HBWeekly

Rewarding Employees During the Holidays

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Erika Carruth

holiday giving office - HBWeekly

With the holidays comes the opportunity to show gratitude and reward your team for a job well done. Some of your team may already have a holiday or end-of-the-year bonus structure in place, but don’t let the expected bonus deter you from recognizing your employees in more creative ways. Performance-based bonuses shouldn’t be considered equivalent to an actual holiday gift. Performance-based bonuses are part of the compensation structure and should be considered separate from holiday gifts. From field workers to office staff, everyone appreciates recognition for their hard work, and the holidays are the perfect time to reinforce a positive company culture that is supportive of your team and their families.

This year, the major holidays of Christmas and New Year’s Eve take place on the weekend, which will not provide much holiday break time during office hours. Unless your business is closing its doors for the weeks during the holidays, which is not an option for most, many employees may need a little boost to remind them that you value their time and effort. Here are a few things to consider when giving thanks through personal and warm wishes for the holiday season:

Company Party – If you haven’t already booked a venue and secured a menu, chances are your holiday party will need to take place in your office or conference room. Although planning ahead is ideal, don’t discard the idea of a party just because we are already in December. It’s not too late to celebrate. Depending on the size of your party (and budget), you may be able to book a nice luncheon or dinner at a nearby restaurant. If that’s not an option, call the caterers at a favorite lunch establishment, and have a party at your office or warehouse. Such casual gatherings provide employees a chance to be social and connect, while providing you a chance to personally thank your team.
Gift Cards – Gift cards can be purchased in bulk, sometimes with a discount, and there’s no wrapping required. Everyone appreciates a credit card gift card that can be used anywhere, but getting one for their favorite coffee shop or lunch spot can provide an additional personal touch.
Paid Time Off – This option is great for this year being that the holidays are on the weekends. Surprise your team with one or two extra paid days off. You may consider the Monday after Christmas and a day before or after New Year’s weekend.
Not So Equal – If you give one employee a holiday gift, then all employees should receive something for the holidays; that’s the equal part. As for the not so equal part, don’t think that all gifts and holiday bonuses must be the same thing or for the same amount. Although gift amounts don’t need to be equal, they most definitely should be consistent. It is easiest to simply give the same gifts to all employees, but if you choose to give tiered gifts, make sure that it is not personal or may be perceived as favoritism. Your safest bet would be to vary the gifts based on clear boundaries such as employee classification (administrative staff, upper management, field staff, etc.).
Check Last Year – Unless you have informed your staff in advance of cutbacks in holiday giving, make sure you are on par with the previous year. Although holiday gifts of any amount are appreciated, your employees most likely have expectations based on the gifts they received last year. Don’t give less than last year, and if you choose to give more, know that you will be raising and setting the bar for next year.

From gift cards and bonuses to paid time off and parties, there are plenty of options for showing your team appreciation this holiday season. More importantly, remember to say “thank you” and provide a personal greeting and well wishes. Along with it being the season of giving, it is also a season of gratitude. Closing the year on a positive note will allow you and your team to be refreshed and ready for a great start to 2017.

For more information on construction business and marketing tips, stay connected with the HBW Blog. To get ahead of construction activity and gain access to the latest permitting data in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, contact HBW for more information on construction data reports and industry leads.

Texas Residential Construction Review – November 2016

Posted on December 7, 2016 by Erika Carruth

texas homes HBWeekly.com

It’s no secret that Texas is gaining in popularity. Texas-style urbanism has been making headlines, with the “Texas Triangle” (Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, San Antonio) reportedly accounting for 66% of the Lone Star State’s population. A new report titled “The Texas Way of Urbanism” from the Center for Opportunity Urbanism (COU) went into more depth about the rise in Texas cities. The report noted that the larger urban areas of Texas have added the most jobs and people since 2000 in comparison to larger coastal cities. Job growth has been impressive throughout the Texas Triangle, with Dallas and Houston having increased by 31% since 2000, while the less populated areas of Austin and San Antonio have experienced some of the fastest job growth in the nation (>52%).

