I’ve Only Ever Drank One Drop Of Beer In My Life—But I’ve Seen All The TV Commercials…
Branding Isn’t Just For The Huge, Deep-Pocketed National Brands.
Here’s A Six-Step Plan For Beating Goliath At His Own Game.
Written by Rich Harshaw.
NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ALLOWED ON THE BEACH.
The sign must have blended into the background as my kids and I walked out of our condo toward the beach in Oceanside, California a few years ago while vacationing there for spring break. I never even noticed it. But my nine-year-old son certainly saw it. And apparently, for some reason, it got some gears spinning in his head—and spawned an interesting set of questions:
Nine-Year-Old Son: “How come you’re not allowed to have alcohol on the beach?”
Me: “Because it makes people do stupid things; besides, glass bottles might break and cut people’s feet.”
Nine-Year-Old Son: “Oh. (pause; thinking) Have you ever drunk beer before?”
That question’s not as off-kilter as you might think. See, as a lifelong Mormon, I don’t drink alcohol of any kind, and I never have—not even once. Well, almost.
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What If Your Repeat & Referral Business Was Actually SLOWING The Growth Of Your Business?
The Biggest Barrier To Growing Your Company Might Be Tied To The Way You Think About Your Easiest Home Improvement Leads.
Written by Rich Harshaw.
Let’s start with a question: As a contractor, how much should you spend on marketing, as a percentage of sales?
Ten years ago, the most common answer I’d hear from remodelers was 10%. So in other words, if a company was selling $100,000 a month, they’d shoot for a $10,000 monthly marketing budget. A $4 million dollar company would budget $400,000 for marketing and advertising.
More recently that percentage, on average, has gone up even higher. 12% to 15% is pretty common… and many spend even more than that—up to 20%. Home improvement lead generation has definitely gotten more expensive, and since leads are the lifeblood of a business… well… you gotta do what you gotta do.
But whenever this question of budget as a percentage of sales comes up, there are always a handful of companies that shudder at the notion of 10%; for this select group, even 5% seems like way too much for a contractor’s marketing budget. They give me answers like 2% or 3%… and seem outraged at the thought of spending a penny more.
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What Would Happen If A Football Team Decided That’s They’d NEVER Punt On 4th Down?
How To Get Ahead By Throwing Tradition In The Toilet
And Running Roughshod Over The Status Quo.
Written by Rich Harshaw.
Note: This article is part of Monopolize Your Marketplace’s ongoing “Outside The Box” series, which feature ideas, strategies, and case studies from OUTSIDE the remodeling industry, with suggestions of how to implement those ideas into your business.
Forget about the 1980 “Miracle on Ice,” or Joe Montana and “The Catch” in 1982. The most fascinating sports story in the last fifty years comes from Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Sure, their 124-22 record since 2003 is impressive. And their three state championships during the same span is noteworthy. But what makes this team utterly captivating is the WAY they play the game.
Kevin Kelly, Pulaski’s head coach, got the seemingly crazy idea in 2005 to completely give up on punting… in favor of going for first or the touchdown on every single fourth down, regardless of field position, game situation, or score of the game.
Turns out, the idea wasn’t so crazy after all!
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