Why dont more contractor's

R

ron p

Member
share advertising's costs.
Im talking related but not competeing.
Like pool maint contractor's and pool apron cleaners.
carpenters and wash contractors.
mobile lube and fleetwasher's
window washers and PW contractor's.
You would get double the advertising for the same price.
VAL-PAC is 50 contractor's in one ad[some competeing against each other]
You could send twice the amount of post cars if you had a second person willing to split the space on the card.
Most times a bigger ad is not double the price. Just double the size.
Shared advertising.
Carpet cleaners and house washers-why should you pay full boat to send out a mailing when it cost's the same in postage to mail 2 ads.
We have a bunch of BBS all about pressure washing.
DO YOU THINK IT'S TIME SOMEONE STARTED A BBS THAT WAS A MIX OF RELATED CONTRACTOR'S?
As far as getting customers,tax related problems,equipment problems[carpet contractor's], getting idea's for winter work,advertising,ect......
we are in the same boat.
Carpet contractor's have reclaim problems,the equipment is somewhat the same. We could use some fresh blood.
We dont really conflict with each other.
OPINIONS ON EITHER?
 
Ron

I do it with my home inspection business -- I will pay for half of a post card and a local title company or mortgage company will advertise on the other half.


As of pressure washing - doing a mail-out with landscaper would be neat.


How about creating a referral group of business needed for a home owner.
get one elec, plumber, carpenter, roofer, yard maintenance, pressure washer, etc. Create a flyer with all your logos and company information - and boom - you have flyers in every business thats a part of this referral group and each business is refering customers to each other and up-selling for one another.

example - electriction goes to a home to repair the breakers and sees mold on the home or a roofer goes to replace a roof and sees a deck that needs clean ---- boom again --- they give out a flyer and say hey you should call this guy about your deck or house.

Create a web site (like a yellow pages for home owners) they click on insurance and a page comes up of the insurace agency that is a member of the referral group or click on decks and your page comes up.

Each member puts this web site on their business cards and the name of the referral agency "Jackson County Referral Group".

Anbody with a good reputation and establish credibility can be a member, but only one contractor per trade.

Create a charter listing all the different trades that a home owner may need.

What do you think?
 
WELL 50 PEOPLE

Looked at this and your the only one to help out.
im thinking of a way to market this.
Contractor based newspaper type thing.
 
Ron P.,
Where were you when the roundtable meeting was going on in NJ? I was hoping to meet you among others when I got there. You missed a good time.

As for your Idea about sharing advertising I did that before with my Friends Pool Company. They had one side of a Pullout page and I had the other for some local papers. Cost was $300 a piece.The first time I did that I made about $7000 on that ONE pullout. The second time I did the whole pullout myself at a cost of $600 and made...$000. Go figure.

I would like to see a Powerwashing bb find a way to do this for us Contractors. I think in the future you may see a paid bb where this innovative Idea's will come to a head and there will be Money to back some of them.

Shared Advertising cuts the cost and could add a ton of business especially if you can link up with a reputable Company.
 
It is funny you bring up this topic. I just started trying to find someone to split some advertising with the day before you wrote this. The key is finding the right people to do it with. It would be not as profitable sharing space with a haircut place vs. a lawn service.
 
Great topic. I am currently working on both of the above suggestions. I have located a general contractor (room additons), landscaper, roofer, and window guy to facilitate a network than can be eventually marketed. Still looking for a good air/heat guy and interior cleaning.

One other suggestion, check with your local flyer distribution businesses. I have 2 services I use. Both keep an eye out ofr customers that are willing to split space, usually they take one side of the flyer and I have the other. We also split the distribution cost. I get flyers made and distributed for .04 each. Much cheaper than any other advertising I do.

Food for thought
 
Ron, that is a great idea. Could hook up with a hood cleaning comp. as long as hoods is all they do. Landscaping, geat idea to hook up with. Maybe even a roofing contractor and even a cement contractor.
 
best place to look

for people to help each out is the HOME SHOWS. Everyone their at one time. Time enuff to talk to them, and do some selling yourself.
Our local hometown newspaper has a 1 page ad of a exsposed/cut away house. Then you buy a ad and they put your name next to the surface that you do your contracting on.
roofer next to the roof. Deck builder near the deck ect.....
That will be my first ad.
Second ad is going to be at a popular bagle shop where i know the owner. He will hand out flyiers for me.
Next will be the partner type mailer.
Then yard signs[need customers to put out yard signs]
Well that's this year's start out plan.
 
The key is to network with business that are well established and have been around for a long time. When you advertise with these types of business - it brings more credibility to your business.

Create a referral group and give it a name that gives the changes the customers perception.

Example - if you live in Johnson County, Missouri - Name your referral group Johnson County Referral Group or Northeast Missouri Referral Group.

This gives the customer the impression that its a group put togethor by city, county, or state.

The key is for each business that are members of this referral group to advertise the group by flyers, putting name on business cards, & referring to each other. As the business in the group grow, your business will grow as well. Create a logo for the group.


JOHNSON COUNTY REFERRAL GROUP
Reputable businesses serving Northeast Missouri.


Get the local chamber of commerce and better business bureau to endorse you.


All members can be checkout through the better business bureau and this can be noted in your flyers & mail-outs.


Check this out - why stop with homeowner business - why not get a CPA, Attorney, etc in the group also. Attorney can offer his services to the members for a discount rate. Contact a CPA and ask to join - this is potential business for the accountants firm - the CPA just needs to give a discount on his services.

Ask a print shop or web site host to join the group - once again they can offer discounts to the group.



Once a month - meet for lunch. Each month a different member of the group can give a small presentation of his business and services and that member also has the responsibility to bring in a guess speaker. for example a tax accountant to talk about write offs, etc.


I could go on and on - but I'll stop.
 
exactly Ron


But you are bringing in other industries.
 
to tell you the truth

i posted about bring other trades to a bbs like this one.
lot's of other trades have the same problem's as us.
The bigger the group the better the price.
insurance,health care,ect.......
In my mind being a hood cleaner is as distant as being a carpet cleaner.
Hood cleaning is a a whole diffrent trade just has the same tool's.
No diffrent then a carpet cleaner.
They are inside and im outside.
Because their trade[carpet cleaning] is more in the main stream they have better pkgs. and more systems to help them out.
 
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