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Marketing tactics

Oak River Mike | Posted in Business on September 16, 2007 02:02am

Do any of you guys use those small business card size CDs or some similar “hook” to give out to new people you meet?

Here is my situation…going to a pretty high end meeting in a month and want to be able to give folks I meet in a business setting some easy to handle and yet effective way to remember me.  Already have some pretty high end business cards but looking for some other effective item without being “hoaky” or “cheesy”. 

Its all just cocktail style party setting so no displays or tables.  Just what I can put in their hands in say 4-5 minutes.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Mike


Edited 9/15/2007 7:03 pm ET by Oak River Mike

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  1. mike_maines | Sep 16, 2007 02:06am | #1

    I would say that anything would be hoaky or cheesy, unless you can strike up a conversation that leads to construction....then it's ok to slip them a card with a website address on it.  It's more than most contractors do.

  2. User avater
    JeffBuck | Sep 16, 2007 02:45am | #2

    I haven't done the small cd's yet but have thot about it.

     

    what I usually do though is have a wife with a small but not so small purse.

    I have one small photo album that I force her to carry when we go to such functions.

     

    as soon as I can steer the conversation towards remodeling ...

    and anyone makes the mistake of actually looking interrested ...

    I ask if they'd like to see some pics ...

     

     

    "just happen to have a couple on hand" ...

     

    pretty much any time we're at something like this and it's a sit down of some sort ...

    as soon as one person at the table finds out I do remodeling their questions always seem to flow. The pics are great for times like that.

     

    and I have been known to meet someone and open with ...

    "so just how long have U been thinking about that new kitchen remodel?"

     

     

    Jeff

        Buck Construction

     Artistry In Carpentry

         Pittsburgh Pa

  3. Dave45 | Sep 16, 2007 03:06am | #3

    I can't quite figure out if this is a business or social gathering.  In either case, I think you need to be a little tactful or you'll come across as a hustler.  Somehow, "just happening to have" a few CD's with you seems a little over the top.

    A nice looking business card with a website would probably be a little less "pushy". - lol

    1. User avater
      JeffBuck | Sep 16, 2007 03:16am | #4

      it's all in the delivery ...

       

      "over the top" puts bread on the table.

      Jeff    Buck Construction

       Artistry In Carpentry

           Pittsburgh Pa

      1. Dave45 | Sep 16, 2007 04:11pm | #9

        "Seizing the moment" puts bread on the table, but being "over the top" is probably more of a turn off than a turn on - it all depends on the context of the gathering.  A group of guys talking about baseball probably won't be thrilled by someone trying to hand out their business cards.

        In my experience, when people find out what I do for a living, some say "That's nice.....how 'bout those Giants", some want to tell me all about how they (or someone they know) had a terrible experience with a contractor, and a few ask what it would cost to remodel their kitchen - and lose interest when I tell them I would be happy to take a look at their job and give them some rough numbers.  A very few say that they're seriously thinking about some job and would like to talk further. 

        I'll give my card to anyone who'll take it, but take my cues from them.  If the card goes in a pocket and they go back to talking about baseball, the marketing moment is over. - lol

        1. Oak River Mike | Sep 16, 2007 04:37pm | #10

          All great information guys...thanks.

          This is what I was getting at with the idea about the digital cards:

          "If the card goes in a pocket and they go back to talking about baseball, the marketing moment is over."

          What can you do that keeps folks thinking about you? I was just thinking that the digital card might get popped into their computer the next day and you would have a full blown color portfolio, company history, etc available to them.

          Or is just getting them your web URL the same thing?

           

          Mike

          1. User avater
            shelternerd | Sep 16, 2007 05:24pm | #11

            I think getting people to the URL is the same and in some ways better than the CD. We're having a drought in NC and I've modified my web portfolio to feature two homes with on-site storm water retention systems (AKA rain gardens) and a sub page on how they are built to show that they are more complicated than they appear on the surface and can hold a huge amount of water in a drought. If I were relying on a CD it would be static and would not be able to respond to new information including Awards, or the Green Home tour we're participating in on October 8th. Also a website is more likely to get e-mailed as a link to someone the contact may know who is more likely to become a prospect or to others the customer may know who will have an influence on their decision making process. We recently had a single woman client who was nervous about having a house built. She E-mailed my URL to a favorite uncle who was allegedly an insufferable know-it-all on the subject of building. He gave the thumbs up based on the portfolio and really eased her anxiety. Also I go to the trade shows like the IBS and the National Green Home show and there are always a few booths that hand out those discs. (I have one on Zoe-E glass and one on the new Broan IAQ system on my desk) I have never run those discs but I do save the biz cards and check out the links to their websites. Most importantly, if you can get the prospect to give you his or her biz card and then you can send them and e-mail saying that "it was nice to talk about baseball with you the other night, if you have a chance to take a look at my web site here's the link..."My website cost me about $2,000 to put up and about $1,000 per year in hosting ($200) and updates ($800). I've had it up for over ten years so it's getting pretty huge at this point with adding about four pages per year.You can post any digital file to the site. I have plenty of photo's and writing but also blueprints, construction details, huge PDF's of green scoring tools, and even some music I played bass on. Also I have linked to a lot of my favorite supplyers and trade partners and they have linked to me on their sites and I'm "cross-linled" with the NC Sustainable Energy Association web site and to Sarah Susanka's not-so-big- house website. It is the back bone of my marketing strategy.------------------

            "You cannot work hard enough to make up for a sloppy estimate."

