Horror Stories & photographs

[Sonny Lykos]

Started this because of the comment I made on another post about doing this.

1. Start (if you haven't already) photographing problem areas of homes, even those of trades work you don't do.

2. Create a 3-ring binder with tabs by trade.

3. Insert the photos with comments about the why, but don't get too descriptive in the "why" it happened.

The results of buying price !!!!!!!!!!!!!! And tell that to them.

Here's an example of the bath gut and remodel job we just started. Metal pan in the shower that only came up about 3" and stopped at the top if the curb on it's inside. One side of the shower butts into a platform tub, also rotted away.

[Mark Parlee]

Sonny

I do use this info and pictures of things I find to sell the jobs
Here are a couple

One is of the outside before we removed the OSB or should I say
(vertical mulch) the other is what we found under

they are in reverse order

[tayriver]

That's an excellent idea!

At what point in the sales phase do you make the presentation?

I find that even some of my existing customers become apathetic about the whole 'quality' thing. I can tell that even though they've had negative (or disturbing) experiences, they question whether quality practices are worthwhile. Do you guys also revisit this theme with existing customers? If so, how?

Didn't someone on here set up a blog with photos of really bad construction practices?

I'll sometimes mention a deck ledger failure to customers - I find these compelling because they can kill people.

Also, if anyone read Bruce Torrey's JLC article from last month, I checked out his website and he's got some interesting photos:
http://buildingdiagnosticshelp.com/
Check out his blog for a pretty gross photo of improperly vented exhaust fans.
Jesse

[Sonny Lykos]

The reports Mark gives to his customers are gorgeous. There are two of them on Mark Buckshon’s blog. So he’s already far ahead in doing something like my suggestion.

Jesse, I would bring up “people who take short cuts” and “do things home owners never see” during an appropriate part of the initial meeting. After to talk about how you things strictly according to manufactures specs. And as an after thought: “Let me get something out of my truck I want you to see.”

“Here’s what often happens when some home owners think they will save some money. So much for saving.”

Develop your own sales presentation of when to bring up the subject and show them the photos.

personally I rarely use the word “quality” any more, because it’s been cheapened my many contractors. So in today's market it almost means nothing. Instead, I talk about doing things correctly and without taking short cuts and using cheap materials.

“For example, whether you use $10K in kitchen cabinets or $50K, they still must be installed in a certain manner, using the proper screws, proper shims, etc.”

Here’s what happens when not only the proper steps are not followed, but the proper materials are also not uses. So what money was saved by this home owner?”

[Mark Parlee]

Here is the link that takes you to Mark Buckshon's blog

The report Sonny mentions is in here
You will have to find it on your own; the reason I am not pointing you right to it is it does us all good to read and this is all good.

http://constructionmarketingideas.bl...8%3A00-08%3A00

[BathRenewal]

This is an excellent post. This is the PRICE VS COST close that is so wonderfully illustrated by Zig Ziglar (if you don't have his sales training stuff you need it, because it's applicable no matter what you do).

I've used this approach many times. I had a customer whom we gave a quote to fix a problem in their shower for $600. Another guy quoted $200. The other guy got the job. Four months later the whole thing failed and the customer called me back out. I "undid" the other guys "work" and fixed the problem and still only charged the $600 because I felt sorry for the guy (I know! I know! I'm a softy and I should have charged a "stupid tax").

I tell the prospect, "Mr Prospect that guy's price was $200, but his COST was $50 per month. Now that job I did will likely last the next 20 years, but let's just say it will last only five. So my price was $600, but my COST was at most $10 per month. So Mr. Prospect let me ask you, are you looking for the best PRICE or would you like the best COST?"


As a side note, I have to watch being critical of other peoples work when I'm pricing a job. I really stuck my foot in my mouth when I said that "someone must have had manure for brains for leave this tile job like this." To which he replied that it was his brother, have a nice day. Of course I was much younger then.

