WEEK TWO – NAVIGATING COVID 19

Friends – Hi – it’s Rick Storlie

This is my 60-Day plan on how to deal with the Covid 19 Virus – for home builder and remodelers.

The good news is we hope that we are going to learn some lessons here that we can carry forward into the future – as we come out of all of this – we just have to get through it first.

This is an 8-week plan – over 60 days – to help you navigate this.

DOWNLOAD THE HANDOUT HERE

Last week: (Week One)

If you didn’t get this video, and you haven’t done week one, all the notes are in the Week 2 Download.

In a nutshell, in Week One, we put together some messaging that said, how your company is responding to Covid 19.

“You’re open for business”
“This is how you’re building homes.”
“This is how you’re meeting with people.”
“This is how you’re handling new leads.”

We created a blog post – and in that post got more specific from your ownership team – and then we linked that blog post to your website masthead.

The masthead lets everyone and anyone know that you are open for business.

Lastly what we did is we put together a plan for each one of your prospects – and that plan explains how you will do things moving forward and how you can meet virtually. Or it might have been dealing with a prospect who wants to pump the brakes – and how you will manage their project during that time-frame.

Now we’re moving to Week Two:

We’re going to deal with Leads and Realtors.

FIRST:
We’re going to start off writing another blog post – I’ve put together a template for you (in the download). It will basically ask people, “If you’re interested – now is a good time to start planning – and if you want to take the leap right now – we can start doing virtual consultations. Or, if you want to do some pre-planning we have a lot of resources on our website.”

The post can include different links to other pages on your website, or to some of your supplier websites.

Help them start doing some pre-planning.

I also recommend that you update your website masthead again, with a link to the new blog post.

NEXT…

Do a lead email

I’ve written it for you – you can download it and personalize it for yourself.

It will:

• relate it to their situation
• agitate some of the things they don’t like about their home – now that they are “stuck” in it
• offer a virtual consultation
• send them back to the blog post to get more details, and either call you on the phone or schedule a virtual consultation.

At the very least – they can start the planning process and we can engage with them at a later date.

Email Realtors

Commiserate – they can’t do open houses, either. They can’t put people in their cars. They probably aren’t doing listing appointments. So they’re sort of stuck in the same situation as home builders and remodelers, where they have to do everything virtually.

So let’s reach out to them. Ask how their business is, ask if they are doing anything new that is helpful. Also offer them a “guess what – if you have a prospective buyer that may want to build a home – we can do a virtual consultation with you and your prospective home buyer.

Again – let’s try to engage them. Even if they don’t take you up on it – it’s a good time to build your network of Realtors so you have that going forward.

Use text messaging a lot, too. Realtors are usually very responsive with text messaging. Again, they’re stuck in the same boat so let’s make some headway with your outreach.

Some final notes here.

Let’s be hopeful in your messaging. We’re going to get through this and better days are ahead. Some good things are happening now.

Be personable. Maybe you can relate some personal experiences – things you’re struggling with – like kids at home doing online (they call it distance learning).

Example – “I heard a story today – server crashed at the school” or “because we have so many adults online at home – there’s not enough bandwidth to upload assignments.” Just some things that are frustrating.

Be a community leader. If you took my advice last week – what are some things you can do to go out and help those who are less fortunate. Offer to provide groceries for people who can’t get out of the house. Help a non-profit that is really struggling right now. Come together as a community – use your network that you have through your company.

Buyers, owners, trade partners, suppliers – you have a great network – so rally the troops.

Be reassuring in your messaging as well. What I mean by that is if somebody says, “I’m scared.” It’s OK to be scared. And it’s OK to pause the brakes. You’re going to be around – so we want to be empathetic to how people are feeling right now.

Be active in your communications. Make sure to direct people to where you are providing real time updates.

It might be Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, at least once a week on your blog or website, perhaps your messaging on your masthead.

You want people to know you are open and you are in business.

Finally…Anxiety.

There is a great bible verse that I like to go back to for dealing with anxiety. Anxiety comes when we do not know the future. I want to share this with you, because it’s brought me a lot of reassurance that I’m not in charge, but I have a heavenly Father who is in charge.

Do Not Be Anxious…Matthew 6:31-34

31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

No truer words could be said right. In other words, we’re taking this plan day-by-day, and week-by-week. What I plan to talk about next week will probably change, based on what happens this week.

So my prayer for you all is that you are healthy, that you are in your homes, you are safe, and you are using this time as an opportunity to help out your neighbors, to love on them, and to take some of these ideas and incorporate them into your business to let people know you are a community business, and you’re going to be around. Be smart, using discernment and it’s OK to be scared. It’s OK to wonder what’s going to go on. Take it day-by-day.

So for that – I bid you farewell for this week. God Bless. If you need any assistance or have any questions – call me or my team at the number listed above.

God bless,

Rick Storlie