Construction Business Topics
Go Small & Make It Big!
I have a loyal customer we build several commercial and industrial projects for every year. We have project meetings every week during the construction phase. After leaving his conference room one day, I noticed several of my competitors sitting in his lobby. This...
Negotiate More Contracts
Every year, the successful construction companies stop and take a look at their last 12 months and then make decisions and commit to next year's contract and sales goals. Our company's estimating and bidding strategy is to negotiate most of our construction work. We...
Start Every Project On-Target
Walk through the mud, kick the dirt, smell the air and get excited! Start every construction project right by holding a pre-job start-up meeting, on the jobsite, with every team member in attendance. Get everyone focused, outline the goals and objectives, make...
Is Your Goal To Retire Before You Learn The Computer?
What do you think it costs to open a donut store? I'll bet it costs at least $100,000 including equipment, ovens, refrigerators, display cases, utensils, cash registers, accounting software and computers. Every business has a minimum start-up cost. Every business must...
Marketing & Sales Topics
Date Your Customers To Keep Them Loyal!
Remember when you were first dating? To get to know the other person, you spent lots of time talking, having fun, and doing things together. After the date, you would call and talk for hours, send them flowers, and keep in touch on a regular basis. Building...
Go Small & Make It Big!
I have a loyal customer we build several commercial and industrial projects for every year. We have project meetings every week during the construction phase. After leaving his conference room one day, I noticed several of my competitors sitting in his lobby. This...
Are Customers Your #1 Priority? – 7 Steps To Make
There are lots of ways to make a profit? They include cutting costs, reducing overhead, improving field productivity, accurate estimating, making no mistakes in the field, and having an excellent training program. All of these will give you a small improvement in your...
Can You Sell More Than Price?
Every landscape contractor, lawn care operator or gardener I've ever met boasts how their quality and service is superior to the competition. But after you present your proposal and the excitement settles down, what really matters? PRICE! Will your customers...
Business Owner Topics
Go Small & Make It Big!
I have a loyal customer we build several commercial and industrial projects for every year. We have project meetings every week during the construction phase. After leaving his conference room one day, I noticed several of my competitors sitting in his lobby. This...
Negotiate More Contracts
Every year, the successful construction companies stop and take a look at their last 12 months and then make decisions and commit to next year's contract and sales goals. Our company's estimating and bidding strategy is to negotiate most of our construction work. We...
Start Every Project On-Target
Walk through the mud, kick the dirt, smell the air and get excited! Start every construction project right by holding a pre-job start-up meeting, on the jobsite, with every team member in attendance. Get everyone focused, outline the goals and objectives, make...
7 Ways Subcontractors & Suppliers Can ‘WOW’ General Contractors!
Being a general contractor is a hard way to make an easy living. There are lots of moving parts totally out of your control. On every job we have over 5,762 chances to make a mistake, miss a schedule or tick off customers. Things aren't perfect including the plans,...
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Entreprenuer Excellence
Go Small & Make It Big!
I have a loyal customer we build several commercial and industrial projects for every year. We have project meetings every week during the construction phase. After leaving his conference room one day, I noticed several of my competitors sitting in his lobby. This...
Start Every Project On-Target
Walk through the mud, kick the dirt, smell the air and get excited! Start every construction project right by holding a pre-job start-up meeting, on the jobsite, with every team member in attendance. Get everyone focused, outline the goals and objectives, make...
Is Your Bid Only An Estimate?
You know what I would really hate as a general building contractor? You negotiate an easy project to build with a great repeat customer. They trust you, don't question your costs and then award the job at your price. Then, seven months later, you discover your...
Submit Better Bids & Get More Work!
"It's impossible to compete in this tight construction market." "There's always too much competition." "I can't find any profitable jobs to bid." "The only way I get any jobs is when we leave too much money on the table." "I get tired of cutting our bids to beat the...
General Topics
Working With George – Meet George Hedley!
Is Your Goal To Retire Before You Learn The Computer?
What do you think it costs to open a donut store? I'll bet it costs at least $100,000 including equipment, ovens, refrigerators, display cases, utensils, cash registers, accounting software and computers. Every business has a minimum start-up cost. Every business must...
Field Change Memos Work!
On the jobsite, your crew hits an underground water line not shown on the plans. With water now spraying over excavated and open footings, should you wait for a signed change order to fix the broken line or take immediate steps to mitigate the damages? My List Of...
If It’s Not In Writing, It Didn’t Happen!
The truths of construction: 1. Every set of plans is perfect. 2. Every project is over budget 3. Every project is too slow 4. No change orders are legitimate 5. The contractor is always wrong! Right? No, but it often seems so. Nothing's...
Contracts, Estimates & Bids
Negotiate More Contracts
Every year, the successful construction companies stop and take a look at their last 12 months and then make decisions and commit to next year's contract and sales goals. Our company's estimating and bidding strategy is to negotiate most of our construction work. We...
Is Your Bid Only An Estimate?
You know what I would really hate as a general building contractor? You negotiate an easy project to build with a great repeat customer. They trust you, don't question your costs and then award the job at your price. Then, seven months later, you discover your...
Submit Better Bids & Get More Work!
"It's impossible to compete in this tight construction market." "There's always too much competition." "I can't find any profitable jobs to bid." "The only way I get any jobs is when we leave too much money on the table." "I get tired of cutting our bids to beat the...
Low Bid Is Not Enough!
Ever been low bid and didn't get the job? Follow these ten tips to win more profitable work. Bidding lots of jobs is not enough to guarantee a steady flow of profitable work in today's competitive marketplace. Successful general contractors and subcontractors have...
