Asphalt Sealing Business Strategy

First, let’s get one thing out of the way. Asphalt sealing might seem like a job where you can get out of the office and forget about corporate culture. And in a lot of ways, that’s true. But there are still some basics of professionalism you need to nail if you want to stand out from the cowboys and truly be a success.

As in any business, 'perception is reality'. That means you have to make sure you present yourself in a professional manner. Your truck or trailer should be clean, and the way that you and your people are dressed should be neat, clean, and professional.

After all, the way you look and present yourself will have a direct impact on your sales, closing ratios, and the price you are able to command for your work.

In most cases, you’ll be making cold calls in person, driving through a neighborhood, and stopping door to door. In some cases, you may be making phone calls to set up free estimate meetings. In all cases though, it’s critical that you practice your presentation skills and develop your own script and approach.

There’s nothing more effective than 'being there' on a bright sunny day and speaking one-on-one with a prospective customer. Once you've got one job underway on a street, and you start knocking on the next person's door, and they see you are already doing a job close by, your chances for landing a series of jobs on that street are very good.

When you get a job, there are a number of important service level elements to deliver on:

1. Appointments - When you make an appointment for a specific time and date, BE THERE on time. Your customers' time is valuable, and they have other things to plan and do in their day. It’s not all about you.
2. Prompt service - When the customer says "yes," make every effort to complete the job. If you have a sales representative out pre-selling, make sure to get a deposit when you can, and then make sure you are there at the time and date agreed upon. If there is any change, call the client and make new arrangements. People are very understanding when you speak to them in advance, but they don't want to be waiting for you or your team.
3. Any Time, Any Day - The asphalt and sealcoat business is a weather-dependent business so make hay while the sun shines. Seal on Saturday and Sunday, or any other day if that’s what it takes to make it work.
4. Repeat Business – Get ALL your customers' contact information: name, phone, email, and address. You have a golden opportunity to build ongoing, long-term relationships with every customer you pre-book for years to come. Getting the right information and developing a customer relationship management system will also allow you to build a high-value sales pipeline for your business.

Use the Best Asphalt & Sealcoating Product: 
The quality of the sealcoating product you use has a direct long-term impact on your success. Highlight the superior quality of your product during sales presentations to demonstrate specific benefits to clients. These benefits include improved appearance, enhanced durability, and longer lifespan. Using Asphalt Kingdom products, known for their quality, allows you to confidently offer these advantages, setting you apart from competitors and ensuring client satisfaction.

Starting with Sealcoating Marketing Basics

How should you start marketing your business and get your first customers? Think of these groups:

1. People You Know. Let family and friends know you’re in the business. They’ll be delighted to have you do their driveway. When you do a good job for them, they’ll tell others, which leads to:
2. Word of Mouth. Word of mouth is the best advertisement, and it’s free. With personal recommendations, individuals vouch for you and your work, which builds trust and credibility.
3. Fliers. Fliers are effective when targeting specific areas. They allow you to include a variety of information about you, the product you provide, and your free estimate service. Fliers are excellent for generating interest and awareness. Include a "special limited-time savings coupon" to drive immediate response to your business.
4. Follow-up Service. In the springtime, touch base with last year’s customers and offer them a springtime special. This secures an early start for those careful about their driveway's appearance. You can touch up and repair any winter damage caused by snow plows, snow blowers, shovels, etc.
   

Starting with Sealcoating Sales Basics

With that in mind, let’s cover the basics of sales. After all, knowing how to seal asphalt is only part of what you need to know — you also need to know how to sell yourself and grow your business. Here are five basics of your asphalt sales strategy guide to success:

1. Qualify Your Customer: Determine who needs your asphalt sealing, and the best ways to find them
2. Be Disarming: Know how to approach people when you knock on their door so they will take the time to listen to what you have to say.
3. Sales Tools: List what you should have with you when you are making a cold call and knocking at someone's door
4. Closing The Sale: Wrap things up and get the job
5. Hire A Sales Team: Know when it's time to focus on sealing driveways and hiring someone else to go door-to-door

We will cover all of those aspects in greater detail later in this article.

For the best possible start, you’ll want to take our Driveway Sealcoating Kickstart Course. This virtual video course is designed to equip you with all the essential knowledge and skills needed to jumpstart your asphalt sealing business. Here’s what you can expect from the course:

1. Expert Guidance: Learn from professionals with over 30 years of experience in the sealcoating industry. Gain insights that only seasoned experts can provide.
2. Extensive Content: The course includes over 3 hours of detailed video tutorials covering every aspect of driveway sealcoating, from surface preparation to final application.
3. Practical Tips and Tricks: Discover the tips and tricks that can help you work more efficiently and effectively, saving you time and effort on the job.
4. Financial Benefits: Understand how to maximize your earnings, with strategies to potentially make $1,000+ per day.
5. Bonus Downloads: Access valuable resources, templates, and checklists that you can use to streamline your operations and ensure you’re fully prepared for each job.
6. Lifetime Access: Enjoy lifetime access to the course materials, allowing you to revisit and review the content whenever you need a refresher.
7. Tax Deductible: The course fee is a tax-deductible expense, making it a financially smart investment in your business.

By taking this course, you'll not only learn the technical aspects of sealcoating but also gain the confidence to market your services and grow your business effectively. For more information and to enroll, check out the Driveway Sealcoating Kickstart Course.

