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Have you ever heard of upcycling?  Upcycling is a combination of recycling and upgrading – taking old items and turning them into something even more valuable or interesting than the original item.  Here’s one example: a teacher who uses old paint swatches to help kids discuss what they’ve learned in class.

Successful painting contractors upcycle their customers!  They work hard to upcycle their customers into fans, and then turn fans into advocates – customers who refer other people to your business constantly.  How do you build a business around upcycling customers?

1. Do a Great Job

The first part of upcycling customers is the easiest, because you’re probably already doing it.  You have to do great work.  This is about more than painting – it’s about how easy you are to work with, how comfortable customers are around your painters, how hard you work to make things right if there’s a mistake or mix-up.  It’s about the customer’s overall experience with your company.  If customers don’t feel like they found an unusually great painting contractor, they aren’t likely to turn into fans.

2. Let Customers Know That They Matter

Customers that don’t run a business themselves have no idea how important they are to your business.  Customers have the potential to be walking, talking, free marketing that would otherwise cost your business thousands of dollars.  Their referrals (and their referrals’ referrals) can turn a single painting job into a never-ending stream of profitable work for your company.  Their five-star online reviews can raise your search rankings, and can make customers that find you online feel much more comfortable calling you for a quote instead of other competing painting contractors.

If customers tell you that you’ve done a great job, tell them all of this!  People are bombarded by requests for five star reviews – you can’t even get out of the Taco Bell parking lot without a discussion about how you can leave a review for a chance to win $500.  But all of those people are reading from a script, and they really don’t care whether you fill out a survey or not.

If a customer appreciates the work you’ve done, and you make it clear that you’d really appreciate the review, there’s a good chance they’ll give you one.  The same goes with referrals – even if they won’t give names to you, they’re probably willing to mention you to a friend who’s looking for a painter.

3. Thank Them For Their Help

When customers do become advocates, it’s important to tell them you appreciate it.  That lets them know that it really does matter to you when they go out of their way to help you.  Once they know that, they might do it again and again.

Learn who your advocates are.  If someone leaves your painting business an online review, see if you can figure out who it is.  When someone calls you, ask where they heard about you.  And most importantly, make sure you never give these people or their referrals a reason to look elsewhere for painting work.  They’ve staked their own reputations on recommending your business, and they’ll continue to do it as long as it makes them look good!

To learn more about how ProPainter Websites will help you earn new business, call us at 855-385-1134 or email us at Team_PPW@ProPainterWebsites.com.

Many painters require their customers to acquire the paint they’ll be using, because they don’t want to be responsible for a color or finish that doesn’t quite match expectations.  Others are happy to pick up the paint a customer selects –some will even request the homeowner use a specific brand due to a discount they receive on the paint.

When making the decision on how to handle customer paint selections, it’s important to remember that a homeowner doesn’t necessarily know enough to separate the paint from the painter.  This means that if the customer selects a cheap, low quality paint and it covers the wall poorly or leaves the imperfections in their wall visible, they’ll blame that on your work and not their paint selection.

Low quality paints can also require several coats.  If you’re pricing the job ahead of time, that will eat into your profits.  If you’re pricing by the hour, the owner will be upset that your estimate was not accurate and they owe you more.

So whether you select the paint color or they do, make sure to specify the paint quality by recommending lines of paint you trust.  Here are three factors to consider:

Solid Content: Solid content is what’s left after the solvent evaporates.  If a paint has a lot of solid content, the coats will be very thin and more likely to peel.  They’re also less likely to leave a sharp edge if you tape before you paint.

Binder: The best paints have 100% acrylic binders – not vinyl acrylic or vinyl copolymer.  A cheap binder in a paint will reduce its durability, and it also may not adhere to the wall as well.

Experience: Every paint is different – they dry at different rates, for instance, and brushes can hold different amounts of paint.  Sticking to high-quality paints you’re familiar with can not only improve the quality of the work, it can reduce the amount of time it takes to complete the job – and in any business, time is money.

To learn how ProPainter Websites can help your painting business succeed, call us at 855-385-1134 or email us at Team_PPW@ProPainterWebsites.com.

Painting customers that are on the hunt for the cheapest price often don’t have a lot of questions.  How much will it cost?  When can you be here?

Customers that are willing to pay more are looking for more out of their painting contractors.  They’re paying for something more than just a paint job.  They might be looking for convenience, or quick availability – but most often, what they’re looking for is confidence.  Potential painting customers want to have confidence that it’s going to be done right, without hassles or unexpected delays or price increases halfway through the project.  In short, they want a painting contractor that’s going to work hard to make them happy, not just paint walls.

What can you have at the ready to earn this confidence quickly?  Here are four things that will convince them you’re a professional painting contractor who will come on time, do the job, and leave them (and their house) in a great place.

Details about Your Business: When customers start asking questions about your company or your work, having a document that explains (and guarantees) what you’ll provide will make them more confident they’re dealing with a well-organized business.  This document should clearly state your business contact information, insurance certificate information, and what’s covered and not covered in your estimates.  Customers may ask for much of this to be included in a contract, to protect them in case you aren’t able to deliver on your promises.

Comparable Jobs: The thing that people most want to know when they’re searching for a painting contractor is that the company has completed jobs like theirs many times before, and that those jobs turned out great.  If a person has a job they think is unique, they want to know you can handle it.  So whether that’s a three story exterior paint job or a house full of custom crown molding, it helps to have some examples of similar jobs you’ve completed ready to provide to these customers.

References: These days, most customers use online reviews as references.  However, having a few recent customers who are willing to serve as references takes your reputation a step higher.  Just make sure that these customers have agreed to serve as customers, and that they aren’t receiving five calls a week – that can wear down references quickly, and has an impact on how happy they are to talk to your potential customers.

Answers to What Could Go Wrong: Most people know that, when they sign a contract, things can change if you encounter unexpected problems such as rotting wood or lead.  Providing a short list of problems you don’t expect but may encounter ahead of time will help prevent a frosty relationship later in the event that you encounter them and have to raise the price.

To learn how ProPainter Websites can help you earn business from the best customers call us at 855-385-1134 or email us at Team_PPW@ProPainterWebsites.com.