Send the DIYers to Pool School

I must admit something that might ruffle some of your feathers - I’m the homeowner that most contractors hate… or at least I try to be. I attempt to be Mr. DIY often enough to convince my wife I’m worth her letting me live with her. The jury is still out on that one. But I have found that for every time I successfully put one more splint on the dishwasher’s last leg or discover the second internal filter I didn’t know was there (that I should have been cleaning regularly) inside my washing machine, there are twice as many times I cost myself more in time, effort, and gas to the hardware store than I would have if I had called a professional in the first place. But I still have to try, right? It’s the husbandly thing to do.

This past week I had car trouble, and after a call to the dealership to find out that the bill would be $2,400 (that’s $200 for a part and $2,200 in labor), I naturally went straight to Google. How hard could it be, really? Well, it turns out… incredibly hard. I found a step-by-step video, and around step 17 of them breaking down the engine and pulling out the third specialty tool I don’t own, I called back and made an appointment with the shop. The $2,200 in labor seemed egregious until I understood what that $2,200 consisted of. Then I happily signed the check.

I think most of you know I’m not an anomaly in the marketplace either. Information online and availability of parts and advice can make anyone feel like a trained expert, ready to tackle the largest projects – when they are most definitely not ready at all. How do contractors gently remind homeowners that professional work is better left to the professionals?

I had a very interesting conversation with a contractor last week. His work is outside of the normal Hudson,Ink wheelhouse, but he got the wheels turning in my mind about some things. He’s a former HVAC guy (that’s why we still had the connection) who sold his business several years ago and purchased a pool cleaning and maintenance company in Orlando, FL. He had an idea that he said he makes a fortune from called “Pool School.” Every year, around 75 to 100 home and hotel owners sign up for a technician to teach them an in-depth class on how to care for, service, cover/uncover, etc. their pools. Basically, the class consists of teaching these prospects how to do everything the company would come do for them. Isn’t this counter-intuitive? Isn’t this eliminating the need for themselves and closing a door for future business? You would think so, but it actually has the opposite effect.

The class itself has a fee, but this savvy owner said the real payoff is not the one-time event. The real results happen as the trained pool service technician makes the homeowner’s head spin with the intricacies of pH level testing, impeller motor components and the like, presenting them with the idea they CAN do all this themselves… while subtly reminding them one mistake or missed step can end up costing them thousands. Nine out of ten leave the class with their do-it-themselves attitude abandoned and a freshly signed maintenance contract.

In this contractor/homeowner relationship, it’s vitally important to provide just enough information and helpful tips for free so the homeowner always feels they’re getting ongoing value from you and that your communication is not always a sales pitch. You know they’re capable of doing some things on their own and their desire to save themselves money should never be a surprise, but there also needs to be a clear line where your training and expertise to handle their problems seems like a bargain.

How much of your communication with your prospects shows your knowledge and establishes you as an expert in your field? Sales solicitations and coupons alone won’t accomplish this. Are you adding value to their home and building an ongoing relationship with your homeowners where they know they can trust you with their larger projects?

Remember, if a customer doesn’t understand the expense of what you do, you become frivolous and unnecessary. If you don’t differentiate yourself from others in the area offering the same thing, you become a commodity. Your marketing messages should show your prospects the value your company gives for the solutions you offer. If you can effectively explain how you can make their headaches go away even cheaper than they could attempt to do it themselves, you’ve got a customer singing your praises. Make what you do, why you do it, the costs and TREMENDOUS benefits obvious, and you’ll have homeowners reaching for the phone instead of their tool belts.

Now if your tool belt doesn’t include all the necessary marketing tools for communicating this message to your homeowners, or if you’d just rather not make this a DIY marketing project, put the expertise of Hudson,Ink to work for you. We have over 20 years of experience in getting results for HVAC, Plumbing, and Electrical in-home contractors, and we’d love to put our strengths to work for you. Simply give us a call at (800) 489-9099 or reach out to our highly-skilled and well-trained Marketing Coaches at [email protected]. We look forward to saving you time and money on your marketing.