Have you ever worked really hard to win a project and then lost the bid? Have you ever wished you knew a way to get people to refer you more easily?  You may think you deliver a great product and great service, but do you know what your customers actually thinks?  Below is a post from my associate Marcia Yudkin, where she talks about the results of a survey done with homeowners as it relates to contractors’ credibility in the minds of customers.  Having worked with many successful contractors over the past 25+ years, I can tell you that the responses were spot on! 

“With the help of the polling company Zogby, the online firm Invoice2go surveyed American homeowners to answer the question “What actions boost home contractors’ credibility in the minds of customers?”  These four top responses emerged:

• Cleaning up after a job: 85%
• Showing up on time: 84%
• Presenting a professional estimate: 78%
• Collecting and providing receipts: 61%

These findings have broader implications.  Conducting oneself responsibly plays a vital role in clients’willingness to remain a customer and refer you to others.

You might imagine that things like neatness, punctuality and transparent billing go without saying in your industry, but I rather doubt that, judging from the comments I receive from clients when I call them for an appointment exactly on time.

Losing files or emails, coming unprepared to a meeting, being easily distracted, ignoring voicemails, badmouthing others – these are other tendencies that trigger concerns for customers.

If you have all such matters squared away yet your talent or skill is just average, you’ll probably make a decent living in today’s competitive marketplace.  With all-around excellence, of course, you’ll really stand out!”     This post is from Marcia Yudkin, Marketing Expert & Mentor.  You can subscribe to her blog (one of the blest I get!) at:   http://www.yudkin.com/markmin.htm.

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What do you think would happen if you started focusing on the above four items in your business? Would your close rate improve?  Would you possibly get more referrals?

Have an extraordinary day!

Vicki