Advertising in Small Community Publications
A great way to begin or continue branding your service company is to target a couple small communities in and around where you want to work. Community advertising, in most cases, is very reasonably priced. Some neighborhoods are more organized than others and very active. You want to be part of the active ones. Ask if you can place an ad in their emails, newsletters and community postings. Another thing that works great is to discuss opportunities on how your company can help their community with projects. Let me explain, if you own a handyman business, you can suggestion that your company takes care of the community picnic tables and park bench repairs or replacements. Or if their is a clean up day, your company can provide the water, shovels, rakes, shirts, gloves and trash bags. You’d be amazed at the response you might get by suggesting these things to a community events coordinator or executive director. One final piece of advice: don’t begin your conversations about paid advertising when you begin a relationship with a community. Wait a minute…didn’t you just say to find a community you can place an ad and market regularly? Yes I did. Let me be more specific. Typically when you connect with a community the paid advertising is separate from the community “volunteer” projects. In other words, an ad agency, printer or publishing company handles emails and newsletters. The projects around the community are run by homeowners! When you deal directly with homeowners, HOA directors and volunteers, always talk about how you can help their community. You want to become their painter! Their handyman! Their landscaper! When they need something, they call you. If you don’t have what they need, you’ll help them find it through your network. Developing a relationship with a community takes time, a lot of time! You have to nurture this relationship possibly for years to see a real kickback of work. I’ve seen good results though in as little as 8 – 10 months. Don’t expect your phone to ring off the hook the first 6 months.