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Thread: General marketing

  1. #1

    Default General marketing

    Hi Guys,
    I am putting aside some cash to put into marketing over the next 12 months.

    Website - this is a couple of years overdue - Any good or bad experiences with companies or individuals you would or would not recommend.

    Facebook - this has recently been started with the wifes help. How much time, money, effort do you guys put in. What does and does not work. Should I get my web person do this as part of a package??

    Telemarketing - I have 1 or two companies that are prepared to give "qualifies leads" for specific type work and contract values. Has anyone dealt with these type before? It is obviously for commercial work.

    Flyers - Adam and Joe like doing resi work and with this being only 10% or so of our business we think its time to pump out some flyers. We have had a battery powered postie bike for a few years so we would put them out ourselves. Allows me to get off the tools a little. On the bike we should be able to drop an average 1000 flyers in 4 hrs, sometimes more.
    1 day per week during slower times sees an easy 30000 dropded yearly.
    Did about 400+ houses per hour for the charities many years ago on the actual postie bikes
    What works well for any guys that drop flyers. Been many years since we did any volumes.

    Social media Other avenues. What works well and are they cost effective. Primarily for commercial type work

    Anything I have not mentioned.

    I don't expect you guys in Melbourne to say anything that may help so no need to chip in at all - Thanks

  2. #2
    Senior Member RSM-Gazza's Avatar
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    Default Re: General marketing

    In my immediate estate where I live there is a huge one stop sparkling new medical complex in quite residential area. With two seperate buildings sided by side with individual waiting room foyers. They have non stop promotional advertisering on their big tv screens advertising the practices services and local business. When I’m there with my wife, everyone is watching the screens; often past there scheduled appointment. I was called to be in on it when they started it, but knocked it back.
    Best advertising I reckon as the people attending are local too you; many are elderly or single people on their own or have some medical condition that requires them to need a lawn mowing chap. But it’s needs to be a bigger medical practice. I park directly opposite one of there main gated entries and mow a lawn fortnightly. I’ve had at least 8 people ask me to mow their lawns from being parked there with the busy traffic flow of customers into the medical joint. I even work for some of the staff in the medical practice on occasions. Could be worth a look into for something similar in your area
    Cheers Garry

  3. #3

    Cool Re: General marketing

    Quote Originally Posted by RSM-Gazza View Post
    In my immediate estate where I live there is a huge one stop sparkling new medical complex in quite residential area. With two seperate buildings sided by side with individual waiting room foyers. They have non stop promotional advertisering on their big tv screens advertising the practices services and local business. When I’m there with my wife, everyone is watching the screens; often past there scheduled appointment. I was called to be in on it when they started it, but knocked it back.
    Best advertising I reckon as the people attending are local too you; many are elderly or single people on their own or have some medical condition that requires them to need a lawn mowing chap. But it’s needs to be a bigger medical practice. I park directly opposite one of there main gated entries and mow a lawn fortnightly. I’ve had at least 8 people ask me to mow their lawns from being parked there with the busy traffic flow of customers into the medical joint. I even work for some of the staff in the medical practice on occasions. Could be worth a look into for something similar in your area
    Thanks Gaz.
    Funny bout that. Was contacted 12 months ago with exact thing but cut him off quickly. From memory he was a bit pissed.
    Will take a look at specific estates we will drop flyers in and see what's available

  4. #4
    Senior Member RSM-Gazza's Avatar
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    Default Re: General marketing

    They do engage an advertising mob to handle it. Don’t know the rates as I said no, being too busy to take on more work. I have inside contacts at this med centre, guess that helps. But it saves doing flyers and other type of client chasing. I do get a lot of people say to me. Hey I saw parked opposite the medical centre last week or when ever.
    Cheers Garry

  5. #5
    Senior Member NLALM's Avatar
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    Default Re: General marketing

    south east I tried to pm you but your box is full

  6. #6

    Default Re: General marketing

    Quote Originally Posted by NLALM View Post
    south east I tried to pm you but your box is full
    Not any longer!!!!!!!!!!!

