What Advertising Method???

[Haskell]

Hi,

Just a general question really.

What Advertising Method do you think is the best and worst.

Everybody raves about online advertising, google adwords etc but I have always found it to be V. Expensive without bringing many customers.

Yellow pages used to bring in lots of business but only just about covers the ad cost now.

Local papers = absolute crap!

Don't know what else to try! Radio?

What do you find works best???

 

[Chrisgy]

Local paper is best by far for me. Delivering leaflets didn't work well, 1 customer and 2 quotes out of 750 leaflets

 

[Kareen Gordon]

hey take a look at the thread I posted yesterday about the same thing the guys there gave me some really good advice

 

[grahamgas]

I have a website, business cards in all the local shops, merchants etc and I am on checkatrade.
Business is booming.
Never believd in yellow pages, as my business title starts with an L, so always going to be the middle of the section.

 

[cdodds2004]

local rag works well for me, aswell as cards, small advert in yell is good because u can link ur site to it and help it get recognised by google

 

[cdodds2004]

I have a website, business cards in all the local shops, merchants etc and I am on checkatrade.
Business is booming.
Never believd in yellow pages, as my business title starts with an L, so always going to be the middle of the section.

#

does checkatrade work i was thinking of giving that a go?

 

[ManchesterGas]

I was invited to advertise in the local golf club magazine by one of the members so that should be up and printed soon.

I've had 3 jobs in as many weeks through google local, not signed up to adwords.

Have just today set up facebook & twitter pages and website is in the process of being set up, Coming soon - Manchester Gas



Fingers crossed for the future!

 

[SimonG]

I know it doesn't help if just starting out but the top advertising for me is reputation and recommendation. I have my weekly ad in the local paper, which does work and extends my customer base. But I must admit most of my work is repeat, through 'you did a job for so and so', through a bit of subbing and at the minute through a local builder who has stopped doing his own plumbing works and now puts me in touch direct with his custs.

 

[Guest123]

Local paper is best by far for me. Delivering leaflets didn't work well, 1 customer and 2 quotes out of 750 leaflets

Can you show a sample of your leaflet mate? I get most of my work through leaflet drops in carefully targeted areas. Of course recomendations gives repeat business too.

Response to a leaflet drop will vary and depends on many factors, such as quality of the leaflet, product you are advertising and what area you are targeting. A response rate of 2% per thousand leaflets or 20 calls per thousand leaflets is a normal response. Doesn't sound a lot, but if you're advertising a bathroom or a wetroom and close the sale on 10 out of the 20 responses, it becomes more than worthwhile.

 

[TFGplumbing]

A5 Leaflets(think it was A5) have worked reasonably well for me I have had about a 1-3 % return rate. Still need more work though. Iam finding times really hard though atm. I always think though if i can scrape a living in this current economic climate i can look foward to alot more prosper further down the line!

 

[dancinplumba]

Can you show a sample of your leaflet mate? I get most of my work through leaflet drops in carefully targeted areas. Of course recomendations gives repeat business too.

Response to a leaflet drop will vary and depends on many factors, such as quality of the leaflet, product you are advertising and what area you are targeting. A response rate of 2% per thousand leaflets or 20 calls per thousand leaflets is a normal response. Doesn't sound a lot, but if you're advertising a bathroom or a wetroom and close the sale on 10 out of the 20 responses, it becomes more than worthwhile.

take note chrisgy our sys really knows his stuff

just for goodness sake dont mention the word that starts with 'f' and end in 'is'

 

[dontknowitall]

TFG - most of us could do with more work but when you're new or really quiet you wonder where it's coming from. If you stick at it, work like crazy on doing a really good job, you'll get recommendations and these turn into more recommendations in time. For example, if replacing a wc inlet valve and want say £50, why not install an isolating valve as well if one isn't fitted and why not clean the wc too? Or, especially with the elderly, ask if there's something they'd like you to do, eg change a light bulb. Takes more time but the thoroughness will be recognised.

Another thing I do is be loyal to particular trades. For example, I've used the same skip man about four times, same builder, etc and you get recommendations from these people too (it's not just customers).

I stuffed business cards through doors and four years on I still get the odd call. Also cards in village shops and local businesses (if they allow it).

Keep going, be patient, watch your money and you should succeed. Is there a village near you without a plumber? I've done cards in two villages and it really helped get me going.

 

[TFGplumbing]

Dontkknowitall - Doing that little bit extra for the customer I am a firm believer in that, we took out a cast iron bath and replaced with a shower and wall caldding etc. Anyway We got sent a duff enclosure! Radius of the glass was not the same as the radius of the crome frame!! so i had to re order an enclosure, set the job back two days!
really felt for the customer so we layed their new bathroom flooring(the clip together tile effect stuff) that they had ordered, as a freebie.

 

[JAH HEATING]

I set up nearly 5 years ago, started to set up a web page jah-heating.co.uk and never ever updated - just left it under construction.