In addition to the significant job growth since 2000, the report by COU stated that affordable housing proved to be an important part of the Texas model of urbanism. Texas cities clearly have significantly less housing costs in comparison to larger coastal cities throughout the nation. Based on the latest permitting data available from HBW, San Antonio had the lowest average value of new residential construction last month ($203,667). As for total housing starts, Houston had the most on file (1,483 permits) out of the Texas Triangle cities, and the area followed the affordability pattern as the average value of construction was $208,136 last month.

TX Total New Residential Permits – Nov. 2016

Out of the nearly 3,400 housing starts and approximately $838.5M in construction value throughout the Texas Triangle in November, the more densely populated areas of Houston and Dallas led for total new residential construction permits. As previously mentioned, Houston continued to lead the state for new residential construction with 1,483 housing starts and nearly $309M in construction value. While Dallas was second highest for total housing starts (1,063 permits), it was the leader for total construction value with a total close to $333M for the month. On a related note, the average value of residential construction in Dallas was also the highest of the four major areas reviewed at $312,877. Austin was next in line and ranked second highest for the month with an average construction value of $245,919.

TX Average Value of Resid. Construction – Nov. 2016

Although total permits were not as high as October, Harris County in Houston remained in the #1 spot for total new residential construction permits. In November, there were 676 housing starts in Harris County with a total construction value of $152.5M. Also in the Houston area, the county of Fort Bend was ranked second highest for housing starts with 348 new residential construction permits and a total value in excess of $52M for the month, bringing it up three spots on the chart since October. Holding steady and continuing to rank third highest for new residential construction, Collin County in Dallas had 343 housing starts and nearly $122M in value added to the HBW database last month.

TX Top Counties for Total Permits – Nov. 2016

Information utilized for the graphs and above listed figures for Texas residential construction was directly derived from HBW construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Preparing Your Profiles for the Holidays

Posted on December 2, 2016 by Erika Carruth

You may already be decking the halls (and your office) with holiday cheer, but are your website and online profiles holiday-ready?

Earlier this month we discussed a few ways to take advantage of the holiday hoopla that comes with Black Friday, as well as planning ahead for marketing in the coming year. Between the holiday promotions, office parties and vacations, time can easily get away from us, leaving us vulnerable to overlooking some of the most important tasks.

With the holidays comes the opportunity to new visitors on business websites, social media pages and profiles. For this reason, it is important to make sure your website and social media profiles are holiday-ready. Although schedules and meetings may be unstable this time of year, your website and online presence should remain steady. Here are few simple steps you can take to make sure that your business’s website and online profiles remain solid through the holiday season.

