Thad Adams, who started in the construction industry while building decks during college, says that he loves his educated, Internet-savvy clients. “If they’re better educated,” Adams says, “it helps me sell work. They speak with me and realize I know my stuff.”
As a member of The Energy Pros, a group dedicated to educating the public about the benefits and strategies of high-performing homes, Adams has found a niche with those educated consumers.
His eagerness and ability to engage and converse with potential clients helps at home shows, as well, where Adams has found success by connecting with homeowners one on one. “We usually get about 40 leads at each show and set about 25 appointments before people even leave the booth,” he says. About 30% of those leads become jobs.
Adams views his team as a group of experts and says he prefers that they are not “jacks of all trades.” The company’s current focus: enhancing systems to improve communication in the field.
BEST PRACTICES
- Offers training and education for employees. The company has received its lead paint certification, and two employees are now certified renovators.
- Has a paid ad on Facebook.
- Differentiates itself in the market by having a showroom, which most of the company’s competitors lack.
- Has been using green practices for many years and has recently been offering more green products.
- Is working on quicker estimate turn-around times.
Short-term goals: maintain sales growth and contain costs during a meager economic recovery period.
- Stacey Freed