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Does anyone have any new & creative marketing tips for the present economy?
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Hi Carl, I am still relying on contacts I made from about ten years ago when my then partner and I selectively hand delivered nice-looking flyers to nice-looking in houses in good neighborhoods. It was much more effective than advertising in a paper for me. In this economy I am faced with doing this again to land some work, it's slow out there!!
*Thnaks for the email! I have resorted to that for the last month and a half. I dont get much responce from it. I think the idea is sound but alot of people think that you are another traveling irishmen since you are out passing out flyers instead of the usual methods. If I was a millionare I would do direct mail but that costs a fortune in postage. Apparently 34 cents a stamp isnt enough and they want to raise the price again. I also heard that the government is trying to pass a bill that will charge up to 50 cents for an email. Where does the money go you ask to the USPS. And why, well there is no reason other than greed. Anyway...... I appreciate the advise. Best of luck!
*so a hundred stamps cost 34 dollars. Would a hundred mailers sent to a hundred hand picked address lead to one little job and that cost is easily covered. Mails not that expensive. Jeff
*Good point. I am curious. How many times do you get value pack or other similar mailers and actually look at them. Step one in sending out a mailer is getting someone to notice it. If you mail a sealed envelope I'll bet it goes into the circular file. Point is just because you hand pick houses doesnt mean that people will open and read your mailer. Thanks for the point of view.
*I can't speak for all trades as I now concentrate primarily in floor building and re-finishing. But I think this would help most business people.Network, Network, and more Network. The more people who know you exist, the better your chances of getting that call.I'm not afraid to strike up a conversation with a total stranger, make small talk, tell them it was nice meeting them and give 'em a couple of cards. I do this at the gas pump, the grocery store, anywhere I happen to be. I bet I give a thousand cards out a year.Join your local builders assoc. Become a member of your local Chamber of Commerce, get involved in the community. Build a network with other people in business. Real Estate agents and bankers can find you enough work to send your kids to Harvard, get to know them.If you do this then it won't matter what the economies doing.Rich
*Rich, I agree networking is a vital part of business. Have you ever heard of BNI? We are thinking about joining up with them. Wondered if you had any imput. Just a thought isnt it funny that we all spend so much money on business cards and promotional items only to turn around and give them away? I find that very ironic! Thank you for the advise.
*I meant hand pick more along the lines of a particular street or subdivision. Most will get tossed......but my point is....if you spent $34 on postage...a few bucks on supplies, and a few hours getting it together.......just one lead out of those 100 mailers would more than cover the costs. At this very moment.....I'm revising a flyer I'll have on hand to canvass the neighborhood I'm presently working in. It's a small culdesac.....so I'll just knock on the neighbors doors. If they're not home....I'll see if there's any where handy to place it.. The only legal way to put something INSIDE the mailbox is to send it thru the mail. So....if there ins't a logical place to put it....and no one's home.....I'll stamp it and mail on the way home. You are right.....most will get tossed....but it only takes one. That's the basis of all sales. It's all a numbers game. Jeff
*Jeff, I'll put it like this. Over the past montand a half I have had 2000 flyers printed. I have made some changes to them as I went along for different areas. For the most part the idea is the same. Of those 2000 flyers I have personaly passed out between 1400 and 1600 flyers. These were in all types of neighborhoods with a commen theme. Homes that we wanted to work on or that needed work done to them. Not just going down the line door to door. We try not to bother people if it can be helped. By that I mean we dont stop if they are outside. The last thing we want to do is be a " pain in the ass" Anyway we got a total of 4 calls. Yes you read that right 4 calls. You mentioned numbers, well if you average 4 into 1500 thats .00026 percent. Not very good. Now imagine if I had mailed those out. 1500x.34= 510.00 in postage for .00026 percent. Now I ask you is that a good ratio? I know that it is slow right now with the economy and all that but there are signs of things picking up. Example being the stock market. It has been over 10K the entire week. Interest rates are still low. The signs are there. When people start getting there tax refunds back along with spring just around the corner people will start spending money. You are right it IS all a numbers game. Thanks for the advise.
