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i am starting a painting business what are some effective ways of advertising and stirring up activity?

looking for insight on how to stir up activity.i am currently doing the normal small classified adds,door hangers,free local bulletin boards and super markets.besides telling everybody i know what are some other ideas that are different than the norm?we do mainly homes interior/exterior.I also want to market us as clean cut individuals that are solid good workers rather than the industry standard of paint covered slobs. any insight is greatly appreciated.

Public Comments

1. Look to your friends. Its called networking.
2. You need a brand strategy.......and just by chance, that is what I do for a living! Please check out my website and learn how you can purchase a corporate logo package for $99. Also on the home page, there is some very detailed info on corporate identity (even painting contractors are considered "corporate" - don't let that word scare you). You may also consider using your new logo design on your vehicle(s).
3. There are many ways of communicating. The one we usually know is Advertising beacause is the one we usually see on TV or listen to on the radio. I think you should not only from Communication Area but from other areas of Marketing aswell (Price, Product, Communition, and Distribution). Its like a mix of elements that has to be balanced. First of all, people should know you as a great business and that helps the networking (people tells other people how good your service is). This is very important, bc it seems that your business is small. Start with a reduced market, and differenciate from others businesses doing the same activity. You should first set a Vision for your company. Something like.. "Be the shop that does ...". It has to be short, and aimed to the future, and you should use it everyday. Then set a Position, that is: "how you want consumers, competitors and other players of the market to see your business". Those are great guides for your business. You should aim your Vision to that Position. Then think about coopetion. This terms is a mix of cooperation and competion. Make arrangments with other business that sell services that complement yours. For example: decoration, and other areas related to painting. For example, you ad for them and they do for you. And you can give special disccounts for clients of the other business and they can give discounts to your clients. It works as a net. Think your business as a net, as a WIN-WIN game, and not as competion and WIN-LOSE game. It help you to build this net and make your business stronger. You first have to set the bases of your business and then decide how to communicate. Your communication will depend on the Position you´ve chosen. You have to set some "impulsores de posicionamiento" or Position impulsors. For example for Mc Donalds that would be something like: Cleannes, Quality, Good Service. Think what the ones for your company should be. And remember, your communication should be based on them!!! And this communication should be consistent and coherent over the time. So the consumers get the notion of what your business is about over time and the service you provide. You dont want people to not know what your service is about or have doubts of what it was about. Be consistent over time no matter what channels of comunication you use! You said you do normal small classified adds,door hangers,free local bulletin boards and super markets. Think of who your clients are, when do they need you service, and what are the placed the usually attend. Then think of those places to do advertising, is it better a local bulletin or working with Places that sent or rent houses?? You dont have infinite money, you have to decide where to put it so it works efficiently. Hope it helped!
4. Coming from someone who owns several businesses, the fact that you are asking the question says you are on the right track. But no matter what marketing you do, and remember everything you do as a company is marketing - from your website, vehicles, how you dress, how your hair looks, how you answer your phones, speak to your clients, how you protect your clients things (maybe floor mats, shoe slippers, blankets under ladders.. it is everything you do. The best thing you can do is please you client beyond belief and they WILL tell their friends and they will call you again. The next thing I have learned is if you offer a service based business.. Offer it to people who can afford it, don't ever sell on price, don't ever discount (if you must offer a rebate), and NEVER be afraid to ask for refferals. I have built some finacial businesses into some strong companies and if someone calls and asks for a rate I tell them were probably not for them, and I will give them the number to one of my competitors. But the first thing they ask after that is said "Well what do you offer that this other guy does not?" I will never overcharge someone but I will never be stuck in a position where I ahve to explain a price.. the question is "What is more important to you, a better price or getting this done right?" Not may say price, but they are out there and you don't really want them as customers anyway, and don't be afraid to lose some. Let your competitors be the bottom feeders and offer the discounted price, to work harder and never have their customers satisfied. Logo's are great and neccisary, but don't make it your focus, don't make a special phone number your focus.. people will call you, will know your name once you get the word out.. to do that www.gotprint.com, get yourself 5000 business cards to start and hand them to everyone you talk to, and every house you paint, walk up both directions of the street 5 houses up and knock the doors and say "were here doing your neighbors house, is there anywork you need done while were here?" believe me you will double your sales in no time at all. My last thing to say is stick with it, it takes time to grow a business, several years.. but it will all come back around and you WILL be a success. Best of luck to you!
5. radio is usually a great way to ad. it is mostly reasonable and where people may or may not watch a lot of t.v. etc., they are almost always within earshot of a radio! people DO listen. also "word of mouth" almost always works wonders. do a good job, word WILL get out. good luck!!
6. I haven't seen this suggestion, but do make sure you join your local chambers of commerce. The business I've recieved from these organizations, and also from others such as Rotary is significant.