  7. #7
    Senior Member sterlo's Avatar
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    Default Re: General marketing

    website - clean it up mate, spam city

    facebook - join groups of buy swap sell, its **** work at bottom dollar, so is facebook in general

    telemarketers - what do u do when they ring u? that's right, hang up or politely tell them to f*7k off

    flyers - get stuck in, why not.

    social media - is basically what we do to win pissing contests.

    hope that helped mate :-)
    I spend most of my money on beer and horses, I just waste the rest....


    http://www.sterlinggardenservices.com/

  8. #8
    Senior Member geoff's Avatar
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    Default Re: General marketing

    Quote Originally Posted by sterlo View Post
    website - clean it up mate, spam city

    facebook - join groups of buy swap sell, its **** work at bottom dollar, so is facebook in general

    telemarketers - what do u do when they ring u? that's right, hang up or politely tell them to f*7k off

    flyers - get stuck in, why not.

    social media - is basically what we do to win pissing contests.

    hope that helped mate :-)

  9. #9

    Default Re: General marketing

    Quote Originally Posted by sterlo View Post
    website - clean it up mate, spam city

    facebook - join groups of buy swap sell, its **** work at bottom dollar, so is facebook in general

    telemarketers - what do u do when they ring u? that's right, hang up or politely tell them to f*7k off

    flyers - get stuck in, why not.

    social media - is basically what we do to win pissing contests.

    hope that helped mate :-)
    What are you doing that is making you go blind!! Better stop it

    Get ya wife to read you the last line

  10. #10
    Senior Member geoff's Avatar
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    Default Re: General marketing

    So Jim’s are handing there calls they can’t follow up on ..
    watch

  11. #11
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    Default Re: General marketing

    Quote Originally Posted by geoff View Post
    So Jim’s are handing there calls they can’t follow up on ..
    watch
    Love the wording 1:46 "the client can't even book someone else until you've had a chance to quote" I call B.S how do they stop someone from getting someone else from somewhere else
    I also like around 2:22-2:27 "we want only the best people,and we want you to be very,very motivated to look after our clients " note the wording our clients so it appears to me that they're not your clients but theirs
    Anything Ian says may or may not be garbage, it may also be his own opinion or it may not be his opinion at all, it may just be something he felt like stating anyone following his advice does so at their own risk and may be doing something Ian would actually advise against.
    And if you don't like what Ian has to say use the ignore function if you don't know how ask i will gladly tell you

  12. #12

    Default Re: General marketing

    Quote Originally Posted by ian View Post
    Love the wording 1:46 "the client can't even book someone else until you've had a chance to quote" I call B.S how do they stop someone from getting someone else from somewhere else
    I also like around 2:22-2:27 "we want only the best people,and we want you to be very,very motivated to look after our clients " note the wording our clients so it appears to me that they're not your clients but theirs
    If it is in clear English that would be the case. Don't know any other way of interpreting it

  13. #13
    Member Redeye's Avatar
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    Default Re: General marketing

    more profits for Penman




    http://curraronggardening.com/

    "All sin is washed away in the Holy goodness of Beer"
    Book of Redeye, Psalm 69

  14. #14
    Senior Member glassngrass's Avatar
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    Default Re: General marketing

    Website You can spend 1,000's on it if you want - but really, you just need people to be able to find you.
    All you really need is a one or two page website. Something that tells your services, your service area, and your contact details.
    If you provide your mobile number, then you may not even need a contact form. I recommend against listing your email - you'll be drowned with spam.

    SEO - Do you really need to be on page one of Google? You can pay 1,000's monthly for 'smoke and mirrors'. And if you get it done cheap, they will likely use methods Google hates and your site will get penalised and not found at all - ever again. It's quality, unique content that Google favors now - but unless you want to blog an article at least a couple of times weekly about how great your service is - don;t bother - kep it simple.

    Facebook - Anti-social media, I hate it - but it is popular. Why not combine the two. Build a Facebook page AS your web presence, then point your domain name to your Facebook page. Then you've also spared yourself web design and building, also the ongoing expense of hosting and maintenance (eg. Wordpress and plug in updates, security, etc...)
    eg. You can have http://www.secmelbourne.com.au resolve to www.facebook.com/SouthEastMowing

    You can still have email on your domain name. There are a few ways around it, like get dedicated email hosting with a reputable web host, such as VentraIP, NetVirtue (there are others). I prefer Google. It's $50USD/Year but includes a lot more than just mail with world's best spam filters - but an entire suite of products (G Suite) like contacts and calendar (awesome for scheduling) that will work seamlessly with your Android phone/tablet.

    Telemarketing - Have you eve wanted to THANK a business for engaging a telemarketer? If you want to piss people off, then make unsolicited marketing calls.

    Flyers - My own experience, they get a few quickly, and they get a few over many years later as some keep these on their fridge. The biggest advantage is for newbies as it get's their name into the homes rather cheaply. I recommend knocking on doors to hand deliver and mailbox only if not home. Offer a free quote whilst there. Yeah, will reduce your 400 homes per hour to 10-15, but it is a much better 'touch' and higher success rate per flyer and for your time.

    Signage on your vehicle and trailer will be the very best advertising dollars you will ever spend. Keep these looking smart and tidy.

    Uniform - You're not a dash-for-cash cowboy, but a professional - look like one. It inspires confidence and trust.
    David
    Mr Sparkle Car Spa

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