What happens when you offer a free estimate? You drive somewhere in town, you knock on the door, look at the problem, and then talk to the potential customer. You may only take a few minutes to figure out the issue, but then you have to sell yourself and your services to that potential customer. Once you’ve done that, you leave them with the estimate and pray they call you back, as promised.
But then they don’t.
How much time did you just waste?
Free estimates seem to revolve around every contractor’s marketing technique. Well, your free estimate offer sucks. And here’s why.
Getting Rid of the Word Free
It has nothing to do with what you actually do during that at-home evaluation, but everything to do with the dirty four-letter word in front of your estimate. “Free.”
Because, in all honesty, that estimate isn’t free. At least, not for you. You are losing valuable time and effort on conducting an estimate that could very well result in that prospect choosing to do business elsewhere.
So let’s get rid of that word “free” and never speak of it again, shall we? Because “free” generates the wrong type of business. In the contractor marketing world, the type of people that like a “free” estimate tend to be people that end up not closing on a deal! They fear the price will be too much, so they never even consider your estimate.
Having a marketing plan that revolves around free estimates brings in the wrong crowd. So how do you avoid this dilemma? It’s not wise for your website to boast, “No cheapskates! I only do business with billionaires!” So our suggestion? Start charging for your estimates.
You don’t have to charge a ton of money, just enough to scare off the “cheap” people. If getting rid of free estimates completely is too much for you, change the free estimate offer to an estimate over the phone. That way, you can still offer it, but you aren’t losing as much time.
Charging for your time and effort will actually save you time and money!
Be That High End Professional!
Charging for your estimates also sets you up as a high-end professional. Your time is valuable! It’s the difference between eating a bowl of Ramen Noodles and a gourmet T-Bone Steak. You want to be the contractor version of a gourmet T-Bone Steak. The people you want to attract will like the idea of their contractor being an experienced professional over cheap and ineffective labor any day!
Close More Deals
There is a strange phenomenon that happens when people are willing to pay for an estimate, they’re usually willing to pay for the project, too. Weird, we know. Our guess is, they don’t want to lose money on the estimate they just paid for.
Typically, only one in three free estimates work out. If your customer invests money into you and if your estimate is a reasonable one, chances are, they’ll give you the job.
Eliminate that pesky free estimate and reclaim your time!
If you want to learn more about how to go after those higher paying contracts, click the button below and read our guide “5 Components to Growth.”
To Your Inbound Marketing Success!
~Brodie
