FREE Contractor Marketing Webinar This Tuesday Sept. 7th
by admin on September 2, 2010
in Construction Blog, Construction Marketing, Contractor Marketing, HVAC Marketing, Plumber Marketing
Contractor Marketing Webinar – How to Get More Leads w/ Google Adwords
Join us for a Webinar on September 1
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/993690369
FREE Webinar for Contractors – Learn how to get more leads flowing into your business through Google Adwords Pay-Per-Click marketing. You can get near-instant access to more leads, customers and sales from people already searching for your services online. Learn how you can turn your “marketing faucet” on and off at will, and build a lead-generation asset that you own which can help you grow your business for years to come, even in a tough economy. Presenter: Seth Holdren, Google Adwords Certified Partner
Title: Contractor Marketing Webinar – How to Get More Leads w/ Google Adwords
Date: Tuesday September 7, 2010
Time:7:00 PM – 8:00 PM EDT
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.
How any contractor can increase profits by 23% to 100% or more in 3 months or less
by admin on August 2, 2010
in Construction Blog, Contractor Marketing
If you’re looking to grow your business in this less-than-ideal economy, then pull up a chair and get ready to buckle down for the next 5 minutes, because your answer is in this article.
In the next few minutes, we’re going to look at three crucial elements that you must consider before you attempt to overhaul your marketing efforts. First, we’re going to make sure your business isn’t currently shooting itself in the foot. Next, we’re going to make sure that your marketing and sales systems are up to snuff. Finally, we’re going to go over the details of the 3 ways for exponential growth in a small business.
An ounce of prevention….
First, let’s start with preventing your business from sabotaging itself.
The #1 biggest missed opportunity I see is when a business doesn’t place the highest value on it’s current and incoming customers (or clients.) When your business interacts with each customer, whether it’s on the phone, online, or in person, ask yourself this question: Are your customers and prospects being treated like the lifeblood of your business? Because that’s exactly what they are.
Did you know that after 2 rings, you lose 30% of your incoming callers? Now, how much is your average lifetime value of a customer? (If you don’t know this number, call your accountant and find out.) Take that number, write it on a post it note, and stick it on the handset. That is the amount of money you just passed up when you didn’t have your staff drop everything to answer that phone call. The solution? Make incoming calls top priority, and train your staff to do the same.
Bonus phone tip: If the person who answers your phones is rude or has a bad attitude, do you think that will transfer well to your prospective customers? How about your current clients? Think you should reconsider having a rude person as the face of your company? Of course you should.
Do you have a system?
Next, let’s talk about your marketing and sales system.
Do you have a comprehensive sales and marketing plan in place in your business? Do you know the proper strategy to implement to attract traffic to your website and then convert that traffic into sales? Do you know the proper social media strategy for busy entrepreneurs? Do you know how to use media, direct mail, and PR for the highest return on investment? And have you considered how you can do all this without wasting precious man-hours? These are elements that are not too difficult to implement if you have an expert marketing consultant in your corner.
3 Ways for exponential growth
Finally, here is a list of the 3 ways for exponential growth in any small business:
1. Get more prospects.
2. Increase your conversion rate of prospects to customers.
3. Increase the average ticket size (or frequency.)
It’s that simple. Can you think of one tactic you can implement to improve your business in each of these 3 areas? A 33% increase in each of these areas is often quite feasible. And that can add up to doubling your business in 90 days or less, if you build your business using a sound marketing blueprint.
So, check out how you handle incoming phone calls and customer inquiries. Make improvements where there are issues. Next, think about bringing in a consultant to give your marketing systems a comprehensive audit. Often a fresh eye can help you see things you can’t see in your daily grind. And last, focus on the 3 ways for exponential growth. Make improvements in all 3 areas, and you will be on the path for growth, even in a flat economy.
You can learn more about these and other marketing systems, tactics, and strategies in the Marketing Manual for Contractors.