*Steve,I also live in a Amish, Pa. Dutch community. The Dutchies are the only ones that don't talk to us "English". And I don't see many of them at the gas pump. The rest of us are normal.Maybe your bitterness and negativity telegraphs through to people. Like Dr. Phil says: "How's it workin' for Ya'?"I also run a full time add in two different papers under the 'Professional Services' guide. A full time add in the local real estate listings guide. And an add in the local 'Area Shopper' paper.I'm in the process of having a web site built and linking it with as many other businesses as I can.This is working for me.Yes, I have offered my assistance doing "charity work". Yes it is a pain in the ass. But that's part of doing for your community. And the payback comes tenfold.Rich
*Steve-You may not be a "handyman" damnit but from experience I can tell you (IMO)it pays the bills between jobs. When you have free time( as it appears you do) pricing small jobs are a good fill in. They also lead to customer confidence which leads to referrals and larger jobs.A spring turns into an stream, a stream turns into a river, a river turns into an ocean. It's much easier to keep your head above water in a spring then in the ocean. You want all ocean and no springs.
*Steve,Take a deep breath and relax. You are already networking. You've met a handful of contractors at the supply houses. That's a handful more than you knew a year ago. Do me favor, make it a point to meet 3 people a day and give them a business card. In 10 days 30 people can call you an aquaintance, they know what you do and have your phone number. How many people a day do those 10 talk to? Think home repair/remodeling comes up in conversation? Guess who knows somebody? Guess whos card they have. Play the numbers. If I give a thousand cards out a year and get a 1% call rate that's 10 calls. This is better than flyers. Flyers are anonymous. People can put a face, voice, personality with your card. They have actually met you. Combine that with ads in a few circulars and a couple newspapers. Builders assoc. meeting once every couple months. yada yada yada.It's not gonna happen overnight...buy it'll happen.Rich
*Yes as Rich said, network... Big builders always need punch out work. The local lumber yard (hopefully your not a big box customer) will give out your name if you ask nice. Real Estate agents need work done now!! Check the paper, if there are ads for experienced carpenters they have work. Maybe some sub work can be had. Carpet installers always need someone to trim down doors.Finally maybe you can find a niche market. Like window repair/mini blind repair/deck repair etc... which can be extremly profitable.Good luck
*Geoff hit it on the head with the "niche" market. Specialize.......and sell yourself....educate the potential clients as to how you deliver a quality product. Very important also is to follow up promptly with your bid. After receiving a job, actually do a little extra than was agreed upon. This will be the "seed" sown that will likely cause the client to advertise for you. Just as much as they will bad mouth your work should you fall short of their expectations. I do this all the time with my stairs. I purposely throw in something, whether it be an extra detail, or just extra time on their project. Also...always be on time, and remember you are working for them. One has to prove themselves and outsell the other guy. Find someway to make yourself a better value.
