Posts Tagged ‘advice for pros’

Pro-to-Pro: How To Hire the Best Crew

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

This week’s post comes Barry Streett – owner & president of Rolling Ridge Deck Company in Evergreen Colorado. For more information on Barry and his company, visit www.rollingridgedeck.com.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve found that hiring can be one of the toughest things to manage. Hiring “warm bodies” may fill a short-term need, but can cost you valuable production time in the long term.

now hiring by TheTruthAbout...

now hiring by TheTruthAbout...

Here are tips that I’ve found work for finding the best help:

  • Dissect the resume:  Assume that all resumes have been tailored to fit the position that’s being applied for. Read between the lines and know that just because someone has experience with “all aspects of carpentry,” that doesn’t mean that they have specific experience in the area that you need help.
  • Details of past projects:  “Helped manage multiple projects” doesn’t necessarily mean the applicant was a supervisor or project manager. Ask for specifics on how they managed the projects. Being able to provide details helps clarify what exactly their previous position entailed.
  • Always check references:  Just because an applicant was with a company for several years doesn’t mean they were a top performer. A lukewarm reference can tell you as much about an applicant as an enthusiastic reference.
  • Short-term and long-term goals: If they just need work but are still looking for their perfect career, they may not be what you need at that time. If they are looking for a company where they can learn and advance, they may be more invested in their job.

Hopefully these tips can help you weed through the many applicants you get to find the best crew members you can. If you have any tips that have worked for you, please share them in the comments section below.

Top Five Ways Contractors Can Create Leads

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

As a contractor or professional builder, you know your business needs leads, but maybe you’re unsure if you’re doing everything you can to generate those leads.

_MG_3750 by Richard.Asia

_MG_3750 by Richard.Asia

Here is a list of the top five ways to get leads for your business:

  1. The #1 way you can generate leads is REFERRALS! Word of mouth and reputation is crucial. A good referral is essentially free advertising. You might even consider showing your customers your referral process.
  2. Local consumer home shows are another way to generate qualified leads. The average booth can produce around 20 leads with a closing rate at about 30%. Keep in mind, this ratio is subjective and dependent on presentation of the product displayed. And be sure to have a few different products on hand to show you are well versed in decking. Success from a show can also depend on the show’s location and length.
  3. You can also use the web to help with lead generation. You should consider hiring a specialist to help you optimize for Search Engines, link to manufacturers on your website and use multimedia, like video. A good website will usually show a wide variety of pictures and designs of deck and rail.
  4. Local advertising is still a great way to create leads. Radio, newspapers and local magazines are a fantastic way to get into local consumer’s homes. When advertising in such media, you should consider running specials. For example, “NO tax”, “Free upgrade to hidden fasteners” or “free water features.”
  5. Explore using popular social media channels. Look for people in your area and monitor the most popular conversations. Join the conversation and use this as an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise. You might also use social media for exclusive promotions to attract a new customer base.

What about you? Is there a way to generate leads I left out? If so, share your secret in the comments below.