Page 8 - The 7 Biggest Mistakes Trades and Builders Unwittingly Make

No
7 marketing plan

Now this is an interesting one in that in my ex- the Trades and Builders industry.
perience, if you get the customer experience
right, you will be inundated with new enquiries Networking can also be a great way of meeting
due to the fact that the standard of service other trades, who offer services that compli-
within the Trades and Building industry is of- ment yours; hence this can be a great source of
ten not great. Therefore if you take the steps both business and recruitment of staff. There
to properly measure the service you provide are several different groups around; one of the
and address any opportunities, it is likely your most effective is BNI http://www.bni.co.uk/ as
business will soar! this is a referral organisation where each group
is focused on passing business as opposed to
That said it is always a good idea to have a general networking.
marketing plan in place to define key channels
to bring in extra enquiries. Finally look at targeting different professions
that are likely to pass you an ongoing stream
The most obvious one is your website. Remem- of business, through working in an unofficial
ber this is a reflection of your professionalism partnership arrangement. For example if you
and your brand. It is worth investing to make have a painting and decorating business, com-
sure that this makes the right impression with panies that manage blocks of flats could be a
any new potential customers. By working with good partner for you, as this will be volume of
a specialist Web Development Company that is work and ongoing.
experienced in your industry, will pay dividends
in the long run. We work in close partnership TOP TIP – First and foremost ensure that the
with Make Me Local http://makemelocal.com/ service you are providing is top notch, this way
who specialize in connecting local buyers with your customers will actively recommend you
local sellers and have a strong track record in to others.

EXERCISE

What would be the first step in creating a marketing plan?

What are the obvious opportunities for your business?

What would be some ideal professions that you could partner with?

8 Alison Warner The 7 Biggest Mistakes Trades and Builders Unwittingly Make http://www.buildandgrow.org.uk/