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Teleconference
Workshops
We will soon begin several workshop courses
on Marketing and Finance.
Click here
for more information.
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Marketing Your
Company
A frequent
topic of conversation among painting contractors is
marketing. Specifically, they want to know the best way
to market their contracting company.
The truth is, there is no "best" way to market.
Effective marketing encompasses a myriad of methods,
media, and tactics. Most of all, it requires a plan.
Inconsistent, random marketing produces inconsistent,
random results. Effective marketing is consistent and
focused. It delivers a message that establishes or
reinforces the company's image and brand. It does not
shoot from the hip, hoping that somehow it finds its
target. It knows its target and aims for it with
laser-like precision.
Marketing encompasses a very broad range of activities.
Every activity that conveys information about your
company is a marketing event. Consequently, every
contact a potential customer has with your company is a
marketing event. Which means, it's all about marketing.
The way you answer your phone, your logo, the way you
dress, the appearance of your vehicle, and your
stationary are all a part of your marketing. The type of
paint you use, the wording in your contract, the
questions you ask your customers, and the literature you
give them are all a part of your marketing.
Every contact a consumer has with your company will
provide some information about your company and its
operations. Every contact will convey, for better or
worse, how your company will perform on the job, respond
to problems, or ensure customer satisfaction. Every
contact will demonstrate how your company views itself
and its customers.
To coordinate all of these elements and present a
consistent message to consumers requires careful thought
and consideration. It requires an explicit plan and
careful execution.
This does not mean that effective marketing must be
expensive or complicated. Actually, some of the most
effective marketing is simple and inexepensive. But it
must be integrated and consistent.
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Good Help is
Hard to Find
A common complaint among
painting contractors is the difficulty in finding good
help. In fact, this is a common complaint among all
small business owners.
This can be a cause of great frustration. Employees who
can’t cut in properly, don’t understand how to prep, or
simply waste time can slow production and reduce
customer satisfaction. Yet, if we want to grow our
business we must hire painters and helpers.
From my perspective the problem isn’t really a lack of
good employees. The problem lies within our business.
The problem is most likely in the mirror. There are 4
key components to finding and retaining good employees:
1. Our Definite Chief Aim
2. Our hiring and training practices
3. Our company culture
4. The systems and procedures within our company
Each of these requires that we identify the type of
employee we want and need. Each requires that we
establish policies and procedures for how we will
operate our business. Each requires a vision of the kind
of company we wish to own.
It is impossible to lead if we don’t know where we are
going. We will appear disorganized and uncertain. We
can’t communicate our direction and how we will get
there. To effectively lead a company we must first
identify our personal goals and how the business will
help us accomplish those goals. Only then can we begin
to share our vision and lead others.
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Out of the Bucket.com
is your complete resource for developing and implementing
systems and procedures. Our products do more than
tell you what to do-- they provide practical, easy to implement
tools to help you create the business you want to own.
We offer
workshops
on sales, production management, systems development, and more.
Our
Operations
Manual Templates can save you hundreds of hours
in developing operating procedures for your business. These
templates are easily modified and will help you systematize your
business.
Getting Out of the
Bucket
provides a complete resource for implementing sound business
practices and systematizing your business. This 220-page manual
comes with forms, worksheets, and exercises designed to help you
improve operations in every aspect of your business.
Our
Members Area
contains sample forms, spreadsheets, articles, sample procedures,
Newsletters, and much, much more.
It is updated monthly to provide you with a growing resource of
information and tools to build your business.
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