How to Stand Out to Clients as a Contractor 

A career as a contractor is a rewarding career. You get to use a lot of skills, work in many different environments, get paid well, and meet a lot of different people.  

If you worked with us at Licenses, Etc., a contractor licensing company, we were able to get you through the contractor licensing application process, and you’re officially licensed. Congrats! If you are not licensed, reach out to us and we can help you get licensed today.  

Once you’ve been licensed, we bet you’re looking for a job. Or, maybe you’ve been a contractor for years and you’re looking for ways to stand out to your clients to get more and/or better work.  

When people are looking to start a residential or commercial project, they want to work with the best, most responsible, reliable, and hardworking person out there.  

Here are some of the top things people look for when hiring a contractor. Keep these things in mind to make your daily business a successful one and help yourself stand out against the competition.  

1. Credentials – People want to work with someone who is licensed and properly insured. If you don’t have the proper credentials, potential clients may see you as unprofessional.  

1. Recommendations – Get your name out there. Whether you ask former clients to pass along your information or you reach out to lumberyards, building inspections or national associations, you need to do some networking to stay in people’s minds so they will recommend you when the situation arises. Recommendations are a great way to get business, because they are free, and people trust recommendations.  

1. Reviews – Ask all your clients to leave reviews on your website, Google, Facebook, and other social sites or search engines. People trust reviews, and the search engines value good reviews and will rank you higher in the search engine results because of it. If you’re up against a bad review, reply to it. People will notice you took the time to address the complaint or issue and that you’re willing to fix it.  

1. Communication– As a contractor, you will be working closely with your client. It’s in your best interest to communicate clearly and often with them, so they trust you and feel like they understand what’s going on. You want to present yourself as an honest, reliable, hardworking person who is easy to talk to about anything from timelines to prices. . Communication is key, especially since you, the contractor, will be in the client’s home for hours each day. 

1. Price – Price appropriately. The lowest bidder doesn’t always win. Some clients may wonder why your bid is so low and would mark you as a red flag. Explain in detail to the potential client why the project is projected to cost what you are estimating due to materials, labor, etc.  

1. Contract – Create a contract. It will make clients uneasy to have you start a project with no legal document detailing the scope of the work. Customers want their plans with the contractor in writing, no matter how big or small the project. The contract should detail price, payment schedule, description of the work, proof of liability insurance, worker’s compensation, start date, projected completion date, materials and products, lien releases, and many other items. Contracts guarantee work will be completed successfully despite any issues along the way. 

Working as a Florida Contractor 

Give reasons for people to hire you over another contractor. Be honest. Be hardworking. Be reliable. Be friendly. Be licensed.  

If you’re looking to get a contractor’s license, visit our  get your contractor’s license  page. We can help you get licensed fast. Contact us at 239-777-1028 so we can help make your process of becoming a contractor in any state an easy one.