My business is built on referrals. Why do I need marketing?

The remodeling business is, in fact, heavily driven by referrals. When a contractor does good work he almost always gets recommended, which then leads to more work and more referrals. This is a well known fact within the industry. But when business starts slowing down and the referrals don’t come quite as frequently as they once did, then what?

Marketing your remodeling or professional services business – be it remodeling, design, architecture, subcontracting, etc. – in this internet/Facebook era is much different than it was even just 10 years ago. Back then, one could simply “buy” new business leads. Just sign up with Service Magic, run an ad in the Yellow Pages or send out direct mail to a neighborhood you want to work in. The amount of effort needed to generate more business was more or less effortless. Now, however, the game has changed. Buying new leads is just not what it used to be. Homeowners aren’t using the Yellow Pages like they once did. They aren’t turning to lead generation sites like Service Magic. And direct mail, well, for most homeowners it goes straight into the recycling bin.

Now, to be successful in your business, you need to learn a new set of tools. Marketing tools. Networking tools. Maybe even, gulp, some internet tools. However you want to look at it, if you want your remodeling business to continue to survive and grow, it’s time to teach this dog some new tricks. But where do you start? It all seems so, well, complicated.

When talking to contractors about where to begin, I like to use the analogy of a homeowner interested in remodeling their home. First, the homeowner decides that they want to change or improve something that’s not quite working for them. They make a decision to do something about it. Next, they do some research to try to create a vision for themselves of what it is they want to do. Then they talk to people they trust – friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, to get recommendations on who to hire. From there they select a contractor they want to work with, establish a budget, then begin the process of developing a plan that will meet their needs. Finally, they begin to build. The foundation is laid, the walls are put up, the interior is painted, the furniture is brought in and the homeowner, hopefully, is happy with the results.

For most remodeling professionals I’ve met over the years, this is your starting point. The foundation to successfully market and grow your business must be laid. The plans must be drawn up. A vision for what you want to achieve must be established. And, just like a homeowner does, you’ll want to find the right marketing professional who can help you achieve your goals. Or, if you’re like many do-it-yourself homeowners, you can take a stab at it yourself and hope for the best. There is plenty of information out there on the internet to help you get started. But if you do need help, don’t be afraid to ask. No one expects you to be an expert at everything.