So many of the people who I connect with every day on my Facebook page are small business owners. Many of you are in my industry of painting, home decorating, faux finishing and furniture painting! Many of you are just starting out in my industry and I want to HELP YOU by letting you in on a marketing secret for our industry! After 13 years in this business….. I know something about our business cycle!
THIS is the time of year to start spending $$ on marketing. And by “marketing”, I mean signs on your vehicle, colored brochures, Facebook ads, a decent camera for photos, etc. (I give you tons of other tips on my marketing video which is for sale at http:www.themagicbrushinc/diy-training).
Here are the main reasons why spending some money in EARLY SPRING pays off:
- The holidays are over. Decorations have come down. Houses feel ” bare” to our ideal clients. They aren’t bare…but they feel like it. Therefore, they want “something” to get rid of the bare. “Something” is a new piece of furniture. Or a wall treatment. Or a cabinet redo.
- January bills for holiday spending have come in and been paid….so after this month, finances return to “normal” for a lot of people…. which frees up discretionary income again.
- The Parade of Homes is just around the corner. As is the Home Show (by the way, I am a guest speaker at the Kansas City Home and Garden Show in Kansas City. Who is coming to see me??). The parade and the shows give people the “itch” to update their homes.
- Spring fever has set in. People feel restless, they are needing change, they are tired of being cooped up in their houses.
- The “color of the year” has been announced and you will see it turning up in small doses in magazines, home decor and clothing! Spring clothing is coming out in new color lines and patterns. It all ties back in to our homes and the color palettes there. People are thinking outside the box in the spring! They will consider new things because they see new things popping up all around them.
- Tax refunds are beginning to come in for people! They have cash to spend.
Because your ideal clients are experiencing some/all of the feelings above …. they WILL work on their homes this spring. It only makes sense for you to be advertising so they can find you. You need to be busy painting furniture pieces and be making decision that will get your work in front of your ideal client.
I have watched the business cycle for 13 years in my business. I see it every year. From now until July (when things slow down due to family vacations, school shopping and sports) our “industry” will be booming. Be prepared for a busy spring by having your marketing materials in place.
And if you aren’t good at marketing, hire someone who is. Delegation is key to running a business (watch my video on delegation here). All the talent in the world will not get seen if you don’t advertise and market yourself.
So try something new this spring.
Spend a few dollars INVESTING in your business and your future.
Stay aggressively ahead of your competition on the marketing curve.
And have a prosperous spring!
Many blessings,
Jennifer
Thank you Jennifer! I’m just starting out on a new venture and this is great advice!