[Publisher1]

Thanks, Mark, for the link to my blog -- to make it a little easier to find the relevant images, I've posted this: http://constructionmarketingideas.bl...f-words-2.html

[tayriver]

Originally Posted by Sonny Lykos

Jesse, I would bring up “people who take short cuts” and “do things home owners never see” during an appropriate part of the initial meeting. After to talk about how you things strictly according to manufactures specs. And as an after thought: “Let me get something out of my truck I want you to see.”

Develop your own sales presentation of when to bring up the subject and show them the photos.

personally I rarely use the word “quality” any more, because it’s been cheapened my many contractors. So in today's market it almost means nothing. Instead, I talk about doing things correctly and without taking short cuts and using cheap materials.

“For example, whether you use $10K in kitchen cabinets or $50K, they still must be installed in a certain manner, using the proper screws, proper shims, etc.”

Here’s what happens when not only the proper steps are not followed, but the proper materials are also not uses. So what money was saved by this home owner?”

Sonny - sounds like something that would work well during the initial sales meeting. I'm pretty bad at those, but I've been trying to work in a bunch of the themes that you discuss - getting paid for consultations, distinguishing yourself. Not my forte, but probably worthwhile.

I agree about the quality thing - which was partly why I liked being able to provide specific info on our blog. I've probably met a handful of guys honest enough to say they aren't quality. Everyone else is a 'quality parrot'.

Originally Posted by Mark Parlee

Here is the link that takes you to Mark Buckshon's blog

The report Sonny mentions is in here
You will have to find it on your own; the reason I am not pointing you right to it is it does us all good to read and this is all good.

http://constructionmarketingideas.bl...8%3A00-08%3A00

Mark - that report is awesome! How much do you think it contributes to sealing the deal?
Jesse

[Mark Parlee]

Jesse

It has a way of setting me apart from any others that may be trying to propose the same thing. We have to remember there are many parrots out there with the “Quality Theme”
They would not know quality if it smacked them upside the head. They are also in it for just the money
I give my potential future clients a reference list and invite them to call and look at the jobs we have done. I have a “check us out” sheet with My states’ courts online link and invite them to look us up and see that we are or haven’t been sued and are not suing anyone; unlike some of my competitors.
From the clients perspective; they very seldom know as much as they think they know about owning and maintaining a home. That’s where we come in; and if we don’t give them something to set ourselves apart, they pretty much only have price to do that for them. When I am making my presentation I use everything at my current disposal. I say current because next week I may come up with a new tool to put in my arsenal.
I sit down with them and read every word of my proposal, this way I find and address any errors I may have made and address any questions that may come up.
I speak of how we dominate their space, our start and stop time, My having a port-a-potty onsite, I even offer to let them use it on occasion, this usually gets a laugh; it’s all about a trusting relationship.
To my report; you thought I forgot didn’t you!
The report contains pictures of what is wrong, how we are going to fix it via examples of how we have addressed the same issues in the past, and others solutions or lack thereof to the same problem, normally it is the lack thereof I can show and it may be on a house in their area that I have snapped a picture of.
I also print a cut-sheet of various products I use and as I am going over the proposal and report I pull this out and refer to it and talk about why I use this vs. another similar product.
A lot of how I present is because of my dialog with Sonny and a few others on this forum over the years; it really is a synergy of sorts.
If you are thinking of doing anything like this get a good SLR digital camera and a color laser printer; these have made a big difference in the look of my presentations
I show up with fifty pages of info in my presentation folder I leave with them and the competition, strike that we will just call them “the others” show up with a page or two and say “really, we will do a good job”

Originally Posted by tayriver

Mark - that report is awesome! How much do you think it contributes to sealing the deal?
Jesse

I don't know how much specifically; it is a whole package

[Sonny Lykos]

And that, family, is how one brother really defines the term: "Professional."

To the "T"

[Sonny Lykos]

Mmmmm. 378 "views", eh? Hope you lurkers are realizing the importance of this. Sales tool 1st. Marketing tool 2nd.