Calendar Marketing

I don’t like it when contractors read the weather page to see whether they’ll be busy or not. To me, an utter loss of control. Yet in the 5 “Ms” of marketing, “month” is number 4 and thus mightily important. (This week’s poll: What are the other “M’s”? Guess and you may win fame, shame, or something in between.)

There is great validity to marketing within a known field of “timing” relevance. That is, chocolates during valentines, anti-depressants during the evening news, stuff like that. For another example…

At last report, it had rained 732 times in the past 4 days. It’s so wet, the fish are complaining and I’m going to see if Al Gore can arrange some “Global Drying”. This is neither politics nor weather.

This is about relevant timing and opportunity. In the past 45 days…

We have called a plumber for persistent drainage problem. A roofer for small leaks in two buildings. An HVAC contractor about dehumidifier in one of those buildings. An electrician for a leak-related fault in some track lighting. A neighbor about his gutter system (that he couldn’t see). A landscaper about a diverting berm and French drain.

There were 2,600,000 homes (NOT including commercial) affected in the recent high rainfalls in the southeast alone. Though I’ve occasionally felt like it, I trust I’m not the only one who needed a contractor. Multiply that by at least 6 trades, that’s lots of service calls.

Question: You want them Google searching or YOUgle Searching? Thought so.

This applies to the first cold snap. Most lightning strikes. Most burglaries (for home lighting and security). Most rain, hottest, driest. Energy prices up, energy prices down. And for you, your slowest months need the most attractive off-season offers. (See “Swimsuits in the Winter” ads in your PowerPack and many others, for example.)

All have a timely relevance in the mind of the homeowner, and YOU need to be in their mind when the need hits.

So, while other contractors are scanning the weather page, crime reports, or moaning about how energy prices have risen, you’re forcing your way into their conscious mind, up front and out front of the others leaving it up to chance.

Look at your calendar right now. There is your ‘map’ to marketing relevance. Each month, a wave of consciousness overtakes and replaces the previous. Your job is to be in front of that wave to get the call, as opposed to behind it waiting and hoping. Big difference.

• Did you get your free 12 Month Marketing map yet? We publish about 2,000 per year, and give all of them away, with ZERO chance of “reprinting” once they’re gone. Friendly advice: Make a polite request and get one now. You are now in competition with 12,000 other contractors.

Aside from getting into prospect’s minds ahead of the need, you’re also ‘programming’ your marketing, sometimes up to a year in advance. Think of the load off you, your staff, your budget, and your media contacts. You can use your calendar or ours, but use the season as the reason to program your marketing plan.

If your “negative” voice is saying, “Hey, WHAT IF I market for an item in a month that does NOT produce the highest need for that product?” Then what have you lost?

Was it second highest? Did it only make new 3 times instead of 5?

You may wonder, “What if something just HAPPENS and it was not on the calendar?” Then you readily and aggressively market that.

Quick Case Study: Tornados had stricken an area, resulting in much insurance-covered roofing work. Yet HVAC contractors started getting calls for repairs that should’ve been part of the now-released coverage. Our tactic: Created newspaper, postcard, and radio scripts that began, “Do NOT settle with your Insurance Company until you read this”. And that my friends, landed millions in necessary, legitimately covered work for hundreds of happy homeowners.

The market has a barrier of relevance and you want to penetrate it, with consistent regularity. Be the company who’s “there” in their consciousness as the needs arise. Lead the market, don’t trail it.

Questions for you:

1. What are the TOP ‘calendar driven’ items coming up in the next 90 days?
2. What products and services help solve problems related thereto?
3. What marketing pieces do you have exactly relevant to that solution?

The opportunities are there. Are you? Contact us for help.