As a trade business owner, stable cash flow, constant workflow, and business growth are priorities. You can set yourself up to achieve these in many ways; however, one business strategy is securing regular work with landlords or letting agencies.
These clients often come with a catalogue of properties, be it an entire new-build estate or a few Victorian houses scattered across the local area. With their responsibilities comes the requirement for reliable, credible, and experienced tradespeople to maintain these properties for them. Having a relationship with these agents or landlords offers peace of mind that work is on the schedule, profit is coming in, and your business is set up for future success.
So, how do you secure these relationships with landlords and agencies? Here are a few strategies to guarantee your trade business has ongoing partnerships with these people.
Understand Their Needs
Quality. Reliability. Consistency. Affordable. Most, if not all, property managers are looking for the key aspects of contracted tradesmen. When looking to impress and initiate relationships with these individuals, tailoring your offerings to meet their requirements and expectations can help secure you the job.
Consider what you would be looking for if you were in their position; you’d want a team of professionals who communicate promptly and conduct all work required to an incredible standard at a reasonable price point. Agencies and landlords are fairly busy, so relying on a team of trade professionals who can get on with work with minimal assistance is a benefit. For this reason, a trained, experienced, and competent trade business is likely to secure work with multiple rented properties.
A Strong Reputation
You should already know this, but your reputation in the industry is your biggest asset as a trade business. Contracted work is ongoing, so having a team of professionals that produce quality work in a timely and trustworthy manner is key for agencies and landlords. They do not want to raise complaints and find someone else for the job. If they can nurture a relationship with one trade company for all work in the future, they will.
With this in mind, your focus should be placed on delivering exceptional work at all times, no matter how big or small that job may seem. After completing each project, encourage your previous clients to leave positive feedback across your website and Google. These testimonials make you credible and instil trust in these agencies and landlords that you are the right fit for their future work. While digital marketing is essential in today's competitive landscape, nothing beats word of mouth in the real estate industry.
Tailored Services
Being flexible with the services you offer is essential when partnering with professionals in the real estate industry. While you only offer installations for other domestic clients, consider providing maintenance checks and repairs for your ongoing relationships with landlords. With a proactive approach like this and exclusive services, you incentivise potential clients to choose you. Remember to discuss this with the team, as they’ll be taking on this extra workload - this is also essential when adding 24/7 emergency callouts to your service catalogue. Never overestimate your ability to meet deadlines and deliver these extra incentives, as doing so and failing to deliver could jeopardise your positive reputation.
Efficient Job Management
Remaining compliant and organised is necessary when working as a contracted tradesman in the rental business. Investing in job management software to streamline processes and operations guarantees continuous success. From accurate quoting and invoicing to efficient project scheduling, concise communications and secure record-keeping, this software can help you manage your work with landlords and letting agencies no matter how demanding it may be. Moreover, Powered Now can scale with your business, adapting its feature capabilities based on your requirements. Investing in this type of platform keeps everything in one place. So you can focus on delivering exceptional service for future success.
Networking & Communities
Never overlook the power of networking, especially in this industry. Attending real estate and property management events helps get your name out there. It makes your business more personal and allows you to promote your incredible services to those who may require them. You may also look to join online communications and forums to offer advice; this is a great tool for brand awareness and showcases your expertise in the field.
Quality & Improvements
Once you have secured your contract with these landlords and letting agents, consistency is key. Always follow up after providing a service, ask for advice, and improve your offerings based on this. This showcases your commitment to delivering exceptional trade work and provides insight into how to continue to meet their needs in the future.
In conclusion, working as a contractor within the rental/lettings industry is highly profitable for trade businesses; however, it can be a competitive space. Implementing job management software, providing tailored services, adapting to meet specific requirements, and remaining compliant and credible are all must-haves if you want to succeed in this area. Make sure you set yourself up for success as a trade business manager and offer your services to landlords and letting agents in the future. Remember, regular contracted work provides a stable income, consistent work opportunities and sustainable business growth.
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