marketing retro jobs

[Mike M]

Anyone have feedback for specifically marketing/targeting the replacement of halogen bulbs with LED's? (e.g. mention on a postcard, etc.)

[INTEGRA Bespoke Lighting]

Specifically what do you want to know? Are you thinking about trying to build a market/customer base specifically around the replacement of halogen lamps with LED? I would suspect that would be pretty expensive and not all successful as most people who are involved in the biz are already offering their clients LED upgrades.

That being said, if you already have a customer base, then I cannot think of any other single sector that can add so much revenue and profit to your business.

[Viewpoint]

I've been pushing it on my clients when I do maintenance. Since I don't really do any marketing at all, I can't speak to that, but I've found most of the clients I approach about the idea seem warm to it. LEDs are no longer the unknown they were, so people already know the benefits of longer life and lower power. What they don't do the math on is the maintenance cost savings in the long run, as well as the hassle of having to change out the lamps...either themselves, or to have me out to do it. When clients entertain several times per year, and have to have me out to change out a 3-4 lamps every time, it gets old.

I don't do system relamping. I've been phasing it in, taking out a burned halogen, putting in a LED, then checking my voltages. Once I get to 2-3 LEDs on a run, it's often time to drop to a lower tap at the trannie so I don't end up frying the rest of the halogens. This way people arent throwing away good lamps, and aren't fronting the cost of lamping the system at once ("what do you mean changing out 45 bulbs will cost me $2,750?!?!). It's far easier to swallow in increments. And better job security.

[GreenLight]

Originally Posted by Viewpoint

I don't do system relamping. I've been phasing it in, taking out a burned halogen, putting in a LED, then checking my voltages. Once I get to 2-3 LEDs on a run, it's often time to drop to a lower tap at the trannie so I don't end up frying the rest of the halogens. This way people arent throwing away good lamps, and aren't fronting the cost of lamping the system at once ("what do you mean changing out 45 bulbs will cost me $2,750?!?!). It's far easier to swallow in increments. And better job security.

Im finding myself facing the reverse of this statement. You are correct, on a 30-50 light job, it's going to be a scary number that you have to show the customer but it's going to cost them a lot more if I have to do independent changes. If im changing out one lamp at a time, the only way I can justify it is by charging time + materials. I basically have to charge 45 minutes to cover my trip cost, onsite replacement and any testing needing to be done. If I add that with the cost of the LED lamp itself im already at a minimum of $100 and that's as fair as I could be. If I do that 45 times they are going to be close to $5000.00. On the other hand, I can cut that number in half if they agree to do it all at once and I can still make money.