[Greenbuilding] Venetian plaster business advice

[Joseph Heidebrecht]

I'm a small scale, independent contractor in the bay area, transitioning 
from "straight" house painting to natural lime paint and plaster decorative 
finishes. I've sourced materials from local businesses and manufacturers and 
even managed to make a living the last 9 years without resorting to an 
automobile.  Unfortunately, my established client base is largely unaware of 
terms like " integrally pigmented", "mineral finishes", or even "venetian 
plaster". They also tend to be looking for a deal rather than an upscale 
wall treatment. I've landed a couple of great jobs with a young architect 
from Olle Lundberg's office and a creative realtor, but am confounded by the 
months long lag time between them. My question to you all is simply -  what 
can a small time contractor emphasizing sustainable materials do to promote 
his business and find new clients?
Thanks for your consideration,
Joseph

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