So, you decided to take the path towards becoming a contractor – and now, after much studying, examinations, and hard work, you have earned your contractor’s license! So, what’s next?
It’s time to start building your contracting business and letting all your hard work pay off! Further your career by earning clients and doing quality work for them, expanding your reach in your area. Eventually, you’ll be completing projects as you please, maybe even hiring other contractors to work under you. With time and hard work, you’ll be able to pick and choose the projects you want to work on, complete your work on your own schedule, and achieve financial freedom on the path of being a contractor.
Here are some ways to start expanding your reach as a local contractor after you have earned your contractor’s license:
#1: Spread the Word
The jobs aren’t just going to start flooding in simply because you earned a contractor’s license – people need to know that you exist in order for that to happen! Spread the word that you’re accepting contracting jobs. Maybe you know someone who needs some work done on their home or property. Respond to ads online for those in search of a licensed contractor.
#2: Know Where to Look for More Jobs
Don’t pass up the opportunity to get more jobs when you can. Some good ideas are to introduce yourself to the neighbors of your clients while you are doing a project. Knock on their door to politely let them know that you’re doing work next door, or perhaps apologize for the mess or noise and assure them it will be taken care of promptly. Then, use that opportunity to give them your card and let them know if you need anything!
#3: Offer Free Quotes
Nothing helps get a client to like you more than offering them something for free. If you’re willing to come out to their property for free and look at the project that they want done and offer them a free quote, then you’re going to be much more likely than the competition to have that client work with you!
#4: Offer Free Touch Ups
After you have done work for a client, offer to check up on the completed project six months or a year later to make sure it all still looks like it is in good order. Do any touch ups that are needed for free – this will really wow your clients!
Also let them know if they notice the project needs touching up to reach out to you so you can come by and fix it. This will help build trust with your client and make them want to work with you on other projects in the future, and it will also likely lead to them recommending you to others they may know.
Finally, when doing the touch ups, that is a good way to get back on their property, so you can recommend any other work that they might want to have done as you spot it!
#5: Hire Other Licensed Contractors
As you start to expand your reach in your local area, you might find yourself getting booked up far in advance – and you don’t want to start turning down jobs (and money) as a result. Once you have become so established, it’s a good time to bring on other licensed contractors to work under you. This allows you to take on more projects – and often even work less – and increase the amount of money you make at the same time!
#6: Offer Client Testimonials and Examples of Your Work
Making a potential client want to work with you in a project they need completed on their property is all about building trust. It is essential that your client knows that you are capable of doing the job at hand, that you have the experience necessary to do the job well, and that your past clients have been satisfied with the work you did for them.
You can build this trust by showing those who are considering working with you before and after images from past projects you have done, providing them with client testimonials, and more. By proving to your clients that you’ve already done this type of work, and done it well, they will feel assured that they are in good hands and will be ready to hire you!
If all this sounds like the kind of future and success that you envision for yourself, but you don’t have a contractor’s license, then we’re here to help! At Contractors Institute, we help individuals prepare for the licensing exam and keep our readers updated on the latest news in the world of contracting.