An Essential Residential “Stage Prop” (Part I)

KickStart: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts.” William Shakespeare

stage play for home service techniciansYou gotta love good, old Bill for pithily dissecting the human condition! And yep- Mr. Shakespeare’s quote above goes double for those of us working daily in our customer’s homes.

Ironically, long before I became a William Shakespeare groupie I’d often remind my in-the-home production employees they were “actors in our company’s Home Front stage play”.

Now very likely you personally have always instinctively recognized that you are “on stage playing a part” in a client’s home. However, here’s your challenge…

Read more

Homeowner Cheerleaders: The Immediate Benefits

KickStart: The true ROI on making a Residential Customer Cheerleader is much more than the direct financial profits they produce. (Which is a LOT!)

happy cheerleader“Ummm, what’s a ‘Cheerleader’, Steve?”🤔 A Cheerleader is a homeowner that is so delighted and yes, surprised with the level of service they’ve received they will “sing your praises from the rooftops”! (And more importantly, post multiple 5-star reviews online!)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

So, it’s a no-brainer! An ecstatic Cheerleader Customer is an incredibly valuable asset! Which is why I’m always amazed that so few residential service contractors focus on systems to create Cheerleaders!😥

Read more

How to Dig Deeper Before Choosing your “Lead Response Option”

KickStart: Tactfully use Valid Business Questions to sort home service prospects into different Response Options.

Question: Do you want to work for every homeowner that calls your Home Services Business?”🤔

Answer: “No way, Steve! After all, some callers live too far away, other prospects want services we don’t provide and some homeowners simply can’t afford us!”

Well answered and a good analysis! And yet… how much time do you waste with prospects that simply aren’t good potential customers? (Even worse is scheduling an onsite pre-inspection that is a complete waste of time!)😲

Read more

How to Win Over a ‘Price-Hesitant Residential Caller’

KickStart: When your home service caller says, “Let me think about it…” tactfully respond with a sneaky question to ‘smoke out’ their real concern!

hesitant home services callerIt’s just so darned frustrating! You answered the phone cheerfully, the ‘chemistry’ with your caller was great and they seemed ready to schedule. So, you tried to close the sale and…

Your prospect replied, “Well, let me think about it and I’ll call you back…”

AARGH! Your caller is lying!😡 She’s NOT going to “call you back”!😥 In fact, she’s already checking your competitor’s website while ‘bailing out’ on you! What’s going on?

Read more

Get New Residential Customer’s Emails (almost) Every Time!

KickStart: Give a Valid Business Reason for needing a home services caller’s email and your ‘Lead Conversions’ will soar!

residential services marketing successFew marketing channels are better than email for staying in touch with your customer base. After all, what’s not to love? Email is easy, immediate, VERY targeted and FREE to you!

I used targeted emails to thank my clients, get their comments on our service and ask (beg?) for online reviews. Even better, I could email my homeowners a reminder that it was time for another service. And have I mentioned all this targeted marketing is FREE?💖 WOO-HOO!

Read more

How to (gently) Promote Online Reviews!

KickStart: Want more reviews? Mention how important their online review is to the employee who worked in the customer’s home.

Let me be clear. I am NOT a ‘marketing guru’! Why not? Because the constant, frenetic changes in online marketing make my head hurt!😲 But I do know a bit about ‘Timeless Concepts’ (this phrase IS part of my tag line, after all!) in business.

Hands down, marketing’s most ‘Timeless Concept’ is ‘word of mouth’ advertising. But NOW it can be supercharged with ‘Today’s Tools’! (Darn it- how did the second half of my tag line sneak in here?)😁

Read more

Stop Communicating ‘Intrusively’

stressed home services customerKickStart: When booking their work give your residential customer options on how you should contact them.

All of us (including you, me AND your residential clients) are more stressed (and OUT of control) than ever before!😲 This is why you must help your customers FEEL ‘in control’. (Including on their first nervous phone call inquiring about your services.)

But remember, no customer wants to completely control your work on their home. If they did, the home owner wouldn’t be calling your company. They’d just do the work themselves!

Read more

Win Back Straying Clients with ‘Feel-Felt-Found’!

KickStart: For the (very few) previous clients who balk at rebooking due to your higher prices use Steve’s ‘Feel-Felt-Found’ Objection Buster Reply!💲💲💲

proud parent and graduateI feel like a proud parent! After all my exhortations you actually raised your prices!👍👍 CONGRATULATIONS! (You deserve it!)

Now (hopefully) you are following my 3 step sequence to rebook past customers after a price increase. Since most customers don’t even remember what they paid last time most will just automatically schedule with you again. However…

Read more