tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26639680059737419202024-03-12T23:53:49.830-04:00Certified Lead Servicescoleen dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462861356034403141noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663968005973741920.post-5486930677077402922017-04-11T10:15:00.000-04:002017-04-11T10:35:38.463-04:00Method for Quality Leads<div class="BodyText01" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
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<b><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: x-large;">Certified Lead Services </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: x-large;">Our Method for Quality Leads</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><b>Scheduled Lead Consultation</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">When a lead comes into your office the potential client is asked very basic information then asked to set an appointment with your Project Coordinator. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><b>Initial phone call </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">On the scheduled phone call day and time our Certified Lead Specialist will spend 35-50 minutes gathering information to determine if a lead is qualified or unqualified to move forward with your company.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><b>Information Gathered</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Right financial investment </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>The project meets the company’s portfolio</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>the need = the want </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Who else are they speaking to?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>A real “picture” of what they want </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">6.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Does the client have a realistic expectation on completion, time to design, and the entire process?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">7.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Set up the expectation for the first initial consultation with sales (i.e.: design agreement, who is coming, how long to expect for..) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">8.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>What is the real reason for the project?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><b>Build Relationships and Trust </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Making the client feel at ease for your first initial call by setting the expectation. Building a relationship between your company and the client is crucial to keeping the sales call not feel pressured when in their home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><b>Appointment Setting </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">When our Certified Lead Specialist determines the client meets all the criteria to move forward an appointment is made with your sales department. Immediately after the call a follow up email thanking the client for their time and confirming the appointment is made. </span></div>
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<b>…Peter Donovan tried to train his already busy receptionist/Office manager to do the job,…the message wasn’t getting across..”people like Coleen; her job is to give them the attention they deserve…Donovan has seen qualified leads rise…saving money…”I have someone who gets it and thoroughly knows the system…”</b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> Performance Review Excerpt, Mastercraft Contracting</span></b></div>
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<b><i>“…Coleen provides our clients personalized and professional attention to the details of their projects as well as keeping them informed about what to expect during each step of their project's development. “</i></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> Performance Review Excerpt, The Whitehurst Group</span></b></div>
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coleen dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462861356034403141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663968005973741920.post-8056252797233112592014-08-21T08:00:00.000-04:002014-08-13T17:41:18.461-04:00THE LEAD MATCHMAKER !<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Oh that
first Date...you remember that right, or in my case I'd like to block it
out of my memory! I get a lot of good laughs out of watching all the
reality shows on dating and how to do this better..... </span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Then it got me
thinking about what I do I guess you could consider me the </span></b></h2>
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Matchmaker! </span></b></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNqVvOZcRtNAauyBcNYEeTpxbfsBLOUcdAij05E2up7BIxVK38JDvG8Jb7IH_AMQw_zhctQlahuKHWq63-FV4_kv7WDJVaUdG7V9YPcNcO3AHNDbXLoznXvtxVkxd_nfzQlX90-TBvIRw/s1600/firstdate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNqVvOZcRtNAauyBcNYEeTpxbfsBLOUcdAij05E2up7BIxVK38JDvG8Jb7IH_AMQw_zhctQlahuKHWq63-FV4_kv7WDJVaUdG7V9YPcNcO3AHNDbXLoznXvtxVkxd_nfzQlX90-TBvIRw/s320/firstdate1.jpg" height="272" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Yep! I put the right lead to your company while using a specific technique to be sure the lead you find fits you best and ends up being that first date you always hoped it would be! </span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Just like in dating , our leads can become such a rush when we first see them and then after a couple dances we see they really are not all we expected....then across the floor we see the one that got away! </span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">Matchmaker Rules !</span></b></span> </span></div>
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<li><span style="font-size: large;">Right financial investment! </span></li>
