Marketing through Past Customers. - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

HamiltonTrim · 12-08-2007, 08:46 PM

I wanted to start a thread exchanging idea's on how to use past customers as a marketing tool.
A basic idea would be paying a referal fee for a job landed.
I've also seen something called "Campaigner" on yahoo that add's a link to your website so when people visit they can subscribe to a newsletter and or company information.
Something like this might allow you to keep your company fresh in their minds.
I think everyone agree's that a referel from a customer is the best lead possible. How to get them to do it over and over is the question.
Any idea's

wackman · 12-08-2007, 09:08 PM

I've had thoughts about this very subject before. I was thinking of offering money off of their next project for every lead or landed job. Maybe taking them out to a nice dinner and use it as a networking device. I don't know but it's definitely worth looking into.

BreyerConstruct · 12-08-2007, 09:50 PM

Google "Halos Marketing"

We've switched from in-house newsletters to their program. It's too early to tell, but it appears to be a good thing.

FWIW,

~Matt

HamiltonTrim · 12-08-2007, 10:07 PM

one thing we have done in the past we we have a real good customer that we have made a little money on we have sent them a card thanking them for their business and included a 50 gift card to a local resturant like applebee's.
We say that we enjoyed working with them SO MUCH that we wanted to do something special for them.
We have done that 4 or 5 times and have and got great results..real jobs from their friends.
As we got busier over time we just never got back into it but we are returning to it on a regular basis because of the results we saw.

deckman22 · 12-09-2007, 03:40 AM

I know a pool builder who had a referal program for customers. Each time they gave a referal who bought a pool he would send them a check for a $100. He said it worked, but I've never tried it. A c-note for a sold job sounds like a deal to me tho.

Marquis · 12-09-2007, 07:15 AM

One good way to use past customers is to give them a gift card to Lowes or Home Depot when they allow a potential client to view work performed.

Most homeowners are proud of their homes and like to show them off. Offer this opportunity before the work is finished and ask how much lead time they would want before you brought a client by. I have never had a client refuse!

Marquis Home Builders, Inc
Charlotte, NC

Any Season · 12-09-2007, 08:53 AM

I go through sendoutcards.com for this stuff and I send people thank you cards after the estimate, then around this time of year I send them holiday thank you cards with a voucher for a free bottle of wine at a local design your own wine place, and also a voucher for two free tester quarts at my BM store, that they will hopefully use to pick out interior paint colors. I did this 3 weeks ago and I have set up a few interior jobs already and pushed someone that was on the fence from a fall exterior estimate to book now for the spring as well as have me do some interior work.