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All home improvement business owners are well aware that acquiring leads is the key to running a successful operation. In aiming to bring in as many leads as possible, it is important to remember that the only limiting factor surrounding your various types of marketing campaigns is never money; it is only the amount of effort you are willing to offer and the level of innovation you are able to achieve. The job of marketing your company's goods or services is never complete.
One aspect of your business that can provide an endless supply of leads is your installation department, through a number of different creative avenues. There are certain simple methods that are quite common, such as making sure each of your jobs has a lawn sign. However, within this one task there are a number of variables that can have a positive or negative effect.
For instance, did your crew place a sign in the most highly visible spot on the customer's property? Is it the type of lawn that could allow you to place two signs facing two different directions or streets? Is the customer willing to leave the sign up for a few weeks or even months after the job is complete, possibly in exchange for a small amount of money discounted off of his or her job? Much of the time, if you leave your customer satisfied, he will be agreeable to leaving your sign up even without monetary incentives. If an individual is proud of the job he/she received and thinks that a good decision was made, this person is likely to spread the word.
Additionally, try offering incentives for your crews to letter their vans or trucks with your company information, even if they are subcontractors. Before long, it can become apparent to people driving the roads in your surrounding area that you have a fleet of professional vehicles and subsequently a strong branding presence as well.
Radiation marketing is another effective method that is simple to initiate and can pay huge dividends. Create door-hangers or simple flyers for your crews to distribute around each of your jobs at the beginning or end of each day with your company information, and the address where your work is currently being performed. Give your crew foremen a bonus for each lead that is generated with this method, and additionally have that crew produce the job if it is sold. The promise of money and future guaranteed work will be more than enough motivation to make this happen right away. Keep in mind that in particular, this type of canvassing-based marketing campaign is extremely effective when paired with the lawn sign program as discussed above.
The perfect forum to introduce and reinforce such marketing ideas to your installation crews can be a series of production meetings, held periodically which can provide a number of ancillary benefits as well. First, be sure to show publicly that crews are paid for participating in these marketing campaigns. Pay in cash to your top-producing crew and offer an award for the services they have provided; it does not matter if the prize is something small, it is the recognition in front of peers that matters most. This can produce a culture of healthy competition among your crews that can only lead to positive gains regarding the number of leads coming into your office as well as your bottom line.
In addition to offering visible incentives for following through with these simple marketing programs, these meetings will also provide you with an opportunity to simply check in with your installation crews to ensure the basics are being followed in all other areas and create a positive feeling throughout the company.
The single most important element to keep in mind is that in order to make strides in your lead procurement processes and marketing in general, is that action must be taken. There are innumerable simple ideas that can put more money in your pocket; however ideas do not generate a profit on their own. Whether it is one of these processes, or a different process altogether, try it this week. Then, try another next week or next month. Eventually these ideas will gain momentum and change will snowball in a positive direction.
author: By Rick Dudley, Lifetyme Exteriors