Age Objections

atticstobasemen

I am 27 years and have been in business for 2 years. I believe I can give you a finished product as good if not better than most everyone. My prices are right in the group. I shave, dress nice in slacks, early for appointments, polite, not pushy, and have a nicer proposal than everyone I have seen. I just lost out on a job because the other guy was "older". How can I over come that objection?

beachremodlr

Maybe it would help to increase the amount or quality of crudentials that you bring to your appt.'s. Im 4 yrs older but havent had that problem, I think I always get the job because my prices are the cheapest, then they get the best work for the best price because I'm not going to do anything half-way or hacklike, Im making myself known for quality everything and I take to much pride in this to short the customer, I'm learnin to bro
Create a Portfolio pics and refl's, Join some related Associations, (BBB) build up your resume for say!

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atticstobasemen

Thank you
I am a memeber of BBB, NARI, and Local Chamber of Commerce. I am enrolled in a ceriftified remodeler course thru NARI. I have a website with pic and references. I hate losing to people that do not live up to expections. I believe I lost out to a higher price on this one.

nadonailer

Do you really think you can provide the same product as a guy with 20 years experience? Maybe on some small easy stuff, but probably not on most tasks. (No offense intended) I agree its not always fair, but it is what it is.... You just need to put in the time, pay your dues etc.... I know I get some jobs due to the 'graybeard factor', and maybe some slick kid can hammer better than me, but can they also run a crew, subs, clients, deal with all the s**t and still be in business years down the road?

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atticstobasemen

no real offense taken.
That being said I can run a crew better, I can schedule better, I can forecast problems better and am ALWAYS on budget. I have great subcontractors that have been doing there trades for many years, so if I don't know the city requires sillcocks on homes built after 1993 than they make sure I do.
I need to be able to over come your "gray beard" and make it about the task at hand. The best finished product.

thom

Don't talk about "I" talk about "WE" it makes you look bigger.

We did that addition.
We built that house.
We will do this.

Show them a scrapbook with pictures and say WE did this.

Then you are part of an organization that is bigger than you and exists beyond you. Age won't be as big an issue.

Teetorbilt

I'm 56 and face the other side of the fence. Too old.

Figure in that I was 'baby faced' and it really added to the difficulties when gaining entrance to the adult world.

You just have jump into the pool. Sink or swim.

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ChrWright

It's hard to say why you lost the sale for certain.

I win a lot of competitive bid projects because I point out details and issues during the bid process that a lot of guys miss--and it's usually a direct result of the volume of work I've done and all of the similar details I've come across throughout my career.

It's not a question of age, but experience. I'm not saying you don't have experience...but you might not be communicating it to your prospects.

I would get over blaming the loss on your age and look very hard at everything you did and said from the beginning. What could you have done differently to better establish your credibility? Is that even the issue?

Small things make a big difference. I recently won a very large project that will mean $200,000+ of work over 18 mos. Another contractor was immediately disqualified when he gave a far too unrealistic appraisal of how long the project would take. Did he know what he was doing? Dunno. Maybe he did and maybe he didn't (most likely he didn't).

He could have been an outstanding craftsman with all of the tools and abilities to make the project successful--but in his eagerness to please he lost the project.

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Mike Finley

A good salesman knows that any weakness can be turned into a stength.

This car is too small -- but it get's great gas mileage.
This care is too big it get's poor gas mileage -- but it's safer than a small car.

Listen more than you talk and answer questions with a question.

Find out what is important to your customer and only focus on that. Don't spend 30 minutes talking about your high quality work to a customer who's biggest concern is getting something done before the kids come back from school.

Sit down and spend a few minutes coming up with the top 10 advantages of being young in this business, then from now on you are armed and dangerous and you will overcome the youth objection if it comes up again.

I'll give you one to start -- "Yep, I'm younger, but you know most of my customers really appreciate the fact that I'm not set in my ways, they appreciate that I spend time learning about new materials and building techniques, that I stay on top of the latest trends. I'm sure you hear the horror stories about contractors, the usual excuse when something goes wrong is 'I've been doing it that way for 30 years.' That's one thing you will never have to worry about when you hire me.