About the Author – Seth Holdren is the author of Your Marketing Blueprint and Founder of the Local Business Development Education Association, the only governing body certifying LBDEA Certified Education Professionals. (LBDEA is an association dedicated to helping business owners increase profits.) After years of helping businesses grow, Holdren observed an epidemic of missed opportunities for growth in the arena of local marketing for small business. So he set out to cure this epidemic, by performing marketing audits and teaching workshops focused on effective and practical marketing tactics that provide ROI above all else.
The Ultimate Resource Guide for Small Business Marketing
by admin on March 10, 2010
in Construction Blog, Construction Marketing, Construction News, Contractor Marketing
Welcome to the ultimate small business marketing resources website. If you’re a small business owner… you’re in the right place. Grab a cup of coffee, relax, and take a look around.
There is a whole vault of resources here to help you improve your marketing skills.
- Free report: Marketing Overview.
- Guide to internet marketing.
- The Marketing Manual for Today’s Information Age.
- Educational videos.
- Audio tutorials.
- Hundreds of informative blog posts on marketing for small business.
So feel free to take a look around and see if you can find that one valuable tip you can use today to land that next project!
How To Get Real Results Using Online Marketing
by admin on February 26, 2010
in Builder Marketing, Construction Blog, Construction Marketing, Contractor Marketing
America’s 20 Strongest Building Markets
by admin on September 21, 2009
in Builder Marketing, Construction Blog, Construction Jobs, Construction Marketing
Where They’re Still Building Strong in the US.
In this recent article from BusinessWeek, we get the inside scoop on America’s 20 Strongest Building Markets.
Some are due to recent storms, some because of an influx of population; and yet others are due to factors such as recovery funds and even *GASP* a strong economy.
Builders: If you’re miserable where you are and your market is in the tank for the foreseeable future…do you ever think about picking up and moving to where the action is?
Those of you who live in these areas are cursing me right now. But, well, sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands and take some action, right?
What do you think?
Construction Marketing Resource Vault
by admin on August 24, 2009
in Construction Blog, Construction Marketing
If you are trying to master your marketing because you want to grow your construction business, you’ve come to the right place.
This blog is a vault of resources that you can use to get your marketing plan humming along nicely, so you can spend your time focusing on your actual business, and what’s important in life. (Imagine that, right?)
Rather than pulling your hair out trying to find that next project, you can put a marketing system in place to help “automate the process” and get a steady stream of new targeted leads flowing in.
There are some great FREE resources available in the blog posts below. But don’t just take my word for it…read for yourself and decide. The goal here is to give you at least one marketing idea you can apply RIGHT NOW to your business to help you bring in new projects.
Um, yeah, uhhh…you need this.
by admin on April 20, 2010
in Builder Marketing, Construction Blog, Contractor Marketing, HVAC Marketing, Plumber Marketing
Grandpa Learns of the *Magic Computer Box*
by admin on August 21, 2009
in Construction Blog, Construction Marketing
I keep getting a kick out of how so many people keep talking about Twitter, Facebook and social media (et al.) like they are ridiculous time-wasters, unable to be comprehended by a reasonable, practical, effective person.
Are you one of “those people?”
I got the headline for this post from an article in Wired Magazine, talking about the difference between Jimmy Fallon interviewing a Twitter guru, compared to Charlie Rose doing the same. Rose’s interview is referred to as seeming like an episode of “Grandpa Learns of the Magic Computer Box.” Jimmy Fallon, on the other hand, is doing his best to stay current and understand these modern social tools.
Which camp do you fall in? Social media hater, or social media participant?
The Case Against Social Media
For those of you pessimists, you can read this article about how Facebook may risk the effects of “infantilizing the human brain.”
Quote from the audio in the above article:
“Every generation is phobic about the effect of new technology on the morals of the next.”
She goes on to discount the application of this phenomenon concerning social media, and why this time it’s different.
So, you can find good information in both camps.
