Training Classes For Restoration Marketing

3 minute read

Everyone in the disaster restoration industry understands (I hope) that marketing is quite different than the selling style used in most other businesses. When you really think about it, “selling” to an insurance agent – is only about selling them on the idea that they want to send their policyholders to you when their insured has a disaster. It’s also similar when you are marketing to a plumber or HVAC contractor. They are rarely the ones that need your clean-up services. What they need is for you to help their plumbing customer by sending them to you when there is a water-damaged home.

MARKETING NOT SELLING

There is a fine distinction between what your marketer does, and what a marketer does. Marketers are (or should be) convincing those in a position to refer your company, to actually refer their policyholders or plumbing customers to you. Now your Senior Project Manager goes to the loss and then SELLS the customer, getting an Agreement or Work Authorization signed.

BIG DIFFERENCE

Marketing strategies are different than selling strategies! In the marketing process, it’s critical that the marketer research their prospects, the prospects’ business, and their industry. Almost daily, I remind the marketers that I coach, to spend at least 10% of their marketing time doing research and homework on their prospects. Since you initially have almost no credibility, you change that by knowing the prospect’s pains, issues, and challenges. That alone significantly improves the trust factor with the client.

MARKETING

With selling, you are in front of the “end-user” of your services. For example, a plumber’s customer has a flood event in their home, and the plumber suggests the homeowner call you. The homeowner is the actual end-user – But you also need to make both the customer AND the plumber happy. It’s similar to insurance agents; they tell the policyholder to call you, and yet you still must make sure the insurance agent is a hero in the process. First, you need to Market to the plumber, get them to give you a referral, then send in a salesperson to close the job.

CLASSES

Too often, a restoration contractor hires a marketer, only to realize six months later that the marketer isn’t bringing in work. Now the owner has spent thousands of dollars, often to start all over again. Coaching and teaching the marketer right from the start dramatically helps improve the likelihood your marketer will succeed. Many owners choose to do on-site training so that it’s customized specifically for their people, their company, and their market.

Want to know more? Call Dick Wagner at 419-202-6745.

Nationally recognized coach, consultant, trainer, and speaker

Creator of the renowned PREP™ pre-disaster program