Do you know how to market your investigation business? While most PIs are experts in their respective specializations, few understand how to succeed in business. Even fewer can grow their agencies to reach full potential, with most falling far short of this goal.
Fortunately, it is easy to learn what needs to be done in order to market your detective agency and give it the nurturing care it requires in order to prosper long-term.
This post details some great tips for marketing a detective business. We will discuss advertising, networking and other strategies that will help you to succeed now and far into the future as a private eye.
Market Your Investigation Business with Advertising
Traditional forms of advertising are virtually useless to professional investigators. Ads in the phone book, bill boards, print media ads and visual or auditory ads are just not effective. There are tons of research statistics to back this truth up, as well as the experience of many frustrated detectives who have tried these ideas to market their business.
However, the exception to the rule of ineffective advertising is internet ads. Virtually everyone in the world now turns to the internet when searching for products or services. Professional investigation services are certainly no exception to this rule. However, which web ads work and which tend to cost more than they are worth? After all, investigation agencies do not really benefit from brand recognition that can be used to justify other types of product or service ads that DO NOT generate direct income. If your ad fails to bring in money, then what is the point?
We have found that the best internet ads for private investigators fall into 2 categories. The first are business profile listings on niche websites. These pages allow you to list and detail your business on websites that specifically cater to an audience of people who are actively searching for investigative services. We are proud that our own Private Investigator Directory was the VERY FIRST of these sites and continues to be the very best one in the world today. We are proud to help you to market your business inexpensively and without any recurring fees.
The second type of web-based ads that can work are sponsored ads on web search and social networking sites. These ads take a lot of research and trial and error to make them work for most businesses. When optimized, they can be very effective. However, most people waste far more money than they make and quickly abandon their ad campaigns once they prove fruitless. If you are an expert at SEO and web advertising, then you will have much better luck pursuing this avenue of advertising. If not, be prepared to waste LOTS of money learning…
Promote Your Investigation Business with Networking
In order to make your business grow to its full potential, you can not be an island adrift in the expanse of the proverbial economic ocean. You must connect with related professionals in the legal professions and use these connections for mutually-beneficial arrangements. The type of connections which will prove the most valuable to you depends on your areas of focus in your business. However, some of the most common beneficial networking opportunities include connecting with:
- Attorneys
- Process Servers
- Bail Bonds Agents
- Police and other Law Enforcement
- Military Personnel
- Fire Department Personnel
- Court officials
- General government workers
- Unions
- Special interest groups
- Political lobbies
- Insurance agencies
Market Your Investigation Business with Referrals
A happy client is your best source of recommendations. If you do great work, word will get around organically, although this takes time and might be difficult to capitalize on in certain detective niches (such as those where clients prefer to remain anonymous).
Always ask your clients to recommend you and review your services on popular online platforms. Although this type of marketing is indirect, and might take time to pay dividends, direct referrals and recommendations are THE MOST sincere form of advertising and are difficult for new prospective clients to ignore.
Likewise, do everything in your power not to have problems with customers, as these clients can provide bad reviews and negative comments about you and your business. Never underestimate the impact of negativity, especially in a written review. This speaks volumes, since someone actually took the time to talk bad about you, which means to others reading it that the interaction was more than just unsatisfying. Instead, it must have been truly terrible and worth a warning to others…
In summary, BE great and you will DO great. This industry really does not have room for lackluster professional investigators anyway. What we do is far too important! Be the best you can be and do not be afraid to tell everyone that you are the best! Back up your claims with results and others will sing your praises for you. Your business will grow and you will be successful. It really can be that simple.