All my work has been of people who have passed my name on, and I do work with for a few landlords and jibbed estate agents off/builders off because they always gave you the run around etc with payment

Think I'm going to update the sight though, just because everyone has one nowadays and it looks a bit more proffesional

Had a kid by ours deliver leaflets for me. Paid him £20, got 2 heating jobs off them !!

Mybuilder is a good way of advertising your name

 

[REDSAW]

Hi,

Just a general question really.

What Advertising Method do you think is the best and worst.

Everybody raves about online advertising, google adwords etc but I have always found it to be V. Expensive without bringing many customers.

Yellow pages used to bring in lots of business but only just about covers the ad cost now.

Local papers = absolute crap!

Don't know what else to try! Radio?

What do you find works best???

normally by stating what area you cover helps?

 

[royston]

Had some guy leaflet dropping on my patch last week advertising "affordable plumbing and gas work " service from £25 pound.!!!! Lady next door bought it round to show me. As i insalled new system for her last year and im due to go back to service. I explained i carnt and wont service for that as just carnt do a proper service for that. Analyser costs etc.
Any way back to post. The quality of this leaflet is rubbish. Its a4 pper, id say hes printed ad twice on paper and cut in half and posted. Its not even straight where he has cut it in half. If your leaflet dropping then at least produce a good leaflet. This one just looks cheap. Ive never leaflet dropped. Local free paper has always worked well for me. I have used yell . com which i find ok , but not the book. And Thompsons local has been good for me. Never had a sign-written van either. Word of mouth jobs are most satisfying knowing youve been recommended.

 

[royston]

And ive not delved into a website either.

 

[dontknowitall]

Think I'm going to update the sight though, just because everyone has one nowadays and it looks a bit more proffesional

Here comes a cheeky comment ... I imagine your plumbing is better than your speling!!!!

 

[hammers4spanner]

never really advertised much ,
had spells in the local rag which i found expensive so never stayed in it long ,tried few local free mags which again were not that good,,,biz cards in windows of shops usually and friends passing my number on is best way i find .
Do work for main contractors and if i'm honest looking to eb that away as is an absolute pain

 

[Dorset Plumber]

And ive not delved into a website either.

You really should get a website royston.
Doing it sooner than later will help a lot, age of domain and website matters in ranking your site.
You can get yourself above the organic websites by using Google places, its free and you don't even need a site.

 

[Guest123]

Here comes a cheeky comment ... I imagine your plumbing is better than your speling!!!!

Hope your Speling is better than your plumbing and your plumbing is better than your Spelling.

Missing the "l" in spelling is of course a deliberate mistake and we all know that! LOL

 

[Haskell]

normally by stating what area you cover helps?

North London. But why would it matter what area I'm in.

Do different advertising methods work better in one area than another?

 

[dontknowitall]

Do different advertising methods work better in one area than another?

Definitely!!

 

[REDSAW]

North London. But why would it matter what area I'm in.

Do different advertising methods work better in one area than another?

absolutely, of course it does!!!.

the first thing you need to know is what is the level of competition in the area to the same work you cover.
now where and how do they advertise?.

try to copy and not be a pioneer is my best advice as it will cost more and you may loose more for no gain.

 

[alexterry]

Set up a listing on Google Places Google Places. You can register your business to an address, which makes it easy for people searching online in that location to find you. Make sure you upload some photos, a good description and as much info as possible about the work you offer. If you don't have a website a google places listing is the ideal substitute, or an added bonus if you do have a website (as you can link the two.)

Traditional advertising such as yellow pages and newspapers doesn't work as well as it use to. Everything is going online, so create a google adwords account - this will get you first page position in google, new customers usually get some free 'credit' too. This is only applicable if you have a website, as the advert links through to your site.

Radio can be good but can also be costly, so it depends what your budget is. Branded products can work wonders such as pens, pads, diaries with your info on if you can afford it.

You could create some deals with local businesses whereby they will let you leave some leaflets there once every few months but the return on this can be low.

Overall whatever your budget make sure you really sell yourself and your company, without being cheesy or too 'salesy'. But big yourself up, say how many years experience you have, give visual examples/testimonals of your work - anything that will fill potential customers with confidence.

 

[southcoastboile]

Had some guy leaflet dropping on my patch last week advertising "affordable plumbing and gas work " service from £25 pound.!!!! Lady next door bought it round to show me. As i insalled new system for her last year and im due to go back to service. I explained i carnt and wont service for that as just carnt do a proper service for that. Analyser costs etc.
Any way back to post. The quality of this leaflet is rubbish. Its a4 pper, id say hes printed ad twice on paper and cut in half and posted. Its not even straight where he has cut it in half. If your leaflet dropping then at least produce a good leaflet. This one just looks cheap. Ive never leaflet dropped. Local free paper has always worked well for me. I have used yell . com which i find ok , but not the book. And Thompsons local has been good for me. Never had a sign-written van either. Word of mouth jobs are most satisfying knowing youve been recommended.

you should check his gs reg number, thats stupidly cheap

 

[PlumbBobBob]

it says "from £25" that will be to get in the door. then it will be "you need a new..." and the price climbs rapidly.

 

[Dorset Plumber]

I agree.
Your charges stephen77 are a total rip off in what you offer.