ForConstructionPros.com

Homeowners are hanging on to their money and paying off debt, property managers are on tighter and tighter budgets as vacancy rates rise, and your business depends on getting prospects in either or both groups to hire you so you can maintain or grow your company, keep your employees paid, and meet all your financial obligations.

To help, Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction contacted a number of experts to learn some of the steps you can take to get the work you need.

Rely on your sales files. Contractors often have files that go back many years, and Brad Humphrey, Pinnacle Development Group, says contractors frequently "forget" to contact these past customers as the contractor emphasizes new blood. "So look at customers you did work for maybe five or 10 years ago and that you haven't done work for since. Find out if they're still in business, confirm the primary contact, and create a new list for your salespeople to work."

Guy Gruenberg, Grow Consulting, adds that simply by updating your customer files you will end up with bid opportunities. "Go back 10 years in your files and contact every single customer in your list," Gruenberg says. "Tell them you're just updating your records, and let them know what your company does now. Obtain the updated information, including contact name and e-mail address, and I'll bet that if you make 60 calls a day you'll get four to six people who want you to come out and check out a problem."

And, Gruenberg says, don't forget to send a follow-up note to that new e-mail address.

Get the owner out with customers. Owners make an impact, it's as simple as that, so in tough economic times if the owner of the company can make a solid impression with a prospect, why not get the owner out there making sales calls, giving presentations, and glad handing?