My spare time offline biz....

If you are anything like me, sitting in front of a computer from dawn to dusk and beyond will drive you up the wall after a while. That's why I still like to go out and get my hands dirty working in the brick and mortar (plaster) world now and then.

Offline, I'm a drywaller/plasterer/painter. I have several general contractors who hire me on a subcontract basis to provide their clients with smooth painted walls for their renovation projects.

Recently I ran a small space ad in the home services section of a local weekly newspaper with lukewarm results. The ad cost about $60, I recieved 8 calls, and did 2 small jobs for a total of $800 in my pocket. Not bad when you consider the ROI for advertising.

But that was not enough. I knew there was more I could do to get more business. Here's what I did:

I ran the exact same ad in the same section of the same newspaper, but with one difference... At the bottom of the ad I added this:

Know anyone who
needs Drywall or
Painting done?

We'll pay you $50+
for any referrals
resulting in
new clients!

It cost me an extra $20 for the space that the extra wording used. I recieved over 30 responses to the ad - got 3 new clients as a direct result of the ad, PLUS, I did 7 estimates and got 4 of those as new clients as a result of referrals from others.

A very simple referral generating technique that is so effective, yet used so little offline (for this type of business in my area at least).

People probably saw the ad the first time and said "hmmm, nope - don't need my house painted". But after seeing the ad the second time said "nope - don't need my house painted, but I know my neighbour John does, and if I refer him I'll earn a cool $50 just for telling him!"

It's Leverage. I'm not an expert on the subject, just a student of marketing. Offered people an incentive to pass my name around that's all.

Now, in order for my offline business to grow properly, I'm forced to use the "Leverage" thing again. After a few weeks of running the new ad on a regular basis, I've had to sub out several jobs to other drywallers and painters, many of whom were running ads in the same section of the same paper I advertised in!

I still get my hands dirty from time to time, but now I have about 2 dozen or so people passing my business cards on to their friends and associates, who in turn do the same. I have lot's of paperwork, and business management stuff to do as a result of all this new work...

Which puts me back in front of this computer. Hmmm, so much for trying to get out of the house and away from the darn thing eh?

Paul