First, I recommend that your client focus on building partnerships with other businesses in related industries. For example, they could approach interior designers, real estate agents, or property management companies to offer their painting services as a value-add to their clients. This can help them tap into a new pool of potential clients and increase their visibility.

Next, consider implementing a referral program for their existing clients. Happy customers are often the best advocates for a business, and incentivizing them to refer their friends and family can help generate new leads.

Another strategy could be to identify niches within the painting industry and market directly to those segments. For example, they could focus on industrial painting for warehouses or specialized coatings for healthcare facilities. This can help them differentiate themselves from their competitors and target a more specific clientele.

Additionally, your client could explore offline marketing tactics, such as branding their vehicles with their logo and contact information, participating in local community events, or even cold-calling potential clients. These methods may be less scalable than online advertising, but can still be effective in generating leads.

Finally, I recommend that your client consider implementing the AIDA (Awareness-Interest-Desire-Action) framework in their marketing strategy. This involves creating content and messaging that moves potential clients through each stage of the buying journey, from becoming aware of your brand, to developing an interest in your services, to desiring to work with you, and finally taking action to book a consultation or service.

Overall, by building partnerships, incentivizing referrals, targeting specific niches, exploring offline marketing, and implementing the AIDA framework, your client can take steps to overcome their challenge of finding new clients in the painting industry.