I’m a big baseball fan. Jump back in time with me. The biggest free agent on the baseball market in 2010, Cliff Lee, turned down more money from the Yankees — $30 million more — and signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, a team for which he had once briefly played. When explaining his decision, Lee said: “It’s plenty of money. When you hit a certain point, enough’s enough. It’s just a matter of where you’re comfortable, where you’re happy, and what team gives you the best chance to win. That’s really it.”
There are several lessons there, but here’s one that I’ll tie into your remodeling business: Relationships mean everything.
Your ideal remodeling prospects are a lot like Lee; they want to work with someone they know, like, and trust. It’s not all about the lowest price; it’s about their relationship and comfort level with you.
How can you form a stronger relationship with your prospects?
- Take them out to one of your jobsites so they can see your work.
- Organize and invite them to a homeowner seminar on the “5 Keys to Successful Remodeling” (or give them a free report on the same subject).
- Listen to them and ask plenty of great questions.
- Send a thank-you note after the initial meeting.
- Return calls and emails quickly.
Sometimes we forget that it’s really all about the relationship. The example of Cliff Lee reminds us. Spend more time building relationships, proving how you are different and more valuable, and you’ll win more business at a higher margin. —Kyle Hunt, a Detroit Tigers fan, owns Remodel Your Marketing. [email protected]
More REMODELING articles about building trust and client relationships:
Clients for Life: Building a Client Relationship for the Long Term
Buying Design/Build: a Case Study — Columnist Linda Case becomes a design/build client and dissects the relationship that unfolds
Long Goodbye: Turn a Negative Remark Into a Learning Experience
