# Best Residential Marketing Techniques



## KildonanSnowRem (Oct 17, 2015)

Hello all.

I service residential clients only and I am interested in hearing some of your ideas that have worked to market too, and gain, new residential clients.

Things that have worked for me:

1. Daily Kijiji posts - I am in Canada. Kijiji is just like Craigslist.
2. Flyers - I have delivered 2,000+ flyers.
3. Facebook - I am young, so Facebook is second nature to me. I have gained a few clients through boosted ads and posts on Facebook.

What works for you?

*edit* I should mention, this is my first year and I have gained 20 clients all within 10 minutes of each other within the past 30 days. I am aiming at 30-40 clients for my first season. Is that a manageable number?


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## jhall22guitar (Dec 11, 2011)

I would say 30 clients for a first year is more than manageable, and personally (if it was my first year) I wouldn't go higher than that, just because it may take you a little longer, so having less clients will allow you to offer the best services possible, allowing you to build your reputation, and that will help you long term.

Ways to help get new customers:
1. Some kind of referral discount?
2. Skip Facebook
3. More flyers in your targeted area, and do another round closer to when the snow starts falling still.

Other things to consider:
1. Make sure you have a backup plan. If your equipment breaks how will you service your customers (friend with plow, dads plow, etc)
2. Be prepared - have the equipment you need to get yourself up and running

How much snow do you get each year approximately?

Also I checked out your website, I would take the pricing off the website that way they can't try to argue anything with you over it and compare that their 3 car driveway is priced to closely to your pricing for a 4 car driveway and things like that. Also with this plan if you get 6ft of snow over four months on a $100 a month driveway (lets say its a 4 month contract) you only make $400. The guy who's having people pay $40 for 3" is making $960. You're leaving money on the table, and lots of it.

Also on your website, in your FAQs you say no to doing roof snow removal. You could begin to offer that as an additional service after storms are over (so once all your plowing is done and you rest up you could offer it). My father and I did ice dam removal last year and the average house was $1000+ per side, and all we told them we would do was break the ice dams, and clear 4-6 ft of snow (whatever we could reach from the ladder) off the roof. In and out, 1-2 houses per day.


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## JimMarshall (Jan 25, 2013)

jhall22guitar;2040148 said:


> 2. Skip Facebook


I'm not sure that this is valid advice. Facebook can be a valuable marketing and communication tool.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

JimMarshall;2040572 said:


> I'm not sure that this is valid advice. Facebook can be a valuable marketing and communication tool.


Not that I would personally know--but my company has one--but I do know it can be used as free advertising. It would seem kind of stupid to pass that up.


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## KildonanSnowRem (Oct 17, 2015)

JimMarshall;2040572 said:


> I'm not sure that this is valid advice. Facebook can be a valuable marketing and communication tool.


I agree with you on that one. I have gained many clients off of Facebook as well as email marketing. For a smaller investment than flyers..


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## jhall22guitar (Dec 11, 2011)

JimMarshall;2040572 said:


> I'm not sure that this is valid advice. Facebook can be a valuable marketing and communication tool.


I haven't been a fan of paid marketing through Facebook, although it is stupidly cheap. Maybe don't pass it up, but I would put way more money right now into flyers. They say it takes 2-3 times of seeing a company name to begin recognizing it. Hit the same areas with flyers again and you might get more results.

Flyers in a neighborhood with a lot of elderly might be a good trick too.


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## JimMarshall (Jan 25, 2013)

jhall22guitar;2042003 said:


> I haven't been a fan of paid marketing through Facebook, although it is stupidly cheap. Maybe don't pass it up, but I would put way more money right now into flyers. They say it takes 2-3 times of seeing a company name to begin recognizing it. Hit the same areas with flyers again and you might get more results.
> 
> Flyers in a neighborhood with a lot of elderly might be a good trick too.


I don't use facebook's paid marketing options, but I do have a page for my business and use it to connect with current and potential clients, for free.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Free beer.....


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## jhall22guitar (Dec 11, 2011)

JimMarshall;2042011 said:


> I don't use facebook's paid marketing options, but I do have a page for my business and use it to connect with current and potential clients, for free.


We do too, my comment was only meant to be in terms of the paid marketing on Facebook. I should have clarified in my first post. My bad guys


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Mark Oomkes;2042016 said:


> Free beer.....


Throw a pack of exports in and he'll be beating them off with a touqe.

Get a sign saying snowplowing with your phone number on and ask your current customers if you can put one up.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

grandview;2042056 said:


> Throw a pack of exports in and he'll be beating them off with a touqe.
> 
> Get a sign saying snowplowing with your phone number on and ask your current customers if you can put one up.


:laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## Doin_It (Jul 22, 2008)

For an old guy like me I find your seb site hard to read, the grey on white isn't the easiest.


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