It’s officially spring, which means the busy season for home services is about to ramp up.
If you’ve been in business for a while, you already know that the peak season for most home services is during the Spring and Summer, peaking around May through September.
If you didn’t know, now you do.
So, it’s time to get prepared.
In this article and podcast episode, I share four simple actions you can take right now, to not only make more money this summer, but to leverage the busy season to build momentum into the winter.
Let’s jump right in.
Listen to the podcast version of this article, which includes extra content. Listen right here or on your favorite podcast app!
HS046 – Four Simple Ways to Make More Money This Summer
#1 – Invest in Good Software
A good CRM/field management software is essential to running a professional handyman business.
It will make you look more professional, help you provide better service and communication, keep you organized, and more.
Basically, It will help you make more money.
However, one feature of a good CRM that is particularly useful for building momentum is automated review requests.
Reviews are a critical pillar of online marketing for home service. You should always focus on getting more of them.
However, it’s challenging to remember to always ask for a review, and even when you do, unless it is super easy, most customers won’t do it, even if they love your services.
That’s why automated review requests are so useful. A good CRM will automatically send each customer a text and an email requesting a review with a link to leave the review.
That way, all the customer has to do is click the link and leave a review. Plus, they have a nice little reminder to improve their chances of leaving one.
Here’s the CRM I use and a list of other good ones.
There are many benefits to using a good CRM, so if you’re still on the fence about using one, just do it. You can always cancel later if you don’t think it’s worth it.
But the more likely scenario is that you’ll feel silly for not trying one sooner.
#2 – Setup/Optimize your Google Business Profile
Speaking of online reviews, the first place to focus on online reviews in 99% of cases is on your Google Business Profile.
Any online review is great, but a review on Google is the best.
You can learn more about Google Business Profile here.
If you haven’t already set up your profile, do that immediately. That way, you can link your CRM to your profile and start racking up those five-star reviews.
This process only takes an hour to two, plus up to a week to get verified. So do it now. That way, you can establish some reviews while busy this year, making it easier to attract customers during the slow season.
If you haven’t updated your Google Business Profile for a while, now is a good time to do that so you can ensure your business information is up to date and spruced up. Spending just fifteen minutes here could lead to several high-quality leads over the next few months.
#3 – Dial in Your Pricing Strategy
The last thing you want to do is bog yourself down constantly while worrying about how much to charge, if you are charging enough, or if you are charging too much.
That wastes way too much mental energy.
It also leads to making less money.
It’s best to enter this busy season with clarity and confidence – especially with pricing.
And the best place to gain clarity and confidence with pricing home repairs is right here. Yes, there is an investment required, but it will easily pay for itself in a matter of days or weeks. Heck, maybe even with your next project.
Dialing in your pricing will not just help you make a little extra money, but a LOT more money. It’s not rare for me to see someone double their profits by implementing those strategies.
If you’re going to be working hard this summer, you might as well squeeze as much profit out of your hard work as you can – that way, you can invest into growing your business, take vacations, or just feel more secure financially.
Don’t step over dollars to pick up pennies.
Learn how to profit from your effort.
Your customers will thank you, and so will your wife.
#4 – Prepare your pitch
I’m not talking about learning sophisticated sales techniques or constantly selling things to customers.
I’m talking about having a good answer to one simple question:
“What services do you offer?”
When first-time customers hire you, they may not realize that you offer other services. If they like your services, they will often ask you what else you do.
It’s easy to stumble on this if you aren’t prepared. So, spend fifteen minutes or an hour writing down your answer. Think of the main services you’d like to promote. Practice your answer so you are confident when customers ask.
Don’t be afraid to mention how you are different than your competitors and who your services are best for.
As a bonus, prepare a handout that lists your services and describes the benefits of hiring you.
This is a great way communicate what you do and to let customers know that you are interested in working more for them. Don’t just assume they know you want more business. Let them know!
Conclusion
The busy season can sometimes be overwhelming, making investing time into working on your business difficult.
However, by preparing these four things right now (which won’t take that long), you will set yourself up to make more money, look more professional, and have more fun this summer.
You’ll also build momentum for your business that will take you into the upcoming fall/winter season.
