Pro Q&A: How to Get in the Door and Close More Deals
Eric Brown of Everett Custom Homes prioritizes responsiveness to differentiate his business
Q. What kind of advantage does being responsive give you when you’re dealing with prospective customers?
A. Most homeowners will probably only talk to two or three builders. The first one sets the tone for the whole project. You’re able to create that first impression in the homeowner, and that carries a lot of weight. As soon as I get an inquiry or alert, I check it right away and call as soon as I can so I can be the first one in that door.
Q. How do customers react when you call them as soon as they send you an inquiry?
A. Honestly, sometimes I catch them off guard. Sometimes they’re in the middle of lunch because they were filling out a form on Houzz during their break and I have to call them back, but they appreciate that I called. They’re surprised I’m so active and, even if I have to call back later, they know I’m on top of my business. It’s good for me either way.
Learn more: Download our free Houzz e-book to learn more about handling client inquiries and closing the deal.
A. Most homeowners will probably only talk to two or three builders. The first one sets the tone for the whole project. You’re able to create that first impression in the homeowner, and that carries a lot of weight. As soon as I get an inquiry or alert, I check it right away and call as soon as I can so I can be the first one in that door.
Q. How do customers react when you call them as soon as they send you an inquiry?
A. Honestly, sometimes I catch them off guard. Sometimes they’re in the middle of lunch because they were filling out a form on Houzz during their break and I have to call them back, but they appreciate that I called. They’re surprised I’m so active and, even if I have to call back later, they know I’m on top of my business. It’s good for me either way.
Learn more: Download our free Houzz e-book to learn more about handling client inquiries and closing the deal.
Q. Can you tell us about a time when your responsiveness paid off?
One night I was at my desk and an inquiry from Houzz came through. I called the customer within a couple of minutes and we started talking about his project. During our call, he received two other calls from other builders in the area but continued talking to me because I had gotten to him first. That call turned into an in-person meeting two days later and now we’re proceeding to the design phase. I’m pretty happy about it because it’s a sizable project. If those other builders had gotten to him first, I might not have had this chance.
Q. What advice do you have for other pros who are afraid responding to calls will take up too much of their time?
A. Their mistake is my gain. If they’re not responding, they’re probably not going to get the job. I guarantee you someone else is responding. Homeowners want to have their questions answered, so if I can be the builder that can answer those questions first, it will leave a good impression.
Tell us: What are your top tips for responding to client inquiries? Share them in the Comments.
Learn more: Read more tips and techniques for handling client inquiries and closing the deal. Download our free Houzz e-book.
This story was written by the Houzz Industry Marketing team.
More: Master the Discovery Call | See more Pro Tips
One night I was at my desk and an inquiry from Houzz came through. I called the customer within a couple of minutes and we started talking about his project. During our call, he received two other calls from other builders in the area but continued talking to me because I had gotten to him first. That call turned into an in-person meeting two days later and now we’re proceeding to the design phase. I’m pretty happy about it because it’s a sizable project. If those other builders had gotten to him first, I might not have had this chance.
Q. What advice do you have for other pros who are afraid responding to calls will take up too much of their time?
A. Their mistake is my gain. If they’re not responding, they’re probably not going to get the job. I guarantee you someone else is responding. Homeowners want to have their questions answered, so if I can be the builder that can answer those questions first, it will leave a good impression.
Tell us: What are your top tips for responding to client inquiries? Share them in the Comments.
Learn more: Read more tips and techniques for handling client inquiries and closing the deal. Download our free Houzz e-book.
This story was written by the Houzz Industry Marketing team.
More: Master the Discovery Call | See more Pro Tips
Houzz sat down with Brown to find out what he does to set himself apart from the competition.
Q. How do you set yourself apart from other builders in your area?
A. A lot of people have low opinions of builders in terms of customer service. Builders aren’t typically known for being responsive or being good about calling people back or following through, so that’s something that I really work on and clients notice. Considering how important reviews are these days, customer service is incredibly important not only for impressing potential clients, but also for making sure past clients will write something good about you after the project is done.
Q. When it comes to handling leads, what customer service guidelines do you follow?
A. When I get an inquiry for a project, I return the call as quickly as possible. You can’t even wait an hour. You have to be responsive to potential customers that might end up being a big project. It’s pretty straightforward. If you don’t pick up the phone and call, someone else will.