Here are five marketing tips for your contracting business you can use, straight up, no ice.
1. Your Marketing Must Be True
When you make a statement about what you do or how you do it, do it. If you don’t, you’ll lose that customer AND everyone he or she talks to about your business. For instance, if you claim you get back to your clients within two hours of a call or an email and then take two days, or claim that your price will be the lowest and you are the highest, you become a great story at a party, not the home service pro-people can trust. Utilize your HomeStars profile description to explain who you are, and ensure it aligns across the board, from website to social media, to paint a picture that’s realistic of who you are.
2. Remember That Everything is Marketing
We know that your company brochure is marketing. We know the pictures of your work posted on your website or HomeStars profile is marketing. We also know in the age where all of our lives are available for scrutiny through social media, it’s all marketing. If you own a business and you want it to be profitable, you need to leverage and maintain marketing channels across the board to get in front of your customers.
3. Market to the Right Homeowners
The complexity of the marketing landscape and the sophistication of technology today mean there is no reason for you to market your business precisely to the people you don’t want to reach. HomeStars is an excellent example of technology that can connect you and expose your business with customers, aka your “target market”, that needs what your business has to offer. From choosing where you want to do work and the types of jobs you want to receive, pros have control. Don’t settle for marketing that is not targeted, and don’t start marketing until you know exactly who you want to reach.
4. Ease Up! You Don’t Have to Be Perfect
We are a “self-aware” society. Everyone knows everyone makes mistakes and nobody’s perfect. Your life is under a magnifying glass if you own a business (see #2, remember that everything is marketing), but it’s not the perfect pro that customers are looking for. They are looking to hire a business that can own up to their mistakes and take the initiative to fix them. This tip goes back to #1 ‘Your marketing must be true.’ What you say you’re good at, (ie: getting back to customers quickly, being the lowest price) you MUST be good at. This is why a platform such as HomeStars supports you in telling your story and sharing with your audience the type of pro you really are.
For example; a negative review. Sure it hurts at first, but how you respond to it demonstrates to a homeowner if you’re a pro they can respect and trust. Those who address the missteps elegantly with class show future customers that even though they aren’t perfect, they’re still willing to grow, learn and step up to solve homeowners’ concerns.
5. Have a Proactive Referral Marketing Plan
Referrals are the backbone of every company, so they can’t be left to grow organically. Build a comprehensive plan like incentives or discounts on future jobs for referring customers and the customers they bring in. That means staying in touch with people who are willing to refer you or those who leave a review. Build a relationship with them. Help them understand how much you appreciate their connection.
To summarize, if you don’t live up to homeowners’ expectations, you will be left cleaning up a bad reputation. Instead, leverage your weaker points or missteps and see them as opportunities to show your integrity. If you fall short, make it right. Otherwise, set up a proper incentive or thank you program for those customers who do see you as fantastic and are wowed by your work. Ask that they make their mark by leaving a review on HomeStars and refer future clients. Keep referral marketing strong and honesty high always and reap the rewards.
