It seems like most contractors wait until they are out of work until they start advertising but by then it is too late. You have to advertise when the pipeline is full.

I think the yellow pages are a thing of the past. I spent $6k a year 3 years in row on a Dex add only to wear out tires and waste time. Every year the add rep would have a lame excuse as to why it didnt work out but the fact is there people did the add every year and they were not willing to put there money where there mouth is. I told them at the renewal time for the 4th year to run the add for free and cut it off after 6 months I would either start paying or let it go, but they were not willing to do that, If it was working obviously I would not let them shut it off (An expansion line seperate from our main number). I have found activly bidding public projects has been my greatest lead generator. Many generals do alot of private work as well as public and it provides a way to be introduced to those private jobs if you provide a quality service in the public sector. And just flat cold calling makeing the phone ring can be productive aswell. Incidently, I spent $30k on 2 F-150's and lettered them up cleanly and profesionally and have generated over $250 in sales off those 2 trucks alone.

Isn’t that the truth?, Robert

wawrecker,

You bring up some interesting points. Because of the internet, I do believe the yellow pages are a thing of the past. They are expensive and the most likely calls that you get from them are the homeowners with a detached garage or a playhouse. Every once in awhile you would get a call from an out of state contractor that just started a fast track project and they are already in town starting.

Obviously bidding projects is one of the biggest lead generators. Just keeping your name in front of the generals is on of the biggest things.

Do you guys also use your websites to you promote your website on your trucks, business cards, bid proposals, etc?

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This has been and probably will always be a relationship based industry. If you take a look at the most successful contractors in this industry they always have a roster of key clients which keep them working. You can also see it in consolidations when one company buys out another company. The acquirer might get the equipment and personnel but without the key relationships they don't really have squat. You can't have your new corporate salesman all of a sudden call on a 30 year client and say "Hiya buddy let's go play golf!"
Networking is by far and away the best marketing out there and in terms of expenditures vs. revenues it is really cheap.

I agree, Robert. I get a lot of my work through competitive bids, but its the relatonships I have developed over the last twenty years that reaps the most in good paying contracts.
I just made some nice business cards though. (I did it online for less than 35 bucks. I told ya'll I was cheap).