• MISTAKES EVERY CONTRACTOR MAKES

  • An effective ad is actually not designed to tell the world about your greatness.  An ad isn’t about you; it’s about your prospective customers.  Your ad should deliver a compelling message that causes the reader to call you.  Don’t un-sell your services with the wrong kind of ad.
  • a poor construction company logo created by the contractor or an enthusiastic amateur;
  • the company name hogs precious ad space (name recognition without sales = bankruptcy);
  • an unappealing color scheme;
  • a mix of several different fonts;
  • a silly pun in the ad copy (as if consumers demand witty contractors);
  • a picture of your service fleet (which will give the automatic visual impression that you sell work vans instead of construction services);
  • technical buzzwords (which the average person will not understand or care about);
  • manufacturers’ logos (you’re paying to promote yourself, not someone else);
  • the phrase “Discount Prices” (consumers who want quality will call someone else);
  • the phrase “Best Prices” (doesn’t everyone claim this?);
  • the phrase “No Job Too Small” (which will send your big-ticket clients looking for someone who can handle their project);
  • a weak premise, such as “Here’s a great deal!”;
  • the lack of an attention-grabbing, compelling headline;
  • no solutions proposed for common issues;
  • no list of features or benefits of your services;
  • no sense of urgency (why not just say “Please call us sometime”?);
  • no call to action; and
  • the phrase “Satisfaction Guaranteed” (as if you’re bragging that you won’t make the customer unhappy).