It may have to do with how you’re writing your estimate.
Without a doubt bidding painting jobs is one of the biggest problems facing painting business owners… In fact the problem is so big that most never figure it out!
Even those who do eventually figure out a set of formulas that consistently produce a competitive price, the way they write up and present the estimate is causing them to lose over fifty percent of the work.
I have talked with countless painting business owners over the years who ask me for advice about how to close paint jobs NORTH of 50% and this is what I tell them.
- Bidding paint jobs isn’t as much about price as it is about relationships and communication.
So, So, SO many painting business owners have brainwashed themselves into thinking that homeowners shop price, so they keep cutting their prices until they go out of business. (You’re not cutting your prices, are you?)
Think about it this way… no one wants to spend money on having their house painted, do they? No way! What they want is the feeling the new look and color is going to give them. What they want is the FEELING it will give them! …And they will pay a premium to the painting business owner who is able to communicate their ability to give that feeling to them.
Get involved with the project, make an intimate connection with the home owner, ask good questions to find out their motivation for wanting the work done in the first place, then “paint them a picture” about what it will look and feel like when they’re standing in their NEW room.
- Write up your estimate and highlight the added value you offer and all of the benefits of having you do the work.
For example you can highlight the fact that you offer a warranty of some kind (you do don’t you) or how the paint you use is ‘environmentally friendly’, or whatever it is you do.
You can also educate them about why they should NEVER hire the lowest priced painter to do the work
- Itemize the process from start to finish so they know what to expect… Be specific. The more detailed you can be the better. A home owner is going to feel a lot more comfortable dealing with someone they feel has their best interests at heart.
…Always under promise and over deliver, NEVER the other way around! The last thing you want to do is simply write a price on the back of a business card and say call me!
It may take a bit longer to write up an estimate this way but it’s a fact that you WILL land a lot more jobs.
Obviously there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to the process, but gaining a working knowledge of the bidding and estimate writing process is vitally important to your success.
There are many ways to give yourself an advantage in your market place that will allow you to paint at a premium even in the slowest economy.