Free Advice - The Trades Coach

Apr222024

Lead generation for construction businesses

A comment I hear from a lot of people in the construction industry at the moment is that the market is significantly quieter than last year and they need to increase the flow of sales leads. Those business owners who have invested time and money into their marketing over the years are a lot better off, but many people rely too heavily on word-of-mouth marketing for their opportunities.

While a solid, long-term marketing plan is best, for those who need more leads quickly, I have outlined a few options in this article to broaden your marketing reach and support word-of-mouth referrals.

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Feb202024

Using stories to sell your services

If you operate in the residential construction space you need to be aware that emotions play an important role in how your customers connect with you. You need to connect first at the emotional level and using stories is a great way to do this.

Best of all your past customers become your extra sales team and will have much better credibility in the eyes of prospective customers than you will.

Click on the picture below to start the video

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Feb152024

Risk management – Getting the balance right

The construction game is a risky one. Probably don’t have to tell you that but it needs saying and it also needs to be proactively managed. On the other hand it can be a very rewarding industry and you can have a great life if done well…..and a bit of luck. No business however is risk-free.

Part of your role as a business owner is to think about the risks in your particular part of the market, prioritise what risks to reduce first and put processes in place to manage those risks. Also decide on what level of risk you are comfortable with and not try to reduce all risks to zero. Here are the seven most important areas of risk for a construction company and some strategies for managing them effectively

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Dec132023

An end to free quotes

If you are in the residential market and still providing free quotes, you should stop. It’s called free consulting, and you won’t be successful giving away your time. Doctors don’t. If you have had the unfortunate need to visit a specialist medical consultant to discuss a problem and consider a potential course of treatment, they will probably charge you between $500 and $1,000 an hour for the privilege of their advice. It is unlikely your hourly rate is that high, but you are still providing a similar advisory service to your potential customer.

In providing a quote to a potential customer, you may be doing everything from putting together some initial numbers to providing some preliminary design work and saving the customer significant money through your experience. Learn how to start charging for your quotes and increase your sense of worth.

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Oct302023

The Ant or Grasshopper Marketing Strategy

Like the Aesop fable The Ant and the Grasshopper, it is the ant that survives the winter because he spent the nice summer weather gathering food in preparation, while the grasshopper spent his time singing.

That’s the same problem if you have no marketing strategy in place. There is a habit of many business owners in the trades to just take what the market dishes up and not put some proactive systems in place to generate work. “I get all my work from word-of-mouth”. That’s great when WoM is working, but what if it isn’t? What’s the back-up plan? Usually there is none. This is particularly true when you are busy, or the market is stronger and the perceived need to generate leads is less. Before the economic winter arrives you should review your marketing strategy and make some changes.

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Oct272023

Marketing in a softer market

The market in New Zealand for construction services is definitely softer than it has been in recent years. With the rapid increase in interest rates and people spending their money on other things, like international travel, the demand for new home builds and renovations has reduced.

It is likely that this will continue for the next 12 months and so it has become more important to review your marketing and improve your lead generation performance. This video goes into what you can do in the short term and make the best of what you have, at the lowest cost possible.

Click on the picture below to start the video

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Sep172023

Importance of good website design

In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is vital for the success of any business. A well-designed and user-friendly website can be a powerful tool for attracting customers, boosting brand credibility, and driving conversions. While DIY website builders like Wix and Squarespace offer convenience and affordability, there are compelling reasons why companies should opt for the services of a professional web design company. In this article, we will explore the key advantages of choosing a proper web design company over these DIY platforms. Read more……

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Sep52023

Digital Advertising 101

As a business owner in today’s fast-paced online landscape, you can’t afford to ignore the power of digital marketing. Google and Meta (Facebook, Messenger and Instagram) are the two giants in the digital advertising world, offering a range of advertising options to help you reach your target audience quickly and effectively. Before diving headfirst into these platforms however, it’s essential to understand the basic strategies that can help you make the most of your digital advertising budget. You can waste a lot of money on digital advertising so it’s important to understand the key strategies that every small business owner should know before investing your hard-earned money and time.

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Sep52023

How to build a strong value proposition

If you want to want a strong value proposition that makes people want to do business with you, you need to do much more than write a short fancy sentence…or even a long sentence. While you can sum it up, the summary itself doesn’t carry much weight. Your actual value proposition needs to be woven into the DNA of your business and your relationships with customers. Only then can you start to communicate it to the market through your advertising/marketing.

Read about what make a powerful Value Proposition here.

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Sep52023

Mental Health Challenges for Business Owners

If you take notice of the safety briefing at the start of every flight, the flight attendant tells you to fit your own oxygen mask first before helping anyone you are traveling with. Seems a bit self centred, but you aren’t much good to those depending on you if you are not in the best position to help them. The same applies to mental health I believe, and as it’s Suicide Awareness week this month, maybe you should think about your own needs in this space for a change.

The Mental Health Foundation has some great resources that can be used in the workplace to proactively manage the issue of mental health. And, its Five Ways of Wellbeing offer constructive, positive advice for managing your wellbeing now and in the year ahead.

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