I started this concrete resurfacing business at the end of last August. I invested all of my money buying the business, and the tools and materials and truck I needed, and I luckily got a decent sized job around the block from my house right away. Over the winter business has pretty much grinded to a halt. I provide services for indoor flooring so it isn't a seasonal business, I just need to get the word out there to thousands of people. I hand out fliers here and there, and I have a website and some online advertising, but it just isn't doing the trick...At all. I have almost no money left over, so I need to find a cheap, effective way to advertise. I have tried telemarketing also, but that doesn't seem very effective when you are dealing with this type of work. I am open to any ideas or suggestions at this point.
2007-02-22 12:21:57 · 11 answers · asked by jd 1 in Business & Finance ➔ Small Business
There are a couple cheap ways that I would recommend. One method is to advertise on www.craigslist.com. This is a free classified ads website.
Another method that is relatively inexpensive for someone in your industry is get a hold of the local chapters of the National Association of Home Builders and the Associated General Contractors. The cost to join is a couple hundred dollars. If the members of the chapter don't need help on their projects, they will probably know someone that does.
The last method had already been mentioned. But, I will mention it again. Word of Mouth. This is the best method of all. Word of mouth is typically free unless of course you pay a referral fee.
2007-02-22 13:02:58 · answer #1 · answered by Michael H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I did the same thing as a Electrical Contractor and I used the local news paper add which cost at the time about $60 bucks a week and also I gave away free hats with my logo and phone number on them. The hats cost me about a buck and a half each and I gave away around 300 at the time. Surprisingly, the hats worked so very well, I always gave them away to each customer I had and this started the word of mouth thing and I became so busy I had to back off until I could catch up. It's something to think about. You can't go with embroidered hat because they are very expensive. They can do a silk screen and it cost like I said about $1.50 each. I have no idea what it would cost now but it worked like a charm. I eventually had to hire 3 other journeymen to help. Later on I went union and from there I stayed in business for over 20 years in California and then I moved to Arkansas and did the same thing over again. It still worked like a charm.
2007-02-22 12:41:26 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Drop your card off at real estate places. Many times, repair work has to be done before a house can close.
Put your company name and number in big letters on your truck and drive slowly around neighbor hoods stopping to chat or help people if you see that they need it. If you're not working park your truck out in the open at shopping malls and other public gathering places so people can see your number. Make sure you move it every 2-3 hours so you don't get a ticket.
Always have business cards to hand out.
2007-02-22 17:27:29 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Seek out a builder or one specific neighborhood/subdivision. Work with him and offer him an initial discount to show him what you can do then try to build some type of repor with him and continue doing business with him.
Also, look into city or government bids... these require quite a bit of paperwork beforehand and submitting a proposal outlining your costs but can yield good results if you do high quality work.
2007-02-22 12:30:44 · answer #4 · answered by Corey R 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maximus Construction : We Build Your Dreams
2016-03-15 23:43:09 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Word of mouth is the best advertising method. Ask the people that you do jobs for to tell all their friends and when you give out bids, let them know who you have done work for. Chances are they will call your old customes. If you do good work, your name will spread like wild fire!
2007-02-22 12:27:42 · answer #6 · answered by Roger B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yellow Pages.
2007-02-22 12:25:12 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
"I have almost no money left over, so I need to find a cheap, effective way to advertise."
1) Why did you start ANY company without researching and planning the marketing first?
2) You need help because search engine marketing is the best way to go by far. Is it because you tried to do it yourself?
2007-02-22 12:50:34 · answer #8 · answered by stonerosedesigndotcom 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There's a chap I know in Montreal that was in the Asphalt business (driveways etc...) He made it big by going global.
I can send you a link about it - you might find some clues that will help you.
2007-02-22 12:28:51 · answer #9 · answered by smiling_freds_biz_info 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
www.constructionmonitor.com - you can subscriber to this. It comes out weekly or so. This tells you who and where the jobs are that people have got permits for. make yourself a mailer and send it out to the people on this list. 1 job would pay for 1 year of subscription.
2007-02-22 14:03:08 · answer #10 · answered by Kari 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