Testimonials Mean Business

You can say you offer a quality home remodeling service but smart clients want proof—that means asking current and previous clients for testimonials.

We know—it’s hard to ask. And it’s even harder to get your clients to actually write one. But testimonials are great selling tools on websites, blogs, print ads and direct mail pieces, and even Facebook.

Here are a few tips for getting quality testimonials.

1. Ask each client for “Feedback” after every successful remodeling project
The trick to this approach is not to use the word “testimonial”. The word “testimonial” implicitly implies that the client should heap praise upon you whereas “feedback” indicates that a fair and balanced response is appropriate. And while you secretly do hope that the client will heap praise on your remodeling business, you want them to feel comfortable enough to do so.

2. Make the “Feedback” process easy
 Send every client a survey or evaluation form via email after the completion of every job. Word the questions on the survey carefully so that, in a pinch, you can use the survey responses as brief testimonials. Be sure to include a few open ended questions where the client can write in responses.

A few Questions to ask:

• What was their house like before they used your remodeling services?

• What was it like working with you?

• What specific results did they get from their home remodel?

• How did you compare in price to other companies they contacted?


3. Send a “Thank You"
Mail your customers a thank you card for doing business with you. In the card, ask if they would mind providing you with feedback via any method (mail, email, phone) that would be convenient for them.

4. Follow-up by telephone.
 If your client has not responded to your survey or thank you letters, attempt to contact them by telephone. Ask for a few minutes to discuss their satisfaction with your home remodeling services. Take note of positive comments and use these in your testimonials.

5. If all else fails—offer incentives
If the above methods do not produce results, try offering incentives to customers who provide feedback. Incentives could involve discounts off future services, gift cards, or other inexpensive items. Remember, this is an incentive for their time not as payment for inflated or unmerited praise.

6. Ask if you can use it
Once you get positive feedback from a client make sure to ask for permission to use it as a testimonial.

RemodelerPro makes getting testimonials easy. Our simple to use survey feature allows you to connect with each client after every remodeling job.

How do you choose a project management solution?

There is no question—choosing to switch your business from a pencil and paper, Microsoft Office, or other archaic combinations of software/hardware/overflowing files to one streamlined project management system is overwhelming.

The choices are many—one program does this, this one does that, the other one integrates with this, but this one has free support. Every website is filled with superlatives: fastest, greatest, best. But with so many project management programs out there (all claiming to be the best) how do you choose the solution which is a good fit for your remodeling or construction business?

Constructech, the tech magazine for the construction industry, gives a few good ideas for choosing the right project management system (which we have elaborated on). They recommend:


1. Identify the purpose for putting the system in place.
Essentially, why do you need it and what are you going to do with it? What areas of your business do you struggle with? Leads and marketing? Tracking and managing project schedules? Client communications? Bidding and Estimating? Every program on the market will approach these (and other) issues differently. The key is to list what you really need before you decide which programs to consider.

2. Generate a list of targeted products and establish key benefits.
Remember the list you created? Apply that list to the various software solutions on the market. How many meet your criteria? How many meet your criteria and are cost effective for your business? Ignore things like bells and whistles, fancy websites, and appealing incentives. The only programs which should go on your list are those that offer the functionality that you deem essential to running a profitable business.

3) Make a selection based on research, testing, and evaluations.
Once you have narrowed down your list to project management solutions which meet your criteria, start investigating your options. Check out websites. Take demos. Talk to sales reps. At this point—the product offering is probably pretty similar. Service and price may be the only things which separate one software company from the next. Look for service benefits like phone support, free webinars, free trials, and money back guarantees. Look for a pricing structure which is affordable, that avoids limits on the number of jobs per month, that doesn’t demand huge set-up fees.

A Picture is Worth One Thousand Dollars

We have all heard the saying “A picture is worth 1,000 words" but for a home remodeler or contractor, a picture might be worth a $1,000 or more.

Humans are visual creatures that like to see and touch before they buy, and for a home remodeler who provides building services, it can be difficult to provide new clients with a concrete reason to choose your company over the guy down the street. But one really good way to show potential clients the quality of your work is through photographs.

A few weeks ago we talked in depth about reasons why it was important to have a website and an online portfolio of your project photos. But what we didn’t do was show you how great RemodelerPro’s website portfolio viewer really looked.

Imagine portfolio photos like this on your website. You could include before and after photos, a gallery of completed kitchens, bathrooms, or additions.

When you complete a home remodel for a client, you have not only performed a service for them but created a tangible product that can be seen and touched. With RemodelerPro's easy to use website and online portfolio viewer, you can show off your craftsmanship and construction skills to potential clients before you even meet them.

Manage and Track your Schedule like a Pro

Successful project completion almost always comes down to scheduling. Working around your client’s and subcontractor’s schedules and planning for material ordering and lead time can be challenging. Time is money and managing your time is equivalent to managing your money. Manage your project schedule poorly, and your profits will disappear.

Ways RemodelerPro can keep you on track:

•Utilize our smart calendar utility to help you schedule and manage all crucial components of your project.
•Create customizable online calendars for every project.
•View calendars and schedules by day, week, or month.
•View all of your project schedules at-a-glance. This feature lets you see where scheduling conflicts exist and helps you to better manage your resources.
•Filter calendars by appointment or job.
•Use templates to create and store similar projects to be used again and again.
•Allow clients secure access to view their project timeline, calendars, and to-do lists.
•Assign tasks to resources and track their schedules right through the calendar.
•Automatically notify subs of schedule changes.