*I've done a bit of "marketing" for my business, though we are not builders, I've studied one this subject a bit and many good "principles" are universal.Direct Mail. Think about what goes in your mailbox. What do you open vs toss? You first have to get them to open the piece. The "industry/sector/group" that has direct mail solicitation down to an art is political candidates/causes. Which of these is effective. Copy it.Two ways to go with direct mail: bulk mail or std 1st class (or Priority/express mail).Bulk mail is less expense but not cheap. Only reason to use it is to cut your postage costs in 1/2 which is only a small part of sending out a mailer (printing, stuffing, list prep etc). For best rates have to become something of a expert in the minuta of the various rate structures or hire someone that is. Bulk mailing with a 2-4% response is good. Most is never opened.First class postage mailing. If you want it to be opened; HAND ADDRESS, HAND ADDRESS, HAND ADDRESS an envelope with full name of addressee, if you want/need return address on envelope hand write this also. A envelope that is non standard size (like a birthday card size or 9x10, etc) is worth considering. Has worked for us. In a stack of mail it in sticks out from the #6 and #9 envelopes. Stick outs - gets noticed - hand address vs. printed/typed - "whats this?" - gets opened. A return address on the envelope that indicates it is solicitaition only gives a reason to toss without opening. Hardly anyone will toss unopened a hand addressed letter. If they open it. What do you want them to do? You have about 5 seconds to make your initial pitch. If you have a clear path indicating what ACTION the reader should take to DO something some of them will do so. You then get a few more seconds. This is what we do: call us, email us, send in this postage paid return card, GO TO OUR WEB SITE! What are you selling that is of benefit to the readers? Sounds like you are looking for middle/upper income market. Most of these folks have some technical ability and you can do some GREAT things in selling your benefits with a simple web site that you will never be able to afford on paper. I think a contractor in 2002 that does not have a website is missing boat completely. Just having a decent site shows you are "withit" and that you stand out from the average contractor. You can inexpensively present volumes of information and color photos for a few bucks that would cost thousand to print. If you figured out how to post to this board you can create your own web site in 2002. I suggest http://www.netsol.com For $200 per YEAR you can put up 10pages (unlimited size per page) of info. What you look like, what your equipment looks like, what you work looks like (before and after jobs). Links to local bankers with whom you have a business relationship (IE help arrange financing for customer). Links to prefered material suppliers etc.
*hey Carl......don't kill the messenger.......Sales IS a numbers game......sometimes ya gotta be a pain in the ass.....why do you think companies telemarket and mass market......even though everyone you know will swear they don't buy from either......it's because they do work. Not for all products.....not for all businesses.....but it works. You asked for suggestions......I gave one.......you don't like.......I'm out. No one ever said sales was easy......there is no easy way. When you figure the easy way out....let me know. Jeff
*Business cards are a huge part too. Once had a sales manager that would give a card to everyone he met. One girl at the McD's drive thru finally told him she had enough of them......he asked why she still had them....didn't she know she was supposed to pass them out to friends and relatives. This was way back when I sold new cars........about a month later.....he saw her at work again.....she said she finally got tired of all his damn cards and gave them all out. He told her call everyone and tell them he was running a sale in her honor......4 people came down to call his bluff that week.......and he sold 4 cars.....and 4 people got 4 great deals. Push the issue. I gotta get back into the sales/marketing mind set after being an employee for a year. Gonna be hard....gonna be fun. And gonna go thru a ton more cards. HD and Lowes is a great place. Just pay attention to the Q's people ask the sales guys.....then complete the usually un-finished answer...and pass a card...apoligize for interrupting...and tell them to call for more info and a bid. It's worked for me a number of times in the past. And I've never mass mailed....that is too anonymous....buy a flyer saying you are working in the neighborhood.....delivered to the houses next to, and directly across from the project...are quite intimate. They've already been wondering about you....if they have any work on their mind. In a way...you're already prequalified. Jeff
*Good info....all true from what I remember from my long lost days in sales. Jeff
*The best way for me to land new clients is to personally go to the upper end contractors, show them a color brochure that I print up myself, and take five minutes of their time.....and asking if they have....(in my case), any stairs on the drawing boards. I have over the years mailed, and mailed, and no response. One time several years ago, I put on a "blitz" and had a mailing of over 400 sent out in a period of a few days. Not one response. I thought on this for awhile..... I was presently employed full time for an upper end builder as a trim carpenter. Then it just hit me, just go in personally to each office, and just sell yourself, and let them know you want to bid on any upcoming projects. I haven't deviated from this method now in over ten years. It works. I am talking about new clients..... theo old ones will automatically come back as repeats if you have treated them honestly and delivered what you promised. It all boils down in gaining their trust.