Video is the best way to build a relationship with your customers. You can’t educate them better in an entertaining way that evokes personality…yours.
And it’s easy
Create a video series that explains your business, what you do and the nature of the ecosystem that surrounds and supports your business. Now put yourself in the videos so you create a friendly, passionate expert they can begin to trust before they ever meet you.
Even though we as consumers buy things every day, we hate being sold to. If you can change the focus of selling off of the service you offer (decks, additions, drain snaking) and focus on how you can serve the customer, the more money you will make. When thinking about the client base you serve, ask yourself:
The real answers will surprise you, and if you said your primary service, you’re wrong and we should talk.
The number one issue I hear today during consults is keeping and/or finding good help. Most companies think the best thing to do to fix the problem is to throw money at it; at new hires, at current employees, at subs.
But a recent study found that 58% would choose to be happy at work vs. money.
You may be making your people more money, but if they aren’t happy, they’re gone. It’s just a matter of time. Think about it, it’s probably why you left and started your business in the first place, right?
Let me start off by saying there are no new construction marketing ideas. The way to win the game is to iterate and improve upon what is already out there. Its the fastest, cheapest way to market. But…
You have to know your numbers
Big company, little company, it doesn’t matter. You have to know where your new business is coming from. Only then can we start a deep dive into how to make that channel work better for you, or improve on it.
If you don’t know or need a hand, we should talk. Get a free, 30-minute call with me and let’s get you marketing a bit better.
Funny story. I started a non-profit to help kids who want to participate in the performing arts. When I built the website, I used the code for my newsletter as a placeholder expecting to change it once the site went live.
Well, I forgot
And for 60 days now, I’ve added emails from parents who want their kids involved in the theater to my construction marketing email list.
Guess what…?
When I realized it and I sent out info to some of the people subscribed, about half said they wanted to stay on it, and that they could use the information in their jobs.
Having an email list that you can talk to on a regular basis is awesome. Having one-on-one communication with people who want to hear what you have to say helps you rise above the noise.
Just make sure to make your emails mobile friendly, since 66% of all email is now being opened on a mobile device.
I was reading a few articles today and came across one titled ‘Business Blogging. How to Go Viral.’
That is absolutely the wrong metric to shoot for. It doesn’t matter if you are a plumber trying to get $69 drain cleaning jobs or a major remodeler looking to talk to people who want hundred thousand dollar additions, you should look to speak to one person; your best client or customer.
Not a hundred thousand people who have no interest in what you are selling. This is why marketing is broken for so many contractors, because they are being told the wrong things about marketing online.
You probably are doing great these days, jobs continue to come in and the phone is ringing, but it won’t always be like that. Right now is the time to find holes in your bucket and patch them so when the lean times do come, you are more prepared.
The holes don’t get bigger than human capital
Your people, by accident or on purpose, waste more of your money than anything else in your organization.
Call it management, call it being the boss, but spend time looking at everyone in your company. All your project managers, accounting, entry-level people, your gophers, everyone can improve their efficiency which increases your revenues and makes your entire organization more effective.
Remember, people don’t do what you expect them to do, they do what is inspected!
I am a firm believer in offering just one service…if you can. A lot of contractors want to do everything because they are afraid of missing out. My contrarian point of view (which has been shown to succeed) is to specialize. If you can be the best basement finishing company in your area, do it.
If you like doing bathrooms because you like the cool feel of tile, then go for it.
The benefit of specialization is you become known as the defacto expert in that market for that job type. You get pricing breaks on supplies since you will buy less of everything, but more of some things.
Finally, being the expert in your market will protect you from the deeper-pocketed competition when it comes…and it always does.
