What Compelled You to Hire Me?

by | Feb 20, 2012 | Levco Builders Process | 0 comments

Reading Time: 4 minutes
residential contractor Boise

Mirror Mirror on The Wall

Here is what I see when I look in the mirror. What I needed to know is what others see in me and my company Levco Builders.

To figure out the problem, I  had to interview some of my thoughtful, articulate clients and ask them an open ended question that they could answer.

There is no post project questionnaire that could produce the results that I needed.

A favorite song of mine written by Shel Silverstein The Winner came to me while writing this post.

Not all projects are worth bidding. Occasionally I realize too late that I have won a project that I would have been better off not winning, regardless, we maintain our dignity and plow through. There are things to learn from every project and client interaction so a little older and a lot wiser we regroup and start over.

residential remodeling contractor Boise

Let’s Go Fishing

The key is to think like an avid fisherman. When fishing for a certain type of fish in a lake, you must use the right bait and tackle for the fish you want to catch.

Once you ask the fifty thousand dollar question, you must be an active listener. Listen carefully my friends! you never know what you might hear.

The most interesting thing I discovered was that I had used a secret weapon in my arsenal that I didn’t realize that I had.

Initially, I was cautious, I struggled with whether I should even talk about what I learned.

My secret weapon comes naturally and is just who I am. “No one is going to out Joe Levitch, Joe Levitch”.  I realized that by defining who I am and what I stand for, that I am differentiating myself from the heard. I am my strongest suit.

On the projects I enjoyed the most, what my clients were buying was unique and not a commodity. In other words, who I am and how and I present my self and ideas is what they are buying. Remodeling is just a vision and the vehicle I use.

Here are some of the things I learned about myself.

residential remodeling contractor Boise

The Envelope Please

  • I was excited about the project. I could see what the clients vision was of their home and couldn’t wait to make it happen. That excitement made the client feel good and that was the chemistry that got the relationship going.
  • Several clients were explaining that they were frustrated by contractors who wanted to do much more work than necessary. They were pleased that I was able to identify a clever solution to a complex problem before we started.
  • Occasionally price is the only deciding factor. Those clients are shopping for a transaction not an interaction. They are rarely a good fit.
  • Another client had seen my work at a neighbors house and wanted to get that level of satisfaction. The trust was created by someone else going first.
  • One client had had a heart attack remodeling a home in the past and didn’t want to have another one. They found me and although I was just starting out at the time, they realized that I was willing to work closely and together to get through the growing pains of a new company.
remodeling contractor Boise

Simple Toy

Recently lots of leads are coming from our website. There is a tremendous amount of great content, so I am told. I feel like the more information I can put up on this site, the more I am able to help folks get to know me, and see my work, without having to leave the privacy of their own home so to speak.

  • One client liked how I was able to explain my process. They could tell that I had put a lot of thought into helping explain what you get for your investment. They really liked how I was able to break bathrooms and kitchens into bite size pieces.

The premise is that if you can’t explain the “it” (a remodeling project in this case), then you don’t understand the it well enough to do the it. An example is using a toy to show the Bernoulli Principal of Aerodynamics in action, rather than showing the mathematical equation and loosing 99% of the folks.

My suspicion is that to the extent that I define who I am well and differentiate myself from the heard, I will attract a certain type of project and client. If that is working for you then refine it. If not, reinvent yourself and go fishing again until you catch what you are fishing for.

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove and replace them at once.

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove and replace them at once.

Related Posts

Holy Cow! We Do Amazing Work

Holy Cow! We Do Amazing Work

As a business owner, doing all the behind-the-scenes things is often so time-consuming that I honestly "Don't get out much." It took a friendly reminder, and now I have a scheduled tour de force every Wednesday with my Construction Manager. We ride around and look at...

read more
Building Science and Remodeling

Building Science and Remodeling

As a residential remodeler for a few decades after being a paramedic for a little longer,  I have learned to take command of a situation and solve problems quickly and efficiently. I have been able to watch the evolution of Building Science. It affects every aspect of...

read more

Leave A Comment

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

Categories

Latest Projects

Master Suite Addition

Master Suite Addition

Master Suite AdditionThe Challenge They came up with a plan drawn by others with several significant errors. One was the size of the addition, and the other was the angle of the trusses. The clients who work remotely turned out to be excellent communicators and...

Dining Room Addition and Kitchen Remodel

Dining Room Addition and Kitchen Remodel

Dining Room Addition and Kitchen RemodelThe Challenge The home had an odd entry room with a coat closet and partition wall in the way. This room was pretty useless and annoying to the client. Then, the kitchen was blocked from the activity in the living room, and the...

Primary Suite Remodel with Deck

Primary Suite Remodel with Deck

Primary Suite Remodel & DeckThe Challenge Inaccurate plans were provided that had to get updated over the course of the project. The project is on a creek so lots of precautions were needed to keep erosion out of it.  The Idea Create a primary suite that is...

Whole House Remodel

Whole House Remodel

Whole House RemodelThe Challenge The home was in the hillside district and in the WUI which means that the home has some extra requirements as far as firesafe and extra structural requirements. There had been an addition done to the house years prior that was not...