Update Schedules – If your office is closing for a holiday party or to observe the holidays during business hours, update your website and social media pages with this information. Obviously, a few hours for a holiday party need not be mentioned, but if you are closing the office for an extended period, publish the correct “holiday schedule”. Additionally, if you are open on days or hours when most other businesses are closed, let your customers know that you are offering services through the holidays.
Out-of-Office – If you or your staff will be taking a vacation, make it a policy to have an automatic out-of-office reply set up prior to leaving. Not everyone is making holiday time vacation time, and few things agitate a customer more than not having a call or email returned. Update voicemail messages and email responses to avoid unnecessary issues. When possible, offer an emergency number or alternate contact to handle pressing matters.
Home Page – Whether it is the home page of your website or main page on your social media profile, make sure to add your holiday promotions. One simple updated image in the slides on your homepage or header of your Facebook page can do the trick. For promotions, you may mention ideas for sprucing up the home/office for the holiday season by including your own products and services as suggestions for gifts, stocking stuffers, décor, etc.
Schedule Posts in Advance – If you don’t already have a social media schedule, now is a great time to begin developing one. Your social media updates and blog posts should be sensitive to the holiday season. In addition to mentioning your promotions, remember to wish your prospects and customers a happy holiday. As you and your staff will be busy with the holidays too, schedule the greeting in advance, like now, so that is doesn’t slip through the cracks.
Clarify Deadlines – Make your deadlines and turnaround time for orders prominent and clear. If you have a price list online, add the holiday deadline to it. If you expect a delay or an overabundance of requests during the holidays, consider posting an update on your social media profile informing clients of turnaround times for orders and requests.
Spruce Up Your Website – We’re not referring to a few bows or reindeer at the top of your page. Rather, sprucing up your site refers to making it clear and easy to get to the action. In addition to having your promotions prominently displayed, your site should be easy to navigate and provide direct access to the promotion. For example, if you are offering a discount on flooring or tile installation, the order or request form should be no more than one click away. Provide easy access to shopping, ordering and online payments.
Use Reports – If you monitor site visitors through Google Analytics or similar tools, now is the perfect time to check out the keywords that generated the most activity during the holiday season last year. Analytics are only effective if used, and by using last year’s statistics, you will know which keywords and promotions should be used this year and which ones should be avoided.
Boost Your Mailing List – Along with gaining new contacts through your December HBW construction data reports, consider adding a sign-up form for your newsletter or discounts to every page of your website. The higher traffic of the holidays provides an opportunity to pull in more email contacts so that you can continue marketing to them through the year, even if they don’t take advantage of this month’s holiday promotion.
Be On-the-Go – I have mentioned this in a few posts, but it is simply too important to go without mention… Make sure your website is mobile responsive. More viewing and shopping will be done from mobile devices this holiday, and your visitors will most likely not move beyond the home page if it is not optimized for mobile viewing. Double-check that your site and latest promotions are clearly displayed in the mobile version of your website, both from phone and tablet.
Check the Links – If your website has been around a while, chances are that it has seen its fair share of links to articles, resources, videos, etc. Some of those links may no longer be active, and you don’t want to send a visitor to the dreaded “404” error page. Although there are quite a few online tools available for scanning your website for broken links, if your website is of manageable size, it shouldn’t take much time to clean out old links and update those you want to keep.

Being holiday ready is more than just bows and mistletoe. Make your online presence inviting and welcoming this holiday season. A little sprucing up of your website and social media profiles can lead to unexpected holiday gifts.

Texas Swimming Pool Builders Report – October 2016

Posted on November 30, 2016 by Erika Carruth

In October, there were more than 700 new swimming pool permits in Texas with a total value exceeding $37M added to the HBW database.

HBW pool builder report

Since we last reviewed swimming pool construction in Texas (July), there has been close to a 30% increase in monthly pool starts. Out of the four major metropolitan areas of Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio, Dallas led for the most starts with close to 400 new permits and a construction value over $18.3M. The highest average value of swimming pools last month was in Houston where the average value of construction was nearly $59M. And while we are looking at the highs, there was a county that stood out on the charts – The county with the most swimming pool starts for the month was Collin County in the Dallas area with 130 new permits and close to $7.6M in total construction value.

TX Top 5 Counties for Pool Permits – October 2016

TX Average Value of Pool Construction – October 2016

Here’s a closer look at the new pool construction activity in each area:

Dallas

The Dallas area was on top for new pool permits last month. As previously mentioned, there were nearly 400 pool starts with a value greater than $18.3M for the month. The county experiencing the greatest number of pools starts for the one-month period was Collin County, but there was also significant construction activity in Tarrant and Dallas counties. The average value on new pool construction in the area was $46,521, the lowest of all four metro areas. Out of the approximately 135 active pool builders, those leading for total starts are as follows:

#1 – Sandler Pools

#2 – Claffey Pools Inc.

#3 – Venture Custom Pools

Houston

Houston came in at second highest for total new swimming pool permits. In October, the area had just over 100 active pool builders and nearly $11M in construction value. More than half of all permits originated from the Harris County, although there was some level of new pool construction in every county reviewed. The average value of new pool construction was highest in Houston at $58,924. Construction activity was somewhat evenly disbursed between active builders in the area with the following positioned at the top for total new permits:

#1 – Anthony & Sylvan Pools

#2 – Platinum Pools

#3 – Premier Pools

Austin

In October, the Austin area had a concentration of new pool construction in the two counties of Travis and Williamson. There were forty active pool builders during the month and a total construction value of nearly $4.2M for the area. The builders with the most permits on file for the period are as follows:

