*Help In Guerilla Marketing Poll* Need Your Opinion!

Konkuror

My wife & I are are expanding our business. I have a Class B license as a Residential Contractor and would like your opinion on marketing in our area. We are highing a sales team, commission only, and are now part of the Chamber of Commerce.

This offers are either hand delivered, bulk mail or magnets on back of truck parked outside of these business. Which form of advertising do you think will draw the most attention & be effective?

The following offers are:
-Starbucks coffee for 1 year ($500 value)
-$500 Home Depot or Lowes Gift Card
-2 months free Gas @ Conoco ($500 value)
-$500 Shopping Spree at Park Meadows Mall
-none of the above!

*Offers are good towards a Basement Finish of minimum 800sf, 250sf new deck build, complete window replacement, and new addition.

What do you guys think?

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Konkuror
www.RedEarthConstruction.com

Mike Finley

Offer them quality work & peace of mind.

SLSTech

Amen

Seriously, customers are going to see that & wonder how much you are overcharging them. If you have enough customers, you can see about doing a monthly or quarterly contest for those that register (new leads for monthly newsletter).

Starbucks for a year @ 500 - what are you smoking? I have known people that almost go through that much in a month. Call it a $500 gift card at your choice of... Personally if you wish to go this route - a $50 gift card & be entered into our annual or quarterly $500, $1000 drawing

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Alabama Full Service Remodeling, Renovation, and Preservation by SLS Construction
Certified Energy Efficiency Audits, Ratings, Modeling, Verifications, & Consulting
Residential, Commercial, & Industrial Infrared Thermography Scans

Konkuror

Thanks for the reply so far. We were just trying some different avenues of reaching other areas of marketing. The Starbucks was figured at 2 Lattes/ a week for 50 weeks, lol. I know what you mean about higher price offer may equate to charging more for the client. I just wanted to run it by you seeing that we're entering the slow part of the year for us, and maybe this could help boost business.

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Konkuror
www.RedEarthConstruction.com

orson

I could bankrupt you in Starbucks by myself. I don't go there because I'd bankrupt myself!

Can someone take my pulse?

I think I need a valium....

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Lancaster Remodeling Contractor - Lancaster Remodeling
Kitchen & Bath Remodeling PA- Bathroom Remodeling Lancaster PA
Custom Kitchen Remodeling PA - Ruby Construction FaceBook-Lancaster Bathroom Remodeling

Double-A

I think if I have to finish an 800+ sq/ft basement, add a 250 sq/ft deck, replace all my windows and add a new addition just to get $500.00 in consideration by way of a gift certificate that I wouldn't bother to call you folks at all. That is one hell of a lot of work to have done just for a gift card.

Can't I do just one of these things? Please?

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"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

Konkuror

The offers are good towards one of those projects. NOT all of them to get the gift cert, lol. Silly goose

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Konkuror
www.RedEarthConstruction.com

AtlRemodeling

We just sent out information on our new customer referral rewards program to all off our clients from the last year or so. All referrals resulting in a contract get a cash bonus according to the following:
>$2500 - $25
>$5000 - $50
>$10000 - $100
and an additional $100 for each additional $10,000.

In addition, all referrals get a ticket into our quarterly drawing for either $500 of labor from our company or $200 gift certificate to a couple different "featured" stores/restaurants. We are going to be cross promoting this initially with a very good restaurant in our area.

We'll see how it goes.

genecarp

when i see those types of sales gimmicks it is a turn off, most people know, one way or another they are paying for those freebies. it insults the intelligent people, and who wants to work for the dummies who actually believe they are getting something for nothing..

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olzo55

I realize that you are looking for business now but do you have a client list from previous work? they are your referrals so give them some reason to call you or refer you. I use to give them a magazine subscription to a remodelling type mag. Someone that buys remodelling services usually will remodel again if the experience was good. you've just put more ideas into their head for future projects. and, they can tell their friends that are considering a remodel job that they have seen a project in a magazine that might be similair to the one they a planning. double bonus.

Teetorbilt

Basic. You can't make money by giving it away.

Target a group of potential clients. If you feel that you're really at the top in your area of expertise, go for the ultra wealthy. If you are 'pretty good' shoot lower. It narrows down the field and you really need customer satifaction today. Don't oversell your abilities, the repercussions could easily put you out of business.

As an example, let's say that you're comfortable in the $500-300K range. Home sales are public record so you go down to where those records are stored and pick off the names and addresses for your list. Recent sales are best. They always need something done.

Go down to the Hallmark store and buy a box of 'Welcome to the neighborhood' cards, then to the post office and buy some stamps. Find a woman with exceptional handwriting (women most commonly do this) and pay her to address the envelopes including the return addy in your personal name (Mr. and Mrs, ....). Put a handwritten note (We see that you are new here, we would like to get to know you better......) on the inside flap. Include your business info at the bottom. I've sent some with business cards and some without, that doesn't to seem to have much effect one way or the other.

Stay in their face for at least a year before moving on, send a New Year card, stay away from religious denominations unless you're certain. If you can be certain, like a menorah plant in front of the house, send cards for those holidays too.

My return runs about 50-60%. I'm a remodler and about 25% of the calls are looking for an electrician or plumber. I'll give them my best guys ph#s.

Eventually, they are going to do something in MY baliwick and I'm going to be the first one that they call.

Using this method my advertising costs are usually around $100 a month. Notice the 50-60% contact that comes from this! It sure beats everything else that I've tried!

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You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

Carport King

Just remember if this works for you then laugh all the way to the bank. Just take ACTION and see if it works. Good Luck

Konkuror

Thanks for all the opinions guys. I do appreciate your input.

We are still in the process of targeting our marketing so I will post the results (if any).

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Konkuror
www.RedEarthConstruction.com