Hey guys,
I know, I know…many of you are saying “We DON’T advertise”. And thats fine as referenced work is always the best. However, we are a relatively new startup (yet the partners have 20 years experience in the industry) but we’re trying to shoot bigger than what we have ever done.
Trying not to do “hang one door” or “repair soffit and fascia” work anymore. Please don’t think I’m a work snob for saying that but I did that kind of work for 15 years and am done with it. I’m shooting for large additions, remodeling or complete homes.
So, how else do the folks similair to me get the word out?
Here is what we’ve done so far.
Professional web site
Member of BNI networking group
Memebr of local builders association
Mailings to thousands of local realtors and architects (our is a very LARGE and competitive market hence the thousands)
Speak at local meetings
We’re thinking about?
Servicemagic
Newspaper ad
Direct mailings to homeowners
Yellow pages but it doesn’t print for a long time from now
Just looking for something else to get our name out there to generate some work. We don’t need alot of work just maybe 3-5 homes per year as we’re small and don’t need to corner the market…just have a few bites of our piece of the pie.
Any thoughts, comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Mike
Replies
30-60 second spot on 11:00 TV news, most folks are winding down, kids asleep, dinner is outta the way.
Just BY GOD do NOT have one of those Screaming 'mercials.
Just a narrated slide show is all ya need and kep the ph# on the whole time.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
There is no cure for stupid. R. White.
Sphere,
Thanks. I always thought TV would be too expensive but maybe we'll have to look into it?
Mike
I don't actually do that being as I am a dedicated subcontractor. But I am sure that it would be worth a look. Depends on your market area, and production costs and # of times run per week/month or what ever..
If I was gonna advertise, I'd start there.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
There is no cure for stupid. R. White.
One of the better marketing schemes it to find an avenue to make you/your company the expert. If you can get a local paper/tv station/radio station to allow you to run ads with advice or to write a column on how to pick the right contractor, know quality work/ etc etc it really works well. We do a radio spot called the hometown expert. we give tips in our area of expertise and are the only company of that type allowed.
Also the big one for us has been a newspaper ad. Same one all the time. Consistant with the same basic message. Our newspaper has whats called a business builder ad where we can run the ad 15 days, every other day. Less cost than a full month and yet appears to the public as though you are there everyday.
I read an article a few years ago that said (number won't be perfectly accurate) that the first 7 times people see your ad they start to recognize it, by the 14 th ad they are comfortable with it and by the 21st time the feel as though they know you and will call if they need you. I kept track. I got 5 calls the first 20 days. On day 21, 22, 23 we got 9. Must be something to it. DanT
DanT,
Thanks! We already do part of what you said as I have a show on the local gov't access channel. We do it for free and the payback is some exposure. Just doesn't seem enough so far.
I like the newspaper or radio idea too. Definitely will pursue those. Thanks!
Mike
Something I saw recently was that the ads in the movie theaters are super cheap. If this was in the correct neighborhood might just work. Class it up, rotate your ads and you might be in bidness
don't forget the bowling alley adds too. while the man is bowling after just getting an earfull about what the house needs from the wife, maybe he is looking for an easy out.
If the prime time news spot is too much $, some cable channels have spots for local advertising. I don't really even watch the boobtube but I seem to recall local commercials...
"30-60 second spot on 11:00 TV news"
My first thought was you were telling him to get arrested. Snork.
The eleven o'clock news hour does seem to be a better spot. Less distractions.
GIVE ME AN............. F!
All of your first thoughts are about arrests...I hope Gman brings the deed to his house for your bail in August.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
There is no cure for stupid. R. White.
Must be something I did in a past life. :)
GIVE ME AN............. F!
Just a comment about your membership in the local HBA.
I have been in ours for 3 years. The first year I got zero for leads or work. The second year I got about $4K gross volume from a small project, and an addition lead that didn't work out. (couple divorced instead)
the third year I have done just under $18K in gross volume so far from references directly from HBA members. So just be aware as a start up, it will take time. And you have to actually show up at the meetings and network with people, and get to be known.