Floordude

You will never overcome it, with that client. Bad thing is, there are many more like them. People truely believe wisdom comes with age and experience, even if that is not true.

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ruskent

I am 21, 22 in a few months. I have almost completed my largest job yet which is in excess of 250k. 3 years ago i started my business and posted this same question here.

You need to learn how to turn every negative into a postive. On bigger projects, most of the time you are up against large well established companies. You need to stress that a smaller company will give them better customer service. That is a big thing. Before you give the customer a price, meet with them as many times as possible to build a relationship.


Man i could write a book about this stuff.

AtlanticWBConst

You are "assuming" it was all about age, but, did you ever stop to think that it may not be about age? The other guy may have just "out-people-skilled" you.

You can be the cleanest cut guy/gal trying to sell the best promises...But, some people are just better at "SALES", than others. Some people know just how to carry themselves, just how to act or speak. They just have the right demeanor....that makes people feel comfortable, and makes people like them.

Example: I have a business partner. The only thing that he knows how to do well (sometimes) is drywall and texturing. I am constantly bailing him out of his own disorganized and messy jobs. He flys by the seat of his pants.

Me: I could blow him away in organizational skills, quality of work, knowledge of the industry, business management, codes, etc...

I get as many construction related jobs as he does, because of what he has taught me over the years about "people".

In a war of winning business accounts or landing jobs: He'd blow me away.
Why?
Because he's a better people person than me. Everyone loves the guy. Aside from his disorganization, he's got no enemies on the face of this planet, and he KNOWS people. He knows what to say, he knows what people want to hear. He puts people at professional ease as soon as walks into a room. They like him, they are comfortable with him.
Many times, our clients have told him, you came in higher than the other guy, but I like you, I feel comfortable with you, I trust you. He's like everyone's brother, son, dad.

Believe it or not, getting jobs, can sometimes be just as much about the "comfort factor" as it is about pricing and work quality, that sways people in their decision, on who they will hirer.

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EricTheHandyman

[quote=AtlanticWBConst;384229]You are "assuming" it was all about age, but, did you ever stop to think that it may not be about age?

That may have just been the excuse that the client gave you. I have lost jobs and been told that I just "wasn't the right fit" for their needs. You cannot be the right guy for the job for every job or every client. Don't sweat it, there are many others out there who will appreciate what you do and are willing to pay for it

AtlanticWBConst

Good Point.

Sometimes when we loose a bid job, I stop to think about the client. Often times, there are some red flags.
It makes me think, that not getting that particular job, may be a blessing in disguise.
They may not have been the right fit for us...

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BMAN

MAYBE YOU CAME OFF AS IMATURE TO THEM? Every customer is different, maybe that was the easiest excuse they could come up with without hurting you feelings.

BattleRidge

I get that all the time, I'm 20, but most think Im about 25 from my looks so that what really counts. I don't have as much of a problem now though it was worse when I was 18, I have a good reputation now so that keeps me more then busy.

I never understood why people rate their project on weather they are 250K or 300K of what. I mean building a small home is a 250 k project.

Marcus W

Perception believe it or not, I might want a contractor with jeans on and some dirt on his truck not saying you dont but you get my point. Where I live I know my surrounding areas affluent, middleclass etc. Realize that this topic like many others we can talk about for hours but this little bit should help.

BID WHAT YOUR WORTH, I HOPE YOU HAVE A HIGH OPINION OF YOURSELF.

buildenterprise

You could always start smoking crack or crystal meth, that ages you pretty quick. Maybe then you'd get some more work, although by then you'll just be working to support your habit.

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Marcus W

Welcome to the real world. I'll solve all of your age problems and won't even charge you here it goes , since you can run crews and schedule better than anybody else why don't you hire a gray beard to talk to the HO.


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Tom R

With 2 years experience 'better' is but your own perception.

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