Remodelers: Stay on Track for Growth Despite Coronavirus

With everything in the news about Coronavirus, we should talk about how to hit your growth goals, no matter how the Coronavirus situation develops. 

We are starting to hear from remodelers that homeowners are reluctant to proceed with in-home demonstrations and signing contracts, either due to fear of the illness or due to the uncertain financial markets. 

So, as an in-the-home sales company selling a big ticket item, you need to have a plan! We’ll share with you what we see working.

The Good News

It seems like Coronavirus is causing stress, just due to a lack of information. Let’s start with the good news:

• Coronavirus doesn’t seem to cause severe illness in children - which means much lower stress for families!
• Most cases are mild, similar to the flu. Severe cases are limited to small subsets of people.
• Vaccines are in human testing right this second. Those could hit the market at any time.

See? Nothing that scary! Your business has weathered worse storms.

If you’d like reliable information about Coronavirus, the CDC’s Youtube channel is a great place to start. The most important takeaway is that there is nothing to panic about! Reassure your customers and colleagues.

How to Adapt Your Business

To grow your business despite the Coronavirus, you’ll be adapting to a few months of turbulence. Let’s start by treating the symptoms.

Symptom #1: Customers are reluctant to welcome sales reps into their homes

When a customer asks for a sales demonstration, the answer is yes. Customers are starting to ask for sales demonstrations via Facetime, Skype, and similar technology - make sure your answer is still yes!

Train your staff how to effectively communicate value without being physically inside the home. Facetime is a great tool that is smartphone based. If you prefer your employees work from laptops, Skype is a great solution.

All of your other processes can remain the same - you still measure your key metrics to ensure accountability, only instead of a long drive to the customers home, your sales rep can dial in from the comfort of their own home.

This gives your business a great differentiator for after Coronavirus blows over, too! You’ll be ready to win every potential sale, whether or not the customer can make time for an in-the-home visit.

Symptom #2: Customers are reluctant to sign contracts due to market uncertainty

Uncertainty in the stock market will cause some of your best customers to balk at moving forward with their project. How do you take the financial sting out of a large purchase? The same way you always do, with financing and promotions!

Be sure to train your staff to be conversant about your financing options. Offer incentives to sales staff who are able to succeed in the face of financing opposition.

Similarly, double down on the fundamentals - have strong promotions, and make sure your in-the-home staff are able to convey those promotions as persuasive tools.

Symptom #3: Customers are generally spooked

Most importantly, project positivity and calm! This goes for your customers as well as your employees.

Take a look outside - remodelers are out there working, lawn signs are going up as business is being closed, and your business CAN grow in this environment. 

Email your database to let them know that you are open for business, email them to let them know that you are looking out for their health and safety, and email them to let them know that you are a positive and healthy company to do business with!

There is your plan to grow, no matter the health situation. This virus may last through the end of summer, so the sooner you lock-in your plan, the better!

If you are looking for a digital marketing partner who understands your home improvement business and understands the current market situation with Coronavirus, send me a message! I'd love to talk through options with you.