endeavors. However, press releases can go further as well by announcing what’s new at the company—be it new employees, employee promotions, new products and services, or company milestones.
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Advertising in the telephone directory can be very expensive for a new business. One way to save money is to list your company’s website address in the directory rather than purchase a display ad. While the future of the printed version of the Yellow Pages is bleak, internet editions are a very important means of promoting yourself. Look for local directories.
For any type of marketing you plan to do, it is essential that you know your customer demographics and the demographics of any media in which you decide to advertise or write articles or blogs. What age range and income bracket is most receptive to your marketing? When posting online or buying ads in magazines or newspapers, what is the circulation and to what age group and income level? Demographics let you know if you are reaching the people who need and could afford your services.
It’s advantageous to get an idea of what other successful contractors have been doing on social media over the past few years. You can learn from those who have been there and done that. See where they post and what type of information they provide about their areas of specialty and for their customers.
You also want to pay attention to the responses you are getting, not only on social media but at review sites like Yelp (www.yelp.com) and Angie’s List (www.angieslist.com). What do people like or dislike about what you are doing? What postings are generating likes? You can learn a lot from your followers and customers. Keep in mind that just as quickly as social media can help you, you may take a negative turn if you get into arguments with those who’ve posted bad reviews, and this can hurt your reputation.
If you get legitimate bad press (based on something that went wrong) you need to be honest, humble, forthright, and apologetic. In short, be ready to put out fires and make amends when necessary.
While the internet is an incredible tool for business, many elderly citizens are not computer savvy and do not use a computer. Many others use the computer and internet for shopping and information, but not to shop for contracting services. For these folks, print advertising is still a valuable tool. Costs vary depending on the type of print media used.
The name you choose for your business should reflect your market niche, identify you and your services, and be easy to say and spell. For example, Habibullaev & Associates is difficult to say and means nothing; on the other hand, Barefoot Lawn Care, one of our favorites, gets its message across immediately and positively. Likewise, Paula’s Petals makes good sense for a florist, but can anyone imagine what Pete’s Photosynthetic Management Group LLC does? Also, make sure your company name can be used on your website—do a search for the domain name that best suits your business name. They should be the same with a .com at the end, or .net if .com is taken. So if your business is Kramer Contracting, you want to be able to use KramerContracting.com, or .net. Search for domain names even before choosing your company name.
A simple approach is to prepare fliers that can be dropped off at individual homes. Some contractors who deliver colorful and informative fliers to all the homes in the neighborhood where they are currently working.
Advertising in major metropolitan newspapers can become very expensive; local community newspapers offer better values, especially for new contractors who wish to limit their services to a small geographical area. These papers periodically print special sections that appeal to home improvement shoppers.
Because magazine readership is significantly down, you may look to post ads in small local circulars or fliers instead. Local community-based websites can often give you a good rate for frequent advertising. Advertising is more significant when seen often, and these smaller, but very localized, publications allow you to get more bang (placements) for your buck. Other options for adverting and promotion include:
By far the best, most successful, and cheapest form of marketing your company is “word of mouth.” A happy client is much more likely to tell his or her friends and neighbors about the great work you’ve done for him than one who merely thought you did an average job. An unhappy client can do more harm to your business than nearly anything else.
Recently, a small contractor surveyed its clients and asked them which medium they were most likely to use when shopping for contracting services. “Word of mouth” was the winner. While small businesses usually cannot carry out in-depth marketing studies, the more they know about their clients, the more chances they’ll have of increasing sales. Knowing your clients’ typical age, approximate income level, and personal preferences allows you to tailor your products and services to meet their particular needs. As mentioned earlier, learn about your customer demographics.
Several techniques can be used to increase the chances that a client will give your company a good recommendation. Chapter 10 discusses relationships with clients in more detail, but from a marketing aspect the following are critical to creating and maintaining an excellent reputation: