Why Good Marketing Makes Everything Easier

I used to think that the best way to grow a handyman business was to become the most skilled and knowledgeable handyman.

After all, it seemed to make sense that the more skills I had, the more demand there would be for my services, and as a result, the more profitable my business would become.

There is some truth to that.

But, as I realized later, your success in this business is not a direct result of your skills or expertise. It’s more closely tied to your ability to communicate those skills and expertise to your customers.

Even if you are the best handyman in your city, it won’t matter if you can’t demonstrate that to others. Conversely, if you are the worst handyman in your city, but you can convince customers otherwise, you can still run a profitable business.

That’s fortunate for me, too, because I’m NOT the best handyman in my city. Not by a long shot. The only real experience I had before starting my business was doing a few small repairs on my own home.

Customers weren’t flocking to me when I told them I was opening my business, either. In fact, some of my good friends continued to hire another handyman after I started my business.

Even my friends didn’t want to hire me!

I’m actually thankful for that, too. The struggle to get customers pushed me to really master my marketing. And as a result, my business became far more profitable and enjoyable than it would have otherwise been.

Good marketing makes running a business a breeze. And it’s worth investing your time and money to learn. In fact, It will likely be the most profitable thing you do.

Here are a few reasons why…

#1 – Eliminate Free Quotes

If you focus on small repairs and maintenance like I do, spending your time doing free, in-person quotes is usually a big waste of time. The size of the jobs doesn’t justify the time investment (unless you are just getting started).

But, the only way to stop giving free quotes and still keep your schedule filled is to have more leads coming in than you need. That way you can afford to lose a few jobs here and there without hurting your income.

How do you generate more leads than you need? Good Marketing.

#2 – More Profitable Jobs

The more leads you have coming in, the more jobs you have to choose from and the pickier you can be on which jobs you accept. You can just stick to your most profitable jobs, or you can only accept jobs within a few miles of your house.

You’re no longer stuck working for customers who don’t value your time. You can fire those customers.

Additionally, good marketing will position you as the go-to expert in the services that you offer, increasing the perceived value of your services and allowing you to charge more for your time.

#3 – Smaller Service Area

When I started my handyman business I would drive as far as I had to in order to get jobs, even for customers who lived an hour away. That’s because I needed every job I could get.

But, as time went on, and my website started generating more leads for me, I was able to stop doing this. I even had to fire a few good customers because they lived too far away and it was no longer worth my time to drive that far.

I significantly reduced my service area, and as a result, was able to spend less time driving and more time doing handyman services and actually making money.

#4 – More Positive Outlook

Good marketing gives you more choices in who you work for and what services you offer. According to Charles Duhigg’s book, “Smarter, Faster, Better,” the feeling of having a choice in your business has been linked to increased productivity and work satisfaction.

And this really isn’t a surprise either. When you feel in control and things are going well, you tend to feel happier. Work is more enjoyable.

And looking back at my 9-5, I think this was a big reason I was so unsatisfied. I didn’t feel like I had a choice about what I did, where I worked, or even how I did my work. Now I do, and I’m much happier.

#5 – Power Over Your Pricing

When you lack customers, it becomes infinitely more challenging to demand a high rate. How can you when you need every job that comes your way? The fear of losing a job will cause you to second guess their pricing and inevitably underbid jobs.

What if the customers say you are too expensive? What if you raise your rates and lose your best customers? Then who will hire you? What if you stop getting as many referrals when your rates go up?

These questions can kill your profitability and cause you to leave a lot of money on the table.

But again, when you have the safety net of consistent leads coming in, these questions are silenced. Who cares if a customer says you’re too expensive? Let them go find a cheaper option while you work for customers who actually respect your time.

#6 – Higher Customer Trust

Good marketing pre-sells your services before you even make contact with a potential customer. It builds trust, and when a customer trusts you, they let down their guard. They aren’t so worried about getting screwed by another contractor.

This makes it much easier to close the sale and helps you enjoy working for them. They’ll be less likely to question your pricing, and they won’t be breathing down your neck while you are trying to work.

Yet another way that good marketing makes your business easier and more enjoyable.

#7 – Good Marketing Helps Your Customers

Most people who avoid sales and marketing do so because they think it’s a dirty subject. Like it’s a zero-sum game and you’re taking away from the customer by selling them something.

But, only bad marketing does that. Good marketing actually helps the customer.

In the case of a handyman business, it helps customers find you. It helps customers make a decision on who to hire. And, if you’ve done really well, good marketing will educate your customers to make better decisions that actually improve their homes and their lives.

Conclusion

Good marketing is really the foundation to a profitable and sustainable business, and it’s what differentiates the highly profitable handyman businesses from those that struggle to turn a profit.

The good news is that marketing isn’t some magical or illusive concept. It’s not some innate skill that you either have or you don’t. Just like most things, it can be learned.

With just a bit of time, effort, focus, and avoiding pitfalls, you can literally double the profits by learning this essential skill.