          2. Dave45 | Sep 16, 2007 05:39pm | #13

            .....the digital card might get popped into their computer....

            The operative word in that statement is "might".  The most probable scenario, however, is that the card isn't even noticed again until the garment goes to the cleaners or the washing machine.  For you, the card is a serious marketing tool.  For them, it's probably just another form of junk mail. - lol

  4. Hiker | Sep 16, 2007 05:54am | #5

    Mike,

    Do you know anybody at this meeting?  Have you done work for anyone there?  I have found it incredibly effective to have someone introduce you to another person "as this is the contractor who remodeled/built so and so house-they did a great job"

    I have also found that most people love to talk to contractors about little things they would like to get done and how their last experience with a contractor was horrible.  You need to develop a dialogue that allows for good, positive discussion and allows you to qualify yourself to the person without dropping the sales pitch on them. 

    If you are able to hit it off with someone, try and get their name and address and send them a personal note telling them how much you enjoyed meeting them and letting them know you would be happy to assist them with any projects they may have or if they know someone who who could use your services, let you know and you will be happy to contact them.

    We just signed an addition and remodel from folks we met at a party about a year ago.  BTW in my experience hoaky and memorable do not meld with high end.  Make yourself memorable by sending the personal note.  I guarantee they will have never received one from a GC before and it will be memorable.

    Good luck

    Bruce

  5. User avater
    shelternerd | Sep 16, 2007 07:51am | #6

    I agree with Mike Maines. And I think that you can do the website for the same price as the CD business cards and it will last a lot longer and be more easily accessible.

    I get my business cards done with a photo of a great house exterior on one side with just the web address and a scan of one of our blueprint set to very transparent (like a watermark) under our contact info on the back.

    Also a good idea to prepare an "elevator speech" that sums up your business plan in as few words as possible so you can get one sentance in in response to the question "so what do you do?" that really tells people what kind of jobs you really love to do.

    I also have a cell phone with a removable memory card that I have loaded with photo's of favorite homes and construction details as well as current photo's of the house we are building at the moment. That way if someone who knows me wants to know what I'm working on I can show them lat weeks photo's and if someone just generally wants to know what we do I can show them the greatest hits slide show.

    Don't be shy about handing our business cards but do be discrete, like Maines says.

    ------------------

    "You cannot work hard enough to make up for a sloppy estimate."

    Edited 9/16/2007 12:52 am ET by ShelterNerd



    Edited 9/16/2007 12:55 am ET by ShelterNerd

    1. mike_maines | Sep 16, 2007 02:36pm | #7

      That phone idea is a great one.  Never thought of that.  Really great. 

    2. Hazlett | Sep 16, 2007 02:52pm | #8

       ShelterNerd,

       I am not really certain how good an idea that celphone idea would be in actual practice for most people in most settings.

      If your target market is reasonably affluent people--say  age 45 and above-----well to be frank----we can't really SEE pictures on a cel phone( at least I can't!!!!)

       pictures on a celphone in a dimly lit social setting-?--no way. pictures on a cel phone in bright light------forget it--can't see it?

       I am curious about the web site idea------as I have done nothing in that area other than THINK about it for 2 years----and gather digital pictures I might one day put up on a web site----viewing the matter as an electronic brouchure-----no idea what a NICE one would cost----and a NOT nice one would seem to do more harm than good.

       stephen

      1. User avater
        shelternerd | Sep 16, 2007 05:30pm | #12

        <<If your target market is reasonably affluent people--say age 45 and above-----well to be frank----we can't really SEE pictures on a cell phone( at least I can't!!!!)>>Well I do carry a huge palm trio with a beautiful color screen but you have a point. Last night I was showing another builder some images from my portfolio on my wide screen laptop and he was squinting and wishing he had his glasses. Sometimes you just can't win.still it's more spontaneous than pulling a picture book out of the wifes purse. m------------------

        "You cannot work hard enough to make up for a sloppy estimate."

        1. Hazlett | Sep 16, 2007 05:45pm | #14

           ShelterNerd,

           thank you for the subtle hint as far as costs RE: the web site

           that's quite in line with what I was wondering/thinking/hoping/planning on.

           stephen

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