If you think that growing your profile as an expert builder or contractor is expensive, then think again. While online marketing has taken off, there are traditional marketing tactics that are still effective and won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

Developing your profile as an ‘expert’ builder and building a good reputation will only help attract the attention of potential clients and lead to increased business. Simple marketing tactics are often neglected by business owners, and going back to basics can play a major part in the successful growth of your business. These simple yet effective traditional marketing tactics can be easily implemented in your own backyard.

If you’ve got it, flaunt it!
An effective way to develop your profile as an expert builder in your local area is to demonstrate your expertise within the industry. Stunning photos and valuable testimonials from past building projects speak volumes for you, and you can use them to showcase your work to current and future clients. You can also make good use of these sorts of photos and testimonials by incorporating them into leaflets and brochures.

Leaflets and brochures are quick, easy and relatively inexpensive to produce – and they can be dropped into letterboxes in your local area. Businesses like Snap Printing are well equipped to produce both your artwork and your printed brochures. Including a project and testimonial from work you’ve done in the area you’re distributing in will add weight to your offer. You can walk the area yourself, or pay a teenage family member to do the leg work for you.

Many homes built over 10 years ago are likely to be due for some repair or development work, and keeping your business top-of-mind with potential clients through the distribution of these sorts of brochures and leaflets is a great way of generating some work. You can upload the photos and testimonials related to previous work onto your website and social media pages as well.

Better Branding
How many times have you driven past a building site and taken notice of a sign or branded scaffolding? Investing in temporary fencing, scaffolding or a standard pole sign with your branding which can be installed at your work site provides a cost effective way of reaching an audience – particularly if the site is on a busy road. Your company name, logo, website and phone number are all essential items for the sign. It’s also important to ensure that it’s easily readable from a distance, particularly by moving traffic.

Painting contactors seem to do this better than most other trades, as there is always painting work to be done in most streets. Seeing your brand’s name and logo may be all it takes to prompt an enquiry from a passer-by seeking building work.

Once jobs are complete (and with the owner’s permission) you can also place a temporary sign out the front of the completed project displaying your business details, as people may be impressed with the finished home or building and may be seeking something similar for their home.

Making sure your work uniform and vehicles are properly branded can also help to grow your business. The graphics on your trucks, utes and vans are in constant motion, and can reach hundreds of people every day – essentially, they’re moving advertisements for your business.

When they’re not in use, your work vehicles can also be parked in high traffic areas to increase brand exposure. Also, at the many trade outlets that sell product direct to the consumer, they often have business card holders for tradespeople– make sure you make the most of this service. Also, compare the message and presentation on your card to other tradespeople – after all, you’re all in competition for the same consumer’s dollar.

Use the media
Is the cost of advertising preventing you from booking media space? Gaining attention can be much easier and more cost effective than you think. Local newspaper classified ads offer several benefits for small to medium sized businesses. They’re cost effective, offer good exposure for your brand, reach a targeted market within your local area and are convenient to manage. The majority of newspaper classified ads are inexpensive to publish, which is a significant bonus for building businesses without a big marketing budget – classifieds offer small business owners a wide range of classified options that can fit nearly any budget.

While certain forms of advertising are seen as a bit intrusive, classified advertising in the local newspaper is always highly regarded, as it’s sought out by the customer as they navigate their way through the classifieds looking for a specific service in their area. Listing your business in the local classifieds will increase your chances of getting new jobs.

Sponsorship
Ever noticed that many local sporting teams have some form of business logo branded across the front of their jersey? Your business can gain good publicity and valuable goodwill by sponsoring a local sports team, an event or a good cause in the area you work in, as these kinds of things will all attract members of the business’ target audience.

Sponsorship can generate substantial publicity for a relatively small investment, helping to build brand awareness. An example of this type of sponsorship would be your business purchasing new sporting jerseys for a local sports team and in return, having your business logo branded somewhere on the jersey.

Your logo may also be represented on the club’s website, promotional material or around the team’s home ground. This allows you to gain visual awareness for your brand, and also builds a feel-good factor due to the association with the team and the demonstration of your support for the local community. Positive publicity helps create heightened visibility for your services – and if that particular sporting team features in the local media, you’ll also gain valuable exposure.

Boost your referrals
You can also grow your profile and increase business through the power of referrals. Apart from the obvious method of receiving referrals (i.e. via satisfied customers), you can also become a member of networking organisations like the Business Enterprises Centre (BEC) Australia. This can be an effective way to generate business, and also a great way to receive valuable business advice.

Networking organisations like the BEC can help you to gather referrals from other business owners, and you can also list your business in the BEC business directory.

BEC is a not-for-profit organisation and can provide you with business information such as current market publications, as well as training programs to help you run your business more successfully. You can find your nearest BEC by visiting: http://www.becaustralia.org.au/

Marketing your business doesn’t need to break the bank or cause any unnecessary headaches. You can effectively build your business by going back to basics. Some traditional and simple marketing tactics can increase your profile as an expert builder, and help you to drum up new business.