By Chad Reinholz
This weekend we released the 2014 Green Industry Benchmark Report, our second annual look at green industry businesses, their challenges and outlook for the future. The culmination of a month-long survey of green industry professionals, the Green Industry Benchmark Report contains a wealth of knowledge about green industry business practices. So go download it today!
What we found was that marketing to acquire new customers was most cited as the area in need of improvement within a green industry business. If you’re like nearly 30% of respondents who feel they need to improve their marketing, you’re in luck, because we asked respondents what marketing advice they had for their peers.
Here are four of our favorite responses:
1. Good service is the best marketing you can do.
If you’ve got a crappy product, even the greatest marketing strategy and execution isn’t going to change that. And with everyone and their grandma using social media, word will get around that your product sucks. So before you start thinking about marketing your business, make sure you’re doing everything you possibly can to deliver great service.
Want honest feedback about your service? Ask! Survey your customers after every service. We’re currently developing HindSite Connect, our service business marketing solution, to do just that. After every service, we can automatically send surveys that help you determine what your customers think.
2. Take care of the out of the box marketing - website/newsletter/referral program/follow ups/door hangers adjacent to contracts/etc before spending money on spray and pray ads
I have a 14-month son. Just yesterday, I received a coupon book from Target that was full of coupons for baby products. They knew from my purchases that I had a toddler and sent me a targeted marketing campaign that they knew I was likely to respond to.
Do the same in your business. Spray and pray marketing isn’t targeted. So make sure you target your marketing. And, as this respondent says, websites. newsletters, referral programs, door hangers adjacent to contracts, etc. are great ways to target specific people.
Even more surprising is that, despite most contractors indicating they get a majority of their leads from referrals, less than half actually have any kind of a referral program. Create a simple referral program that rewards customers for their referral business.
3. Network through social media. Get into industry publications. Get interviewed. VOLUNTEER in your area doing ANYTHING that gets you in a position to meet new people. Go to every industry social event you can and force yourself to meet new people at each one.
We know a number of commercial landscape maintenance businesses whose primary way of marketing their business is by hiring a sales rep and having him or her go building to building in areas with a lot of commercial properties. You know why? Because it works. Building relationships are still the best way to sell a product.
With the advent of the Internet, a lot of people ignore the importance of a marketing plan based on networking. That’s why we love this comment. Still the best way to grow your business is through building relationships. So build relationships through social media, get into industry publications, build relationships with local and national media so they come to you when they need information, volunteer and go to social events and talk to people.
Marketing doesn’t have to be complex. It’s really about touching as many of your targeted buyers as much as possible. And the best way to do that is still through good old-fashioned networking.
4. If you don't know how to market yourself hire someone who does.
About a year into my new house, one of the pipes sprung a pinhole leak. I’m no plumber, but I went to the store and got an epoxy that supposedly would stop the leak. I turned off the water, applied it, and waited. When I turned the water back on hours later, it was still leaking. I’m not a plumber, so I called a plumber to fix the leak.
If you’re not a marketer, don’t be afraid to call a marketer for help. Heck, I am a marketer, and we have a marketing consultant who we meet with quarterly to help us with our marketing strategy. By calling in the marketing cavalry, you can save time and generate better ideas and ultimate more revenue. Sure, it may cost you some money initially, but if you aren’t a marketing guru, your return is likely to be higher than if you’d struck out on your own.
Need some more marketing advice? Then download the 2014 Green Industry Benchmark Report for tips, tricks and advice from your peers!
