With new housing developments springing up around Scottsdale and homeowners making essential improvements to their existing homes, remodelers are busier than ever.
However, there are key mistakes we notice remodelers making that can stunt your business growth.
Our experts at Whyte CPA are here to help. We’ve compiled a list of the most common mistakes Scottsdale contractors make that limit your success.
#1 Scottsdale Remodeler Error: Not Hiring Someone to Do Your Taxes, Bookkeeping & Accounting
One of the biggest mistakes we see Scottsdale remodelers make is trying to do everything -- from running your business to doing the work and managing your finances.
While you are an expert at remodeling and construction, we’re willing to bet you’re not a CPA or an expert in taxes and accounting. But we are. To save yourself the work, hassle, and money, you should hire an outsourced accounting firm.
Our experienced professionals can handle all your accounting needs, from tax-reduction planning services to bookkeeping, and payroll. Letting our experts take this off of your plate not only frees you up to focus on growing your business and producing great work, but it also gives you peace of mind that your books are accurate and compliant.
#2 Scottsdale Remodeler Error: Hiring a Reactive Accountant
Another big mistake we see remodelers and construction companies make is overpaying their taxes. When this happens, it means they hired the wrong accountant.
Are active accountant will tell you after they complete your tax return that you should have taken certain steps during the year to reduce the amount of taxes you owe. At this point, it’s too late to save money for the current year.
Instead, you should hire a proactive accountant who helps you plan throughout the year to reduce your taxes. When you work with our Scottsdale tax experts at Whyte CPA, we ensure you never pay a dime more than your share of taxes.
#3 Scottsdale Remodeler Error: Not Identifying Your Target Audience
This is a big one, and it’s one of the most frequent errors we see with our remodeler clients. Too often, contractors accept any jobs. After all, a paying customer is a good customer, right? But this is hurting your business. Trying to serve all types of customers can prevent you and your company from completing great work, and instead settling for “good enough.”
To avoid this, you need to identify your ideal customer. Consider who you want to work for, and what types of projects get you excited. Also, think about what type of work you’re best at, and what type of customer will help your business grow and become profitable.
After doing this, you then need to be disciplined and only target key customers with your marketing efforts. This means being OK with letting other customers go. This can be hard at first but doing it will ultimately help you better understand your ideal customer and produce better work.
#4 Scottsdale Remodeler Error: Not Focusing on Sales & Marketing
When Scottsdale remodelers allocate funds for certain areas of your business, it can be tempting to invest money in a new, larger workspace, or more employees. However, you’re missing an opportunity if you don’t first spend money on sales and marketing.
Investing in sales and marketing allows you to grow your business by increasing your brand awareness and gaining new customers. This should be one of your top priorities when determining which areas of your business to invest in. Then, after you have a steady stream of customers, you can look at adding new employees or moving to a larger building.
#5 Scottsdale Remodeler Error: Not Showing Off Your Work
When you promote your remodeling or construction business, it’s common for contractors to do a lot of telling, and not a lot of showing. This can leave money on the table. When homeowners look for remodelers, they want to see the work you’ve done to determine if it’s a good fit. Make sure to include photos and videos of past projects and showcase client testimonials on your site so prospective clients can hear why they should hire you.
#6 Scottsdale Remodeler Error: Not Creating a Modern, User-Friendly Website
Inmost cases, a prospective customer’s first interaction with you and your construction company is through your website. If it is outdated and clunky, it can be costing you business. When customers look for a remodeler, they want to see a fresh, modern website (like the one above) that matches the work you do. Investing in a new website - and finding the right company to partner with - can ensure the style matches your work and branding. It also lets users easily navigate their way around the site and find your contact form.
#7 Scottsdale Remodeler Error: Not Installing Integrated Billing Software
When you’re out on project sites, drafting plans, and talking to customers, you need an easy way to handle your billing. Trying to do this on spreadsheets and other outdated systems can result in errors and can be a misuse of your time.
To overcome this, you can install integrated billing software. This will save you time by letting you easily handle billing, routing, scheduling, and other tasks. Our experts at Whyte CPA can help you find the right software for your company, and help you get it up and running.
#8 Scottsdale Remodeler Error: Not Showcasing Videos
Asa remodeler, it’s easy to showcase your work, and not yourself. However, your prospective customers want to get to know you. If you are going to be entering their home and interacting with them and their family, they want to know who they are hiring and start to build trust with them. You can accomplish this by creating more videos. Then, add them to your website and your social media accounts to let prospects see who you are.
Conclusion
Our dedicated Scottsdale accounting experts help remodelers, contractors, and construction companies successfully grow their businesses. Contact us to find out how our experts can help you with your bookkeeping, taxes, payroll, and other accounting needs.