<li style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: large;">The project meets the company’s portfolio</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">the need = the want</span></li>
<li style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: large;">Who else are they speaking to?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">A real “picture” of what they want</span></li>
<li style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: large;">Does the client have a realistic expectation on completion, time to design, and the entire process?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Set up the expectation for the first
initial consultation with sales (i.e.: design agreement,who is coming,
how long to expect for..)</span></li>
<li style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: large;">What is the real reason for the project?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Decision Making: <i>"Ok, now assume
you're ready to go ahead with this project. Tell me, how will you
choose....what factors will you consider...what will you need to know,
to determine the contractor or firm that, in your opinion, will be the
best firm for you to go with on this project?"</i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When this is understood, your client will be better
able to prepare for it and demonstrate their ability to 'look the part' of a
'preferred provider' . . . better than any other firm their prospect is
considering hiring for a project</span></span></i></span></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>The "dance" many of us do with potential clients should be kept for those that are ready to turn on the music and really get moving! </i> </span></div>
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coleen dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462861356034403141noreply@blogger.comForked River, NJ, USA39.8398413 -74.190139939.7910723 -74.2691039 39.8886103 -74.1111759tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663968005973741920.post-56421870693075898262013-08-14T08:00:00.000-04:002014-08-13T17:40:32.280-04:00Qualifying the Financial Investment <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Wanted to share with all of you what <span style="font-size: large;">we </span>do on every call that is make for my
clients...In the Pre-Qualification Process of each Lead before they go
out to the first meeting....</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">They KNOW THE FINANCIAL INVESTMENT!</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Give us a call to discuss getting <span style="font-size: large;">the financial investment on the very first call into your office! </span></span></span></span></h2>
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coleen dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462861356034403141noreply@blogger.comForked River, NJ 08731, USA39.9018444 -74.288353639.7068584 -74.611077099999989 40.0968304 -73.9656301tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663968005973741920.post-35046844063885446282012-05-17T09:32:00.000-04:002012-05-23T09:10:19.983-04:00Spring is Here and Away We Grow !!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">Roses
are red, Violets are blue, Spring is a beautiful time to grow your business…How
‘bout YOU?!!!</span></i></b></span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5i-VEUpyJcOeA7jZBqb_wiJOsW8pg640zeHLOZZry58_Nq_yCcANOog8eZLHadCZDHhsu5DA0CTFNhubokff571kemwXyJI_AskLt5oVfcibt4DeELKo30pbrNiTGmV2hQlGk_T9sMG-_/s1600/clsgrowing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5i-VEUpyJcOeA7jZBqb_wiJOsW8pg640zeHLOZZry58_Nq_yCcANOog8eZLHadCZDHhsu5DA0CTFNhubokff571kemwXyJI_AskLt5oVfcibt4DeELKo30pbrNiTGmV2hQlGk_T9sMG-_/s400/clsgrowing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Since our start in
2010, we have seen tremendous growth in our business! Last year alone, we welcomed 5 new
clients! With the arrival of Spring, we welcome
our newest client and look forward to all of the new relationships to come!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">In addition to our client growth, our staff is expanding as
well! Michelle Ballentine joined us this
month as our Administrative Assistant and is on the path of becoming Jack of
All Trades! Michelle comes to us with
extensive administrative experience gained over 10+ years in the financial
industry. For the past 2 ½ years,
Michelle has been a stay-at-home mother of 2 children, Sean (almost 3) and Cara
(almost 18 mos.). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Having been a
stay-at-home mom myself, and now being a female business owner, it is my
mission & passion to successfully employ other stay-at-home moms so that
they can enjoy the flexibility of balancing family life while being able to get
back into the workforce at the same time. This flexibility has allowed me to do
what I <i>love</i> from the comfort of my own home!
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><i><span style="color: #38761d;">If you do what you love you'll never work a day in your life! </span></i></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Featured this year in the following Publications and Groups, talking on the importance of Qualifying Leads has been a tremendous Honor! </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.remodelyourmarketing.com/so-what-do-you-do/the-excellence-club" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ObyC_VA8jz34UHyolZdR2sz-H_XwXgJQJ8KDr36bIlRIlsb4qxA7dOyJoWY_TuYgm6X5MFH4eb7L4QTWtsZwyTrud-X4C2Vlqw18kZmQgoHCO7pnDh2mpC7XJLES0xO0N91hguOYdUOE/s1600/excellence-club-logo170.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.remodeling.hw.net/sales-systems/pitch-perfect.aspx" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmKGdfiYOoOrQuxOqujM4HWLdITCXoqTKJhayz5OhgzaJKgc57_u9kZHSnVToYpfRHAw7Xz_LMhtXxYuO8LoL22oA099M3EAhcwpkcbsY8b_3BcPFEcSxe8Df43RLVtGada_4z1jzL_JC/s1600/rmag+logo.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Certified Lead Services gives contractors & remodelers the ability
to do things they otherwise wouldn’t.