#1 – Cody Pools

#2 – Texas Pools & Patios

#3 – Aquamarine Pools

San Antonio

Although San Antonio did not see the greatest number of swimming pool starts last month, the area had more than $3.2M in new pool construction. The lion’s share of new construction took place in Bexar County, while Guadalupe county was the least active. The average construction value of swimming pools in the area was $51,313, and there were approximately 28 active builders for the period. Keith Zars Pools led the area for total new permits and value, and the top three for the month were as follows:

#1 – Keith Zars Pools

#2- Blue Haven Pools

#3 – Gary’s Pools & Spas

Information utilized for the graphs and above listed figures for Texas swimming pool construction was directly derived from HBW construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Preparing Your Marketing for the New Year

Posted on November 25, 2016 by Erika Carruth

The end of the year brings a new opportunity to strengthen your marketing efforts so that you can get ahead in 2017.

marketing tips HBWweekly.com

Depending on your business, the holiday season may bring your sales into an upswing, or it may feel more like a ghost town with the time off and scheduled vacations. No matter how busy or quiet, the end of the year is an ideal time to review your progress, budgets and marketing efforts. What worked in 2016, and what can you do without in the coming year?

When it comes to marketing, planning and creating a working schedule is essential in making your mark. For your marketing strategy to be effective, it is important that you revisit and modify it to fit your company’s growing needs and audience. Here are some areas to keep in mind as you begin the process of updating your marketing plan for the new year:

Budget – What did you spend on marketing in 2016? Which efforts proved valuable and which ones fell short? Are you going to try new avenues and methods in 2017, and how do they fit in your budget? It’s easy and often common to leave a brainstorming session with grandiose ideas; although the big dreams are great for setting goals, make sure that your caviar tastes can be supported by a realistic budget.

Know Your Target – Along with reviewing your marketing expenses, take time to review your sources of revenue to assess the top clients for service and product sales. What closed and how long did it take to close? What are the most common attributes of your top clients and which marketing efforts brought them to your business in the first place? Knowing your target audience is vital to the success of your marketing efforts. By reviewing the age, location, education level and typical project type and size of your top clients, you will have a better understanding of your ideal customer.

Define Your Sources – What are the best sources for new customers? How much of your new revenue was derived through referrals in 2016? Which sources provided the most opportunity to reach your audience? Remember that using the same stale sources will lead to the same stale leads. Look for sources that will provide you with refreshed lists without overlapping such as those gained through HBW construction data reports.

Communicate – Which methods of communication have gained the most response in the first, second and third touch points? What works bests for your clients? Have they preferred in-person, phone, email or text for your primary method of communication? Evaluate your communications from this year to gain a clear focus and be prepared for improving those areas in 2017.

Know Your Competition – Knowing your competition does not mean mimicking them. Review your top competitors to see if there is a growing need or demand in services or products that you offer but have yet to highlight. Healthy competition is good; it can often drive higher-quality and provide an opportunity for businesses to kick it up a notch and evolve with the industry. That being stated, remember to keep your eyes on what your business does best and its unique value-added offerings.

Review Your Content – Just as your contacts can get stale if not refreshed, so can your content. That website that you set up several years back or the dated brochure from several seasons ago decrease in value over time – unless, of course, you update them. Use this end of the year time to take stock of your marketing materials and all content to ensure that they accurately reflect your brand, products, services.

Although the holidays keep us busy at work and home, dedicating some time to reviewing your marketing efforts of 2016 will position you to have a powerhouse marketing plan in 2017.

Gearing Up for the Holiday Deals

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Erika Carruth

The holiday season is a perfect time to send holiday wishes and new promotions to your prospects and customers.

HBW holiday marketing

Thanksgiving is just a few short days away, and as with every holiday season, so begins the shopping season. Although retailers benefit most from the Black Friday commotion, home builders also have many opportunities to reach customers during the holidays. November through December is a great time to reach out to customers with messages of gratitude during Thanksgiving and happy holiday and new year wishes in December.

