How to Market Your Small Business on a Budget
Build visibility of your home renovation business on a budget with these free marketing ideas
If you want to build up your home renovation business, at some point you’re going to have to market your brand – but how do you do this on a tight budget? Check out these tips to help you get your marketing message out there without dipping into your firm’s bank balance.
These days, however, the wonders of the world wide web go much further and faster in marketing your business. Online marketing captures people’s attentions easily and cost-effectively with the right tools and technology at your disposal.
This of course starts with having a website and a profile on relevant platforms, such as Houzz, which your potential clients regularly browse and visit to search for professionals like you. To go a step further, look into how Houzz Pro can help increase your business’ reach with its nifty project management software.
This of course starts with having a website and a profile on relevant platforms, such as Houzz, which your potential clients regularly browse and visit to search for professionals like you. To go a step further, look into how Houzz Pro can help increase your business’ reach with its nifty project management software.
Connect with other local businesses
A valuable way to raise your firm’s profile is to join forces with other local companies. Find other nearby firms that offer renovation services, and see if you can group together with them to promote each other’s business. You can do this by sharing fliers, linking websites and social media profiles, or even offering cross-promotions. By collaborating like this you’ll be able to really build your customer base.
Look out for professionals you can connect with on Houzz and use the discussion forums, and Comments sections to share ideas. You can also follow profiles of people you’re interested in and do some networking at events.
Find out how to connect with other professionals on Houzz
A valuable way to raise your firm’s profile is to join forces with other local companies. Find other nearby firms that offer renovation services, and see if you can group together with them to promote each other’s business. You can do this by sharing fliers, linking websites and social media profiles, or even offering cross-promotions. By collaborating like this you’ll be able to really build your customer base.
Look out for professionals you can connect with on Houzz and use the discussion forums, and Comments sections to share ideas. You can also follow profiles of people you’re interested in and do some networking at events.
Find out how to connect with other professionals on Houzz
Build your network
If you want to build your client base, the best thing you can do is get out there and make connections. You can do this both online and offline, but the overall trick is to take a long-term approach. Visit as many trade shows, customer events and workshops as you can and approach people in a friendly, open way – but don’t go in for the hard sell.
Build up relationships slowly by listening, offering help and advice and showing an interest. This type of networking is also effective online, so remember to respond to content and posts, and join online conversations and follow other professionals on relevant industry-specific platforms such as Houzz.
Discover more about social media marketing
If you want to build your client base, the best thing you can do is get out there and make connections. You can do this both online and offline, but the overall trick is to take a long-term approach. Visit as many trade shows, customer events and workshops as you can and approach people in a friendly, open way – but don’t go in for the hard sell.
Build up relationships slowly by listening, offering help and advice and showing an interest. This type of networking is also effective online, so remember to respond to content and posts, and join online conversations and follow other professionals on relevant industry-specific platforms such as Houzz.
Discover more about social media marketing
Ask for referrals
Finished a successful project? Don’t be shy to ask a happy customer for a referral. If you don’t ask you don’t get, and new customers will be more inclined to go with your firm if they’ve been given a recommendation by a friend. You could also ask clients to write a review on your website, Houzz profile, or social media page.
“It’s important to nurture every client relationship equally during the course of the project; even if you’re only doing a relatively small job for a client, it’s crucial that you still give them the time and attention they deserve. Word of mouth is by far the best form of marketing, and some of my biggest and most valuable referrals have come from the smallest initial jobs,” says Sanders.
Finished a successful project? Don’t be shy to ask a happy customer for a referral. If you don’t ask you don’t get, and new customers will be more inclined to go with your firm if they’ve been given a recommendation by a friend. You could also ask clients to write a review on your website, Houzz profile, or social media page.
“It’s important to nurture every client relationship equally during the course of the project; even if you’re only doing a relatively small job for a client, it’s crucial that you still give them the time and attention they deserve. Word of mouth is by far the best form of marketing, and some of my biggest and most valuable referrals have come from the smallest initial jobs,” says Sanders.
Keep in touch
It’s easier to keep existing customers than to find new ones, so make sure you continue relationships with clients even when you’ve finished a job. Ask them if you can add them to your mailing list and send them regular emails of what your firm is up to. You never know when they’ll need your services again.
It’s easier to keep existing customers than to find new ones, so make sure you continue relationships with clients even when you’ve finished a job. Ask them if you can add them to your mailing list and send them regular emails of what your firm is up to. You never know when they’ll need your services again.
Share your knowledge
By sharing your expertise you’ll not only help others, but you’ll also promote your business for free. People will begin to think of you as a trusted source of information, and slowly but surely you’ll build relationships with potential clients. This can be as simple as readily responding to anyone who asks your advice.
If you have a company website, create a blog where you can write informative posts about various topics that potential clients might find useful, and share them regularly on social media.
Your turn
Which of these free marketing tips has made the biggest impact for you? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story and join the conversation.
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To read more stories for design and renovation professionals, click here
By sharing your expertise you’ll not only help others, but you’ll also promote your business for free. People will begin to think of you as a trusted source of information, and slowly but surely you’ll build relationships with potential clients. This can be as simple as readily responding to anyone who asks your advice.
If you have a company website, create a blog where you can write informative posts about various topics that potential clients might find useful, and share them regularly on social media.
Your turn
Which of these free marketing tips has made the biggest impact for you? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story and join the conversation.
More
To read more stories for design and renovation professionals, click here
As a home improvement specialist, your clients are probably going to be homeowners, so it makes sense to target your marketing at those who own homes in your local area. Get to know what’s going on in the community, and find ideas for letting residents know about your business. You could sponsor a school fair, donate products or services to a raffle, or even print flyers to leave at the local estate agents.
Nicola Sanders, owner of interior design company Parsons Gray, says: “Registering for Google location was key for me in terms of featuring on the first page of Google when people are searching by area – such a small thing, but very important as I prefer to work locally so I can give clients my best attention”.
If your area has a local paper, you might use it to create a bit of buzz. Think about an exciting project your business is involved in and see if you can come up with an angle that a local paper might be interested in. “When I started out, I contacted a high-quality local magazine and arranged for them to do a feature on my home and business, which even now, three years down the line, still yields new clients,” says Sanders.