Signs or ads stating “Follow me on Facebook” usually have to include a key piece of data to be effective. The key bit of data I speak of is your friggin’ Facebook handle! You can’t expect people to try and figure out what your page is on Facebook, yet I see about 3 ads a day from companies that expect you to be Inspector Clouseau. If you are one of these companies…please stop this practice immediately!
Brand Building
Your Clients Are Talking to You – Are You Listening?
I shot a video about keyword research the other day, and I think the point that I am trying to make in the video is that you need to look at keyword research as listening. Listening to exactly what your best clients or customers are asking for. Keyword research IS NOT hocus pocus, it is not Internet crap, and it is not something to be ignored. I mean, you can, but you will get buried under the weight of the stampede of clients or customers rushing past you to get to your competition.
Marketing Matrix for Construction Marketing
Need to know what specific types of media outlets meet your company’s current marketing or advertising needs? Now, this is by no means an all-encompassing list, but it covers about 95% of what most contractors use when marketing their construction businesses. As with everything, these are general marketing principles, you may achieve greater (or worse) results depending on many factors. [Read more…] about Marketing Matrix for Construction Marketing
Using Co-op For More Than Just Money, Part 2
OK, if you read yesterday’s post and you did your homework, you should now have thousands of dollars in OPM to use for your marketing. More likely, you have a small balance available, especially if you use a supply house. Those bastards like to use manufacturer’s money to go on fishing and hunting trips with their “Platinum Level” accounts. But don’t worry, we will get you on one of those trips soon enough! Today I want to talk about some of the benefits to co-op besides the bucks, cause it isn’t always about the Benjamin’s. [Read more…] about Using Co-op For More Than Just Money, Part 2
Narrow Your Focus
Everyone knows a window guy or door guy or concrete guy. Here is a way to cut competition, keep your prices high and become the defacto “go to” guy in your market for whatever niche you want to target.
In this environment, you have to put as much distance between you and the rest of the pack as you possibly can. In other words, you have to carve out a market or niche for your business. By creating this distance, you protect yourself from competition but also from quick dips in the market. [Read more…] about Narrow Your Focus
Strengthen Your Brand with a Logo
We have all connected with brands through their logos. We can see, hear, touch and sometimes even taste them! Think about your favorite candy bar, cola, car or sports team. Your connection to each begins with the brand…their logo.
What’s your logo look like?
Your contracting company’s logo is the entry point to your brand. It is your brands front door or visual identifier. Everything that goes into that logo; the colors, font, style and overall look provide the image your business is projecting. [Read more…] about Strengthen Your Brand with a Logo
Your Sales & Marketing Questions Answered Podcast
So, as many of you know, I have a podcast; just look right up there in the nav menu, go ahead, I’ll wait. Back? Good. Up until now, the podcast has been an audio version of my daily posts here at Darren’s.
But it’s time to mix that up too!
I have a new idea for the podcast but I need your help. I want to do a Q&A type podcast a few times a month. Since I already get a fair amount of emails asking specific questions, so I thought everyone could benefit from the answers.
So the podcast will be original content answering all of the questions I get between podcasts. I will record it once or twice a month and each episode should run about 15 minutes in length. I am still debating on whether to do them in video or audio, trying not to make it too much of a time suck. [Read more…] about Your Sales & Marketing Questions Answered Podcast
The Dirty Little Secret to Online Marketing for Contractors
Repeat After Me – My Business is More Than Just a Fucking Keyword! As a contractor, your number one job in your community is to create a localized brand that is so strong, that people seek YOU out, not just a keyword, to do business with. By having a unique service offering you force people to bypass all the marketing bullshit around them and make a bee-line to your door. But this approach to marketing takes time to cultivate and you have to do it one satisfied client at a time.
But a lot of the guys I talk to are trying to figure out how to get on the first page of Google at any cost; SEO, paid ads, Places, black hat, gray hat, white hat, whatever fucking color hat will work to get them there! The problem with being so focused on being first at the trough is that once you have fed, you will eventually get hungry again, and you will do whatever it takes to stay fat and happy. Then one day the Slaughter comes (I love my last name, my wife hates it!) and all the traffic you either optimized for or paid for is gone. [Read more…] about The Dirty Little Secret to Online Marketing for Contractors