First Meeting With Client

Boogga

What do you give out to people when you first meet with them on site for a quote?

__________________

"It's better to die on your feet than to live on your knees"

silvertree

Eye contact, a smile and a firm handshake.

Brian

I give them a packet of information that includes:

A business card
Our certificate of insurance
References
Contractor comparison sheet
Our warranties
Past issues of our newsletter
Some other general information

We put it all in a pocket folder and I give it to the customer right before I leave.

Many, many times when I return to review my proposal with them, they pull out that folder and have all of their other bids in it. My folder becomes their point of reference for their project.

Sales is primarily customer education.

Brian Phillips

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Houston Interior Painting
Houston Exterior Painting
Houston Painting Contractor

MattCoops

We have brochures that tell about our company and the products we use.
A warranty certificate.
Stuff from the BBB
An article: "Price vs Quality"

Sometimes we leave tile samples with them. If we have others in stock we can use.

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Matt with Cupan Custom Tile & Paint of Lowell, Massachusetts
Design and installation of ceramic tile and natural stone for floor, wall, and countertops
(978) 601-8774 | cupantile@gmail.com | view tile pictures and more

Cole

I could not agree more!

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Tulsa's Leader in Outdoor Living Construction | Facebook | Tulsa Pergola Builder | Tulsa Outdoor Kitchens

GCC

MattCoops I Would love to read "Price vs Quality" article

wackman

Ditto! I've been looking for something like that.

silvertree

Please answer me this.
On the first visit we decide if the customer is a good fit (at least for remodeling). At this time I don't leave anything behind. After the initial visit and when I make my presentation is when I give out a very nice Silvertree Construction folder, with a couple of the items you mention. Also at this time
I mention how my folder becomes the job site folder where we put all paperwork and communication for the remodel. This seems to bring it all together for me, I am closing at this time. I used to sell for another company and we left folders at the first visit. Do you think leaving more than a business card on the first visit gives you an edge?

A.W.Davis

I do the same and all I can is say is.......it couldnt hurt!

I have landed a handfull of jobs after handing out my portfolio/references folder to leads and was told after I start there remodel that they admired my proffesional attitude, my organization and attention to detail.

First impressions are a critical time....why sell yourself short?

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A.W. Davis Construction Co.
http://www.awdavisconstruction.com/
Your friendly remodeling contractor

RobertCDF

I do the folder with these:

Business card
Brochure from Colorado Deck and Framing
Brochures from Correct Deck
Letter to homeowners from our building department
Refrence list

I very often see my folders with everything for the project in it when I come back the second time.

Edit to add:

Just Friday I met with someone I signed a contract with already to go over colors and rail options for next week. She pulls out the folder and I see that she called EVERY person on my ref list. So I asked her about it and she told me that every person she talked to loved me. And that is why she chose me.

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Robert Shaw
Colorado Springs Custom Decks
Colorado Custom Decks
Custom Composite Decks

Boogga

Brian,

How do you compose and what do you include in your "Contractor Comparison Sheet"?

Robert,

What is your "Letter to homeowners from our building department"? In general terms, how is it written?

Very interested, thanks.

__________________

"It's better to die on your feet than to live on your knees"

Brian

It's basically a 4 column page. In the first column we list things the customer should consider when hiring a contractor, such as: insurance, time in business, written proposal, material specifications, membership in trade groups/ BBB, etc.

We then list our answers to all of these issues in one column. The other two columns are for the customer to write down the answers from other contractors. This gives the customer a pretty easy way to compare each company.

Brian Phillips

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Houston Interior Painting
Houston Exterior Painting
Houston Painting Contractor

silvertree

When all is said and done, $5.00 my cost for a nice folder is pretty cheap. I will take some clues from you guys and rethink my handouts. I just wouldn't want the handout to sound preachy. Having said that, there is a lot of free information you can give out to people. I hired my first full time salesman 3 years ago and he came from a company that did a handout package. He put one together for us that looked real good, he's gone down the road, but I still have all the materials from that.

kevjob

we give out a glossy folder with insurance, licenses, references and warranty information, also gives them somehwere to put my bid when I come back to present the bid.

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Kevin
Basement Finishing Highlands Ranch Colorado
Littleton Colorado, Basement Remodeling
Kitchen Remodeling Denver

buildenterprise

Where are you guys getting your printed materials, like the glossy folders/portfolios?

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ApgarNJ

Im so glad this thread came up because other than my business cards, i dont really hand out much on the first visit, some of those people you never see again. I get a lot of my jobs from word of mouth, and so the people know they want me to do the work. I do need to take some time though to think about what to hand out. I do want to have brochures made up with color photos of job, along with what jobs we do, maybe some customer referral quotes, and really sell the kind of quality that we do.
I don't have a fulltime sales person and at this time, never really want that. I like people to see my face, and meet me first to know who I am and how professional the company is. this is something I really need to work on.
a nice packet with the right info in it, can really go a long way with a new customer. this winter, with some possible down days due to weather, is a good time to get things like this done.

silvertree

I wont give a folder out to all the prospects I meet, only if I think there might be something there. As for a salesman, I hired my first full time salesman 3 years ago and it was a bad thing. I would do it again maybe, but I would be much more diligent in my interview and I would do a background check.

CWCinNJ

I give the potential client my full attention. I do not bring cell phones, pagers or anything that will create a distraction. Listen carefully, ask many questions, show interest even excitement over the project. Never act superior, condescending. I have never given out folders, brochures, references or business cards. I am rarely asked for any. I am there because they want me to do the job, they know me. Word of mouth and a job sign in tight knit communities is the only advertisement I have ever used. Build your spotless reputation on quality, honesty and you will stand taller than any of your competition. I use this first meeting to qualify the client. An initial construction sales meeting is not about my firm being good enough, it can and should be about determining if the client is sincere or just shopping.

ApgarNJ

CWC, couldn't agree more. exactly how i have run things. put the cell phone on vibrate or leave it in the truck. most of mine client if not all are word of mouth. no ads in the phonebook. all you get are price shoppers imo when you do that. also depends on your type of business. some people who have fast turn around jobs or are in the service type business, they need that phone book ad to really get a lot of calls each day.

Flacan

Great thread.

The question of what to bring to the initial meeting depends on your business.
Factors such as, size of operation, time in business, expansion plans, etc, will determine your approach.

My opinion is that, it cannot hurt to give out information, even if you think it may not be necessary. Although the first meeting is to qualify the client, leaving a package at the end of that meeting to those that qualify will leave a good taste in the potential customer's mouth.

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Raimo Kumpulainen
Those who don't remember the past, are condemned to repeat it.