Of all the industries that are out there, the one group of folks who I tend to hear from the least is contractors.  When I asked a few of my contractor clients about this, the answer made sense: they relied primarily on word of mouth marketing and repeat contracts with the same companies.  Each contractor seemed to have their own group of regular employers who used their services, and many are pretty happy with the set up. It’s when contractors want to start branching out and making more connections (and more money) that I hear from them.

“I want to get hired by more people, but I just can’t seem to connect with them!” is a common complaint that I get.  They’ve tried the cold calls.  They’ve tried the leaflets around the neighborhood.  They’ve tried the ads in the newspapers and they just aren’t getting anywhere fast.

I want businesses to succeed, and take great joy in seeing them get ahead – especially online.  Here are some of the top tips that I give to my contractor clients:

For more on maximizing your online potential, be sure to check out our FREE eBook, “How to Generate Leads From Your Website.”

Tip 1: Get Yourself a Website

About half of all of the contractors that I’ve met through my firm haven’t had a website.  Most of these contractors were small one-man operations who didn’t understand just why a website was necessary.  If you’re in the same boat, here’s what a website can do for you:

  • A website will act as an online calling card, meaning that people can find information that will allow them to contact you for quotes and dates of availability
  • A website will give you an online presence.  This is particularly important and fewer and fewer people are hitting the phone books and newspapers to find contact information for contractors like yourself.  Think about it: why would they bother flipping through the Yellow Pages when they can simply type “Plumber in Richmond” into Google and get an immediate result?  A website will make sure that you are part of that result.
  • A website can be your very best selling tool.  You can tell people about you, what you offer, and show them examples of your previous jobs.  Include customer testimonials, too!

Tip 2: Tell your Story

What kills a lot of contractors is that they get into a “pricing war” with other contractors in their niche.  Whoever offers the lowest price will get all the business… right?

WRONG!  You don’t have to sell yourself short in order to make a buck.  As a matter of fact, I’m strongly against pricing your services so low that you’re working for peanuts.  You don’t have to get into a pricing war to win over your competition.  One of the best ways to win new customers is to tell them your story.

What do I mean by your story?  I mean, what makes you passionate about your job? What makes you unique?  What special skills do you have that can work to the benefit of whoever is hiring you?  This goes beyond telling people about your certifications and qualifications; it’s about letting them get to know YOU.  And one of the best ways to do this is through my third and perhaps most important tip…

Tip 3: Start a Blog

Get a blog going and you’re sure to see an increase in business.  As we discuss in our free eBook “Website Redesign 101”, having a quality, well written and professional blog that is helpful and insightful will draw people to you like nothing else.  If you are providing content that is of use to people, or giving out “free” information about, say, home inspections for example, they will not only appreciate you and your knowledge, but they’ll also get the impression that you aren’t just out there for their money; you actually want to be helpful!

Having a great blog will also turn you into an expert in your industry.  People always want to hire only the best, and are willing to pay a bit of extra cash for the peace of mind in knowing that they hired someone who is competent and capable of getting the job done right.

So you don’t have to offer the lowest price.  All you have to do is offer the best and most personable information out of all of your competition.

Be sure to check out our FREE eBook, “How to Start a Business Blog” to start generating more traffic and leads. 

Key Takeaways:

Contractors have a pretty hard job when it comes to getting new clients, but it’s not impossible.  You should regard the fact that a lot of marketing is going online as a benefit to your company.  By taking advantage of inbound marketing strategies, you’re giving yourself another way to get more business.

Need Help?

If you’re a contractor interested in maximizing your online marketing efforts, contact us today to schedule your free marketing analysis.