"Sometimes you have to toot your own horn a little!" Judith Miller, Consultant

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Client Brag Books Help to Seed Referrals

You know those “brag books” full of photos of children and grandchildren that people love to show their friends? Why not give your clients a brag book that lets them show their friends great photos of their remodeling project—and show off the company that breathed new life into their old house?

Sea Pointe Construction puts together photo albums for each of its clients and presents them after the project is complete. “We find this a wonderful marketing tool that our clients love,” says Len Jay, general manager of the Irvine, Calif.-based design/build remodeling company. “It is not expensive and shows not only our beautiful work but that we go the extra mile for our clients.”

The company’s designers and production managers set the stage by ensuring that several “before” shots are taken of each project. “We love to take a picture when the project looks the worst, like right after demolition,” says Jay. Additional photos are taken during construction milestones and, naturally, when the project is complete.

Sea Pointe collects 24 photos of each project and puts them in small, leather-bound albums. Metal plates applied to the covers of the albums read “Our Remodel by Sea Pointe Construction.” The first page of the album is the presentation page, which includes the client’s name and address, the designer’s and production manager’s names, and Sea Pointe’s address and phone number. The company also tucks several of the designer’s business cards in the last page of the album.

Photos often include special features, such as fancy crown molding or commercial appliances. “It makes for a real eye opener when the client looks back at their old kitchen and then sees the new one,” says Jay. “It is also a great conversation starter. The album highlights our design and workmanship and shows prospective clients that the people we have already worked for are very proud of their project and us. Now that is a referral!”

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