3 Not So Common Advertising Ideas For a Handyman Business That Won’t Cost a Dime

There are hundreds of ways to advertise a handyman business. Some methods obviously work better than others (as you can see in my monthly reports).

In this article, I’m going to discuss some ideas that are a little outside of the box but could just be those golden nuggets you’ve been searching for.

Here are 3 ideas for advertising your handyman business you may not have thought of.

#1  Hang Out with Your Customers

Last weekend a good friend of mine gave me a free ticket to a PGA golf tournament that was in an affluent part of town. I’m not a big golfer and I’ve never even considered watching a tournament. But this was a chance to experience something new, and at a minimum, a chance to have a couple of beers with my buds.

The golf course was located in one of the nicest gated communities in town, and I noticed something that seemed to be consistent with everyone in attendance – they all had money. Additionally, I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve never seen so many good-looking people.

While sipping on a Bud Light (only beer available), I couldn’t help but let my business mind go wild. I was trying desperately to figure out a way to get some of these people to hire me as their handyman. How could I effectively reach these people and get them to buy my services?

A little while later I was sitting at a table in a covered tent perched above the 18th hole green. While being surprisingly entertained at the event, an older retired dude started talking to me. The details of the conversation aren’t important, other than the fact that he was loaded. His retirement home was on one of the nicest golf courses in town inside of a gated community. This guy was definitely in my target market.

After conversing for a while, the tournament came to an end I shook the guy’s hand and went on my way. Five minutes later I realized how I could get some of these people to hire me. All I had to do was simply go where they hang out and I would naturally end up connecting with some of them. Just like all advertising, it’s a numbers game. The more interactions I have with affluent homeowners, the more of them will eventually hire me.

Looking back, I should have simply handed him my card and said “By the way, I run a handyman business in the area if you are ever in need of anything, please don’t hesitate to give me a call.”

The point of this story is that simply hanging out where your ideal customers hang out can bring in highly targeted business. Who knows, somebody you meet at an event like this could have ten friends that end up hiring you. This is a great way to penetrate a market that you otherwise couldn’t reach.

So, where does your target market hang out? Are there any events in their neighborhood that you could attend? Why not go check it out, have some fun, and grow your handyman business in the process?

#2  Recruit the Media

The concept here is to get people to talk about you and control the conversation. Getting publicity to promote a business is very common. But I don’t see many handymen taking advantage of this marketing method. It’s probably because most small business owners just don’t realize the opportunity.

Have you ever watched the Today Show and wondered why they were featuring such a lame story? I have, too many times to count. I mean, is there really nothing else to talk about where they need to interview somebody that put up a viral video about kittens? Seriously.

The reality is that finding a newsworthy story that boosts ratings can be very difficult when there are no natural disasters or celebrity mishaps to report. Journalists have to constantly research blogs, videos, magazines, and other resources in order to come up with stories. This is where your opportunity comes in.

Here’s a step-by-step process for getting a ton of publicity for free.

1. Craft an interesting story about your business. This could be one of several topics including a grand opening, job creation, anniversary, or something unique about your business. However, I recommend thinking outside of the box. Be creative. If your handyman business is unique in some way, leverage your uniqueness. Do you have a really unique service package that you offer that is nothing like the competition? Do you have a rags-to-riches story to tell? Do you give back to the community in some way?
2. Do some research. Read the newspaper or other publication you are trying to get featured in and take note of the stories that they highlight. Think about what made the editor choose the stories that he/she did. Consider any patterns that you see while cultivating your own story.
3. Write the story yourself. Now that you have a great concept and know what type of stories the publication usually features, do your best to write an intriguing article. If you’re not a writer, just gather all of the interesting details so you can present them to the journalist of your choice. Then let them do the writing.
4. Put a bow on it.  It’s going to help your chances of getting published dramatically if you have a story to offer the journalist in a neat package with a bow on top. Remember, it’s hard to find a good story. Present yours with some professional photographs, and a compelling story, and be sure to tell the journalist why your article will help them. That last one is super important. The journalist doesn’t want to help you, they want to help themselves. Help them so they can help you.

#3  Pick Up Where Home Depot Left Off

It’s no secret that Home Depot has horrible service. Sometimes I go in and have six employees say hello, but as soon as I have a question about where I can find something, there is nobody in sight. It’s like they have some kind of sixth sense that helps them avoid the customers that actually need something.

But where there are problems there is opportunity. Use their lack of service to your advantage by helping shoppers that you see struggling.

Here is a scenario that went down just the other week. I was in the hardware section and there were a couple of old ladies that clearly had no business setting foot in that store. I quickly noticed them and said, “Did you guys need help finding something?”

They were a little apprehensive at first, but they were desperate enough to say, “yes, we are looking for a screw this size for our license plate and one of those things that keeps the screws from coming loose.”

It took me about 2 seconds to find them their screw and split washer and they were grateful for my assistance. So I said, “by the way, I run a handyman business. Here is my card. If you need anything in the future, please give me a call.”

I haven’t heard from them yet, but I have heard of others gaining business this way. The key here is to find customers that are halfway through a project and are in over their heads. Let them know that you have dealt with that problem before and you would be happy to help them. Easy sale.

The trick is not to look like you are desperate for work. If you are over-eager it will throw up red flags. So, simply let them know that if they want to hire you to help them, you have a couple of openings in the next week. Nobody trusts a handyman with an empty schedule.