Robert's First Town Hall Meeting

[Robert Armerding]

Welcome to my first town hall meeting here on Signs101.

Today’s topic is “Zero Cost Marketing.”

First, let’s define marketing. It has two distinct parts. First, finding new clients. Second, retaining your clients, especially your ideal clients.

A little more on defining marketing. As I understand marketing, there are five strategies. 1) Pricing, 2) Distribution, 3) Branding, 4) Relationship, and 5) Social.

That gives you the starting points. Let me ask you, do you have any interest in any of those starting points?

 

[unclebun]

Price strategy for zero cost marketing.

 

[Johnny Best]

So you would have to have a business mind for pricing and distribution. A talent of art for branding and a good personality for relationships. To keep that all at Zero cost it would have to be done by the owner of the business.

 

[Robert Armerding]

unclebun Thank you for your interest and question. Price can become a distinct competitive advantage. If you are able to produce a sign product at a price that your clients recognize as being fair, that often becomes a talk trigger. They tell their business friends and that becomes your zero cost marketing. There is more to it. Let me stop for a moment and let you respond. How do you see it?

 

[Robert Armerding]

So you would have to have a business mind for pricing and distribution. A talent of art for branding and a good personality for relationships. To keep that all at Zero cost it would have to be done by the owner of the business.

Johnny Best Can you think of any examples in your own sign business experience where zero cost marketing really worked well?

 

[Johnny Best]

“Word of mouth” marketing. I understand that. I learned at a young age that the word of mouth hype of a certain new kid could pitch at 80mph. Batted against him and he threw a straight fastball that can be hit a long way.
You have to back up that talk because it will be found out about your work in a short period of time.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

I don't think that competing with price is a good strategy. You really want to do everything that you can to get someone sold before quoting. Plus, the word of mouth thing is the best way to get new clients and you don't want the word to be that guy is cheap. Then you end up with a client list full of cheap sh!theads.

 

[Robert Armerding]

“Word of mouth” marketing. I understand that. I learned at a young age that the word of mouth hype of a certain new kid could pitch at 80mph. Batted against him and he threw a straight fastball that can be hit a long way.
You have to back up that talk because it will be found out about your work in a short period of time.

Johnny Best Yes, for sure, "Word of mouth" marketing that is "backed up" is at the center of Zero Cost Marketing. Let me bring up two items. First, we can just wait and hope that "Word of mouth" will happen, or we can deliberately find appropriate ways to encourage it. Second, we now have online "Word of mouth." Online reviews seem to be a difficult matter for many sign shops. Johnny Best do you have online reviews?

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Online reviews aren't word of mouth.

 

[Robert Armerding]

I don't think that competing with price is a good strategy. You really want to do everything that you can to get someone sold before quoting. Plus, the word of mouth thing is the best way to get new clients and you don't want the word to be that guy is cheap. Then you end up with a client list full of cheap sh!theads.

Notarealsignguy Thank you for your input. Very much appreciated. Pricing, for most sign shops, is quite challenging. As you say, "get someone sold before quoting" is the best way. Let me back up. When I talk about competitive pricing, I want to be clear that your profit must come first. If you are able to offer competitive pricing and still produce a good bottom line, then you have an advantage. Does that make sense?

 

[Robert Armerding]

Online reviews aren't word of mouth.

Notarealsignguy Okay, what would you call them?

 

[Johnny Best]

No reviews for me Robert.

 

[Robert Armerding]

No reviews for me Robert.

Johnny Best I thought you had a sign shop. Then again, maybe you would rather not say. Anyway, if you have no reviews, but you enjoy word of mouth, that is quite an accomplishment.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Notarealsignguy Thank you for your input. Very much appreciated. Pricing, for most sign shops, is quite challenging. As you say, "get someone sold before quoting" is the best way. Let me back up. When I talk about competitive pricing, I want to be clear that your profit must come first. If you are able to offer competitive pricing and still produce a good bottom line, then you have an advantage. Does that make sense?

Yes, I think we are on the same page here and agree.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Reviews are reviews. Word of mouth is someone actually telling another person about your business. I don't really know how effective that online reviews are for B2B shops, it seems to do more for retail business and B2C which many sign shops are not. I'm not saying that it doesn't do anything but it's not something I would heavily focus on. After 12 years, we got our first review last week and I'm pretty sure it was actually our lawn guy, not a customer.
For almost free marketing, business owners should try to carve out 1 day a week to go make sales calls. Map it out, take notes and follow up.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

You're an hour and 20 minutes into your "town hall"... how do you think it's going?

 

[Robert Armerding]

Reviews are reviews. Word of mouth is someone actually telling another person about your business. I don't really know how effective that online reviews are for B2B shops, it seems to do more for retail business and B2C which many sign shops are not. I'm not saying that it doesn't do anything but it's not something I would heavily focus on. After 12 years, we got our first review last week and I'm pretty sure it was actually our lawn guy, not a customer.
For almost free marketing, business owners should try to carve out 1 day a week to go make sales calls. Map it out, take notes and follow up.

Notarealsignguy Let me give you an example of a sign shop that does phenomenally well with online reviews. Take a look at FastSigns. Let me say right here, for my own business, I do not serve franchises. Yet, when I look at sign shop reviews, most often the FastSigns store is way out in front of competitors. They get way more reviews and, in almost all cases, the owner of the store replies to the reviews. Then again, on the opposite extreme, there are busy sign shops that don't even claim the listing. They basically ignore the listing. For me, if a shop gets online reviews from loyal clients, I am adamant that they should respond. That is just the way I see it.

 

[Robert Armerding]

You're an hour and 20 minutes into your "town hall"... how do you think it's going?

Texas_Signmaker Thank you for your interest and question. I am pleased that there has been some thoughtful action.

 

[Johnny Best]

I am not looking for any more work, I have to much now. Been doing it for way to long.
Robert like the new beard, your rockin it.

 

[Robert Armerding]

I am not looking for any more work, I have to much now. Been doing it for way to long.
Robert like the new beard, your rockin it.

Johnny Best, Good for you. That is wonderful. On my beard, I often apologize, "Sorry, I forgot to shave this morning. I will try to better tomorrow."