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How do you get the phone to ring?

 
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Barry M



Joined: 05 Sep 2007
Posts: 86
Location: Indiana

PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:57 pm    Post subject: How do you get the phone to ring? Reply with quote

What is your main source of generating leads?

Mine is direct mail to targeted customers and in a close second is word of mouth. I also get a good amount of repeat business.

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FHIwindows



Joined: 03 Sep 2007
Posts: 66
Location: Massachusetts & Rhode Island

PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 4:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have 3 phone lines so I just call one from another and it rings. Very Happy

Our website has be generating 2-5 leads a week over the past couple of months and the number is slowly increasing. For some reason most of the people call instead of filling out the form, for some reason this upsets me.

We also use free on-line directories to list our business and they generally generate a couple of calls.
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FCPWLLC



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 13
Location: Lexington, KY

PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 4:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Internet based leads and yellow pages coming in second.
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WFConstructionPro



Joined: 04 Sep 2007
Posts: 107
Location: Aberdeen, North Carolina

PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:11 pm    Post subject: Marketing For Contractors Reply with quote

I have been out of the game for a little while now but job signs, good vehicle labeling and online marketing was always the best.

Another good avenue for quality leads is hooking up with an equipment or product distributor and/or supply house. Some of these companies have websites that will help promote you and almost all have salesman that get asked if they know a good contractor all the time. Whether you like your salesman or not, you should try to find as many as you can to buddy up with so they send you leads. Referrals that come from supply house reps and salesman typically close at high percentage rates.

You should also look at your local news stations and other such media for advertisement. In North Carolina, our Time Warner news channel, New 14, has multiple programs that always proved to be very cost effective. You could buy spots at certain times of the day for set prices.
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Barry M



Joined: 05 Sep 2007
Posts: 86
Location: Indiana

PostPosted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 7:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great advice. My local Sherwin Williams has referred me a few times to homeowners.

As far as television media what time slot gave you the best ROI?

I would think commercials run during the middle of the day would have to target mostly women or older folks, not saying that's a bad thing. But you'd have to run commercials during primetime to hit the middle aged male audience and I'm guessing that's a lot more expensive.

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WFConstructionPro



Joined: 04 Sep 2007
Posts: 107
Location: Aberdeen, North Carolina

PostPosted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 10:46 pm    Post subject: Contractor Advertisement Reply with quote

For the best return on investment, choose an evening slot. Morning is actually considered as prime time and evening news attracts a broader audience.

Don't count out the house-wifes or older folks. It is a fact the over 70% of every household decision is made by the lady of the house. Ever got a job that the wife was screaming no to her husband on? If you have, did you give him a place to stay for the night? And older folks are in more cases than not, are willing to pay to have work done rather than try to do it themselves.

You may find that if you target these two groups a little harder, you will make more sells. Sell the wife and the husband goes alone. Show the value and the older folks will tell you to get started. Just do me one favor with the older folks, don't rip them off just because they're old and are willing to pay more. Be fair to them and you will not only have done a good deed, but you may also pick up additional work from their family and friends since you will be viewed as a honest and trustworthy person.
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Jeannie



Joined: 27 Oct 2007
Posts: 82

PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I too would have to agree that if you place a sign where you are working or if your vehicles are clearly marked with your company name that you will be able to get good leads from that. With this in mind we get about 5 good leads a week and stay pretty busy.
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BrianT



Joined: 27 Oct 2007
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 10:06 pm    Post subject: Company Name On Truck Reply with quote

I agree with putting your company name on your truck. Since I placed my name on my welding truck, I have had a lot of people tell me that they seen my truck and go my number.
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Jeannie



Joined: 27 Oct 2007
Posts: 82

PostPosted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 3:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

How are you getting internet based leads? I would really like to know what you are doing to get these leads and what you do with them once you have them. I have no clue on this end of the business side.
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Barry M



Joined: 05 Sep 2007
Posts: 86
Location: Indiana

PostPosted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jeannie wrote:
How are you getting internet based leads? I would really like to know what you are doing to get these leads and what you do with them once you have them. I have no clue on this end of the business side.


Rank good for the right key words and people will find you. At that point the site should do it's job selling professionalism and value. If impressed and interested in an estimate, my site has an estimate form they can fill out. I then get an email about the request and I will follow up with them via a phone call and set up the estimate.

I believe that people that have visited my site, have seen pictures of our work, have read our customer testimonials, and have overall educated themselves are a much easier sell than other types of prospects.

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