KickStart: Make a friendly, ‘heads-up’ visit to the customer’s neighbors when beginning each job. Optional: Or pre-contact them by mail.
Think about this. On every residential job your Home Service Business workers are SURROUNDED by potential NEW customers… the neighbors!👍 BUT…
Is your company taking advantage of this secret, exclusive-to-you marketing opportunity?🤔 For example, your on-site workers should always…
Reach out to the customer’s neighbors at the start of every project.
Here’s how to do this…
1. Check in first with your customer. Your lead employee mentions to the client that after the crew gets started he or she will briefly visit the neighbors. Why? To leave a number to call with any concerns. (Your customer will be super impressed!)
2. Visit the neighbors. Your crew chief (or another employee who feels confident talking with home owners) should ‘make their rounds’ to the customer’s neighbors. (Uniforms should be neat with their photo ID badge clearly visible and do NOT walk on your prospect’s lawn.)
NOTE: If practical, at the very least visit the house on either side of the jobsite and the three houses across the street. ‘MOTIVATIONAL’ HINT: Give your crew chief a commission on any additional work these visits bring in. (See #7 below.)
3. Ring the doorbell and step back 4 to 5 feet. Remember that there are many security cameras out there.😲 So, act accordingly. When the home owner opens the door…
4. Look them in the eye, smile and introduce yourself. Clearly state your full personal and company name while extending your arm full length to give the home owner a business card.
5. Explain the reason for the visit. “We’re (mention what the project is) at the (your customer’s name) home.” Point to your client’s home.“We try to be very considerate of the neighbors. But we still like to give folks a heads-up that we’ll be working here for (give approximate time for the project).”
6. Give them contact options. “You’ll see I highlighted my cell phone number on my business card. If you have any concerns or questions just call or text me at any time.”
7. Mention your company’s Additional Service Options. Hand the neighbor a list of the residential services your company provides. This flyer can also include a discount for any services booked while your crew is working in the neighborhood.
OPTION: Some HSB’s hand a gift card to the neighbors while saying, “We know us working in the neighborhood can be a bit of a hassle. So please accept this voucher to make it up to you. It’s good for any of our services, never expires and if you don’t need any work done yourself feel free to pass this card on to one of your friends.”
8. Say goodbye. “Many thanks for your time and by the way you have a beautiful…”💖(Sincerely praise something about the home, yard or even the neighborhood.)
The many benefits of contacting the customer’s neighbors early in the job:
A) Get proactive on complaints. All the customer’s neighbors will be impressed with your company’s ‘heads-up’ approach.
B) You’re ‘putting a face’ on the project AND your company. This is much better for the essential relationship building needed for any successful Home Services Business.
C) You’ll increase the neighbor’s awareness of the services you offer. In fact, we almost always booked at least one new job💲💲💲 just by ‘reaching out to the neighbors’!
MORE HELP? You’ll learn so much in our different online SFS: LIVE seminars!👌 Plus you’ll implement our concepts easily with our turnkey SFS: ‘Business Infrastructure’! Click HERE to see upcoming classes…
KickStart: Send a brightly colored envelope “pre-orienting’ close-by home owners that you’ll be “in the area”. (Include a list of your services.)
Marketing your residential services is tough! After all, home owners are bombarded with a dizzying deluge of advertising and (GRRRR!) low-price offers!😡 But WAIT!
You have an exclusive, ‘virgin marketing territory’ when you or your on-site workers make a friendly, ‘heads-up’ visit to the neighbors when beginning each job. Or even better, in conjunction with your personal visits…
‘Pre-orient’ the neighbors that you’ll be “in the area” BEFORE your scheduled work. Simply…
Send a “We’ll be working for your neighbor on (date)…” letter out a week or so before the job.
Here’s how to do it…
1. Check local mail delivery time. You’ll want your ‘We’ll be in the neighborhood’ envelopes to arrive 3-4 days before your crew shows up on the job.
2. Use a reverse address directory. At the very least mail to the homes on either side of your job plus the three houses across the street. (Therefore the venerable marketing term “Five-Around”!) Or even better? Mail to every house on the block. (After all, this strategy is a classic example of ‘targeted marketing’!)
3. Neatly hand address a ‘greeting card size’ envelope. Make sure your envelope (in a bright color if possible) fits USPS guidelines for a regular first class stamp. (Always use a colorful actual stamp.) Hand write your company’s return address on the back of the envelope.
HINT: Any way you can differentiate the envelope from the usual junk mail (within reason) is a good thing. For example, we used little flower seals like these.
4. Include a pre-printed “We’ll be in your neighborhood” note. Print this personalized reminder out as needed for each different job on high quality card stock. Here’s some sample copy the personalized parts in highlighted in green…
Greetings,
We’ll be (brief description of work) in the 3200 block of East 6th Avenue on Monday and Tuesday, June 16-17th. (All our trucks are logoed and all employees wear photo I.D. badges.) If you have any questions or concerns during our project please call us at 931-876-3214.
We’re also including an “In your neighborhood” discount coupon for any work (our services are listed on the back of the coupon) you’d like to schedule while our crew is in the area. Just call or text us at xxx-xxxx ASAP if you’d like to get on our schedule.
Many thanks and please stop by to say “HI” starting next Monday, the 16th of June!
Sincerely, (hand inked signature)
Want to triple your results? (After sending out this ‘We’ll be in your area’ notice out a week or so before each job.) On the first day have your crew chief make a personal visit to each home on the block after the crew has started. He or she can ‘pre-apologize’ for any noise or congestion and also mention the note you sent them. (And even show the home owner a sample envelope to jog their memory.) Or here’s another option…
Neighbor not home? (Or ignores the doorbell?)😲 Check your local laws and/or subdivision rules first. Then you may decide to discreetly tuck a small envelope (where it won’t be visible) in their door with the above pre-printed note. Have your office pre-address the envelope with a hand-written “Dear Neighbor”. (Include a gift card if you wish.)
REMEMBER: Part of ‘marketing to the neighbors’ is how ALL of your company looks on-site… ALL the time! So focus on…
A) ALL of your truck(s) appearance. (Clean, professionally lettered with a sharp logo?) Then look, really look, at ALL of…
B) ALL of your employees. Would you want your front-line workers to be in YOUR home… alone with your spouse?
NOTE: Running your business (and your life) is so much easier with great people on your team. Click HERE to learn more about our SFS: Hiring the Very Best! LIVE seminar. Then…
C) ALL of the time keep a clean and organized job-site, be considerate and friendly, etc, etc, etc. (You get the idea!)😍
WANT MORE HELP? You’ll learn so much in our different online SFS: LIVE seminars! Plus you’ll implement our concepts easily with our turnkey SFS: ‘Business Infrastructure’! Click HERE to see upcoming classes…
Steve