Planting Marketing Seeds for Sustainable Growth
The holidays are just around the corner, so now is the time to think about marketing ideas for the new year. And, yes, this season is already so jam-packed it’s hard to imagine trying to fit anything else into your schedule. So, we won’t ask you to. Instead, we’ve strategized for you and compiled a list of initiatives you can take to help your contracting business step into the new year memorably. These actions will allow you to put yourself ahead of your competition and get even closer to your customers.
Here are six marketing ideas for the new year to help create a foundation for growth for all of 2021 for your contracting business.
- Send Cards
- Send Calendars
- Offer a Discount
- Offer Recurring Rates
- Get Personal
- Use Print Advertising
1.) Send Cards
Send any customer you’ve ever worked for a card wishing them a “Happy New Year!” Many people are known for displaying the holiday cards they receive around the house, so make sure it’s a nice design, even if it is simple. Sending a thoughtful wish for your customer to have a great new year is a gesture that is above and beyond. It’s a surefire way to reinforce your company as your client’s go-to contractor and communicates that you don’t just think of them in terms of dollar signs.
2.) Send Calendars
If you’re a larger business or have the means to spend a bit more, a customized calendar can be a great investment. The idea here is that you’ve already “scheduled” in dates on the calendar for services, maintenance, or repairs throughout the year. You can also include small homeowner tips at the bottom of each month. Many business-sponsored freebies are heavily branded, but in this case we advocate for less-is-more. Keep the design simple so your customers have an incentive to hang the calendar somewhere in their home or office. Your service entries will remind them of your business throughout the year. Include your basic contact information on the back for quick reference.
3.) Offer a Discount
People are so bombarded with sales and deals during the holidays, they’re often left deflated in January and February when activity dies down. Re-engage your customers with a special offer for service completed in those first few months. New Year’s resolution productivity is at an all-time high, so maximize on any homeowner’s dreams to renovate their home or fix that nagging drip/torn carpet/paint job that haunted their 2017.
4.) Offer Recurring Rates
This is a great opportunity for contracting businesses that offer necessary or maintenance services on a schedule. In January and February, run a reduced rates promotion to those customers who opt-in to recurring service with you. You can consider offering one free service in a series, a discount on each service in a group, or waiving a fee that typically applies to each visit. This is an easy, sustainable way to promote customer loyalty and referrals.
5.) Get Personal
If you’re on social media (and you should be!) or if you have an email campaign running, get personal in the spirit of the new year and community. A video greeting is a great way to infuse some personality and showcase the essence of your small business. Not a fan of being in front of the camera? Write an honest, open email or social media post. In your writing or video, talk about the customer-friendly goals you have for your business in 2018. Thank existing customers for their support and express excitement at the opportunity for growth. Bonus points if you make it funny/memorable/shareable.
6.) Use Print Advertising
Call your local papers in January and ask them about remnant advertising space. This space is what’s left over in the publication’s layout after previously-paid ads and all content is entered. Most papers will offer this space at a lower rate since they won’t know the exact placement or size ahead of time. They’ll also offer discounted rates for recurring business. It’s an easy way to create a visible space for your name that could last all year long.
Your marketing choices and opportunities are endless, and of course the above are just a few examples. The idea is to step out ahead of the competition early in the year. Do this actively, with intention, and always focus on what will make your customers most satisfied. If you plant some extra marketing seeds early in the year, and water all year long, it’s certain you’ll end the year with more customers than you have now. That’s sustainable growth!
What are your 2021 marketing plans? Contact us and tell us about them!
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