The Better You Get At Using This Tool,
The More Sales It Can Help You Close.
This is the second in a series of blog posts on best practices for using a visualizer to sell home remodeling projects. (To see post #1, click here) Many of the insights in this series are from a free webinar hosted by Renoworks Pro with guest Paul Trautmann. (For a free replay of the webinar, click here).
Home remodeling companies that use home visualization software are rewarded with outstanding results. Many see double digit sales percentage increases, and see average sale prices spike significantly.
But others are not seeing the same kind of robust growth after adding a visualizer. Why?
Some home remodeling companies fail to make the visualizer an integral part of their business identity (that’s covered here in post #1 in this series).
There’s also a very practical reason some companies don’t get attention-grabbing results when they add home visualization software: they fail to become proficient at using it.
And that’s too bad, because it does not take a tremendous amount of time or effort to get competent with this tool.
Why Get Good At It?
Before getting into the how of home visualization software, it needs to be asked… is it all that important that you develop visualizer skills?
Paul Trautmann, owner of Timberland Exteriors in Minnesota, certainly thinks so. And he knows what he’s taking about: he has seen all his key metrics increase dramatically by making good use of visualizer. (To get more details on Trautmann’s use of a visualizer, here is a replay of a free webinar).
One of the key reasons for his success is clear: he’s become excellent at creating designs in a visualizer. It what makes Trautmann’s company different and better than the competition.
The simple truth is that the home remodeling market – both interior and exterior – is filled with homeowners hungry for a company that actually can show them designs. Companies that figure that out win more business.
A visualizer also empowers homeowners. All you have to do is master the basic skills of using a visualizer and then you are the competent professional showing your prospects different styles, colors, and product choices with a few clicks of the mouse.
From the prospects point of view, you’re elevated to ‘premium choice’ status in the home remodeling space. The key is to get good at it. And that’s easier than you might think.
Okay… So How Do You Get Good At Using A Visualizer?
If you want the shortcut to getting started, the easiest way is to schedule a free demo. You’ll be able to see firsthand that home visualization software proficiency comes from getting competent at a handful of processes on a laptop or tablet.
Plus, during the demo you’ll be talking directly with a home visualization software expert. Any questions you have can be immediately answered.
If scheduling a free demo is the shortcut answer, what’s the longer answer?
Resources For Getting Better
A quick and straightforward resource is a pair of YouTube companion videos you can find here. In less than 13 minutes total, you get clear demonstrations of the steps you can easily master to create eye-catching designs your prospects will love.
While these videos will not make you an instant expert, you’ll also see that this is something anyone who can use a mouse can learn and master with very little practice. Which brings us to another resource…
Just. Start. Using. It.
Once you understand the basics, all you really need is the commitment to use the tool on a consistent basis. As you use it, your comfort level will quickly increase. It becomes almost addictive to create these designs for homeowners, especially as you get positive and excited reactions from engaged prospects.
One last note on this: contractors who spend a little extra time making designs look as good as possible report better overall results. That’s not to say everything needs to be perfect, it’s just to say a little extra attention to detail ups the ‘WOW’ factor and makes it easier to close and upsell.
A Quick Summary Of The Basic Steps You’ll Need To Become Competent:
- How To Load A Photo Into Visualizer – This step couldn’t be easier.
- Align Picture Using Grid – This step ‘squares up’ the photo, making sure that it’s not tilted.
- Crop Photo – This isn’t always necessary, but it can help if the house or project area is off-center or contains too much extraneous space.
- Adjust Look – This step allows you to adjust contrast and brightness to make the design as attractive as possible.
- Set Scale – This crucial step starts with measuring at least one area of the actual home (often the door). Then you mark that same area on the photo by dragging the mouse to highlight it. Finally, you simply enter the actual measurements; the software takes care of the rest.
- Click Finish – This completes the first set of steps to prepare the photo to add products.
From here you’ll learn to use tools like the ‘Magic Brush’ to take into account foreground items like trees, as well as items like light fixtures on the home itself. Next, you’ll define contrasting surface areas by highlighting them. (This tells the software where windows are, where the siding is, etc.).
Finally, you’ll begin adding your products, showing the colors and styles that the homeowner prefers and adding your own professional recommendations where appropriate.
If you’re excited about what can happen when you get proficient with a visualizer, start your journey by scheduling a free demo.
(By the way, the next post in this series will cover best practices for when and how to present your design to your prospect).
Want even more in-depth information on how a contractor has successfully implemented a visualizer? See the entire webinar with Paul Trautmann by clicking here.
If you are interested discovering more about how you can use a visualizer to increase sales, go here to request a free demo.