Bowz
a guy around here does that home repair on the weather channel
Do you have a certain market/niche that you would like to concentrate on (high end, creative & funky, green/ eco friendly, medium price, etc...) or open to anything right now?? Just thinking that if you have a niche/ certain market picked out, that will effect how you direct your advertising.
What about doing some volunteer work at high visibility spot ( SPCA, Childrens Museum, local art/ theater club, some other charity org.). I think this kills a few birds with one stone. Besides your company getting exposure, you will be building up trust and goodwill in the community, which would hopefully lead to more leads.
If you are going to go the media route, what about becoming a sponsor of one of the shows on NPR. There is a construction company here that is a part sponsor of "CarTalk".
-m2akita
do U have door hangers or flyers?
one of the best techniques ...
the old canvass the neighborhood.
Old sales manager taught me the "5Star Method" ...
had to at least 5 houses in the neighborhood.
the 2 next door ... 1 right across the street ... and the 2 on each side of that house.
In Person.
scope them out ... where are they home? Hit them then ... walk up ... quick intro ... hand the info then talk or walk as they direct you.
At the very least ... and this is complete failute in battle ... leave your company info in their mailbox or on their door stoop.
Anything less than this on each and every job .... and you've failed.
Yer in the neighborhood ... make the face to face appearance.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
I've tried that with mixed results. Sometimes, i'll spend a day passing out flyers. I got a $50000 job off a flyer. Then i'll spend another day and get nothing.
I have an ad in a local yellow pages type book that has served me very well and sometimes when i'm working in the area that the book is in, i'll put out flyers anyway. My thinking behind that is that even if the flyer is thrown out, when the time comes and they go to the book they'll see me and think "lets call him, i've seen his name somewhere before".
Just getting your name out there is all that matters.
I wear my company shirts almost everwhere. The family teases sometimes but you never know where you'll be and who will see you. I even dropped a few bucks on some coats. They were cheap and the people I gave them to like them and wear them all the time.
Edited 5/29/2006 10:37 am ET by MSA1
At the very least ... leave your company info in their mailbox or on their door stoop.
Gotta be careful with that mailbox idea, 'tho. Technically its a federal crime to use the mailbox to deliver anything that doesn't have proper postage on it. Sometimes the letter carrier will notice a flyer in the mailbox and bring it back to the office. They'll usually call and give a warning to first time offenders - but its their discretion. They can prosecute if they want to."he...never charged nothing for his preaching, and it was worth it, too" - Mark Twain
rubber band to the flag ... don't ever open anyone's actual mailbox.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Google ads
super cheap, pay per click, fairly easy to set up, and YOU ARE ADVERTISING TO PEOPLE SEARCHING FOR YOUR PRODUCT!!!!!!!
Jane Homeowner wants a new kicthen, she will do a search for "kitchen renovaters in baton rouge" or "Granite counterops" or some such. Your ad is along the side of the search results, if she clicks on ad, you owe google like 12 cents.
Of course, you need a website
I'm just a part time handyman, and what works best for me is just a small ad in the paper but I have placed ads on the local community channel, passed out business cards, had shirts made up and they all work. I believe like what was mentioned earlier it depends on the people you are trying to reach for the type of advertising will work for you. The best one that worked for me was the newspaper but thats for a handyman type of business yours may work doing something different.
What I would probably do myself is start with your past customers thats been good to you send them a newsletter letting them know your expanding your business that way they may know someone thats looking for someone to do that type of work which gives you a good reference and the foot in the door, then run an ad in the paper several times a month to also get your name out there to people that hasn't heard of you in that type of work, sometimes its a slow start but the repeating it the paper does work very well, I had one guy call (after not advertising for several months) that cut the ad out of the paper and saved it to remember my phone number. Wish you luck in you new line of work.
Scott