You ask us over and over again, “How do I market my business?”
Here are five tips to give your decorative concrete engraving business a jump start.
1. Tell everyone you meet what you do. If you’re a talker, that’s easy. For those quiet folks it’s a little harder, but you can do it. Obviously can’t just say, “Hi, I’m Joe, and I do decorative engraved concrete.” Actually you CAN say that if you don’t mind the weird looks you’ll get, because their next question is probably going to be, “What’s that?” Then you take the conversation from there.
A more subtle approach is to get other people talking about their lives and REALLY LISTEN for anything that you can connect to decorative concrete. Maybe a couple mentions they’re hosting a neighborhood barbeque next month. There’s the opening you need to ask about their patio and pool surround and tell them what you can do to make it look so fantastic their guests will be in awe for months.
2. Hand out lots of business cards. This often naturally follows #1. Now that you’ve told them what you do, give them a card. Not just to the person you’re talking with…give one to everyone else who might be standing around listening. Some will keep it and call to invite you over for an estimate. Some will remember you and when a neighbor mentions a remodel, they’ll pull out your contact information. A few will throw it away.
ALL will be impressed with your professional looking card and know you mean business.
3. Set up a website for your business. This is a must! It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it needs lots of pictures of decorative concrete projects so viewers can imagine how the designs will look on their floors or patio.
Even better, include pictures of you working on jobs, and the finished project. That gives you credibility. Be sure your website is very clear about what services you offer and has your correct contact information.
Monitor your site to keep it up to date, including answering information requests.
4. Set up and use social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn. Invite your friends to join you, follow you, or like your page, and soon their friends will join in…on and on until your business becomes familiar to lots of prospective customers.
Make it a point to update every day or so, even if it’s something as simple as saying, “Finished the most awesome job today.” Add a picture of completed jobs every time you can. Your goal is for readers to remember your name whenever they need a decorative concrete solution.
5. Network. Join the Chamber of Commerce, Home Builders Association, Remodeler’s Association, Jaycees, Rotary, etc. Get acquainted with other members and then…refer to Ideas #1 and #2. The person sitting across from you at the luncheon meeting may be your next client.
We’ll be posting lots more marketing ideas during the next few weeks. Our goal is to help you grow your business…because we care.
Do you ever wonder why you get so much unsolicited mail? Because, according to the US Postal Service, IT WORKS. The USPS states that 76% of consumers have been influenced to buy through direct mail.