In addition to sending warm wishes, the holidays provide the opportunity to help consumers fulfill their gift wish lists and prepare homes for the holidays.

Celebrate the “Days”

Every year the holidays are partnered up with the highly anticipated discount days. Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Small Business Saturday get a lot of attention, and retailers are not the only businesses to benefit. It’s not too late for you to get on the days of discount bandwagon. Thanks to email marketing and social media, your latest promotion can gain exposure in just a few short clicks. By offering new promotions or repackaging an ongoing or new customer discount, your business can be highlighted during the busiest spending time of year. Here is the schedule of days and their corresponding hashtags:

Black Friday – Many businesses don’t just offer deals on Friday only. Think about using this day to launch your holiday promotions for the month ahead. Friday, November 25, 2016 #BlackFriday
Small Business Saturday – Concentrating on your local target and emphasizing the importance of small businesses, Small Business Saturday can help you reach your local community and customer base. You can gain additional exposure by listing your business and utilizing resources from shopsmall.com. Saturday, November 26, 2016 #SmallBusinessSaturday

Here are some ideas of how businesses are taking advantage of Small Business Saturday (source: MSNBC):

3. Cyber Monday – You’ve got just about a week left to prep your website and social media profiles for your Cyber Monday deals. As noted in a recent article by Forbes, Cyber Monday’s sales will exceed $3 billion, an increase of 9.4% over last year. That’s sales worth joining. With Cyber Monday being online, make sure your website is optimized and check that your server is ready for an increase in activity. Make sure that your promotions and brand message is consistent and seamless throughout the user experience. Monday, November 28, 2016 #CyberMonday

Although the major promotions begin this week, don’t stop engaging your customers there. Throughout the next month or so, think about gift packages that will be unique and are tailored to your clients’ needs. Consider offering maintenance packages to help clients have their homes ready for hosting the holidays. Provide easy and accessible links and information so that your services are “wrapped”, ready-to-go and packaged to make the perfect holiday gift.

Florida Swimming Pool Construction Update – October 2016

Posted on November 18, 2016 by Erika Carruth

With a month-over-month increase of 24%, new swimming pool construction is back on track in Florida.

Many experts inform consumers that fall is the ideal time of year to build a pool, and it looks like consumers may be listening. Despite the ebb in pool building in September, Florida pool construction ticked back up in October to be on the higher end of this year’s monthly permit totals.

FL Swimming Pool Permits, Jan-Oct 2016

From Jacksonville to Miami, and everything in between, there were nearly 2,000 new swimming pool construction permits with a total value close to $83M added to the HBW database last month. This reflects an approximate increase of 24% in new pool construction since September. The southern region has been leading swimming pool starts; in October, the southwestern portion of the state remained in #1 as it experienced a 25% month-over-month increase resulting in 574 new permits and more than $25.2M in construction value. Out of the 574 permits in the southwest, more than half took place in Lee and Collier counties. Southeast Florida was second highest as it experienced a massive 44% month-over-month increase in construction with 493 pool starts and more than $21M in total construction value. The bulk of new pool construction in the southeast took place from Miami-Dade through Palm Beach counties.

FL Swimming Pool Permits – Oct. 2016

Although Orlando slipped two spots to third for total permits, swimming pool construction was up by 11% since September. While Orange and Osceola counties had the highest concentration of swimming pool starts, the Orlando area as a whole had 385 new swimming pool permits with a value close to $15.2M for the month. Tampa and Jacksonville were up 15% and 18% since September with 330 and 154 new permits respectively.

As for the average value of swimming pool construction, across the state the range was somewhat even and slim for the month. Out of the five major areas reviewed, the average value of construction remained within a $7k range. At the higher end of the range, Tampa was up two spots since September and led with an average value just over $46k; on the other end of the spectrum, Jacksonville had the lowest average value of construction at $39,317.

FL Average Value of New Pool Construction – Oct. 2016

When reviewing the pool builders in each area, a few remained in the top spots. Aragon Pools (SW), All Seasons (Orlando) and Tampa Bay Pools (Tampa) all held tight to their number one position for total new permits in their given region.

