We have a client that has a small handy man business that has 2 other employees. He is looking to grow his business and was looking for some marketing ideas. This is not a typical client for us we are usually dealing with professional service firms. Has anyone helped a client like this or has a similar business that could help?

In the Atlanta market there is a book that is distributed annually and service providers pay to get into it. The publisher sends out thousands of questionnaires and asks users for their feedback, based upon their feedback, they are rated. Other than the top companies the others are anonymous. If your handyman is good and gets good reviews it will explode their business.

The best place your client can focus their advertising dollars is on Real Estate agents. They are constantly in touch with your prospects and can be a great source of referrals. I recommend putting together a brochure for them and distributing it to their local offices.

A simple but effective marketing technique for a handy man business is to put a flyer in a mailbox and offer free estimates. We helped a client put a flyer together and it was amazing how successful they were. The best thing you can do which we did not is to test market the flyer for the message impact as well as making sure you do not get too many call which you can support. I would space out the flyers over time or over neighborhoods to make sure that you can handle the volume.

Have your handy man sign up with Home Depot or Lowes. We have hired subcontractors from Lowes and have been very happy with them. I do not know their cut but I do know as a consumer that it is a great piece of mind knowing that you can always go back to these stores if you are unhappy for any reason.

I think that any business that requires having someone come into your home requires a marketing campaign that focuses on referrals. Most people feel more comfortable letting people into their home when they know they were referred by someone else.

At the end of a job have your client give the person he just did work for a bunch of business cards or a flyer with a 10% discount that they can pass on to friends.

Try doing a couple of things that will help differentiate your clients business:

1. Have you client where a uniform. Perhaps a polo shirt with the company logo to build the image of the company

2. Pair up with other professional companies i.e. lawn care and offer a total home package to new home owners and make a collective brochure

Thanks for making me look good in front of my client. I went to them with a proposal incorporating some of the ideas and he was very impressed.