Qualify and maintain leads,
Marketing and Social Media ! You might be thinking... Yea,
I know I <i>probably should</i> do these
things, but who has the time? WE
DO!! Let us help you “<i>spring</i><b>” </b>your business to the next level with our wide spectrum of
services:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">For more
information on these services and to learn more about Certified Lead Services,
please check out our website:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.certifiedleadservices.com/p/spectrum-of-services.html"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">http://www.certifiedleadservices.com/p/spectrum-of-services.html</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Stay tuned for
our next blog!</span></div>coleen dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462861356034403141noreply@blogger.comForked River, NJ 08731, USA39.9018444 -74.288353639.8043959 -74.446282099999991 39.9992929 -74.1304251tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663968005973741920.post-76152535981796113782012-03-13T09:42:00.000-04:002012-03-13T09:43:23.768-04:00ARE THERE REALLY ANY BAD LEADS?<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Written originally by our Friend and Colleague Jim Mastin @ <a href="http://contractorlink.wordpress.com/2012/03/02/are-there-really-any-bad-leads/" target="_blank">Contractor Link Blog </a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This seems to be the time for being critical of leads received from lead generating companies. I hear constant complaints in discussion forums on the internet. Yes, there are some companies that may intentionally send some bogus leads, or send the same lead to too many contractors. But far the majority are leads for people that are genuinely interested in a home improvement. They may be shopping prices. They may be accumulating ideas before they start. They may seem like a</span> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">waste of your time. But, I believe any lead is a good lead, and if you will stick with me, I can tell you why. Have you ever thought about buying another car and gone car shopping? We don’t go out really intending on buying a car today. All of us have. I wonder how many of</span> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">us actually ended up buying a car that very day and often times at the first place we visited. I know I have. </span></div>
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So, how did that happen? Now, car salesmen are not my favorite people on earth. They are a bit pushy, sometimes overbearing, persistent, etc. but they sell cars. Most all people who walk on a car lot would fall in the category of a “poor lead”, “just shoppers” but salesmen make a living selling to them. Let’s take the average lead that we might call a worthless lead because all they are doing is getting prices and ideas. How far have these potential customers come already? They may have sat in their living room on many occasions for many weeks and talked about a project they would like to do. They have talked colors, materials, how they want it to look, how they would use it, how convenient it would be, how much they would enjoy it. Then they jumped on the web and googled kitchens, bathrooms, pools, landscaping, or whatever they have in mind. They discussed these pictures they found and shared them with the rest of the family. They talked about if they could afford it or not. Then they finally googled to find a way to meet contractors. Stumbled across a lead website, filled out a form, submitted it to someone they never met in hopes he will be a good guy interested in their project. Now are you going to tell me they are not a good lead? They may not know how much it will cost. They may not understand they can’t just knock out a bearing wall. They may not know the time frame involved in such a project. They feel they need to investigate for a while before taking the plunge. Does that make them a “poor lead”?</div>
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To hear some contractors you would sure think so. It sounds like we want a man and wife to call us and tell us they know exactly what they want, they don’t care how long it takes, money is no object, and how soon can you start. That’s what we call a “good lead”. To be sure, it would be, but don’t hold your breath.OK, why is most any lead a good lead? First, because they do have a genuine interest or they wouldn’t be here. They may not know exactly what they want, but that is a great opportunity to offer advice and become the director of their project. You get in the drivers seat early on and they trust you because of all the good ideas you have. I know, after you have wasted and hour and get to the price, they say, “That’s more than what we expected, I think we better wait.” Would the car salesman walk away from that? Are you kidding? He says, “ let me talk to the manager and see if we can earn your business”. These people are a lead, don’t let them get away! “I understand the paint job is more than you expected. Why don’t you let us paint 3 or 4 rooms now and we can come back later and finish it, and we’ll keep the price the same.” Now, what’s going to happen when you get pretty well through? They are going to love it so much they will find the money and let you go ahead and finish it. The idea is, get creative. Help them out making a decision. Just last week a customer requested a contractor contact them. We called the contractor to make sure he had gotten the message. He had and already talked to them. We said, “Are they going to do the job.” He said, “No, they aren’t near ready, just started shopping.” “Not a good lead”. A few days later we followed up with the customer. They had gotten another contractor and the job was already started. “Not a good lead”? “Not a good lead”? </div>
