Does this sound familiar? “I don’t have time to learn a CRM system, I’m too busy.”
That’s awesome, but what happens when you aren’t busy, at least not “making money” busy.
It’s amazing, but in 2017, many contractors are still too “busy” with their business to implement a Customer Relationship Management tool (CRM) in their business. There are a whole host of articles on how awesome CRM systems are. But, truthfully, the system is only as good as the company that uses it. Gold in, Gold out. Garbage in… well, you get it.
So, instead of simply adding to your work (load), let’s instead look at one specific business and what they have done to be successful (without adding more work).
The Board Store Home Improvement’s is a Wisconsin based remodeler that does several things well:
- They do gorgeous work
- They offer multiple services (windows, bathrooms, kitchens, sunrooms, and “age-in-home” products).
- They are easy to find online and have a great site and social media presence.
Because of this, they have been able to achieve quite a lot for a remodeler in a town of 60,000 people, including approximately $5 million in revenue in 2016.
They do this because:
- Their work earns them referrals and testimonials. This makes selling much simpler.
- Their diversified offering, allows them to enter the same home over and over again, supporting their homeowner at various stages of their life and home ownership
- They are a Big 50 Remodeler…one of the top remodelers in the country, a bell cow for the industry.
But, if you look above, it’s interesting…because it might not seem like The Board Store does much differently than many other contractors.
Why have they been so much more successful than other contractors who do great work, offer multiple services and have a great physical and web presence?
It’s pretty simple really. The Board Store maximizes its opportunities:
- They have the discipline to do great work, AND THEN consistently solicit and secure testimonials from happy customers. Then they use those testimonials in sales presentations, on their website and in other marketing efforts. This is part of a larger focus on connecting with customers through email, gifts, phone calls, etc.
- Because they offer a varied offering, they keep their eyes open for other needs the client has, and then reach out strategically when the client needs that need met.
- They Market with both physical and digital ads that are memorable (if you’re in La Crosse, you can tell the season by the hat that owner, Miles Wilkins is wearing on the companies billboard)
So, any business can do this, right?
That’s what separates a surviving business from a savvy and thriving one. And, that’s where CRM comes into play.
The Board Store Owner and CEO Miles Wilkins says, “Using MarketSharp (CRM) is very straightforward. We no longer have to search for a file on a PC or a document buried in a filing cabinet. We use MarketSharp to track our appointments, close ratios, sold percentages, and more. And we can access it all with a few clicks of a mouse.”
Miles and The Board Store are able to easily use MarketSharp CRM to track their customers, presentations, conversions, etc. The system can do the heavy lifting of remembering contact information, sending out mailings, reminding reps to reach out. Plus, because of their partnerships with 3rd party experts like GuildQuality, the system can also help automate canvassing, customer referrals and testimonials, appointment confirmation via text and a host of other items.
This allows the remodeler to focus on selling, serving and delivering a great product for their customer.
And that’s the point really; making it easier to do what you are great at!
Can you get by without it? Technically, yes. But technically, you can also do construction without that 20v DeWalt hanging off your belt. But, you probably don’t want to.
We’d love to show you more about how MarketSharp CRM is tailor-made to help REMODELER’s make the most of their business. Click here for a Demo!