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Home Improvement Service Contractors

by sconer
3 replies
When marketing for home improvement type service contractors (plumbers, electrician, HVAC, window replacement, concrete, all of that type of thing) what has been your best offline method?

For me, EDDM has worked and I am doing more of it. But this requires targeting for specifics tasks in areas that need said task, so it's slow-going.
Placemat ads in diners didn't work at all for me.
I never even tried the phonebook since everyone said it was a waste, but I am willing to explore it if it's not.
Never tried newspapers either.

Word-of-mouth referrals have been the best source of new work. The customer is already qualified and ready to have us do the work.

What have been your best methods for marketing this type of work?
#contractors #home #improvement #service
  • Profile picture of the author gjabiz
    in my opinion is:

    A satisfied recent customer giving a referral.

    I believe a good referral model is the most cost effective, highest return on investment method there is for getting new customers.

    Thank the old and gift them, and use reciprocity as your best tool.

    gjabiz

    PS. Give old customers an incentive to make the referral, and not just toss your biz card in the trash or junk drawer. Cash back works good as do free meals and such.


    Originally Posted by sconer View Post

    When marketing for home improvement type service contractors (plumbers, electrician, HVAC, window replacement, concrete, all of that type of thing) what has been your best offline method?

    For me, EDDM has worked and I am doing more of it. But this requires targeting for specifics tasks in areas that need said task, so it's slow-going.
    Placemat ads in diners didn't work at all for me.
    I never even tried the phonebook since everyone said it was a waste, but I am willing to explore it if it's not.
    Never tried newspapers either.

    Word-of-mouth referrals have been the best source of new work. The customer is already qualified and ready to have us do the work.

    What have been your best methods for marketing this type of work?
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    • Profile picture of the author sconer
      Originally Posted by gjabiz View Post

      in my opinion is:

      A satisfied recent customer giving a referral.

      I believe a good referral model is the most cost effective, highest return on investment method there is for getting new customers.

      Thank the old and gift them, and use reciprocity as your best tool.

      gjabiz

      PS. Give old customers an incentive to make the referral, and not just toss your biz card in the trash or junk drawer. Cash back works good as do free meals and such.
      I agree about the referral. I have been sending out Visa gift cards with my company logo on them for referrals and it has helped make customers active in referring.

      In the past, happy customers would only mention my company if their friend said that they were looking for that type of work. But with paid referrals, they will actually go out and say "I just had this done and I love it, you should get something like it for your own house".

      But I still need more sources of new customers and that's what I am curious about in this thread.
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      • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
        I always first search where people look
        when they are ready to buy.

        This is in classified advertising spaces, both online and offline.

        These include Yelp, Craigslist, newspaper classifieds.

        Those are the biggies.

        I've left out Yellow Pages because that can come later
        after you've nailed the winning message.

        For EDDM, I'd look to get a fatter roi by using a bigger card and bringing on
        other advertisers who want to reach the same location.

        Best,
        Doctor E. Vile
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