4 min read
Every restoration contractor wants more jobs, opportunities, clients. sales, and yes -profit. We send our marketers to classes to be ultra-high performers. We even send our Sales Estimators to class to learn better ways to close leads.
THE EASY PART
Joining a “program” does mean your phone will ring more without your marketer going out and getting the referrals. But… those jobs coming to you from programs come at a potentially huge cost.
There is no question that having the phone ring with a job lead – without having to go out and hustle a relationship with a plumber or insurance agent can be quite nice.
DANGEROUS
One highly likely potential downfall is your ego. I’ve met many contractors that arrogantly strutted around bragging about the jobs coming in, yet when you looked into the financial position, it was precarious. I personally know a contractor with a gorgeous facility, always busy, participating in many different programs – and he is financially on the verge of collapse.
Program work saps much of your energy, and a considerable amount of your profit. Every program has different and extensive demands and expectations. There’s different paperwork, reporting info, special low pricing, and a high demand for jumping through their hoops continually.
EVEN WORSE
They demand your Loyalty! You are beholden to them for everything related to that job the give you. You bill only what they allow, regardless of what’s best for the property of the property owner. If you fail to “give them what they demand” then expect to get less jobs, and maybe get kicked of the program. With that level of intimidation, you really can’t serve to masters. Either you are going to be loyal to the program, or loyal to the policyholder. Reality dictates that you can’t be loyal to both!
IT HAPPENS
I see it happen all the time… contractors get complacent with the effort to make their marketers do what they are hired to do. Marketers aren’t held accountable because the owner sees jobs coming in, and although those low profit jobs aren’t the answer, owners accept complacency. When I dig into the weeds of the contractors number, especially those relating to the marketer, it becomes obvious that there is no real goal or solid expectations.
Knowing exactly where the lead came from is vita. How many leads are coming in from direct marketer efforts and how many get sold and completed is also measurable and required. You must know the dollars involved, profit generated, and money collected.
MINDBOGGLING
If you are measuring everything, you are lulled into a false sense of security, thinks that work is coming in but yet there is little or no profit. Even worse is when there is no cash flow.
Your marketer must be held accountable to bring in profitable referral work. And, I’ll say it here… after they’ve been with you at least a year, they should be directly producing a million dollars in revenue. Is this happening for you?
By Dick Wagner, Co-Founder The CREST Network, LLC
Nationally recognized coach, consultant, trainer, and speaker
Creator of the renowned PREP™ pre-disaster program
Owner of AskDickWagner.com BLOG
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