10 Half Truths Builders Should Re-Visit (Part 1)
Building’s a tough industry to work in. So, many builders have built some ‘rules of thumb’ to help them avoid risks. But times (and technology) have changed. So these half-truths are probably costing you.
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We review 10 ‘half-truths’, that have served builders well over the years, to see if they still stack up and where there may be opportunities for those with a more flexible mindset.
Here are the first 5 (of 10):
Half-Truth 1. If They Can’t Afford It – Run!
Many builders we interviewed had a hard and fast rule: If you suspect they can’t afford it – drop ‘em and run.
Historically, this has saved builders from burning countless hours on clients who will never be able to afford their project.
But this approach is now obsolete and costs builders for two reasons:
- If 70% of prospects can’t afford their project, half of these people would be open to a reduced scope to meet their budget. That is, one in three clients (35%) who approach you can still be profitable clients – if you manage the scope/budget conversation with them
- Technology now enables you to estimate, then re-estimate project costs in just 15 minutes from your desktop – so this can be done easily.
For more information, see Stop Throwing Away Half Your Best Leads
Half-Truth 2. Architectural Jobs are Nightmares
It’s true. Architectural jobs can be tough.
Maintaining design intent, unfamiliar construction contracts and stage completion authority from a third party can all be foreign territory to builders who aren’t set up for architectural work.
This coupled with many builders’ experience of being used as quote fodder makes some builders rightfully wary of architects.
But what if you could identify the architects and designers that are a perfect fit for you?
If you had a system to identify the architects who love what you do and how you do it – without all the risks of wasting your time and effort?
Would that make a difference?
To see how to do this check out How to Win More Custom Design Jobs Easily
Half-Truth 3. You Never Know What a Client’s Gonna be Like
Quite rightly, many builders work cautiously through their projects, gradually getting to know how their client will react to good news, bad news and anything in between.
While no one has a crystal ball, there are ways for you to run ‘mini test projects’ with your prospective clients BEFORE you commit to their build.
By contracting for a small engagement, you’ll get to understand how they think, operate and respond to a variety of circumstances.
Best of all, a pre-build engagement is no extra work and will position you as the preferred builder should you want the project.
To learn how, see How (& Why) to Charge for Pre-Build Engagement
Half-Truth 4. If They Don’t Pick Up & Answer, They’ll Call You Back
How often do you get a missed call but you don’t know who it’s from?
Do you call them back? Probably not.
Clients are the same. If you don’t leave a message, they’re unlikely to call you back.
At best they’ll forget about you. At worst, they’ll think you’ve disrespected them by not bothering to leave a message and simply move onto the next builder.
Leave a message, explaining why you’ve called so that they can organise an informed response when they come back to you.
It saves time for you and them.
Half-Truth 5. Learning New Technology is a Pain
Yeah. It can be.
But a builder we interviewed shared a simple, effective rule.
He said if he can’t learn – or feel confident – with a new technology in the first hour, he walks away.
With this approach, he frees himself up to free-trial more technology solutions for builders because he knows when to let go – to stop investing his time.
The new tech available to builders is growing and can often save untold grief in growing your business.
Implement this rule and you’ll quickly discover the productive technologies that genuinely save your time.
You Might Also Like:
- Builders, Get Your Pricing Right Every-time – No More Under-Quoting
- Transform Your Building Business in 43 Mins (webinar)
- How (& Why) to Charge for First Client Meetings
- Take a Free Trial of ProCalc
- Stop All Free Client Meetings – Charge Upfront
- Want more tips like these? Attend the Webinar: Work Smarter, Not Harder
Richard Armstrong is a former registered builder who recently interviewed hundreds of experienced Australian builders to identify how they best manage clients, budgets and profitability.