My point, relative to Construction Marketing, is this:
You can either grump around, refusing to understand or participate in the new social media trends, and fall behind. OR, you can experiment and try to find cool new ninja ways to use this stuff to expand your relationship base and perhaps even grow your business.
It’s your choice. If you want to remain a grinch about it, I totally get it.
But the truth is, this social media stuff is all just a new, very powerful way of communicating with the world. And it’s trending like a juggernaut.
So ask yourself: Do you want to waste time throwing a futile tantrum about how you think it sucks, and you want to go back to the “good old days” of wasteful, one-sided shotgun marketing?
Personally, I’m going to keep my eyes on the horizon, and scoop up what I can along the way.
Now go follow me on Twitter. 
On eProductivity – Applying Inbox Zero To Your Construction Marketing Plan
by admin on August 19, 2009
in Construction Blog, Construction Marketing
BONUS Tutorial: How to Make a Funny Video
Merlin Mann of 43Folders.com and InboxZero.com talks about the book he is writing on productivity, in your inbox and in your life.
I’m Writing a Book. from Merlin Mann on Vimeo.
For those of you contractors and construction marketing enthusiasts who are trying to get good at using online video to market your blog and/or your business, there’s more: Pay attention to how to be compelling with just yourself, the wall behind you, and whatever food you have on your desk.
Who’s Got YOUR Back? A Construction Marketing Networking Tutorial
by admin on August 9, 2009
in Construction Blog, Construction Marketing
At the moment, I am deeply engaged in Keith Ferrazzi’s book Who’s Got You Back. (I’m listening to the audio version which I scooped up on iTunes. Sidenote: If you don’t already use your “windshield time” listening to audio books, I hearby declare you to be crazy/nuts/whacko and I don’t know if we can be friends anymore, ok?)
There are some great insights in this book. It’s a book about networking…sort of.
The general principle is that by cultivating just three key relationships in your life, you can turbocharge your success, overcome all obstacles, and reach your highest dreams and aspirations.
The key is to first find three people who you think have the potential to see your life in the “big picture” and provide honest, forthright insights in a safe, non-critical environment. He calls these relationships “Lifeline Relationships.”
Here are Ferrazzi’s four key mindsets that one needs to learn and practice in order to to cultivate lifeline relationships:
1. Generosity
2. Vulnerability
3. Candor
4. Accountability
It all starts with generosity. When you give away value with no expectation of return, you build trust and gain many benefits from the “transaction.”
So, you start by being very giving and generous.
Next comes Vulnerability. The principle here is that when you open yourself up and let down your barriers to a person, they tend to react in-kind by doing the same. You establish mutual understanding.
Candor is third. In order for the lifeline relationship to see it’s full effects, you must both be willing and able to have complete candor. Constructive candor. Truth and acccuracy about the over-arching restraints, limitations, and shortcomings of one another, with a mind toward true achievement and improvement.
Finally, there’s Accountability. This one may seem obvious to some. It’s based on the same principles of recovery groups and many other programs based on improving lives or dealing with obstacles. No one can do it alone, in other words. We need core peer groups to help hold us accountable.
Now, if you’re anything like me and you have serious tendancies to lean toward independence and individualism, some of this might make your hackles go up. Believe me, I feel the same way. I would much rather go it alone, and take my chances, thank-you-very-much.
But I see the benefits of this type of thing. I can see how, in my life, there are huge opportunities for me if I incorporate some of these ideas and put them into practice.
How does this relate to business and life as a contractor, builder, or construction company?
Well, I can see some real practicality here. For example, as a contractor, could you imagine a situation where it would benefit you to have someone who can tell you where you might be dropping the ball with how your present yourself to clients? Or could you see how it might be helpful to get an outsider’s perspective about your company’s image to the general local population, and how that might be improved with only a few minor changes?
Wow, I sure can imagine some ways this could help me in my business.
How about you? Do you have your lifeline relationships humming along? Does anyone have your back?
