A new twist on advertising - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

HSConstruction · 09-05-2009, 07:07 AM

I often have ideas of how to bring in more traffic to my website and to get the phone to ring. Some look good on paper and others are just too off the wall to pay off. So the latest idea has cross promotion, it uses another company and its patrons as the source for our new leads. I am offering a "FREE" product with no out of pocket expense, and in the end the person receiving this offer will hopefully see it as a gift and not anther useless ad.

In the end I get exposure and the other company smells like roses to their patrons.

The message will be personalized to include the company name of who will be giving them out, however a generic version would allow for mass production at lower costs. I may try a test run and see if it works and which works best.

Any tips, pointers or suggestions to make this better?

The rough draft of the message that would be placed on 4x6 post cards:

As a Thank you from South Side Salon
please enjoy

A FREE Consumers Guide
to Successful Remodeling

Compliments of our friends at
Hoagland and Son Construction

This special report can save you thousands when you begin your remodeling project. Before you begin your project or even speak to any salesman, remodeler, handyman, or retail outlet, this special report has important consumer information you need to ensure you get the quality you deserve and the perfect look for your home. Simply log onto www.RenovatingPro.com and click the link

when they go to my site and click the link they need to insert name and email to receive report and I have a record of who was there and can send a follow up to see what I can help them with.

please feel free to visit my site and check the info but PLEASE include CT in your name so I know where it came from.

Plumber_Bill · 09-05-2009, 08:29 AM

[quote=HSConstruction;760733]<SNIP>

please feel free to visit my site and check the info but PLEASE include CT in your name so I know where it came from.

I went on your site and dowloaded the PDF. Very Good! Did you write it, did you have it written for you? It is a canned program from some service. I like the name capture prior to getting it. Pehaps you should also try to capture a phone number along with e-mail and name. A lot of prospective customes are using cell only (not in directories) also a lot of unlisted phones out there. On my website is someting similar "Plumbing Survival Guide" My H/P laser also makes a booklet out of that and turns it into 20 pages. www.parrsplumbing.com

HSConstruction · 09-05-2009, 09:09 AM

Bill,
I did not write it, its part of my website designed and hosted by Footbridge Media.

lshomesolutions · 09-05-2009, 11:16 AM

I like the idea. Can we talk your target market? It seems my target is the same as yours and other contractors (older women). Where else can we target these women. I would like to keep this conversation serious. What about refrig magnets on cars at these spas or salons? Nail maincure shops? Fitness centers?

HSConstruction · 09-05-2009, 11:35 AM

the shops that I will approach with this idea are all friends of mine and will have a little info for the "who are these guys" questions that my pop up. They can be used for almost any business

Real estate agents
Coffee shops
Deli
Pizza shops
Window cleaners
Dry cleaners
Landscapers
Restaurants
Spas and salons
Gyms
Etc....

lshomesolutions · 09-05-2009, 01:28 PM

I know this idea that I am about to tell you is not new but heres the background. I hate the idea of knocking on doors and have never done it. But I have made a nice flyer with photos and info of our company and services. Right on the top I put a statement that says "we are in the area performing renovations. Please excuse the noise and the traffic. Thank you for being patient with us".

When we get a job in a nice subdivision I put up a nice yard sign (framed in rough cedar and stained) and have my materials runner put them in the doors. Essentially we are knid of canvassing but then again not really. It is not an awkward situation. If some one is in the yard we just explain that we are remodeling in the area.

Just trying to drum up business.

Any thoughts?

HSConstruction · 09-05-2009, 01:54 PM

I have avoided canvassing although everyone one here says it works. In this area my fear is not about the customer slamming the door in my face it is the reality of being chewed up by a dog or having my rear peppered with rock salt by an old time farmer. I have no doubt the police would be called and I would be detained for trespass if I attempted canvassing.

lshomesolutions · 09-05-2009, 02:39 PM

I agree about canvassing. But I have to get our name out. Which is why I think the "we are in the area" note is a soft way of doing it.

Also thinking of putting nice business card holders at local shops. These business card holders would have my logo on it so no one else will use them. We will also keep track of where we place them and refill them often.

I really am just looking for affordable ways to plaster my name and drive people to the webiste. website dominance is king.

FCBuilder · 09-23-2009, 12:54 PM

Thanks, HS, for sharing the PDF from your website and the marketing idea. Have you put that plan into action yet? If so, how has it worked for you? Seems like a great idea.

Vision Custom · 09-23-2009, 03:30 PM

That is a good idea, and seems like it should produce results. Keep us informed of how it is progressing.

cooks · 09-23-2009, 03:55 PM

Very nice. I think you are on to something with this.

HSConstruction · 09-23-2009, 06:27 PM

I have not implemented this yet because of current contracts that are 99% signed. There are three of them and the schedule will be booked out for about 4 months. I know I should not be counting my chickens before they hatch but all three are very serious and want me to do the work it just comes down to ironing the details.

Just got a call from one while typing this and signed a 2 month job.

I going to keep typing and hope for the phone to ring again...come on ring!!!

HSConstruction · 09-23-2009, 06:37 PM

I can tell when this thread gets bumped, my inbox fills with the names and emails of the people who clicked the link. 7 of them today.