You are small home renovations builder with a largely local clientele. Your customers include existing home, units and townhouse owners looking to renovate their homes. To date your customers are mainly word of mouth or by advertising in the local paper. But times are tough and your future bookings are looking lean. This strategy identifies how to turn yourself into the builder of choice when it comes to home renovations and get the phone ringing!

Who is your customer?

You are small home renovations builder with a largely local clientele. Your customers include existing home, units and townhouse owners looking to renovate their homes. The target customer profile is therefore anybody who is seeking to renovate either part or the whole of their house.

What is the best thing you can do for that customer?

Renovations are dirty and messy, noisy and difficult to live with. They usually end up disrupting the home owners established routine and this is the main reason why most people choose to put off renovations until absolutely necessary. To become a preferred contractor you need to ensure that you make the entire renovating experience clean, quick, organized and hassle-free for the client. Affordability is also important so that more people are willing to dip into their savings for what may be more beautification rather than essential.

How are you going to do it?

Become the go-to-guy for "No-Hassles" home renovations. Create a package that offers your clients flexibility and quality work without breaking the bank balance.

Consider offering the following services:

Work during hours that suit the customer

Employ dust minimization techniques – screening etc.

Use low hazard chemicals

Keep the site clean.

Where possible, complete one area before moving to another so as to minimize disruption.

Where possible, use environmentally friendly materials.

When using noisy machines, warn the owners in advance to give them time to leave the house if they want to, and if necessary ensure that neighbors are also informed.

Always try to include a guaranteed completion date in the contract.

Anything else you can think of.

Create a database of all your old customers and invite them to subscribe to your periodical newsletter on home renovation and maintenance tips.

Ensure your website notes your "No-Hassles" renovation package and include pictures and details of past projects as well as testimonials from happy clients.

Increase you database by targeting areas with older homes in your town / city and send a direct mail about your "No-hassles" service. Invite them to go to your website and register if they would like to receive your newsletter on home renovations or information about special offers and rebates on contractual fees.

Use your website and newsletter to invite no obligations queries and to offer free quotes and initial estimations basis client’s needs.

Don’t forget to say thank you?

Every registrant for the newsletter gets a thank you email.

As part of the registration form ask a few simple questions:

Which part of the house are they considering renovating?

What is holding them back from renovating their home – lack of time / too expensive/can’t decide on a new look, etc?

What factors do they consider when selecting a builder- price, track record, friends reference, reputation, turnaround time, etc?

Where did they hear about you?

When to communicate with your members

Become the "expert" - Your newsletter is your sales tool and a showcase of your expertise in all matters related to the latest trends in construction. Use it to provide your database with interesting hints and tips on everything from color schemes to pictures of the latest in kitchen designs, showcase the latest trends in home décor as well as tips on how to care for your woodwork, flooring, etc. Include key messages on your special No-Hassles renovation package and showcase pictures of recently completed projects.

You could also Email special offers and rebates on your builder fees before times when you are traditionally quiet.

How do you measure success?

Conduct a wide scale survey of all past customers to judge their level of satisfaction with your service. Incentivize survey completion with a special voucher for dinner for two at a local restaurant.

Build Build Build - Gauge how many sign up from the direct mail and repeat in different areas and with varying messages, until you find the formula that works.

The final proof of success is if you are busier with more clients and making more money!