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The construction industry was among the hardest hit during the last recession.  The damage was also long-lasting; in 2014 (five years after the recession officially ended) construction spending was at only 80% of what it was before the recession. Unfortunately, because so many painting contractors rely on new and previously-owned home sales for business, what was bad for the construction industry was bad also for painters.

It could happen again soon. A recent survey found that half of all Chief Financial Officers in the US believe we’ll be in recession within a year.  And while construction won’t likely be hit as hard as it was last time, it’s always one of the first industries to feel recession pain.

So what do painting contractors do to prepare for it?

Here are three things you can do to prepare:

• Aim for more leads than you can possibly serve. For many painters, too many calls are just as frustrating as too few.  When you’re fully booked for weeks, there’s no immediate value to answering the phone again and again only to hear that the customer wants it done before you can get there.
  
  But you’ll want to have all those extra leads coming in when the number of people calling drops 20, 30 or 50 percent.  For now, it’s worth the extra effort to build a system that generates more leads even if you can’t serve them – just make sure you’re prioritizing the most profitable requests you’re getting!

• Diversify while business is heavy.  It’s much easier to add other services such as power washing, hanging lights, or gutter cleaning when you’re busy than when you’re not.  That’s because you’ll need extra equipment and marketing to get into these services.  If you wait until there’s not enough painting leads to make your move, you might not have enough money to establish yourself.  That makes it harder to generate leads for those new services when there’s a shortage of painting business.

• Try to repay debt before the recession hits. Starting a painting company, like starting any business, requires spending money before you can make money.  New painting businesses need to purchase transportation, equipment, and marketing, in addition to business licenses and other filing fees. 
  
  A recession is a bad time to have that debt hanging over your head.  Not only does it make it that much harder to break even, but credit lines often get cut during a recession.  If that happens, you’ll still owe the money, but can’t borrow any additional revenue to pay interest if you have a tough month.  This is how so many companies get squeezed into bankruptcy so quickly during recessions.

To learn how ProPainter websites can help boost your business, call us at 855-384-1134 or email us at Team_PPW@ProPainterWebsites.com.

Are you looking for more painting jobs?  One excellent source lives right in your community!

There are plenty of other professionals that interact with homeowners in need of repairs.  Some examples include real estate agents, remediation specialists, and insurance agents.  These professionals are excellent sources for painting leads, and it’s worth your time to introduce yourself to local professionals in these fields.  There’s only one opportunity for a first impression, however, so here are some suggestions to make a great one!

• Before you call, ask yourself “For what type of paint job am I the best painter in the area?”  Maybe you specialize in fine painting around moulding. Maybe you also do drywall work, or have experience dealing with wood rot. Maybe you’re willing to work on weekends, or you’re extremely professional and people trust you in their homes.  Whatever makes you stand out from other painters in the area, make sure you emphasize that – because in order to get their referrals, you’ll need to be their best resource, not just a good one.

• When you approach other professionals in housing-related industries, make sure you have some great pictures of previous work and a couple of references.  If you need any permits or insurance in your state, make sure you provide proof of that as well.  It would also help if you have some great online reviews.  If they have an office, stop by their office after you talk with them, and drop that information off in a folder.  Most people will do a little research before they recommend anyone to their customers, and the easier you make that for them, the more likely they’ll use what you provide them instead of what they can dig up from the internet or their professional network.

• When another professional makes a recommendation to one of their clients, the quality of that business’s work reflects on them.  If your work is subpar, that client might get rid of you and them. When you have a conversation with a professional you are hoping to get a recommendation from, let them know you understand this; it will probably make them more comfortable recommending you.

• Because your work is their reputation after they recommend you, they’ll stop recommending you as soon as one project goes haywire.  That might lead to some situations where you do need to prioritize their clients.

• When other professionals recommend a painter to a client for a painting job, they’ll provide a little background about that painter.  Whatever promises you make to the other professional may be passed along to their client, so be prepared to do what you promise for each of their clients!

To learn how ProPainter Websites can help you gain more painting customers, call us at 855-385-1134 or email us at Team_PPW@ProPainterWebsites.com.