One of the biggest mistakes painting contractors make is how they deliver their painting proposal to a prospective customer.
First, you need to deliver it on the spot. Do not send an email proposal after the fact.
Second, you need to make sure it’s written in a professional way, it’s detailed, and it provides options and customizations for the customer.
Third, you need to have a strong close when you present the proposal.
We’re going to look at why these are such important aspects to selling a paint job, and how can immediately improve your sales rate with a couple of minor tweaks.
1. You must deliver your estimate “on the spot”
We always run across painting contractors who meet with the customer and then promise a bid later. Most often, this happens when we directly compete with people. Customers are constantly “waiting” on the other guy to “send them the estimate”.
Customers have a sub-par experience with companies that don’t deliver the estimate on the spot. If you don’t even have time to get them their estimate right away, how do you have time to take care of their job properly?
And when you email the proposal, you miss out on the opportunity to answer questions, clarify concerns, and earn the job.
At every estimate, you should have some financial incentive for the customer to decide on the day of the estimate. You lose this opportunity when you don’t deliver the estimate on the spot.
Action #1: Schedule enough time for your estimates to take your measurements, write up your proposal, and review it with your customer.
2. You need a professionally written proposal
Customers are going to spend thousands of dollars painting their house. A half-assed agreement does not justify thousands of dollars spent.
A verbal price certainly does not display value and professionalism.
Even worse, we’ve seen people write their quotes on the back of a business card.
Now… this may work. But it will never command a strong price point. The only jobs you are going to book on the back of a business card is a low-ball price. And nobody is making money on low-ball pricing.
To command a strong price and value for the paint job, you must display a high level of detail and professionalism. In order to do that, your proposal should include the following information:
- Customer information
- Company information and detailed contact information
- Warranty information
- Liability insurance and workers’ comp
- The areas of the house that are being painted
- The prep work that is being included for the unique problem areas on the house
- The materials being used including type of caulk, primer, and paint
- Notes about the job that are unique to that customer’s house
- Multiple options and prices to meet their needs
- Discounts available for taking action today
- A 3-day right to cancel
- A signature and date line for them to sign on
This will ensure that the customer is getting exactly what they want, that everything has been written and included, and that you will be on the same page with your customer about what work is being done and not being done.
It gives customers peace of mind, and creates value in your offer allowing your painting business to command a higher price.
Action #2: Create a template for your proposal. Print out 20 of them for your next 20 estimates. Be detailed, thorough, and make notes about everything you talked about.
3. You need a strong close when you present the proposal
A strong close is a direct close. It’s when you ask directly for the job.
For example, you sit down with the customer and begin reviewing the written contact from the top down. As you go through the agreement, get them to say “yes” a lot.
- “Is your information correct?”
- “This is all the areas that we’re painting, look good?”
- “We’re going to scrape, sand, and prime the peeling areas, like the ones we looked at outside.”
- “Before we review the options, is this everything we talked about and everything you guys want?”
Once you’ve reviewed the entire contract, you need to review the options. After reviewing the options, this is where you need to close. Here are a few examples of a good close:
- “So, which option do you want to go with?”
- “So, all I need is a 25% deposit and your signature here at the bottom and we can get you in our schedule.”
- “Do you want to do the whole house or just the trim?”
- “So where do you want to go from here?” (weaker, but still good)
What NOT to say:
- “What do you think?” → They’ll tell you what they think. They think that looks like a lot of money to spend on a paint job and I’d rather spend it on vacation. Now you are having a conversation with them about all the things they think. We don’t want to go there.
- “How’s the price look?” → Same thing. You do not want to know the answer to that question. It’s never a good answer. It’s always “that seems high”; “that’s a lot of money”; or “I don’t want to spend that”.
As the question you want the answer to.
Action #3: Choose a close you will use. Once you say the close, set your pen down, and shut up. Don’t say another word until they do. Let it be awkward. Make them talk next.
Implement these three actions, and watch your sales rate improve immediately! You’ll instantly stand out from the competition and start closing more sales!
15 Comments
Hello! In your Lead program,is there only 1 Lead per professional painter or are there other painting companies to 1 Lead? Also, if a customers has only 1 room to be painted, is that considered a Small Lead that doesn’t Cost me or a Regular Paying Lead? Ty! Purdy Painting Inc.
Hi Jack, thank you for your questions. Our homeowners request multiple estimates from multiple contractors, so depending on your area the lead can go to 1-4 contractors at a time.
That is correct, any lead from our service that is 1 room or less is free. Please let us know if we can help with anything else, thanks Jack!
We been in business for 6 months now and have 28 jobs now. You guys have been very important to my bidding knowledge and many other things. Im excited to start receiving leads here and working with you. Thanks again
Really glad to hear it! Keep up the good work!
