5 Ways Contractors Can Use Texting To Increase Revenue

Business texting is a convenient way to reach customers, so you can complete projects and get paid faster. Texts are sent and received within seconds, making them the preferred method of communication for customers to schedule services and receive updates.

The quicker you can coordinate with customers, the more you’ll boost your contractor business’s reputation and attract new business opportunities.

So how do you begin? These five tips below will help you connect with customers faster and increase your revenue flow.

1. Schedule service appointments via text

Streamlining your service scheduling process can make a crucial difference between potential customers choosing you over your competitors. Here’s how text messaging can help.

88% of people want to receive appointment scheduling texts from businesses. Customers love it as an option so they can reach out without having to make a call or send an email. Tell customers to text your business to schedule a service on your:

• Website
• Social media
• Advertisements
• In-office signage
• Service vehicles

Then when customers reach out to schedule an appointment, text a calendar link for them to book a time. This helps you connect quickly with your customers and coordinate where you need to be without skipping a beat. You’ll also be able to text for things like:

• Letting customers know if you’re arriving early or running late
• Asking for instructions on how to enter a property
• Rescheduling another time and date if anything comes up
• Enabling customers to reach out around the clock knowing they’ll get a response back

Keep services moving along by sending text reminders throughout the duration of a project, so you don’t miss out on lost time and revenue.

2. Send text service updates in real-time

Use text messaging to keep your team and customers on the same page at all times, so you can finish and get paid for projects faster. Depending on the situation, you can use texting to:

• Provide progress updates on a project
• Let customers know about any additional services that might need to be performed
• Ask for approval for additional charges
• Update customers on when you’re done for the day

MMS or picture messaging can go a long way when it comes to conveying these updates. For example, you can send pictures of areas that need work, completed jobs or the progress you’ve made, reps who will be doing the work, or even pictures of additional products customers may want to purchase along the way.

As you work through a project, you may need to follow up with customers to ensure progress continues to be made. Texting helps you get in contact with customers quickly, so you aren’t  tied up on the phone when you could be working on a project. That means more projects done faster, and more revenue in your pocket.

3. Use texting to boost your customer service

Providing customer service via text can save you time and resources by reducing the need for phone calls or in-person meetings. Use texting to enhance your customer service by:

• Answering questions and concerns
• Encouraging customers to text photos and videos to illustrate a problem
• Following up with customers after a service
• Asking for a review
• General communications

By having your customer service communications all in one business text messaging platform, your team can easily see who’s been responded to and who still needs help. That gives you more accountability, insight into how your reps are responding, and an organized way to track customer interactions.

A solid text messaging platform will have a way to tag conversations, so you can assign contractors to specific customers based on their needs.

Most business texting software also allows you to leave private internal notes, so you have context when you revisit conversations. That way, you’ll be able to offer a more personalized approach to your customers every time you reach out.

4. Send promotions and offers with SMS marketing

Texting special promotions is a great way to attract new customers and retain existing ones. Share SMS offers like:

• Exclusive discounts and special offers to existing customers
• Free add-ons or upgrades to existing customers
• Combine multiple services for a discounted price, and promote them as a bundle
• Loyalty rewards for customers who use your services often

The best SMS promotions will be short, sweet, and tell customers exactly why it’s relevant to their specific needs and interests.

SMS marketing goes hand in hand with standard marketing methods such as social media, email newsletters, and other advertisements. You’re way more likely to get customers to take action when they see a back-to-back text, social post, and email about a new offer you have. Plus, 52% of people want to receive texts from businesses about promotions.

5. Settle bills with text payments

Get paid on time and more frequently when you enable customers to pay for your services through text, which is simply sending a link to an online portal for customers to pay.

Why should you consider text-to-pay for your business? It’s convenient, fast, secure, and can be done from anywhere. SMS payments work especially well for contractors since your team is constantly on the field at different locations, and the property manager might not always be present.

After completing a service, send a photo to prove you’ve finished, then text your customers a payment request with a secure link to pay. And if they have an upcoming bill or still haven’t sent a payment, text reminders are a great way to notify them of an outstanding balance. You can also ask customers for a new payment method if their current one is rejected or expired.

By providing a quick, convenient way to settle bills, you’ll speed up your cash flow and earn more money in the long run, while spending less to get it.

Reap the benefits of texting for your contractor business

Texting can be a powerful tool for contractors to communicate with customers while also promoting a wide range of services. With faster and more reliable communication, texting helps you increase your revenue, and boosts your business’s overall success.

Ready to use texting to leverage your contractor business? Find a business texting solution that’s right for you.

Jessica Ayre is a content marketing specialist at Text Request, a business texting solution. If your business wants to start texting customers, Text Request can give you all the tools and resources you need to create a successful text messaging strategy.