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14,407 Posts
Its a recurring theme enough around here that I thought it could use a thread. As NEPS pointed out elsewhere, it gets tiresome when people keep coming in and starting threads asking how to get customers or how to price their services.
Regular contributors here understand that we all are faced with challenges of customer acquisition and retention, as well as wanting to make sure that our pricing is appropriate to our costs. Most of us who have been doing this for a while understand that we have to constantly be trying new marketing methods and monitoring our estimating numbers and closing ratios. There are so many good threads here already in existence that it is surprising how many people can ask them same general question.
Some of the best minds in the business have openly shared their innovative marketing techniques and their approaches to figuring out costs and rates. There is no magic number to charge that would transfer from one paint company to another. My rates might give Timhag a closing ratio of 0 and his rates might get me closing 100% and losing enough money on every job to be out of business by the end of the year.
If you dont know how to figure out what your costs are, and you may be surprised at costs that you do have that you are not accounting for, read some of Brians posts. If his approach makes sense to you, there is a site sponsor to the right of your screen in a red square that expands on these concepts in depth, in a way that is understandable and applicable. And that program does not mean that you have to stop painting and sit in your office.
If you dont know how to get customers, read some of Pressure Pros posts about marketing. Kelly Painting has also had some over the top, yet effective marketing strategies that he has openly shared with us. George Z is well on his way to mastering web marketing. NEPS posted an amazing direct mail piece the other day. Once you get customers, its important to keep them. Lots of people here recommend retention central. Look around, the ideas are here. Not only are they here, but there are ideas elsewhere. I am constantly checking out other types of businesses and their marketing methods to look for ways to apply them to the paint business. In times like this, its important to be innovative and open minded.
Dont go for the grand slam home run. Start with some base hits. Get some men on base and manufacture some runs. Get a couple run lead and then take a swing from the heels. Look at your business and the types of services you offer. If customers dont know about you or your services they cant hire you.
I think the biggest obstacle to people who pose these questions over and over is that they want an easy answer that doesnt cost money. Some forms of marketing cost next to nothing. Others are pricy and may bring a bigger return. If you are unwilling to put some budget into your marketing, dont expect much beyond the word of mouth you are able to generate from the customers you already have. For me, I would not be comfortable relying on that approach right now. Sometimes people say: "well those ideas are great, but I dont have any money to put into a marketing plan." Nothing ventured nothing gained. Go make the money. Invest it in your business. You would be surprised what even a $15/week ad in a community newspaper can generate. Good luck.
Regular contributors here understand that we all are faced with challenges of customer acquisition and retention, as well as wanting to make sure that our pricing is appropriate to our costs. Most of us who have been doing this for a while understand that we have to constantly be trying new marketing methods and monitoring our estimating numbers and closing ratios. There are so many good threads here already in existence that it is surprising how many people can ask them same general question.
Some of the best minds in the business have openly shared their innovative marketing techniques and their approaches to figuring out costs and rates. There is no magic number to charge that would transfer from one paint company to another. My rates might give Timhag a closing ratio of 0 and his rates might get me closing 100% and losing enough money on every job to be out of business by the end of the year.
If you dont know how to figure out what your costs are, and you may be surprised at costs that you do have that you are not accounting for, read some of Brians posts. If his approach makes sense to you, there is a site sponsor to the right of your screen in a red square that expands on these concepts in depth, in a way that is understandable and applicable. And that program does not mean that you have to stop painting and sit in your office.
If you dont know how to get customers, read some of Pressure Pros posts about marketing. Kelly Painting has also had some over the top, yet effective marketing strategies that he has openly shared with us. George Z is well on his way to mastering web marketing. NEPS posted an amazing direct mail piece the other day. Once you get customers, its important to keep them. Lots of people here recommend retention central. Look around, the ideas are here. Not only are they here, but there are ideas elsewhere. I am constantly checking out other types of businesses and their marketing methods to look for ways to apply them to the paint business. In times like this, its important to be innovative and open minded.
Dont go for the grand slam home run. Start with some base hits. Get some men on base and manufacture some runs. Get a couple run lead and then take a swing from the heels. Look at your business and the types of services you offer. If customers dont know about you or your services they cant hire you.
I think the biggest obstacle to people who pose these questions over and over is that they want an easy answer that doesnt cost money. Some forms of marketing cost next to nothing. Others are pricy and may bring a bigger return. If you are unwilling to put some budget into your marketing, dont expect much beyond the word of mouth you are able to generate from the customers you already have. For me, I would not be comfortable relying on that approach right now. Sometimes people say: "well those ideas are great, but I dont have any money to put into a marketing plan." Nothing ventured nothing gained. Go make the money. Invest it in your business. You would be surprised what even a $15/week ad in a community newspaper can generate. Good luck.