We have been using 2-sided cards with a printed “Estimate short form” on the back of the card. Obviously you can’t make a detailed estimate on the back of the card, however, it works well for small jobs like someone who wants 1 room painted as we have 3 lines printed blank for us to fill in, we sign and date the back side, and let the homeowner know they will have the highly detailed estimate by email later that evening or by tomorrow morning at the latest. Any specific details they are concerned about at discussed, these are included on the card (perhaps they have water stains from the roof that show even after the roof was replaced and they want the room repainted and the stains covered, maybe a few cracks in the sheetrock, etc.), and the very detailed estimate is sent and is signable via email. We follow up the next evening to make sure they have received and read the email, ask if there are any questions, make sure it downloaded correctly and, especially seniors (this is the #2 retirement community in the country, or was at one time, so it’s probably 80% of our clientele) we always offer to continue electronically or I can stop by with the “old-fashioned” hard copy and we can both sign on the hard-copy together and make sure they see that senior citizen discount. Sometimes I find they want me to stop by so they can “try something new” like signing on their smart phone. They actually seem to enjoy just how easily they can learn something new. We have been in business for over 30 years. If we don’t know the pricing on a particular item (maybe chinking replacement on a log cabin, something we do but not every day of the week), we will guessimate that on the card and nail it on the actual estimate. We live in an area where internet access can be very sparse because of the mountains, so we might have to ride 10 miles down the road to get signal where we could check these and estimate on the spot. We usually have a ballpark and will estimate on the back of the card on the high side so that when we do get signal and can nail down our pricing, we hope the estimate goes down and not up, leaving the customer with a pleasant surprise. I would never dream of asking a potential customer for their wifi password, and if I can’t get a data signal, this is what we have come up with as a system that works for us in this area. I’m sure in a busy metro area, this is something that is probably totally irrelevant. Hopefully it will be here in years to come, but I hope to be retired by then! People actually seem to like the printed back of the card, they know when we leave what the amount will be, and know that within a few hours they will have the detailed estimate. I do agree with you that writing “Paint Job $700” on the back of an inexpensive paper stock card, is extremely tacky and will probably never put you on the top of the homeowner’s “painter to call back and hire” list!
When you talk about estimating on the spot, I’m wondering how this is done. Do you go to your work vehicle and write out an estimate on a piece of paper? Do you have a laptop that you type your estimate out on while at the customer’s home? Wondering the details of how this can be done, as I am a newer business, an estimate for a large place usually takes me about 20 minutes.
Hi Henry, a good estimate “on the spot” as we say, should take at least an hour. Only spending 20 minutes with a customer is not going to create a lasting impression. There should be a whole presentation; a client manual with your past work, the quality paint you use, your process to prep etc.
If you’re just giving a number and leaving, you’re going to lose out to any cheaper bid. The customer has to understand the value you are providing. This should include a walk-around the house with all decision-makers, showing failing areas (of paint) and what YOUR solution would be. You should be building rapport and trust with the customer the whole time. If you’re building a relationship, you’re not just a number, you’re another human being that a customer wants to do business with.
I’ve been reluctant to start business again, but feel the time is right. At first I tried at age 20 but didn’t have the mentality of becoming wealthy while pleasing my customers. now it’s 32 years later and see it from a different perspective. Your writings motivate me. Thank you
Hi Sean, really glad to hear it. Thanks for reading!
I started my painting business 2 weeks ago. I have been painting for 28 years. Eric your business system for building a painting business is inspiring. I have been reading and putting into memory as much as i can the last week. I had my first estimate today using your techniques, cliches, and forms. I did well until I got to the part where I had to write the estimate itself. I thought I could write it out in the car in front of the homeowners house. Ended up taking it home after spending an hour in the car trying to write it. I learned a lesson. I made a couple mistakes on each estimate I did today. I got my first job though using your format. I really want to learn more from you. I just don’t have the money to spend on your packages. I spent about 4,000$ on a van, sprayer, pressure washer,brushes, rollers, license, etc. to start my company. I started reading your articles when I just finished getting everything. Then come to find out you wanted me, or people like me, to get away from the painting part and move to networking, estimating, building clients and retaining them. Subcontracting out the work. I have 1 employ. I am stuck thinking of where to get a good sub from…..well I have talked to much….I have so many questions….love relearning at 46 years old…..thank you
Hello, please let me know if you recommend a painting estimating software.
Thanks
I’m interested in starting to work with you but I speak little English and you don’t have a representative in Spanish, I live in Miami fl how can you help me
Hi Julio, we will reach out to see if we can help, thanks!
Hello. I’m a female painter from Nigeria. I have been painting for 5 years now but haven’t gotten any huge contract yet. People think I’m too small and have this gender issues but my works are really good. What advice do you have for me? Is there anything I’m not doing right?
I am trying to start a painting company. I’m 29 ive worked for multiple painting companies. This information is a gold mine. I’m from Cleveland Ohio. Any help would be very much appreciated.