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OK, let’s summarize. Carpenters don’t just drive nails, they sell too! Painters don’t just paint, they sell too! Plumbers don’t just install sinks, they sell too! Learn how to sell the job to the customer and you will be the one working rather than the one saying, it’s a poor lead. Will there be those that really aren’t ready after you meet with them. Sure! So isn’t that a bad lead? No! Two reasons. If you have been a decent and helpful person to them, if they have another project, who will they call? And, do you suppose they have any friends that will one day need a contractor? Who do you think they will recommend to their friend? Yep, yours truly.</div>
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So, the next time you get a “bad” lead, turn it into a “good” lead. Because, there really aren’t many really bad leads!</div>
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Please check out <a href="http://www.preferredcontractor.com/">www.preferredcontractor.com</a> to see a different way to find better leads! </div>
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<a href="http://contractorlink.wordpress.com/2012/03/02/are-there-really-any-bad-leads/" target="_blank"></a><br />
<br />coleen dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462861356034403141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663968005973741920.post-64312858637422097182011-04-22T08:24:00.000-04:002011-04-22T08:25:27.279-04:00Qualifying GreenHappy Earth Day 2011<br />
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I have attended several green-themed marketing seminars and began to consider how I might evaluate a homeowner’s interest in green for the remodeler's that offer sustainable building services.<br />
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The techniches that I have developed to <a href="http://www.certifiedleadservices.com/p/what-we-offer.html">evaluate incoming leads</a> is also used but then using the five green consumer types defined by Corinne Asturias, of cultural trend research company <a href="http://www.iconoculture.com/index.aspx" target="_blank" title="www.iconoculture.com/index.aspx">Iconoculture</a>, to figure out where the prospect falls in terms of their commitment to green:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJv7-D6vqRTfFmMORVGd8buN6vV0_f96AyxiGCJevPHbMKqV6I6XcL_CaCo-KsAZ4TQvmMT3WE3TGRrxycKFo51SwbL55ZF7MJMAxF8uEITIxcdY4Kx0neqAHvrSJpvTtyfGOtqIKhYuc/s1600/recycle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJv7-D6vqRTfFmMORVGd8buN6vV0_f96AyxiGCJevPHbMKqV6I6XcL_CaCo-KsAZ4TQvmMT3WE3TGRrxycKFo51SwbL55ZF7MJMAxF8uEITIxcdY4Kx0neqAHvrSJpvTtyfGOtqIKhYuc/s1600/recycle.jpg" /></a></div><ul><li><b>Extreme Greens</b> value change, commitment, and creativity. These consumers also are influenced by success and their own personal politics.</li>
<li><b>Health Seekers</b> have a safety, wellness, and family focus. They want to clean up the planet.</li>
<li><b>Money and Autonomy</b>–type customers already own Energy Star-approved products and appliances; they rate practicality and thrift as their top values.</li>
<li><b>Conservationist and Preservationist</b> types value authenticity, environmentalism, and preservation.</li>
<li><b>Green-Sheen or Eco-Chic's</b> value status, style, and a sense of belonging.<br />
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The idea here is that it would make sense to figure out what kind of customer we are dealing with and at what level of "green" they are at so we could avoid overwhelming them with too much green information at the first meeting!<br />
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Every homeowner is concerned with the planet in someway, and at their own level if we can arm ourselves when we enter their home we can be prepared as to how to approach the topic of green with the client!<br />
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Happy Earth Day Everyone...! <br />
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I understand its what drives our business obviously, we need to have new clients in order to stay in business, but at what cost are you jeapodizing your business by going out on every lead?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjII-nt2mHDvz4QOCgOnjP1_2WUbREKHCt_sZ30Sizy5OuwCneWTzY_qGfOr1kAtMx4l42aBfkeyv7REVdOthlkJmnbKOZnbB6K38sykqjTonr2EMPqKKSMs0GASu-tRAxSFWEgAo9E0KDK/s1600/justsayno.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjII-nt2mHDvz4QOCgOnjP1_2WUbREKHCt_sZ30Sizy5OuwCneWTzY_qGfOr1kAtMx4l42aBfkeyv7REVdOthlkJmnbKOZnbB6K38sykqjTonr2EMPqKKSMs0GASu-tRAxSFWEgAo9E0KDK/s1600/justsayno.jpg" /></a></div>Spending at minimum 2 hours at the home reviewing the project ,gas/travel time to get there, neglecting the clients who have committed to your work, time away from your family and friend, etc, etc.... Only to find out the potential client doesn't have the money to do the project, isn't really ready to do this just wanted to use you to get started , or they don't have a project you are interested in there are so many different scenarios but it all ends up the same way No Sale!<br />
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We all would like to think that we have a system of qualifying before we go out, but I challenge you to think about that process and ask yourself do you know all of the above scenarios before you even get to the clients home?<br />
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Saying No is ok, working on your business, concentrating solely on what projects and tasks will make you money instead of wasting time chasing something you never had is what is going to keep your business thriving instead of diving!<br />
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I realize that this is what I do so I am passionate about it, this is not an advertisement so much as a wake up call for all of us to remember we are in control!!<br />
