When you’re not generating enough referrals from your happiest clients, then you are missing out on the low hanging fruit for generating high-margin opportunities.
Which means you’ll be constantly selling to colder clients that take longer to build trust and warm up.
Dan Kennedy nailed this concept when he said, “It is easier to sell more to customers who know you, like you, and trust you than it is to get more new customers.”
Throughout an entire build project, the most anticipated moment for your clients is the handover.
And by delivering a world class handover experience for your clients, you’ll create raving fans that can’t stop promoting your building company.
There’s nothing worse than putting your heart and soul into building the perfect home for your clients and then not getting so much as a recommendation from them.
If this is happening to you, then you’re not alone.
We hear this from builders all the time.
And if your handover experience is somewhat unremarkable, then unfortunately for you it’s an opportunity that’s been wasted.
Bill Quiseng summed it up completely when he said “Nobody Raves About Average.”
What’s worse is that it’s precisely these excited clients that would be the most convincing referrers for your business.
Did you know that prospects who have been referred by your past customers are far more likely to build with you?
In fact, The Nielsen Company found that, “People are 4 times more likely to buy when referred by a friend.”
By simply adjusting your building company’s handover process you could increase your chances of signing contracts 4-fold.
From the instant your clients embark on building their new home with you, they’re dreaming about the moment you hand the keys over to them.
For many builders though, this can be a moment of dread.
Often believing that the more helpful they are and the more time they spend at handover stage, the more defects will be found and they’ll be expected to fix them.
In reality though, we have found that quite the opposite happens.
If you have a process for handover, the clients are completely focused on enjoying the experience rather than looking for defects.
Unfortunately, the handover process is something many builders attempt to get over and done with as quickly as possible.
We hear time and time again, “I don’t have time, I need to spend my time focusing on my current builds.”
The mistake however is believing that once the handover is done, the job is completed.
Sure, the build may be complete, but the opportunity for you to gather referrals has only just begun at this stage.
What better time to approach your clients for a testimonial than the moment they are at their most excited?
And by not spending the time properly planning out the most important day for your clients, it’s just like cutting corners.
The fact is, many builders completely deprioritise this part of the project.
They think once they get to completion and have been paid, then anything after that point is like working unpaid.
But just like pouring the slab, the ending is just as vital as the beginning.
Adequate time needs to be committed in creating a lasting impression that is properly planned for and scheduled in to every single job.
Just as you would prioritise trades completing their works, the handover process needs to be factored in to your construction schedule.
Need some help getting started? Download our free Sales Blueprint for Builders that maps out all the steps for a successful sales process.
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