August 13th, 2020
2 Min Read
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“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got.”
—Henry Ford, as shared by Matt Michel
The only thing limiting a company from finding creative ways to grow and keep customers is the limits of the imagination. Matt Michel of The Service Roundtable rattled through more than 10 dozen inventive ideas to help your trade in a virtual session during Pantheon 2020, ServiceTitan’s annual conference for the trades. Here are some key takeaways:
1. Finding new customers sometimes is a matter of creative common sense.
Michel listed several methods to find and expand business, including joining a local civic club (like a Rotary) to gain referrals, making a refrigerator magnet that is a frame for school photos, and advertising in newsletters for churches or homeowners associations. “It’s remarkably affordable,” Michel says of the newsletters. “And it’s very personal.”
2. Free marketing is there for the taking.
Ideas include creating a Facebook page, Twitter account and a Pinterest board to share information and insight about your business. Michel even stressed that a YouTube channel about the service can help, even when it’s off the wall. “One company did a really bad music video,” Michel says. “It went viral in their community.”
3. The only limits to creativity are within your own mind.
One non-traditional way to market the company is outfitting performers (think musicians or jugglers) in company apparel at outdoor events. He even suggested logo'd camp chairs for customers who sign a service agreement. “When they go to their kids’ soccer game they are advertising your company,” Michel says.
4. Customers will remember that your company made the extra effort.
Pouring through old service files and calling about replacing old equipment is easy with ServiceTitan, Michel said. Giving techs a toy bag that allows children to pick a toy leaves an impression. Just as important is always making sure techs wear clean uniforms. “I know this is a no-brainer,” Michel says. “But apparently there are a number of people who don’t have brains.”
