time to build your sales pipeline and keep your business booming all through the winter season and beyond. Here are some simple methods to do now, to ensure you’ve got projects on the calendar for months to come.
Ask for more projects.
When you’ve done a great job and your customers are really happy, ask them about any more projects they’d like completed either now or in a few months…maybe even next year. Chances are, there are plenty more projects and scheduling a time to reconnect and get them on the calendar is the perfect way to capture another sale. Also inquire about friends who may have projects needs. Referrals at the time of job completion are valuable and effective.
Also ask past customers. Contact them via an email message, phone call, a quick text or send a postcard. Thank them for their business and check up on the project you did for them. Most importantly, ask if they need any more work completed. Here’s an example communication:
“Hello [XYZ customer], we’re checking in with you to see how you’re enjoying your [XYZ upgrade/repair]. We hope you’re loving it! If you’re thinking of upgrading another area of your home, please contact us! Now is the perfect time to transform your backyard space with a dream deck or outdoor kitchen. [XYZ company] can provide the work AND the competitive financing! Call us today for more details.”
Work your sales pipeline.
Don’t let that sales pipeline you’ve (hopefully) been building go to waste! Those leads could be your next sale and all you need is a little communication with them. Make a goal to send an email (or postcard) to all your prospects, once per month until year-end. In the email communication, highlight a popular or seasonal project and couple it with your competitive financing. Here’s an example:
“There’s still time to upgrade your [kitchen] into the space of your dreams before the end of the year! [XYZ company] can provide the work AND the competitive financing. Get your dream [kitchen] on our project calendar with little or no money upfront. [Include a project scenario with a financing promotion] Call us today!”
Connect with sales prospects you lost.
Let’s hope it’s only a few! But lost sales can quickly transition to a closed sale when you have a financing program as an additional incentive. Often a sale is lost due to the customer’s (embarrassing) lack of financing for a project price they didn’t expect to be so high. Here’s an example of phone or email communication:
“Hello [XYZ customer]. [XYZ company] is contacting you because you recently visited our showroom or requested a project quote. This follow up is to let you know about our affordable financing plans that could help you achieve your home improvement dream. Not only do we offer same-as-cash, deferred payment plans and low monthly payments, we can take a second look at financing that might have been turned down somewhere else. We’d love to revisit your project dreams and see how an affordable financing plan could help.”
A sales strategy doesn’t have to be complicated to be successful. Simple communication is sometimes all it takes. Having a financing option to offer a prospect can also be the icing on the cake to completing a dream renovation and filling your calendar with projects through every season. Not part of our financing network? Join us today. It’s free to enroll!
You can build on us. Enroll today in the Foundation Finance dealer network. Contact us for more info: 1-855-241-0024, [email protected].