FL Top Pool Builders for Total Permits – Oct. 2016

Information utilized for the graphs and above listed figures for Florida swimming pool construction was directly derived from HBW construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Tips for Improving Your Opening Sales Pitch

Posted on November 16, 2016 by Erika Carruth

sales tips from HBWeekly

You have the leads, but are you using the same old pitch? If you have been a business owner for some time, chances are you already developed an elevator pitch that you and your team use regularly. The question is: Is your pitch effective? More than being effective, does your quick business summary accurately reflect your current products or services?

An elevator pitch is your verbal handshake – your first impression. It should be succinct, persuasive and easy to understand. A strong statement should not just define your services, but it should include a value proposition. Here are a few quick tips to help you develop or fine-tune your current elevator pitch:

Be Relatable – In other words, avoid the industry technical terms and explain your services in a way that your prospect will understand. By flooding your pitch with construction jargon, you will not only miss the purpose of your pitch, but you may unknowingly alienate your audience. Keep it simple and sensible.
Be Real – Your elevator pitch is not supposed to serve as a magic trick, eliciting “oohs” and “ahhs”. Rather, you should offer accurate information about how you can benefit your potential client and real information about your business and its success.
Be Passionate – This does not mean that you need to be dramatic or overly enthusiastic. Rather, take a good look back at what initially drew you to this industry. What sparked your interest, and what made you want to start a company? When you share the energy and passion you have for your work, the sentiment can often be contagious.
Be Valuable – Know your value. Spewing facts and stats will only go so far; you must be clear on your value proposition. What do you offer that the competition may not offer? What makes your business the right match for your clients, and how do you stand out from the crowd? Define what it is that makes your services both unique and valuable.
Be Brief – An elevator pitch is called an elevator pitch for a reason – It’s short and to the point. It should last anywhere from 30 seconds to a maximum of a minute or so. With our shrinking attention spans thanks to smart technology and social media, you are on the safer side with sticking to the 30 second range. In addition to being brief, it should be intriguing and leave the listener with wanting more information.
Be Understanding – By knowing your prospect, you will be one step ahead. Do your research. For HBW subscribers this step is easier as subscribers have all of the building permit data needed to make a pitch that caters to the type of construction being performed and the time frame in which they are working. By knowing your potential client’s needs, you can offer specific information and details about your services that will resonate with them.
Be Prepared – An elevator pitch should be well-rehearsed and thoroughly understood. Beyond the pitch itself, you and your team should be prepared for the various responses and questions that may follow. If your contact is interested, what are the next steps? How do they get started, and how soon can you begin?

Although we don’t expect you to be meeting your HBW leads in elevators anytime soon, you should have a strong elevator pitch ready for any encounter. By keeping your first interaction with your contacts accurate and engaging, you increase your chances of your two-minute opportunity turning into a long-term relationship with a future client.

HBW Report: Florida Residential Construction Review – October 2016

Posted on November 11, 2016 by Erika Carruth

Out of the nearly 5,000 new residential construction permits in Florida that were added to the HBW database last month, Orlando and Southwest Florida continued to lead for total housing starts.

FL home HBW report

The HBW database is teeming with new permits and leads. In October alone, there were 4,855 housing starts with a total value of nearly $1.4B in Florida. Out of the five major regions across the state (Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Southeast, Southwest), the Orlando area and southwest region had the greatest amount of new construction activity. Orlando was on top last month, having the most total new residential construction permits out of the regions reviewed. In Orlando, there were 1,250 housing starts with a total construction value greater than $360M. Close behind, the southwest portion of the state had 1,219 housing starts with a construction value of nearly $326M. Next in line, Tampa experienced a healthy amount of new construction last month as there were 1,081 housing starts with a value of nearly $293M.

FL New Residential Construction Permits – October 2016

Although the southeastern region of Florida had less housing starts than other parts of the state, the area continues to have the highest average value for new residential construction. In October, the average value of new residential construction in the southeast was $372,419. This brings southeast Florida markedly ahead of the pack when it comes to the average value of new home construction. The next highest average value of housing starts can be found in Orlando. In October, the average value of new residential construction on file was $288,355. Not far behind, Tampa was third highest with an average value of $271,042.

