BuilderRadio interviews Donna Shirey, Shirey Contracting, Issaquah, WA
To listen to an audio recording of this blog interview, go to www.BuilderRadio.com.
How does a remodeling company distinguish itself from other companies in a competitive market? To answer that question we asked Donna Shirey. Shirey Contracting is a premier remodeling contractor in the Seattle area. In addition, Donna is very active in the her local HBA’s Sales and Marketing Council. Here’s how this marketing expert keeps business coming in and her competitors at bay:
Rely heavily on Public Relations
Donna keeps a “fantastic” PR firm on retainer, and they consistently get Shirey Contracting featured in local media. “PR allows people to see us in a variety of places,” she says. A good PR campaign can return great dividends, providing a much larger reach than can be achieved through a similar investment in advertising, and reprints or copies of printed articles can continue to have value for 5 years or more.
Make repeated use of direct mail.
Shirey Contracting sends out 2 mailings per year, 11,000 pieces per mailing. These aren’t random mailings, but targeted to their specific demographic audience, sorted by zip code and mailed within a 25-mile radius. Donna knows the market values of the homes that receive their mailing, the number of workers in the home, household income, etc. She sends a 9×12 brochure, heavy with pictures and using limited copy. The piece briefly describes what Shirey Contracting can do to increase the value of the home, and includes an incentive for placing a design order by a certain date. The singular purpose of the piece is to generate a call to their office, the first step in the sales process.
Develop a Sales Process
Calls are screened and qualified as to wants, budget and time frame. The salesperson taking the call may spend 15 – 20 minutes on the phone with callers to determine if they are viable prospects. Once it is determined that there is a good fit between company and prospect, the company’s policies and processes are explained to the prospect and they are invited to visit the office/model. Donna feels the most important issue at this point is for the prospect to understand who they are and what they do as a company. A visit to their model and office helps the prospect to see the kind of company they are, and builds confidence and trust before negotiations begin as to the scope of work and pricing.
Professional Sales Training
Donna also subscribes to a sales training system conducted by Sandler Sales Institute. She credits this expert sales and business training to helping them develop an effective sales process. Part of this process is to get a $5,000 design deposit as a starting point for each job. This is always done at the first meeting, before any drawing or design begins.
Another thing that the sales training has taught Donna is that it’s okay for the customer to say ‘No.’ The one answer she will not accept is ‘We need to the think it over.’ “I’ll take that as a ‘No’,” she says, so that both she and the customer understand what the next step is when they leave her office. It’s either a sale or it isn’t.
Follow good business and organizational practices.
Good organization is an important part of their business process. Donna fills the role of President and CEO, and delegates other critical functions to a General Manager who reports back to her. Both Donna and the GM assume the role of trainers, and conscientiously train and develop others within the company to take on greater responsibility. This builds loyalty and empowers each employee to make decisions to solve problems and care for customers.
Market ‘Outside the Box.’
Shirey Contracting differentiates themselves in the marketplace in another key area – they’ve been building ‘Green’ for the last 20 years. They use SIPS (Structural Insulated Panel Systems) extensively due to their energy efficiency, sustainability, and the labor savings inherent with systems construction. Indoor air quality is another hallmark of a Shirey home. Her experience in building green – even before it was fashionable – gives her an edge with today’s savvy consumer.
Donna’s customers recognize the benefits of sustainable construction and seek her out as a builder. In fact, building green is not just an option they offer, it’s how they build all of their projects. If it’s a Shirey project, it’s green. They rely on good design and choice of materials to ensure that their customers don’t have to pay a premium for sustainability.
How’s this for a marketing strategy: They call their green building program Build Smart. So, to publicize that aspect of her business, Donna purchased as a company vehicle a SmartCar. The unusual car always gets attention, and the big orange stripe with white lettering promoting Build Smart stands out prominently.
Donna’s willingness to invest in sales training, to develop effective sales and business processes, to market aggressively, and to know and respond to her past and future customers has propelled Shirey Contracting to become one of the most successful companies in their market.
Last Chance to share your ideas in the First-Ever BuilderRadio Marketing Contest. Episodes 14 – 18 have featured ideas to generate traffic to your model home. You just heard Donna Shirey describe how she uses direct mailings to generate traffic. Now it’s your turn. Post your idea(s) for generating traffic as a comment below. Starting March 10, all ideas submitted will be voted on, and whoever submits the winning idea will win a copy of Jerry’s new book, Selling New Homes the Easy Way, your choice of titles from the audio seminar series Lessons from the Pros, and…. (drum roll) we’ll interview you about your winning idea on our program! Entries must be received by midnight, March 9, 2008. Submit your winning idea now in the comment box below!
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