There are some tried and true tips that will set you apart from all the competition. Knowing how to sell yourself will give you an excellent advantage. Building contractor often hire spray foam contractors to complete their construction projects. They tend to use two methods when hiring a spray foam contractor: Direct hire of an individual or hire a professional subcontractor. First, this article will examine how hiring a subcontractor will benefit a building contractor more as opposed to doing a direct hire. It will help you explain why hiring a subcontractor is worth the investment of your bid price. Second, this article will provide you with vital tips for beating out the competition.
Direct Hire:
While many individuals may have the expertise to apply spray foam, the direct hiring of an individual may leave the door wide open for those who are less qualified to do the job. Some points to consider when opting for a direct hire are as follows:
- A direct hire means doing extra accounting, payroll, benefits and taxes
- May not have all the necessary equipment to do the job
- May not be able to provide warranties and product guarantees
- May not have the proper insurance
- May not understand the guidelines and standards for the location
- May not be up-to-date on safety standards or have the proper PPE
- May not be available should a problem arise later
- May not have the resources to manage legal responsibilities, such as fines
- May be cheaper than a subcontractor, but cheaper is not always better.
Hiring a Professional Subcontractor
Hiring a subcontractor may seem the more expensive option; however, it vastly outweighs the risk of a direct hire. The benefits of hiring a subcontractor are as follows:
- Peace of mind that the job will be done professionally. This frees up more time for building contractors to attend to other important tasks.
- Subcontractors handle their own payroll, benefits and taxes
- Subcontracts have their own tools and equipment for the job
- Subcontractors are more likely to have expertise to manage problem areas
- Subcontractors are readily available to address job issue that may arise
- Subcontractors have the resources to manage legal responsibilities, such as fines.
- Subcontractors can offer warranties and product guarantees
- May not have the resources to manage legal responsibilities, such as fines
- More expensive than a direct hire, but the benefits outweigh the risk.
Marketing Strategies That Really Sell!
To really set yourself apart from other bidders, visit the building contract and leave a sample of your spray foam product. Spray a sample onto a cardboard square and attach your company information to the square. The building contractor will have a tangible piece of information, right in front of him to remind him of who you are.
Have a portfolio of photos that show previous projects your company has done.
If you don't have testimonials from previous projects, get them now. Testimonials demonstrate that others are pleased with your company's performance. This puts potential customers at ease. Moreover, make sure your business cards look clean and professional. There's nothing worse than handing the customer a dog-eared, weather-beaten business card.
Provide references, even if they are not asked for. It lends credibility that you are a reputable company. Provide product warranties, any guarantees and a copy of your insurance. Doing so makes you look prepared and shows that you know, up front, what is expected. Anything you can do to show that you are professional will help beat out the competition. These tried and true tips will get you noticed and your company name is more likely to stick in the building contractors mind. It will not only land you the contract, but it will most likely get you additional work.
Once you have the contract, it is important to work toward getting more projects from the same customer. A method that almost always works is to leave the project cleaner than you found it. It makes your work really shine because the overall changes look much more dramatic.