The saying, "You have to spend money to make money," is certainly true, but there are also ways to save your asphalt business money by spending smart. Here are three simple and smart business practices that will keep money in your pocket.

Understand Your Finances

Every country, and even state, has its own tax laws, so don’t let a fear of numbers scare you as an owner. The fact is, not knowing is costing you a fortune. Accountants are worth their weight in savings. Or you can take a course at a local college or even online to learn more about tax savings in your off-season. Here’s a sampling of ways that your asphalt business can save money with accounting know-how.

• Home-Based Office: Many owners work from home, with at least an office and phone. Almost every tax law allows you to write this off. Let’s say your home office is 5% of your home’s square footage. Then 5% of all your work expenses are deductible. 
  Utilities, property taxes, and mortgage/rent are all obvious to consider for tax purposes, but have you been including home repairs like the new roof, new air conditioner, landscaping, bathroom supplies, cleaning products, etc.? When you spend money on your home, keep the receipts. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much you will save!

• Multi-Use Vehicle: If you have a car or truck that you use for your asphalt business and for personal use, are you getting the maximum deduction? Check and see what the default percentage write-off is, and compare that to what you’re actually doing. Keeping a mileage diary could prove that you’re using more than the standard default percentage. Don’t forget windshield wiper fluid, oil, gas, repairs, and maintenance receipts are all part and parcel of that percentage.

Spending More To Save More in Sealcoating

Sealant is the most-used supply in the asphalt business. It’s also one of your biggest costs and your best money-maker. Here are simple ways to make sealant use work for you and save you money.

• Bulk Rate Pricing: Good suppliers discount asphalt sealer when you buy in quantity. That puts more money in your pocket. Plus, if you’re smart and canvas the neighborhood for jobs, you won’t have the worry of running out of sealer.
  
  
• Larger Tank: How many trips are you making to the sealer plant, and how much gas and time are you losing making that trip instead of sealcoating? Investing in a larger tank to hold sealant close to work is smart money thinking.
  
  
• Equipment That Saves Time: The asphalt business is the same as all businesses: time is money. With the right equipment, you get the jobs done faster and that frees you up to do more jobs per week.

Consider upgrading your spray system, especially if the depreciation on your current system is a small amount (talk to an accountant!). Accessories like the sealcoating ball valve spray gun will pay for themselves in time saved so quickly you’ll wonder how you ever worked without them. 

Qualifying Your Customer: Who Needs Your Asphalt Expertise?

The first step is to know where to look and find customers.

There's no point in knocking on someone's door that clearly has recently had their driveway sealed, or starting in a neighborhood where the driveways have just been installed. However, a newly built area where the driveways are about a year old is a perfect hunting ground. New homeowners need to know how important it is to seal and protect their very expensive asphalt investment. Here are your tips for qualifying your customer:

• You can't work on rainy days, but you can easily see which asphalt isn't beading in the rain (an obvious sign that it's time to sealcoat).
• Look from above using a tool like Google Earth to see from the comfort of home what areas are in prime need of maintenance.
• On the job, look around at the surrounding properties to see who else could benefit from a fresh sealcoat, especially at the end of your work day. They can see what a great job you did, at a house they know.

The best thing you can do is to approach each door as if there is a new mother at home alone with her baby. Be respectful and polite, and wear something that identifies who you are: a company shirt or an ID badge with the company name and logo. Begin by letting them know who you are, your company, and what you do, which brings you to why you are at their door. Here are some tips for being disarming and respectful:

• Compliment your potential customers' homes – After all, you are there telling them they've neglected to maintain their asphalt, so compliment a part of their property that is well-maintained, whether it be flowerbeds, windows, lawns, or porches.
• Respect their property – If you've been on the job, and your hands are dirty from sealcoating, don't shake hands or touch the doorbell. Use a pen to ring the bell, and begin with "I'd shake hands, but I've been working."
• Credentials – As well as wearing something that identifies you and the company, never forget to mention the neighbor's address where you have done work. Example: "You may have noticed the Smiths down the street had their driveway done. That was my work," and be proud. Not only is this a great introduction, it showcases your work like nothing else can.
• Get to the point – Although compliments and introducing yourself are important, don't dawdle and waste their time. Tell them why you are there, and what it is you are offering.

For a demo on how this works, watch this eight-minute video from Asphalt Kingdom president Judd Burdon.

When on a sales call, you must be able to do the following three things:

1. Take down information to contact potential customers and to mark down the date to do the job.
2. Give your company details so the customer can contact you and check your references.
3. Show them your work, especially before and after images of driveways you have done.

How you do this is up to you, but an iPad or PC tablet is an incredibly easy and efficient tool to show images of your work and to take down information.

You will still need fliers or business cards. An old-fashioned binder with photos works, too, if you don't have a tablet.

Tips for your sales tools:

• Your flier or business card must have a phone number and the company name, but don't forget about email. Also, a website is a really good idea, so they can see more examples of your work and testimonials from your clients.
• Appointments should not only note the lead's address but also his/her phone number, just in case the weather forces you to reschedule. While you're at it, have the reminder set to yearly, so you'll remember to check back with them every year to see when the sealcoating needs redoing.
• Showing your work can be as simple as before and after shots, but you could also include images of other work you do such as crack filling.