Are you looking to grow a long-lasting contractor business? Providing your services as reliably as possible is a must, but there’s more to it than that. You’ll want to know all the best strategies to stay in business.
This article covers the six best tips for growing a long-lasting contractor business. Keep reading to learn more!
Table of Contents
1. Always Use Best Business Practices
First, you’ll want to implement all the best business practices into everything you do. Your contracting company should be very professional and offer all the services your customers expect and more.
You’ll then want to evaluate all of the systems that you have in place. Many contracting companies are surprised to learn they can improve their scheduling, invoicing, and bookkeeping processes.
The systems you use should be as efficient as possible. That way, your employees and customers won’t become frustrated with the process. Your business will grow more easily when everything runs as smoothly as possible.
2. Review Overhead Costs
Do you remember reviewing your overhead costs any time recently? These costs don’t have to do with the contractor services you provide but are the rest of the costs of running your business. For example, these costs include insurance, advertising, and rent.
You’ll want to review these costs, see if anything is eating into your budget, and try adjusting it. In doing so, you can open your budget to areas needing more funds.
For instance, many contracting businesses running for a long time collect equipment they no longer use. Think about whether you still need those tools for your current work. You might save money on equipment maintenance and sell it for more cash flow.
Overall, you’ll need to make a habit of reviewing overhead costs. Even if you make small changes, it can significantly impact your company’s lifespan.
3. Offer Personable Customer Service
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More companies are offering less personal customer service each year. It’s becoming less common for customers to speak to a real person when scheduling with contractors. Make sure that customers can always talk to you or a team member when they call during business hours. You’ll stand apart from the competition if you do.
If you use chatbots on your site, you can also have them set up calls so your customer still receives a personable experience.
Make sure to have your business hours and contact information on your website. It should be somewhere clearly visible where customers don’t have to hunt for it.
Then, set up automated responses for contact outside of business hours. You can do this with your phone, email, and social media. That way, customers never feel neglected, even when you’re unavailable.
4. Focus on Content Marketing
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A successful marketing campaign will make you stand apart from the competition. You’ll find new customers and have a steady stream of projects coming in, which you need for your business to be long-lasting.
Start by establishing a solid social media presence. You can upload “before and after” shots of the projects you complete, make tutorial videos, and post about your services. Blogs are very effective at raising your website in Google search results if you know how to use SEO.
Interacting with your audience will help spread brand awareness and make people trust your business more. So, you don’t want to skip out on content marketing.
It’s also essential that you market your contractor business locally. First, set up a Google Business Profile. Once you make an account for your business, it’ll appear on Google Maps. So, your business will be listed when someone searches “contractors near me” in your area.
You can try Google Local Services Ads as well. It is a paid service, but you only have to pay if a customer reaches out to you through the advertisement. The ads will only target those in your service area, so they’re worthwhile.
In short, you want to ensure your company has an online presence. Social media should be the easiest starting point because it’s free, and you can make an account fast. Most people learn about businesses online today, so you’re missing out if you don’t use online content marketing.
5. Figure Out the Customer’s Needs
Suppose you can determine what your customer needs from your services. In that case, your business will be much more valuable to them than your competitors. Ask customers what they want to see from you. You can even conduct surveys to hear their thoughts in more detail.
Next, ensure you always go above and beyond for your current customers. They’ll stick around with you for much longer and think of you first the next time they have a project. Customer-centric businesses always last longer than other businesses.
Lastly, try to make your business more unique. You’ll have a consistent stream of work if you can cater to a niche market.
6. Outsource Small Tasks
Small tasks can be overwhelming for a small business, especially as it grows. Don’t hesitate to outsource some of your work, so you can focus on building your company.
For example, having an accountant handle bookkeeping and payroll. These tasks can take up tons of time, and you wouldn’t want to make a mistake. You can also hire freelancers to manage your website or work with a virtual assistant.
As a business owner, you understand that a lot happens behind the scenes. There are plenty of options for outsourcing tasks, allowing you and your contractor team to focus on putting your best into every project.
Growing a Long-Lasting Contractor Business Starts Now
You’ll need to start making changes now to have your business last years to come. Make sure to use content marketing strategies and take the time to review all of your overhead costs. The sooner you use these tips, the longer your business will last.
To summarize, there’s a lot you can do to grow a business that lasts the rest of your lifetime!
