When contractors work with homeowners on a home improvement project, the cost is a precarious reality. If the homeowners are uncomfortable with the project amount, that means wasted time and effort for the contractor. Not to mention the lost marketing dollars it took to get the lead in the first place. Therefore, closing these deals with home improvement customers is critical to operating a successful business.

Obviously, there’s a lot contractors can do to improve the likelihood of closing more contracts. Refining a sales pitch, leading with financing options, and showing confidence in the quality of your past work are just a few ways to sell more home improvement loans to customers. With that said, here are three tips that can help you sell more home improvement projects to customers:

1. Demonstrate Knowledge and Expertise

During a sales pitch, the most important thing is having a firm understanding of the product being offered. Use past examples of your work to give your potential customers confidence in the result you’re offering.

In conjunction with this, it’s important to understand your customers’ needs and wants. Although they may want all the bells and whistles, you need to help them understand the costs associated with all of their expectations. By introducing financing early and often as an option for them, they may be more willing to increase their home improvement budget to meet their desired outcome.

Finally, be aware of the competition. What are they offering? What are they charging? What is trending in the home improvement industry? As you research and keep your knowledge and skills up-to-date, potential customers will be more likely to trust your recommendations.

2. Keep Up with Trends

When it comes to selling home improvement projects, customers may not know exactly what they want. They often rely on the contractor to provide recommendations and advice for their projects. Contractors need to find and subscribe to great industry blogs, podcasts, or publications to stay in the loop of these trends.

This should be a daily practice for contractors. Read or listen to this content as often as you can, as design trends can change or evolve quickly. Being ahead of the curve can mark your business as an industry leader, which can result in more project opportunities.

3. Understand the Importance of Financing 

People expect financing options for almost everything these days. From cell phones to automobiles, monthly payments have created opportunities to buy products without maxing their credit cards or depleting their savings accounts. Even home improvement projects are expected to have financing options.

Although it may seem like a small component for contractors, financing is critical to closing more deals. It provides a higher level of comfort and trust in a contractor when a customer is told financing is an option before they look into starting a project. Then, if there are any changes that may increase the overall cost, the customer likely won’t mind a few extra dollars added to their monthly payment if it means making improvements to their home.