How To Get Consistent Cashflow and Customers
Putting Yourself Out There
The big thing, especially when you’re starting out or if you’re in a dip between jobs is to consistently put yourself out there. Relying on organic methods doesn’t always work.
Search engine optimization is a great thing if you have a website but it can be very hard to get a solid return on and isn’t enough on its own. You need to modify your calendar and your workflow to consistently put yourself and your products out there.
Some free and easy ways to do this is via Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. If you’re in Canada, there is a service called Kijiji that does the same thing. It’s literally about putting out ads for whatever service you do. If you have lumber, sell it. If you have milling services, create an ad and put it out there. No matter what service it is, put it out there.
Photo Credit: @Westcoastboards
The Power of Testimonials
On your Facebook personal page, let people know you have room for a new table, a new project, or a new custom build. How you get people to buy from you is by having social proof. When you finish with a job, get a testimonial. Try to get video testimonials instead of text because video testimonials are so much more powerful than written testimonials in this day and age. People like to see people that look like them or are interested in the same products and services as them consuming and validating your product. That is the key.
Go back to your last couple of jobs and customers and say, “Hey, I’m updating my marketing. I would love to go back and take a picture of you with the product, and could I get a video testimonial from you?” That’s how you do it. Once you’ve done that, then you begin marketing your testimonial on your social media and advertise the fact that you have the ability to make more products and more people happy.
To get yourself started, the baseline is: a mailing list, testimonials from your previous customers, and those referrals that you’ve asked for. You need to consistently post on free places, and if you have the liquidity to work with, spend $100 on Instagram or Facebook advertising, or Google PPC advertising.
One person that I coach sold four tables through Tik Tok. There’s money everywhere. There are clients everywhere. You just need to put yourself out there and find them.