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If we set up standards for ourselves we can move forward in any economy and thrive doing what we love!coleen dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462861356034403141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663968005973741920.post-29520949722486107552011-03-31T08:15:00.000-04:002011-12-06T09:37:46.650-05:00Setting Expectations !I was sitting one day a few years back and preparing for my new soccer season coaching my first travel team (this was 7 years ago!). I had all the drills ready, watched all the coaching videos, called on others and asked for advise, had my whole plan ready, I was ready to go! Since I was a newbie to coaching, I wanted to make sure everyone was prepared for my style of coaching, so I wrote up a one page contract for the players and parents. It explained my expectations of the parents and players and also showed what they should expect from me, we would both sign and everyone knew they needed to uphold the contact or there would be consequences. It worked like a charm, I didn't have parents yelling instruction from the sidelines, everyone was on time for practices and games, the kids were respectful, and I made sure it was fun and fair! So every year from there on my parents and players would expect to see this from me and enjoyed the relief of not having to assume anything but know exactly how things would work! <br />
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In our industry we all have good intentions of following through and doing what we set out to do from the initial contract signing, but some where because things happen in construction the expectation we set up from the beginning gets lost and we forget that the homeowner is still expecting this and we don't communicate and set new expectations up to keep them feeling good about the process.<br />
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Some things I like to do:<br />
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<li>At the beginning of the project above the contract, send a one page "what to expect now" sheet, pointing out what they should be expecting from us and what we expect of them </li>
<li>Have a daily log for your Project Manager to leave with the homeowner telling what they have done and what can be expected the following day. We sign and they sign ! </li>
<li> Call through out the conversation and keep "taking their temperature" to be sure they are feeling all "warm and fuzzy" still about the project!</li>
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Once I learned this and applied it to all aspects of my life it changed everything, from my personal life to my professional career. <br />
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The more communication we have whether big or small is so valuable during the process and will set us apart from everyone else, you will be remembered and homeowners will be talking about you !<br />
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<br />coleen dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462861356034403141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663968005973741920.post-88361860856726737142011-03-25T06:06:00.000-04:002015-04-10T11:55:00.948-04:00My Greatest Business Influence<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I was asked a question once on an interview, “Who was your greatest business influence, Coleen?” keep in and I've been working in the Design/Build business for several years and have met many wonderful, influential people, but I paused for only a second and my answer was “My Mom and Dad!” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In all my time as an adult (a good 23 years) working, I have jumped from job to job to further my career, never having any one company value a good employee just worried about themselves or when you made too much how could they get the same for less. (And they always do!) I thought through all of this how my Father has been with the same company for at least 40 years and my Mother was a dedicated Mother, coach, wife, aunt, daughter, cook, I could go on and on for 20 years (I’m pretty sure she hasn't stopped being any of them with any of us!) and after and through all of that worked for 25 years in our school system. Both my parents went back to college through all of this and earned their degrees. They never missed a day of work, never complained, were dedicated and loyal and stuck it out though even the very hard scary times they encountered while working at these places. I don’t know any person in my age group that can say that, or be even remotely close to that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">My Mother will be retiring this year from my high school after 25 years, and my Father (we joke will never retire) is planning his exit soon too. They have taught me more in just what they did then they ever could have told me. I bring my Father’s dedication and drive to every job and my Mother’s wit and charm! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So back to my interview….”who was your greatest business influence, Coleen?” I simply replied “my Mom & Dad, there is no greater influence on a child than a parent and I have two very amazing parents!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Thanks Mom and Dad</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Your loving daughter, Coleen </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">p.s. they loved my answer, offered me the job but I turned it down….just in case you were wondering! </span></div>
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coleen dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07462861356034403141noreply@blogger.com