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Marketing

Marketing opportunities are everywhere. It can be overwhelming to figure out which marketing strategies will give you the most return on your investment. The following articles address different types of marketing including advertising, getting leads, better networking and cost effective company promotion.

Marketing Your Differences

Your customers know you and your work. Prospects, however, may not because they have not yet worked with you.    Every remodeler is different, and those differences should be marketed and communicated to your prospective customers. One way to market your differences is through your project photos. This would be through use of your website, Facebook, Instagram

Do You Know Where Your Leads Are Coming From?

Many of us get leads from various source including referrals from clients, colleagues, friends, or from the internet, advertising, or your website “contact us” form or other marketing efforts. Knowing and keeping track of the origination of these leads is very important.  You would think this would be a very basic function that business owners

Build an Effective Marketing Strategy

There are many ways to market yourself and your company.  Just as I am not going to tell you to take out a bunch of ads, I am not going to tell you to stop advertising if advertising is working for you.  However, I will agree with the advertising reps in saying that if you are

Negative Reviews – What to do about them

You work hard running your business and you pride yourself on your excellent customer service. Then one day, out of the blue you see, or someone mentions that your company has a bad review on Google. You read it and are outraged.  How did this happen?  Who is that person?  What should I do now?First,

Tips When Taking Project Photos

Here are some suggestions when planning a photo strategy for your marketing plan: Schedule professional photography shoot as soon as possible after the completion of the project. Properly stage the area which is to be photographed. Remove any eyesores or items that do not belong in the picture. Make sure everything is clean. If everything

In Bound Marketing

At Ideal Consulting, we've been helping our clients make informed decisions when marketing their businesses for over 20 years. With so many new options being presented, we decided to offer our clients some good solid information about effective Inbound Marketing. SEO, Social, Ratings and Reviews along with responsive web design and good solid content all

Do They Know You Exist?

Recently I have discovered that many businesses have stopped doing some of the most cost effective marketing that is out there.  What I am talking about is the simple concept of communicating to your client or customer base. There are a lot of reasons to stay in touch, or if you are out of touch,

Reaching Out

For years I have heard a lot of varying comments with regard to marketing, some positive, but most of them negative.  Many of the comments have been along the lines of 'advertising doesn't work' or 'advertising is a waste of money'.  I am not going to agree or disagree with any of these beliefs, but

The Goldmine in Your Backyard

Are you sitting on a goldmine? In recent years, contractors have been panning gold from a stream of plentiful business opportunity. However, now that the stream of potential customers looking for contractors has dried up a bit, it's time to shift focus and start to dig for the buried veins of gold. The question is

Doing the Impossible

The message we have gotten from recent surveys is quite clear.  Most of you want to get more work, make more money or both.  That's no surprise; neither is the worry about the economy and how it will affect each of us. This is quite a contrast from what was happening a few years ago,

Don’t Break My Heart

It breaks my heart when I see such waste.  It really hurts to see and feel the disappointment after so much hard work that gets put into fruitless marketing ventures.  Unfortunately I see so many failed attempts to get new business.  Even worse is the realization that so much money was spent and often wasted

The Secrets to More Work

How often have you been asked "can you keep a secret?"  For most of us the answer is yes, of course I can keep a secret.   Since we often pride ourselves on being able to keep secrets, you may wonder why I am about to tell you to stop keeping secrets.  Of course I don't

Well Kept Secrets

As children we were often judged by how well we could keep a secret.  And if we did a really good job of keeping secrets we would often be valued as a trusted friend.  So we all know there is value to keeping a secret, but not when it comes to promoting yourself. Over the

Do They Really Care About You

In light of the current economy and everyone's desire to get more work, there are currently great 'deals' out there.  But are these really great deals or will they simply result in more disappointment?  Unfortunately, I have seen many so called deals turn into anything but.  They range from guarantees that you will be number

Who Do You Know?

When you looked at this question what did you think?  Were you reminded of the insurance salesman who asked that question as soon as they signed you up or did you think of someone else wanting to sell to all your friends and acquaintances?  What I am going to ask is "who do you know

Should’ve Listened to You

This could be one of my most hated phrases.  But, unfortunately I am hearing it much too often these days.  So, what is this about and why am I hearing this phrase and what can we do about it now?  Recently I have had calls or meetings start off exactly this way:  I should've listened

Consistency in Marketing

Anyone who has ever advertised has most likely gotten the same message from their advertising rep.  You need consistency, or you need to repeatedly advertise.  Now before you stop reading, let me assure you, I am not writing this article to encourage you to do regular, expensive advertising.  Instead, we need to look at marketing

Creating Mystery in Marketing

Anyone who has ever read a mystery novel or watched a mystery movie knows how engrossed you get.  A good mystery novel is called a page turner for good reason. Imagine reading or watching the story where you know the ending before you begin.  I am sure you will agree that it just wouldn't have

Tightening Our Belts

There come times in all of our lives or in our businesses when we feel the need to tighten our belts.  This is a saying that has been around for as long as I can remember and will probably continue to be around for some time to come.  Although it is prudent to look at

Keeping a Secret

As children we're often judged by how well we can keep a secret.  And if we do a really good job of keeping secrets we're valued as a trusted friend. So we all know there is great value to keeping a secret. However, there is no value to keeping a secret when it comes to

There’s a Lot of Snow Out There

  Yes, I know it is August now as I am writing this article and it will only be September when it first appears.  But yes, there is a lot of snow out there and it isn't the cold white stuff that you can make into funny little men.  It is the kind of stuff

How to Retain Existing Clients

Don’t Be Invisible to Your Clients Happy clients are your best cheerleaders, they like you, trust you, refer you and as a result more likely to use your services in the future. Your existing client base is a very important marketing asset that needs to be cultivated on a regular basis. Reaching your previous clients

Good Reviews Key to Growing Your Business

The home remodeling website Houzz just released their yearly Houzz and Home Report, a survey overview of U.S. Renovation, Custom Building and Decorating in 2014. Some of the findings included: Over half of homeowners on Houzz plan to continue or start renovations in 2015 (55%). Nearly half of homeowners plan to decorate (46%). Four in five plan

Get More Work By Standing Out

As a small business owner I know it can be difficult to differentiate my company from other similar companies out there. But it’s the differences about you and your company that can get the sale, especially if your price point is higher than your competititor’s. The best way to differentiate yourself from your competition is

Surveys – A valuable marketing tool

According to a Consumer Reports National Research Center General Contractors were significantly more aggravating than subcontractors but not quite as annoying as the cable guy. Top complaints from homeowners included failing to show up, not taking the time needed to do the job right and not listening or understanding requests. Can you say you really

Modernize your Company’s Brag Book

Those of us that have been in business for awhile remember your company’s “Brag Book”.  This was simply a book with information about your company including before and after photos of projects, details of projects, and testimonials from satisfied clients. This book could be left with a prospect to look at or brought with you

Do They Know You Exist

Recently I have discovered that many businesses have stopped doing some of the most cost effective marketing that is out there. What I am talking about is the simple concept of communicating to your client or customer base. There are a lot of reasons to stay in touch, or if you are out of touch,

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