Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words. Several years ago we had our basement waterproofed prior to having it remodeled. The winning contractor’s presentation was a bit unique. He showed me the mechanics, with pictures, of how they were going to accomplish the task. The first photo showed a technician jack hammering the cement floor about 12 inches from the wall. He explained how they were going to remove the floor, put in a channel, pour cement over it and literally force my basement to leak. The channel was going to lead to a newly installed sump pump that would then pump the water safely outside the house. He showed me pictures of each step.
The contractor also showed me pictures of his techs placing the cement and mud into buckets that were handed to a second tech outside the basement window plus pictures of all necessary materials coming through the basement window. He explained how important it was to not track dirt through my home. My wife liked that a lot! He also offered a lifetime waterproofing certificate on the house that not only covered our ownership but included future owners, as well.
The pictures he showed me literally helped me understand the waterproofing process while, at the same time, justifying his eventual price. The pictures told the story and the contract was signed.
What may seem like a simple, easy-to-understand installation process to you is not necessarily the case with your customer. If you “show” them the process, it can often be the difference between finalizing the sale or not! As you show the potential customer how you are going to do the work, be sure to spend a few extra minutes to explain how your installation is unique among contractors that do similar work. Like my basement contractor, the photos might just tip the scale in your favor when the final decision is made.
Making a great presentation, and selling the job, is great. However, the real question is “Was the job priced correctly?” The best way to be 100% confident you are priced correctly is to model your company, by department, on our Labor Pricing for a Profit software. Keep in mind the most profitable companies within the trades industry are run by owners who understand the numbers. Modeling your company can be a tremendous aid in terms of setting the stage for profitable growth in the future.
