As a contractor, it can feel like half of your time is spent simply finding leads. Home renovation jobs can be a lucrative source of income for your business, but how do you find these customers? From marketing strategies to industry relationships, here are four tips to help you get more renovation business.
Showcase Your Past Work
Perhaps most importantly, any potential client will want to see evidence of previous renovation work that you’ve completed. It’s one thing to market yourself as a skilled professional, but high-quality photos and videos will do the talking for you!
If you have a website, organize photos by project type and provide details in captions. You can also share these photos on social media platforms like Facebook or keep them in a shareable drive (like Dropbox) for easy client access. This allows potential clients to explore your work at their leisure, examine it in detail, and see how your skills may translate to their project.
Form Relationships with Other Businesses
Often, clients engage in numerous types of renovations at once, which involves working with an array of subcontractors across different industries. This is where it’s helpful to have a solid network of relationships in your industry. When a contractor in one area is brought onto a project, they can refer you for other needs—and vice versa.
Consider joining local contractors or housing organizations to begin networking with others. Be sure to stay up to date with your industry connections, and take the time to attend local events and meetups. These seemingly informal connections can go a long way in furthering your professional success.
Invest in a Marketing Strategy
Though it does come with an upfront cost, a solid marketing strategy is a surefire way to generate new leads for your renovation business. You can start with simple pay-per-click (PPC) ads on Google, which can geo-target specific locations as well certain keywords — so you can, for instance, market your business to customers searching for kitchen renovations in a dedicated zip code.
If you haven’t already, you should invest in your business by building a strong website – complete with backend SEO – to help with search traffic. Plenty of photos, blog posts, and embedded links will help potential customers find your website. These days, many affordable services can help you build a polished, professional website in no time.
Utilize Reviews and Word of Mouth
Finally, a great way to attract more renovation business is to leverage success with completed projects. Ask your existing customers to leave you positive online reviews on Google Business or Yelp—these go a long way in building up your brand reputation.
Also, encourage past clients to share your renovation business via word of mouth. Hand out physical business cards, and follow up with past clients via email so that your business is top of mind. You can even offer promotions to clients who refer new business your way.