In business, failure to implement efficient marketing strategies is equivalent to failing to launch a company altogether. It all begins with a lead or prospect, and every potential customer must go through this phase. Unfortunately, most marketing is ineffective. Here, however, are some of the tried-and-true practices that have helped painting businesses grow to a point where they are bringing in $4 million annually across five states.
1. Door-To-Door Marketing
This is the greatest approach to getting started. Unfortunately, many people either lack the confidence or work ethic to try this. What this means for you is an increase in potential clients. Your hourly rate of door-to-door canvassing should get you two to three potential painting customers.
Choose higher-income areas that are in need of painting. And other communities have homeowners associations that mandate an annual paint job. The vast majority of people will answer no, but a handful will say yes every hour.
There should be a time scheduled in the future for when the estimate is to be completed. Some customers will want you to give them an estimate on the spot, but you shouldn’t do that until they specifically request it. If you schedule the bid for a time when all the relevant decision-makers will be available, you will have a far better chance of closing the deal.
2. Flyer Drops
Flyer drops have been effective for many entrepreneurs; however, they can get quite pricey. For instance, some have spent as much as $2,000 on a flyer drop that resulted in 15 calls but only eight job offers. Even though the advertising cost them a few thousand dollars, they were still able to turn a profit on the eight contracts they completed.
If you’re going to distribute flyers, make sure they stand out. Many flyers fail because their creators strive to cover too much ground. Think of all the unwanted flyers and catalogues you receive on a regular basis. Keep your fliers straightforward and easy to read, and include a special that prompts customers to phone before a specific time if they want to take advantage of it. This type of advertising thrives on a sense of urgency.
3. Lawn Signs
Investing in lawn signage is a great way to draw attention to your painting business.
For example, if you’re painting a home and the homeowner gives you permission to post a lawn sign in their yard, you should take advantage of the opportunity.
People will be more likely to recommend you if they have seen your work in action, so this is a great strategy. Keep the lawn sign up for as long as the client is happy to have it there (hopefully for several months). Months of free promotion will be yours to enjoy.
4. Lead Groups
Some artists enjoy phenomenal success when working in lead ensembles. This is a subset of the business community comprised of individuals from a variety of fields. Once a month, professionals from different fields will get together to network and share referrals. In fact, there may even be additional networking groups in your area that you may learn about by doing an online search.
5. Lead Providers
There are businesses whose sole purpose is to produce leads for your line of work, be it painting, carpentry, or something else. Here’s how it operates: A prospective client can submit a request for an estimate online, at which point you’ll receive their contact details along with the specifics of the upcoming project.
Pay-per-lead pricing models and predetermined monthly subscriptions are the most common ways to work with lead providers. When the quality of the leads is high, you can convert between 70 and 80 percent of them into estimates. Then, you only manage to convert around a third of your bids into paying customers.
Determine which lead providers are most profitable by keeping track of your return on investment with each one.
6. Referrals
When looking for new customers, word-of-mouth is the greatest way to go. You should expect a high volume of recommendations if your service is consistently high-quality and well-received. Many of these professionals are unreliable, have trouble communicating, or produce subpar results. Therefore, if your past client gives you a glowing recommendation, you have a 90% probability of getting the business simply by showing up.
Conclusion
Marketing your painting business is the key to success. It’sGetting creative and taking advantage of various marketing tactics such as social media, word of mouth, networking, and more is essential. By taking the time to create an effective marketing plan, it will help you to reach a larger audience, improve visibility and generate more leads.
Besides that, with a combination of traditional and modern marketing strategies, you can create a successful painting business that will last for years to come.
If you are looking for a company that provides advertising for painting businesses, look no further than our services here at House Painter Digital. We specialize in the residential house painter niche, and you’re in the right place to grow your house painting business quickly. Call us today, and let us make your company’s presence known in no time!
