Yesterday’s Construction Marketing Ideas Webinar with the Design and Construction Network has proven to be successful. The biggest surprise (and most interesting discovery) is how we leveraged free resources and generosity to create the greatest business opportunities.
Lets start at the beginning. Design and Construction Network founder Tim Klabunde called me after I sent him a free review copy of my book, Construction Marketing Ideas: Practical strategies and resources to attract and retain clients for your architectural, engineering or construction business.
Without promoting, he wrote an enthusiastic review on Amazon.com and he suggested that we host a Webinar for members of the Design and Construction Network based on the ideas in the book.
Paul Lesieur, who co-ordinates the highly effective Rendelcrazy.com site/forum also connected with me after receiving his free review copy. He posted an enthisastic review on Remodelcrazy.com and his own Amazon.com review. A few days ago, he asked if I could “comp” someone to the Webinar. The person he recommended responded enthusiastically after the event with indications of more positive business dealings.
Finally, a local contractor who had advertised with us many years ago, connected with me and asked if he could attend for free based on his previous client relationship. It took me all of one second to throw away the rule book (advertisers are supposed to have dealt with us within the past year for the free service) and invite him to attend without charge. Not surprisingly, he, too, is interested in developing further relationships.
Free seems to be working really well here. I give some stuff away and get much more in return.
But there has to be some limit to this generosity, you rightfully should be saying now. After all, if we give everything away from free who will pay for anything. The individuals who attended the Webinar for free certainly knew the majority were paying full price to attend. As far as I can tell, we delivered genuine value to everyone who paid the registration fee. The late Sonny Lykos, one of my best (if alas briefest) marketing mentors, advocated that most residential contractors ditch the “Free Estimates” offer because all it does is invite price-shopping, time wasting and the giving away of your valuable services. And there are plenty of people out there who will clear your trade show booth and your time of every bit of value, delivering absolutely nothing in return but wasted effort.
The best answer I can give to the question of Free or Fee is in two parts.
- “Does your Free have powerful leveraging opportunities?”
- “Is your Free based on genuine generosity or simply an excuse for marketing laziness?”
In the most recent circumstance, I write this blog and invite everyone to read it for free — along with the weekly Construction Marketing Ideas newsletter — because the time it takes and the amount of people the initiatives reach make the entire effort worthwhile. The writing also can be leveraged and recycled.
I don’t give the book away for free to most people, however. I sent free review copies to people I know well who could influence others and/or who have helped me out in the past. (I also give it free to our paying advertising clients who request it, based on the principle of value added services, a fundamental client relationship and branding principle.)
I’ll certainly also speak or email briefly with anyone who connects and give them some snapshot insights into my perception of their situation. This free advice can be truly useful: It will be an outsider’s first impression observation and may tell you where you need to head. Don’t worry. I never push a “sales pitch” for any of my paid services in these conversations or emails unless in rare cases I can offer more free resources which are far greater than the selling message.
This free stuff is strategic: It generally combines truly limited time and effort (the book is written, it costs just a few seconds to send the letter with the review copy) and it usually has powerful leveraging or payback opportunities. It isn’t a blind and blanket invitation for abuse or brain-picking. (The one exception is if a community or non-profit charity connects with me and seeks support. I put away all commercial considerations and figure out how I can help.)
Free Estimates doesn’t say much other than that you don’t value your estimating time. You want your clients to appreciate this is a real cost of business and that if they are simply looking for a price-shopping estimate they should pay a design fee (offset by a rebate if they go ahead with the work with you). This doesn’t mean you can’t give a brief ballpark estimate to avoid time wasting all around or you can elect to provide a free estimate for smaller projects or where you have an existing, solid relationship. But generally, you want your potential clients to connect with you for reasons other than the Free Estimate. You need your brand, reputation, and reliability to be well-established to achieve these results.
Free works from a marketing perspective, indeed. Just learn how to use the word and concept strategically. You are of course free to comment and connect with me by emailing buckshon@cnrgp.com.
