ForConstructionPros.com

Last issue we discussed five sure-fire ways to generate business from existing customers. Here are five more proven tips that can help you solidify relationships while bringing in more business

1. Continue to provide before & after photos. One mistake contractors can make is to stop giving past customers photos of their projects. This is a subtle way of telling the customer that you don't have to work that hard to keep her business or that you might be taking her business for granted. It is just as important to maintain the same energy and sales effort with customers that you have done five or 15 projects for as it is with the brand new customer who you are trying hard to impress.

2. Ask customers for referrals. This networking technique is especially important for contractors who work with residential customers. While the homeowner who needed a driveway constructed or sealed might not own other homes or buildings, he very often has friends and relatives who trust his judgment. Asking your customers for referrals is really part of "Sales 101" for sales and estimators but is often neglected. Too bad, because those sales professionals who do ask for referrals every time they sell a job increase revenues 40%-60%! This is a great way to grow revenues through turning your existing customers into sales people and "door openers" for your company.

3. Introduce your customer to other building "partners". This technique is more doable with commercial clients, but there is a growing number of building owners who are looking to further their investments and ownership of buildings by looking for partners who might share some of the financial and management risks. The conduit common to such an arrangement could very easily be you! This gets back to the need to understand what your customer's vision is for her own company growth and her resource situation. By keeping an open ear you might just hear something that could allow you to play "broker" between two potential partners that would only naturally look to you to do the work in which you specialize.

4. Do quality work! One thing is certain, if you do not perform quality work for your existing customers you will fail to get additional work. All the greatest marketing and customer service tricks in the world cannot make up for poor quality. You can increase the likelihood of driving up revenues from existing customers by doing a great quality job the first time. If you and your work crews are not 100% fanatics about providing quality then you would be best served by getting this part of your company fixed first.