9 Things to Try When the Phone Stops Ringing

Sometimes the calls are not there. Sometimes the phone does not ring. When you need calls, here are nine things to try. Some work together.

1. Run a Social Media Campaign

If you have a presence on social media for yourself or your business, you can run a special promotion. If a holiday is forthcoming, you can focus the promotion on the holiday. This can be done through your feed for free or you can take out targeted ads, focused on a specific demographic.

2. Boost Google LSAs

Another digital option is Google Local Service Ads (LSAs). This puts you at the top of the search page and you pay for leads through the ad, not clicks. However, it works by a bidding system. Depending on your market, LSAs may not be financially attractive.

3. Mine Your Customer Base

The best future customers are past customers. The best opportunity for immediate work is to reach out to your current customer base. Hopefully, you collected email addresses and can reach out through email.

4. Run a Sale

People respond to sales. Time limited sales add a sense of urgency. A sale does not need to be limited to price. You can bundle products, such as a free furnace with a replacement air conditioner or a free water heater with a furnace. Buy one, get one (i.e., BOGO) sales can also work for things like replacement toilets or faucets. If you perform HVAC, the spring is also a time to run tune-up specials.

5. Second Chance Letters

Look over your service tickets covering the last year. Look for any recommended replacements that were declined by the customer. Typically, these are emergency decisions, made under pressure where unprepared homeowners select the least cost option. Having time to think it through, some will recognize that the repair might be an exercise in throwing good money after bad. Give them a chance to reconsider by offering a second chance to make a different decision by offering to credit the full price of the repair against a replacement. State that this offer is time limited during a slow period and will expire within 30 days or whatever date you set.

6. Introduce a Product

Make a big announcement by social media, email, and local press releases about a new product that everyone should know about. It might be a product you’ve offered for years, but never stressed. Announce special introductory pricing. Possibilities include UV lights, dual flush toilets, add-on bidets, flood alarms, and so on.

7. Affinity Marketing

Affinity marketing involves third party promotion of your company to the third party’s constituents in return for a donation from you. Examples include churches, homeowner associations, school districts, school band and athletic booster groups, and local charities. For every call with one of the supporters, you donate money to the third party but the third party is charged with promoting it. Affinity marketing can move the sales needle rapidly once it is set up. If there is a need for speed, reach out to decision makers who have the ability and nature to act fast.

8. Work Your Network

Speak up in you service club, local chamber of commerce, leads club, homeowner association, or other organizations and declare that this is a traditional slow period of the year and you want to keep your people busy so you are running a special offer or promotion.

9. Knock on Doors

Marketing research has shown that one of the reasons people live with problems in their homes that could easily be fixed is they lack a relationship with a local contractor who can do the work. Do not overlook the power of simply knocking on doors to introduce yourself. No pressure. Just introduce yourself and maybe let people know about any financing that’s available. Start with your own neighborhood. This is proven effective, but may also involve a fair amount of rude rejections. You can handle it.

Looking for some inspiration, mixed with practical no-nonsense tips? Read Matt Michel’s best selling book for the trades, “Contractor Stories.” Get your company from Amazon. Looking for practical tools, easily downloaded that can help your contracting business prosper? Visit ServiceRoundtable.com, the trades’ largest business alliance. Ask about their turnkey affinity marketing kit.