I don’t know a contractor who isn’t interested in growing their contracting business. Whether they want more leads, sales, people or profits, they all want something to grow! If you’re interested in growing your contracting business this will be a helpful article.
I have found that growth comes from one of two different approaches: The Farmer & the Hunter. Here are my thoughts on both.
Growing Your Contracting Business: The Farmer
Farming is a simple concept. You find some fertile ground and plant the things you want to grow. Then, you water it. You tend to it and make sure weeds don’t take over. Eventually, the stuff you planted grows. You reap what you sow.
The typical farmer controls what he can.
- He tills the soil.
- He plants the seed.
- He makes sure it has water.
- He protects it from weeds and predators.
- He harvests the crop.
From my point of view, the successful farmer identifies what he wants to grow and then he consistently does the work and allows for nature to take over.
When you consider growing your contracting business, are you doing any farming?
Maybe you need more sales? Are you going to fertile areas and planting and watering the seeds? Some possible fertile ground for a contractor could be:
- Your local economic development association
- The chamber of commerce
- Associations of designers, architects or property managers
- Community events or historical societies
- Creating website content that is helpful and relevant for prospects
- Engaging in Social Media discussions and connecting with people
Farming takes time. It requires an investment in relationships with others that in time will grow if you’re consistent. Find some fertile ground today and starting planting. The seeds you plant today will produce work for you several months or years from now.
Be helpful, plant seeds and be consistent.
Growing Your Contracting Business: The Hunter
Farming is massively important, but sometimes you need to find food today! Sometimes your tribe needs you to chase down that giraffe, throw a spear into it and bring some meat home!
No business will survive without a hunter. A good hunter will know where the food is, will plan his approach and bring the right weapons for the job.
What does the hunter look like when growing your contracting business? Here are some thoughts of mine:
- He is aware of his surroundings. He spots the rolls of old carpet out by the curb and thinks, “Maybe they need a painter?”
- He will call his past clients to see how things are going.
- She will call clients a few months before their warranty is up to make sure they take advantage of it in the event there is an issue.
- He will knock on the doors next to the job they are working on and introduce himself and the company.
Being a hunter is about having an attitude of urgency. That doesn’t mean they are stressed and frantic. It means they understand that there is no better time than now to take action.
Which are you? A farmer or a hunter? Maybe a little of both?
Your contracting business needs both. Make sure you’re taking action today that will plant and water for the future and jump to action to find food for today.
