HERS Rating is a rewarding industry that presents many unique challenges for those who choose to start their own Rater business. You as the rater are the business, and you are selling your knowledge and skills as a service. Below are some HERS Rater marketing tips and strategies to help you grow your business and reach your audience.

1. DO start with the basics

• Solidify your company’s mission, vision, and values. This is your chance to stand out; why should a builder, architect, or engineering firm choose you? Everything you do within your company should align with these principles, helping to keep everyone on the same page as you grow.

2. DO develop a marketing strategy and set annual goals

• This will help you to stay on track with your marketing objectives and deadlines. Staying organized is key to ensuring the long-term success of your business, and there are plenty of online tools that can be used to keep track of aspects such as email, social media, and print materials, for example.

3. DO utilize social media

• Over 4 billion people use social media every day across the globe. It is one of the cheapest and highest-reach tools available for marketing. Social media is easily accessible for most people, and there are plenty of free online tools to help with learning how to maximize your social media impact.

4. DO address pain points

• What do your clients struggle with that your services help resolve? Focus on your expertise and what you can do to alleviate these pain points. Addressing these helps clients feel more confident in using your services.

5. DO use multimedia as much as you are able to

• Using video, graphics, and audio can help appeal to a broader range of people. It can seem like a lot of work and involve skillsets you don’t have, but modern technology has made this more accessible than ever. All of these can be created easily with your smartphone!

6. DON’T over-commit yourself

• Too many marketing platforms can be extremely overwhelming. Identify the best platforms, strategies, and media that work best for YOU and stick to those. You can always grow in the future with new platforms and potentially expand and have someone dedicated to marketing!

• 7. DON’T be afraid to seek help from a marketing firm

  • People have strengths in different areas, and it’s okay to recognize that marketing might not be up your alley. Utilizing a marketing firm may seem like a tough cost to justify, but it could be a strong investment in the future success of your company.

  • 8. DON’T market to everyone

    • Develop “Buyer Persona(s)” of your ideal clientele. Each persona will have optimal ways of marketing to them, and this helps you better organize your efforts and focus your creativity on certain areas. (This free resource from HubSpot provides a great template to get started!)

    • 9. DON’T focus only on sales

      • Sales are not directly equal to marketing. Although the two often work together, marketing encompasses more than telling people to use your service. Marketing objectives fall into 3 core categories: 1) Brand Recognition – getting people to become familiar with your business, 2) Sales – growing your business and reaching new heights, and 3) Market Share – how much of an impact you have in your field in your area.

      • 10. DON’T fall behind the times

        • Marketing is constantly evolving and it’s important to keep up to reach your intended audience most effectively. Use your network to keep up with local trends, and always be on the lookout for new national trends, tech, strategies, and resources that could be valuable in boosting your efforts.

Why not start TODAY?

This is not a comprehensive list, but it provides great information for Raters to get started in their marketing efforts. Growing your business is never easy, and it requires expansion into areas and skills that may seem uncomfortable. Pouring time, effort, and money into marketing may seem daunting, but the rewards and growth of your business will be more than worth the investment.