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I started my business from scratch. I was pretty much just out of the military, and I started installing prefinished floors and tile, not really knowing what I was doing. I did things the hard way, like cutting one board at a time instead of racking a whole floor. I didn't even know what slip tongue was.
Back then, I was trying to make as much as I could, but I was really trying to get the job, because I needed to make ends meet. I wasn't bidding with confidence, because I wasn't proficient or quick. I would go to the big-box stores and walk down the aisle and hand out my card to try to get business. Then I'd put flyers on the cars in the parking lot. I'd make conversation anywhere I could to try to get a sale. I was trying to be competitive with everybody else bidding work around me. Now when I look back on it, I see I was bidding against their work and trying to be the lowest bidder to get the job. It was lots of work and not enough money, and it led to lots of frustration.
After two years of doing business like that, I went to the NOFMA/NWFA school. Going through the school was eye-opening to me. Some of the things I learned were simple, but I had made them so hard. I met a lot of good people, and without them, I wouldn't have the business I have today.
After the school, my business changed because I felt more confident in what I was bidding and how I could manage my time. I knew how long it would really take, and I knew I was doing it right. I was able to sleep, because I knew more about moisture content and how wood worked. By knowing more, I had the self-confidence to approach builders and homeowners to do their floors.
Now when I go to bid a job, I mirror the customers. First I mirror the home and their lifestyle: What do they drive? What's hanging from their dashboard? Are they funny, serious, conservative, flashy? Then I mirror the person. I'll take their body language and posture and incorporate it into my body language. The main thing is for them to like me and feel comfortable with me. Before I leave there, it should seem like we've known each other for a long time and that I've gained their trust.
Once I've gained customers' trust, then I educate them, which also helps build trust. I get in-depth with customers and give them more options than they thought they had. I also discuss pricing and the fact that I'm not going to be the lowest bidder, because we're going to be using a better flooring product, the grading is going to be a higher standard, and the finish we're using is going to be a longer-lasting finish. We'll be meticulous to make it the best we can. So, you're not spending more money, you're getting a better investment. I try to set their expectations at a higher level than the average contractor is going to deliver, so I give them a high expectation and then exceed it. I'll tell them that we're not perfect, but we try to be as perfect as we can.
You need to pamper customers and talk to them. Explain everything to them and let them know what you're doing so they feel involved in the process. When we start the job, I tell customers, "You're our priority," and they feel good about that.
Today, my business makes more money, and people want us to do work for them. The work comes to us because of word of mouth and how we approach our business. It's a long way from handing out my cards in the flooring department at Home Depot, but sometimes learning things the hard way is the best way.