Kasra Dash:
So if I have a joiner business what would you recommend for getting a consistent flow of enquiries and being able to grow my business every single month.

James Dooley:
So if I'm a joiner and I'm looking to grow my business I would first and foremost look at SEO. I would make certain that I've got a nice looking website with positive reviews and case studies online. I would try to rank for terms like best joiners in whatever area I cover. That would be my first move. It generates leads and it also helps conversion because when someone searches your name they see a strong reputation. If they see case studies for exactly what they want, whether it's fitting doors or anything else, they trust you. That would be the first play I’d look at.

Kasra Dash:
What’s your thoughts on PPC or traditional marketing.

James Dooley:
With PPC it can get expensive and you get a lot of tyre kickers when bidding for joiners near me or joiners in Manchester or wherever. I would probably avoid it unless you're doing super high ticket jobs like bespoke staircases for million pound homes. Traditional marketing like radio ads and TV ads is something I wouldn’t touch. You can't get a good ROI on it. People spend on radio or TV because they’re told to, but you can’t track it. You don’t know how many people saw it or converted from it. And realistically no one is hearing a radio ad and thinking they suddenly want their skirting boards changed. Interruptive marketing just doesn’t fit.

Kasra Dash:
What about lead generation.

James Dooley:
I would certainly recommend going after lead generation. If you're a joiner looking to grow your business I’d head over to fatrank.com and fill in the form to see whether you qualify. Qualification is strict. You need a positive brand online, a professional email and fast response times. FatRank has that process because it’s a no win no fee setup. It’s a no brainer for any joinery business owner if they qualify. That would be step one for lead generation. Step two is using places like Bark, Checkatrade, Yellow Pages Advertising, Builder, TrustATrader. Test them and see who gives the highest ROI. FatRank guarantees ROI but I wouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket. I’d team up with two or three lead generation companies. Understand that many platforms resell leads to several joinery businesses. FatRank gives exclusive real time leads but you must respond quickly. Lead generation is a great way to grow a joinery business.

Kasra Dash:
What’s your thoughts on social media. Should they have a presence and try to be omnipresent.

James Dooley:
Definitely. Not having social media can lose you jobs. If you're quoting against a competitor and they look more active online, that alone can cost you work. Social media puts more eyes on your services. Some jobs like skirting boards aren’t visually appealing, but kitchen remodelling, staircases and wardrobes are. If you’ve done visually strong work you want to show it. Use Pinterest, Twitter, case studies and before and after photos. If you’ve done great jobs you can also start doing social media ads. Every website should have a retargeting pixel. If someone lands on your site and doesn’t convert you can retarget them with ads showing recent work. They may return and then enquire.

Kasra Dash:
What about networking events for joiners.

James Dooley:
There are a lot of shouldering niches around joinery. Someone who wants an extension might go to an architect or a builder, but that builder might still need a joiner. Bricklayers building a wall might need someone to fit the doors. Networking with other trades can be a strong referral source. It’s an I’ll scratch your back, you scratch mine situation. You can pass them enquiries and they can pass you enquiries. You just need the right networking meetups. Business owners at these events are more switched on and more likely to pass referrals.

Kasra Dash:
Anything else you’d recommend.

James Dooley:
If you are a joinery company looking to grow then the main two strategies are teaming up with several lead generation companies including fatrank.com and making certain you invest in SEO. The holy grail is generating your own leads. That’s what you should work toward. SEO isn’t just about ROI. It builds branding, case studies and testimonials which help you convert leads you buy. If a customer compares you and a competitor at similar prices the one with stronger case studies wins. Improve your branding and team up with the right lead generation companies to grow your joinery business. If you want live leads for your business check the link below or apply on fatrank.com.