Don't waste time and effort trying to get the business of homeowners who are just shopping around. Use these tips to avoid the tire kickers and find customers.
Your first conversation with a homeowner is a great opportunity for you to set up a screening process for your business. While there's a lot involved in that first talk, getting a feel for whether the job is worth your investment of time and attention should always be your first priority.
In order to do that, you should always carefully consider how the homeowner seems to feel about the project, particularly whether they focus on the realistic logistics of the work (a genuinely interested customer) or just the idea of having the work done (a "tire kicker").
Ask them what specific type of work they’re looking for. Find out if they’re working on a budget, and if they are, is it reasonable? Always get a strong sense for how serious their request for work is and pay attention to how the homeowner answers your questions. This is your chance to precisely size up the homeowner and decide if giving them an estimate is a good idea for your business.
What a Tire Kicker Will be Saying
Generally you can tell how serious a homeowner is by the language they use. Most tire kickers will be using vague, non-committal phrases that won’t focus on any specifics. If they’re just looking for you to talk prices, give vague details of their project, or are just interested in a quick quote, chances are they won’t be seriously focused on having the job done right away.
Be Wary of All the Following Phrases:
- “I’m just looking to get a quote.”
- “I’m gathering estimates right now.”
- “What’s a ballpark figure?”
- “I’m trying to get prices.”
- “How much do you charge?”
- All of these are red flags.
These may sound straight forward and to-the-point but countless contractors have responded to them with a rough estimate only to have the homeowner hang up immediately. Not only is this a waste of your time and attention, but often it costs you money for providing an estimate even though you never get paid for performing the work! That’s why many of our careful pros only agree to talk prices when they’re physically on the job site. This eliminates a great deal of price shoppers.
What a Serious Client Will be Saying
A homeowner seriously looking to get work done from your crew will give details on the job, explain their situation, and provide specific measurements, preferences, etc. They’ll be eager to meet up with you and figure out exactly what needs to get done. It’s these serious homeowners who will result in serious jobs, and who will directly help your business grow. Not only will these kinds of customers result in jobs now, but they're sure to lead to jobs in the future as well through testimonials, referrals, and repeat service requests.
One simple method of weeding out tire kickers is to provide a quick, but thorough, interview. With just a few quick questions during your conversation with the homeowner you can find out a lot about their intent and commitment to both the idea in their head and the project your crew would perform. This can hugely cut down on non-serious homeowners and free up your time and budget for prospects that will make you money and grow your business. Here are a few examples of what to ask when you first get the homeowner on the phone.
Be Sure to Ask the Homeowner:
- “Do you own the home?”
- “What’s your budget like?”
- “What are the details of the job?”
- “Do you know how much you’re willing to spend?”
- “Have you received any other estimates?”
By gauging their answers to these questions and keeping an eye on these warning signs you can easily get a sense for how invested into the project they are and then have more control than ever over the growth and success of your business.
Comments