Top 8 Marketing Tips for Your Small Business
Monday, September 25, 2006
1. Have a Web Presence - Make sure you have a website, register a domain name that closely matches your company name, and make sure you can use your domain in your email address. For example, Bob@SmartRemodeling.com, where you're Bob, your company's name is Smart Remodeling, and you will be branded as a serious professional. Even if you're a "one man" operation, they don’t have to know that.2. Consider your Brand - From the magnetic sign on your truck, to your business card, to your website and the emails you send, make sure you use the same logos and colors and fonts on everything. It's a consistent and memorable way to keep your company's name on people's minds.
3. Don’t be Afraid to Network - Whether you're just starting out or have been in business for decades, make sure your closest friends and family know what you do and recommend you to others. Give them business cards and brochures and ask them to hand them out at parties, at church, at work, and at the PTA meetings.
4. Ask for More than Referrals – Referrals are key to the construction industry, but you also need to get testimonials. Testimonials are direct quotes from your previous customers, singing your praises, and you can print them on your business cards, your brochures, and even your website.
5. Be an Expert - When folks consider you the one "in the know", they'll come to you for more than questions. They'll come to your for business. Give a "How To" seminar at the local Home Improvement store in your area of expertise. Send in a tips and tricks article to your local newspaper – they may ask you to be a regular columnist. Start a blog (www.blogger.com) and dispense valuable information.
7. Don’t Skip PR - PR is Public Relations. PR is used to get the word out about your company and services. Usually, you can send announcements to your local newspapers and local websites to let them know about changes in your company. You've hired a new operations manager, you have expanded your service area, or you're having a once-a-year sale on the products you install. Make sure the PR statement is informative, concise, and answers any questions a journalist would ask (who, what, when, why, and where.)
8. Write a Mission Statement - It’s a statement that states who you are and why you're in business. Not something saying how long you've been in business or that you're the lowest price in town. But something that says how you plan to conduct your business. You can put this on your site, on your business cards, and in the minds' of your potential and past clients.
It's important to have more than just a yellow pages ad or a membership with ConstructionDeal.com. You need to constantly be thinking about marketing your services so that you make it through slow periods, economic downturns, or just to make sure you can choose from the most profitable jobs available.
