Competition is fierce in the construction world, and finding a way to stand out from the crowd is challenging, advertising is the best way, but what advertising options for trade based businesses are the safest to choose? We had used most of them before finding what worked best for us. What will work for you will depend on your area, what you do and your clientele.
Advertising Options For Trade Based Business
Before investing in any of the many advertising options available for trade based businesses, begin by identifying your target client. Without knowing who you are trying to reach, you are effectively throwing your money away on untargeted advertising campaigns.
Spend time getting clear about who you are marketing too, as this will provide some answer on where to effectively market. For example, if you are chasing a downsizer, you’re unlikely to find them on social media, conversely a first home buyer will be all over social media.
Once you are armed with your target market, you can begin to explore the options open to you. Here is a list of all the advertising options we have tried.
Newspapers
Newspaper advertising is a time honored advertising option. If you can secure yourself a editorial, it’s like advertising on steroids but they are hard to get. Newspaper advertising can be expensive, so careful planning of how to use your budget should be your first step.
Letterbox Drops
Letterbox drops while an old idea, can still work well on a localised area. When working on a job, why not do a drop introducing yourself as someone working in the area and encourage the potential clients to give you a call our check out your website.
Cafes
Some local cafes will allow you to leave brochures or business cards on their counters or have a jar to drop a business card in. This a great form of almost free advertising and direct your potential client to your website or socials for more information.
Noticeboards
Again some supermarkets or shopping centers have noticeboards that you can pin your card or flyer to for free. These are great for brand awareness on a local level as well.
Sponsorships
Sponsorships are a great way to give back to your community and can work really well as a referral stream. It is a bonus if your kids play at the club, as this will also give you plenty of opportunity to meet some of your potential clients. Remember that most sponsorships are tax deductible as well.
Newsletters
All of the schools in our local area have advertising opportunities on their websites or newsletters. Another great way to give back to your local community and generally a low cost advertising alternative.
Website
Absolute number one area to spend your advertising budget, is your website. This should be a non-negotiable for every single business. Your online presence is your most important asset, needs to be professional and offer a full insight to who you are and what you do. Spend time and invest money in your website, it is your business card for all to see. Be sure it conveys your message and works as a funnel to attract new clients.
Your website should be written for SEO to help you organically rate, look into how you can make this happen.
Blogs
There are 2 ways to use blogs for advertising, you can pay to work with a blog that will introduce you and or your product to their audience, or you can have your own blog on your website or as a lead generator for your website. It can be as simple as adding a blog tab to your website, and then making sure you add regular content. You your blog for education rather than direct advertising. Consumers are looking to be educated into process and products, and they want to do that for free. Consider your blog as a way to add value to what you do, by educating your client in your processes before they even contact you.
Social Media
After your website, social media is a must! Ok not all your clients are going to find you on social media, but if you don’t have a social media presence, someone else will be telling your story there for you. In having a business you need control over how you are presenting, your brand if you like, and social media is one of the most important ways to do this.
Television
Not for everyone but television can have a great return on investment. It is a great way to introduce your brand to a large amount of consumers, quickly. It is expensive, so investigate wisely.
Magazines
Especially for finishing trades or builders, magazine can bring a lot of brand awareness. Often regular advertising will let to advertorial or editorial content and this is a brilliant way for conveying your message.
Influencers
While a new form of advertising, working with influencers shouldn’t be overlooked. Do your research and be sure the influencer you choose fits with the image of your brand and targets the same market you are looking to target, don’t just look for numbers. An influncer with 100K followers is useless to you if their followers are made up of teenagers and you are looking to target second home buyers, but the right influencer can really add value to your business.
HiPages
I’ve heard mixed reviews with services like HiPages, and would suggest you doing thorough research before you make contact or sign any agreements. Services like this can work exceptionally well for targeted businesses but not for everyone.
Telephone Books
I’m not a fan of telephone books, but this a comprehensive guide. If your target market is the elderly, this is an option worth exploring. Some companies make telephone books for targeted ares, specifically for target markets and that is something to look into.
There are a multitude of ways to work with Google, Adwords, and advertising to name just two. Google and Facebook are 2 of the most popular areas online for searching, if you are not using them to the best of your ability, you might as well be invisible.
As a last word, always measure your ROI (Return On Investment) with any dollar you spend on advertising. This way you will have a measure of what is working for your brand/business and what doesn’t.
How do you advertise your small business? Have you identified your target market?
Nicole xxx
