Garage Door Today

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Mark Buckshon wrote in an e-mail today,

Mark Buckshon

Toby:

You are the first person I’ve met who has been successful in new media and wishes to figure out how to use the old stuff — which is good. Most of the consultants out there are trying to show people how to do what you are doing well already.

You will sense you’ve been spoiled on cost per lead, etc. — everything else will seem more expensive and less effective. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go to other media; and I think the example of Feazel Roofing in Columbus shows both the challenge and opportunities when you head in these offline directions.

Feazel uses radio . . . lots of radio . . . so much that it would bend the budget of virtually any competitor. Which of course is his intent. He “owns” radio in his market, so competitors can’t get a foothold. The website, referrals and so on support his radio, but he is so deeply invested in this that he cannot be dislodged.

But that would be hard to work in a major market like metropolitan LA. That would blow your brains out.

So here are some suggestions. Note I cannot provide you with a magic bullet — but the ideas below have potential. Pick which ones you like the best.

1. You might contact Leonard Megliola and ask if you can see him and learn from him for a day. He is a rather unique guy but you aren’t competing and he likes to help. He’s moving from flyers to canvassing. Canvassing might work for you but if you read my blog you know how much I distaste that method of selling. (But just because something is against my values doesn’t mean it isn’t effective — so I’ve outlined in other postings the hows and whys of canvassing effectively.) You can lift a copy of Megliola’s manual from my non blogger site at http://www.constructionmarketingideas.com.

2. You obviously have a good list of your current/recent clients, and you are undoubtedly marketing to them through e-letters and the like. Take a representative (small) sample of your existing clients and meet with them to learn about which media they read, what interests they have, and which publications they follow. This gives you a clue about where you should spend your marketing money. If your current client demographics are reading/using media, it is likely that similar clients will be interested.

3. Obviously, you should consider radius marketing and other flyer techniques (perhaps with limited canvassing) with print materials doorhangers etc. Also consider signage — give a small discount in exchange for permission to have your sign in front of the home for 30 days.

4. Generally, successful marketers like to avoid environments where you are in a “cattle call” comparison situation. That in part is why the Yellow Pages are so bad. People look down a list and call several names. You want to be the only one that people call.

5. Consider co-operation and affiliation with other trades, and possibly membership in relevant trade groups (more relevant if you wish to build a commercial rather than residential market). You might also connect with community associations and see if you can work out sponsorship;/referral/community discount programs.

6. Figure out a publicity/media angle. That is our marketing model. Our online publication, Design and Construction Report (http://www.dcnreport.com) will be read by virtually none of your current clients, but the point is to get something published and then leverage it into relevant media. (It is part of our follow up service to help our clients with that sort of stuff. The blog started on a similar client service level, but has grown a life of its own.) If we can sell $1,500 in advertising to your suppliers the feature is free.

Wait, you might say, all of these ideas …. which one should I go with first? Obviously budget is a factor. Your own gut feel about what you think is best may be worthwhile.

Hope this helps and I haven’t overwhelmed you — generally it is wise not to give people more than three choices. So, if I were to boil it down that far, I would go with 2, 3 (and allowing some self-serving interest) 6.

Mark has an excellent resource for construction marketing on the web.