Comments on: You Have to Advertise http://www.markupandprofit.com/blog/?p=245 We like to see the Good Guys Win! Wed, 08 Sep 2010 05:44:08 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: JC Farley http://www.markupandprofit.com/blog/?p=245&cpage=1#comment-303 JC Farley Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:53:21 +0000 http://www.markupandprofit.com/blog/?p=245#comment-303 yes, what Michael says is the absolute gospel truth. Like farming, one can't plant, grow and harvest overnight, and it's the same with generating leads from marketing. yes, what Michael says is the absolute gospel truth. Like farming, one can’t plant, grow and harvest overnight, and it’s the same with generating leads from marketing.

]]> By: Tracy Hankins http://www.markupandprofit.com/blog/?p=245&cpage=1#comment-306 Tracy Hankins Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:28:27 +0000 http://www.markupandprofit.com/blog/?p=245#comment-306 After years of NOT advertising I bit the bullet and started advertising on a local radio station. I have been doing so for several years and yes it is rather expensive, however it comes out to be about 3% of our gross sales. All I need to do is bring in one additional job per year to justify this expense. This advertising brings in more than one job per year so I will NEVER eliminate this method for reaching new clients. Also we have several other avenues that bring us work. They are as follows: 1. We belong to the local Homebuilders Association- This is good for about one good job per year. 2. We work with a couple of designers/Architects- This is also good for about one good job per year. 3. We make our presence known at the local Home show- avg one job per year. 4. We usually participate in one remodelors show, in our case The "Tour of Remodeled homes". This is good for two to three jobs per year 5. In our location we present a Remodeling 101 Seminar twice a year and we participate in this forum- This throws off two to three jobs per year 6. And finally we get the usual referrals from happy clients. This is good for two to three jobs per year So you can see that by diversifying our lead program we can usually have an easy time filling our yearly schedule. Advertising year round is the basis for a healthy busisness. Tracy After years of NOT advertising I bit the bullet and started advertising on a local radio station. I have been doing so for several years and yes it is rather expensive, however it comes out to be about 3% of our gross sales. All I need to do is bring in one additional job per year to justify this expense. This advertising brings in more than one job per year so I will NEVER eliminate this method for reaching new clients.
Also we have several other avenues that bring us work. They are as follows:
1. We belong to the local Homebuilders Association- This is good for about one good job per year.
2. We work with a couple of designers/Architects- This is also good for about one good job per year.
3. We make our presence known at the local Home show- avg one job per year.
4. We usually participate in one remodelors show, in our case The “Tour of Remodeled homes”. This is good for two to three jobs per year
5. In our location we present a Remodeling 101 Seminar twice a year and we participate in this forum- This throws off two to three jobs per year
6. And finally we get the usual referrals from happy clients. This is good for two to three jobs per year
So you can see that by diversifying our lead program we can usually have an easy time filling our yearly schedule.
Advertising year round is the basis for a healthy busisness.
Tracy

]]> By: Larry Steward http://www.markupandprofit.com/blog/?p=245&cpage=1#comment-307 Larry Steward Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:33:03 +0000 http://www.markupandprofit.com/blog/?p=245#comment-307 Related to jump starting new leads, in addition to advertising, is to get your sub contractors to refer. Most subs are delighted to be assigned to one of our projects but I have to constantly remind them that this process is a two-way effort. I encourage them to look for opportunities for us when they visit their own customers. After all, if we can help their customers, it makes them look good and certainly helps us with a flow of work. I believe this is one of the most direct and positive ways to stir up new leads. Related to jump starting new leads, in addition to advertising, is to get your sub contractors to refer. Most subs are delighted to be assigned to one of our projects but I have to constantly remind them that this process is a two-way effort. I encourage them to look for opportunities for us when they visit their own customers. After all, if we can help their customers, it makes them look good and certainly helps us with a flow of work. I believe this is one of the most direct and positive ways to stir up new leads.

]]> By: Theo McCarthy Jr. http://www.markupandprofit.com/blog/?p=245&cpage=1#comment-304 Theo McCarthy Jr. Sat, 02 Feb 2008 04:43:06 +0000 http://www.markupandprofit.com/blog/?p=245#comment-304 Awesome stuff! Thanks you so much for sharing! Being that I'm a new contractor...I can use all the help I can get! Thanks again! God Bless! Theo Awesome stuff! Thanks you so much for sharing! Being that I’m a new contractor…I can use all the help I can get! Thanks again!

God Bless!

Theo

]]> By: Sonny Lykos http://www.markupandprofit.com/blog/?p=245&cpage=1#comment-305 Sonny Lykos Sat, 02 Feb 2008 04:40:37 +0000 http://www.markupandprofit.com/blog/?p=245#comment-305 As many people have said to me about my business, and my son about his business: "Gee. I see your trucks all over the place." Subtle implication of their perception: "they must be good." The problem is that as sales start declining, any monies set aside for advertising and marketing is used up just to cover overhead and payroll. Mistake. One must learn to read the tea leaves about national business trends. One of they best way is to subscribe to Business Week. Being proactive is the key to survive economic down turns and flourish. As many people have said to me about my business, and my son about his business: “Gee. I see your trucks all over the place.” Subtle implication of their perception: “they must be good.”

The problem is that as sales start declining, any monies set aside for advertising and marketing is used up just to cover overhead and payroll. Mistake. One must learn to read the tea leaves about national business trends. One of they best way is to subscribe to Business Week. Being proactive is the key to survive economic down turns and flourish.

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