Does paid advertising on sites like Facebook.com and?linkedin.com?work, and if they are effective, how do you ensure your investment is successful? I wish I could give you a clear-cut, 100 per cent certain answer but am afraid the indications about advertising effectiveness in this space are similar to other advertising initiatives. Success almost like a crap shoot, though experts will often tell you this or that method works effectively, only it seems hard for you (or anyone else) to replicate their success.
For example, Darren Salyer at Total Home Remodelingin Wentzville, MO, reported onremodelcrazy.com?s marketing forum (accessible only to signed up members):
I?ve been doing FB ads since Dec. 12th, to date I?ve spent 125 dollars.
I?ve gotten 84 clicks to my fan page, and 65 clicks to my website.
I?ve bid 3 jobs:
61,865 basement.
17,870 basement
4900 kitchen spruce up.
All three were bid last week and all three look good although I don?t have a signed contract yet.
All three were very accept able as being a quality lead. On my shoulders now to get them off the fence and choose me.
In further postings within the thread, he reports that the early leads have converted to profitable business.
But I haven?t seen this level of success replicated elsewhere. Other psoters say they have seen no measurable results.
Darren may be doing something special with his Facebook fan page (Facebook.com/asktotalhome) which, for some reason, I cannot see on my computer, but others have no problem visiting. You can visit his landing page by visiting the link above. He has a solid site but nothing terribly spectactular comes to mind in viewing it. (The restriction on viewing his fan page may relate to controls Darren is able to put on his site ? you can specify, for example, that only visitors from within the U.S. can see the page, and I?m based in Canada.)
Of course Darren is doing several other things right. Consider the other elements of his posting:
- Went to my first meeting with a local networking group last night. First meeting for the group and there were over 30 people there.
- I have 50000 postcards going out in direct mail to targeted demographics for what I like to do, 5 times over the next 10 months.
- Radius marketing set up for 50 homes around contracted jobs.
- Still working on wraps for my van and trailer, as well as jobsite signs.
- Still working on a website redesign.Looking at more of a blog style, with improved SEO.
- As soon as the weather breaks, new monument sign in front of the shop.
- An open house for past customers, vendors and prospects.
Really, nothing here that we all shouldn?t be doing.
I?ve resolved to be a marketing company that remodels this year.
Overall, this is an impressive package. Note that most elements within it don?t cost much, results can be measured quickly, and none of them are surprises ? information on how to do the same thing is relatively easy to find, either within the forums/sites, general Internet searching, or previous Construction Marketing Ideas blog postings.
In essense, while individual aspects of his campaign may or may not work, the total cost will be well within most smaller business?s budgets, and thus success is likely.