FL Average Value of Construction – October 2016

Since our last monthly review of Florida in August, the counties with the highest concentration of housing starts have remained at the top of the list with a few variances in position. Along with being some of the larger counties both in population and area, the top counties were primarily in the areas of Orlando, Tampa and the southwest portion of the state. Orange County (Orlando) continues to boom with new residential construction; last month there were 622 housing starts with a total value of nearly $200M. Hillsborough County in Tampa is also gaining in construction. In October it ranked second highest for total housing starts with 416 new residential construction permits and more than $139M in total value added to the HBW database. In the southwest region, Lee County held strong with 336 housing starts and close to $92M in value. Neck and neck, Osceola County (Orlando) and Collier County (SW) tied and were positioned in the top five with 280 housing starts each.

FL Top Counties for Total Resid. Permits – October 2016

Information utilized for the graphs and above listed figures for Florida residential construction was directly derived from HBW construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

7 Tips for Effective Follow-up

Posted on November 9, 2016 by Erika Carruth

When it comes to contacting leads, proper and effective follow-up is the key to success.

follow-article

HBW subscribers have an ongoing and growing list of leads at their fingertips. With so many leads, it is easy to lose track of contacts and get behind on following up. A contact management system can certainly assist in organizing contacts and a communication distribution schedule, but how and when contacts are reached will define results. Don’t think that one call or a single email will be effective; proper follow-up is a vital part of connecting with prospects, and it can be challenging to ascertain the best method for reaching them.

Whether you choose email, mail or phone, here are 7 methods for follow-up that go beyond the simple “Did you get my last email?”:

Identify their Needs – To truly connect to your prospects, you must identify their needs. Simply providing a pitch that touts your products and services does not get the same response as a tailored message that offers solutions to current weaknesses or concerns of the homeowner. For example, a roofer may address missing shingles or a landscaper may note the issues with irrigation systems.
Provide Action – A brief piece of advice or action they can take for home improvement is another easy way to follow up. Whether offering tips for seasonal home maintenance or advice for increasing curb appeal, free and useful advice will garner more attention than a simple “check-in”.
Go Further with Guides – If you receive interest and response from the actionable advice, go a step further by offering how-to guides and a personal consultation. Depending on the level of interest and your contact’s preferred methods for communication, they may appreciate an in-person meeting to gain a better understanding and more detail on how you can improve their home.
Share Outside Resources – As many of us know from social media, sharing relevant information from a reliable third party can be a great way to connect with our target audience. When following up with a prospect, consider sharing articles that homeowners will find useful. For example, a flooring specialist may provide tips for maintaining wood floors or a painter may share an article that informs homeowners of signs that it is time to repaint their exterior.
Share Your Blog – Offering links to your social media profiles is a good idea in any online communication, but if you want your expertise to be on display, consider directing them to your latest blog post. From new project highlights to relevant advice, your blog provides you with an opportunity to address a variety of interests and topics.
Get Local – Perhaps there is a home or garden expo coming to your area or a local event that your business is sponsoring – Whatever the event, make sure to invite prospects and offer a chance to meet you and your team. Let your contacts know details of the event and where they can find your booth or table. Offering something unique such as a chance at a raffle or a giveaway can be an incentive for getting them to attend.
Host an Educational Session – You will often see educational series offered in other industries. Businesses are offered marketing and social media workshops. Medical professionals offer health and wellness information sessions to the community. Home builders and remodelers can offer similar sessions, online or in-person. By creating an event that invites homeowners to explore the latest color trends, home technology or sustainable products, you are opening the doors to your target audience and demonstrating how you can work with them to improve their homes and living spaces.

Leads are the key to a flourishing business, and to gain their interest and keep them engaged, you must have a solid plan for proper follow-up and communication. By tailoring your message and reaching prospects in a meaningful way, you won’t just be making contact; you will be making contact that counts.