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Customer Retention with Email 18 Apr 2013 | 11:03 pm
While many painting contractors have come to the conclusion that a web site is a “must have”, few take full advantage of the opportunities that it offers. One of those opportunities is building a cust...
The Customer is Not Always Right 5 Apr 2013 | 10:04 pm
Conventional wisdom holds that the customer is always right. As is often the case, conventional wisdom is wrong. Unfortunately, far too many contractors buy into this faulty view, and in the process, ...
Why Poor Communications are Your Fault 27 Mar 2013 | 09:01 pm
As a contractor for more than 25 years, I have certainly had my share of problems with customers. It would be easy to put the blame on the customer for these problems. But the fact is, many times (if ...
When the Red Flags Flutter 20 Mar 2013 | 09:00 pm
About a month ago, I received a phone call requesting an estimate. The caller wanted to schedule a time that would be convenient for her husband, because he was sure to have a lot of questions. I gene...
A Different Model for Paint Contracting 2 Oct 2012 | 04:07 pm
I’ve often heard it said that there are two types of painting contractors—those who focus on the technical side and those who are more oriented towards marketing and sales. Of course, a successful bus...
Selling a Dream 13 Sep 2012 | 09:50 pm
When we purchase a physical product, such as a truck, spray rig, or ladder, we can see what we are buying. We can touch it, and often, we can even test the product before handing over our money. But i...
Why Customers Focus on Price 25 Jul 2012 | 08:10 pm
Painting contractors frequently complain about customers who focus solely on price, rather than value. While it is easy to blame the customer, contractors are often the ones at fault. To put this in ...
You Could be Losing Gold in Your Screening Process 20 Jul 2012 | 08:09 pm
I frequently hear contractors talk about qualifying or screening customers. They imply a few simple questions will tell them all they need to know about a customer. Unless you are psychic—and if you a...
Know Your Limits 25 Jun 2012 | 08:45 pm
Contractors are often tempted to take on work outside of their core competency. The result can be a disaster for everyone.
Could You Estimate this Painting Job? 17 Jun 2012 | 08:49 pm
If I said that you could accurately bid a painting job for a 2,000 square foot house without leaving your office, would you believe me? Probably not, and understandably so. But if you read on, you wil...
