5 Words That "Just Amped up the Delivery"

"This is how we work."

Here's an upbeat story to kick off the remodeling week. It's especially relevant if you think you're wasting your time with Twitter and other social media tools. Even more so if you're committed to thinking there's little you can do (other than slashing your prices to rock bottom) to get remodeling newbies to trust and hire you.

A Midwestern remodeler reports that he is "very, very close" to signing a $165,000 project of an old home in an upscale, historic neighborhood. The couple has never remodeled, "and they are very nervous," he says. "They called three of our past clients and also requested a walk-through of one of our projects."

During the walk-through (at another old home), the couple asked wisely about the "unforeseen changes" that often arise in old structures. "I saw this as a great opportunity to use these five words" the remodeler says. "I said, 'This is how we work' in the context of anticipating changes, performing thorough pre-construction planning and minimizing changes as much as possible.'"

The couple responded positively to that statement and everything that came with it. "I think it showed conviction," the remodeler muses. "I think just giving someone something to have confidence in gives them comfort. And the five-word statement just amped up the delivery."

So what's the Twitter connection? The couple was referred by an architect with whom the remodeler has been communicating on Twitter. "Score one for a great Twitter lead," the remodeler says. 

And the genesis of the five-word statement? From the talented Kyle Hunt, who provides marketing advice to remodelers. One of his recent emails recommended the "This is how we work" statement thus:

"Make it clear. Make it easy. Limit the options. Have it written out for them. This puts them at ease, makes their choice easier and converts more of your prospects to clients.

"Homeowners crave a PROCESS. Give it to them!"

Sign up for Kyle's email at his website. And follow his marketing tips on Twitter: http://twitter.com/KyleHunt.

Go to the main site of daily5REMODEL.

Go to the home page of this blog.

The (Mostly) Good News

At a conference a few weeks ago, I realized I had fallen dangerously under the influence of a motivational speaker when I found my hand in the air, along with hundreds of other hands in the room, and my voice joining hundreds of others in vowing to stop paying attention to the news.
.
.
.
What? My living is in the news. I'm a lifelong lover of the news, even when it's mostly bad. I live in Washington, D.C., for goodness sake, where it's impossible not to follow the news!

I jerked my hand down and left the room to get some coffee. No more kool-aid for me.

The speaker did have a point about the negative effect of negative news, though. And it was hard not to notice how relieved the hundreds of other people (mostly remodelers) seemed to have "permission" to stop following the news. Some high-fived each other.

Thus was born the "all's good" Friday edition of d5R: no bad news, in either the daily news roundup or the daily5 articles.

At first, it was liberating. In sifting through hundreds of news sources every day, I now had permission to ignore the reports of foreclosures, taxes, layoffs, closing factories, slumping sales, product recalls, LEEDigation... I was the remodeling PollyAnna, looking only for things to be glad about (and there was a lot, most days).

Readers seemed to like it. "I like good news Fridays better," one emailed me on a Monday. "Suggest that Good News Monday be added. Mondays don't need any help being a drag."

By Thursday of last week, the motivational kool-aid had begun to wear off. I struggled to find nothing but good news to report on, and grasped at ways to positively spin news that was bittersweet at best (a struggling lumberyard found a buyer! The Remodeling Market Index stopped declining!).

This week seemed to be a particularly rough one for the building industry, demonstrated by a bunch of economic factors including yesterday's announcement that Kohler -- that generations-old icon of American-made tradition -- had laid off 750 employees, its sixth layoff in two years. I got to tour the Kohler factory in Wisconsin last month, and one of the best parts was seeing the tour guide (who had just retired after 38 years at the plant) point out workers who had been there even longer than he had.

Which is all a very long-winded way of saying that 'all's good' Friday had to take a reality break this week. And that we welcome your good news. Post it here, please, or email it to leah@daily5Remodel.com.

Have an all's good weekend.