Advertising for a newish business

[Brendon Phillips]

This question is for people that actually advertise their business. If you don't have to advertise, that's great, but this question isn't for you. Id love to be there, but I'm not.

What have you found to be the most productive way of advertising? So far for me it's been door to door flyers. Pay some kid $10/hr to walk all day. But it's a pain in the ass checking behind him and getting his flyers for him. I'm on yelp and AL, but not much comes through on that. Besides flyers it's mostly word of mouth and repeat customers. Any suggestions? Has anyone tried direct mailing?

I found another thread on this but it's several years old and not a lot of suggestions. Forgive me for being naive about it, my business is still pretty new. Going on my 3rd year. People love our work and have never had a negative comment about our finished product. Thanks in advance.

 

[tree MDS]

Gay bars need placemats too. Just throwing ideas out there for you. Those guys typically have all the money too.

 

[KenJax Tree]

Start putting your business name on your $1 bills. Also it might not hurt to write on the bathroom wall "if you have big wood please call Brendon"

 

[sac-climber]

We don't advertise anymore but used to. I hope that qualifies me to post.

Two method turned up results. Word of mouth and direct mail to targeted clients or neighborhoods you would like to work in. Typically we would get right around a 1% response back from mail. Not all of those led to contracts but some did. Also, try advertising in Costco, its pretty cheap considering the banner size and volume that see it. Neighborhood association newsletters are a good outlet also.

If you do good work and people like you they will do the selling for you.

 

[BuckmasterStumpGrinding]

Yard signs usually get me a job or 2 with every sign. My best located signs have gotten me several dozen jobs.

 

[BuckmasterStumpGrinding]

Nice signs run a little less than $10 a piece but are well worth the money.

 

[blades]

Extremely targeted direct mail maybe a .05 rate of return and that would be on the high side. Using a service for this does not work as the cost generally exceeds value, for every filter that is added to the master list there is an up charge and it is a fact of life that up to and maybe more than 10% of a list or mailing supplied by these companies are phony addresses. Doing it your self is time consuming but better results in the long run, but only if you can develop a large enough mailing to use the bulk mail rates due to the cost of mail now days. Bulk mail is another whole ball game to play with. I do not know how well those adv. mail packs work out or there cost at this time same goes for adv on the grocery receipt. Billboard get results -pricy, Radio which I have used is spotty. Never tried TV. Word of mouth is still king. Signage on job( with permission)- good bet. Web sight is good but dang slippery slope to get it right at a reasonable cost.Needs to be interactive, and you must respond, giving the customer an option on method of response is best ( by the way I loath texting- likely just me) . Church and school event flyers need a hook like a 10% discount with ad in order to get some idea of effectiveness. Actually best to use with any adv campaign as it gives you feedback on effectiveness. Big ad in Phone book works but cost is horrendous- and personally I tend to shy away from those when looking for a specific service for my self. Another way is a kick back to a customer for recommendation resulting in a job, that goes hand in hand with word of mouth. Haven't tried the place mat deal although I did look into it a number of years ago, at the time I considered it to be a bit pricy as well. Just my thoughts after some 30 years of my own shop. Others opinions will vary. Just remembered Angies list a little pricy but might be worth looking into as some tend to trust that kind of thing, Servicemaster - that did not work out. Barter groups it works but eats cash flow maybe worthwhile depending on the other members. I am a member of one and only work the barter on a 50cash/50barter basis,

 

[Blakesmaster]

Get a website and Facebook page first. Cheapest way to get your info public. Buy small weekly ads in the local paper. Buy large ads in the phone books every year. Return every call. I also had luck with radio ads when first getting going. Make sure all your trucks are lettered and clean.

 

[RiverLogger]

Go to your local Post Office and ask about Every Door Direct Mail(EDDM). This is a great value for mailing. You can also research it at USPS on the web.

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

Get a website and Facebook page first. Cheapest way to get your info public. Buy small weekly ads in the local paper. Buy large ads in the phone books every year. Return every call. I also had luck with radio ads when first getting going. Make sure all your trucks are lettered and clean.

Radio Adverts? Something like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=z_r6KUYYO5E#t=6

 

[ronnyb]

Direct mailings I found to be the biggest waste of money. Like everyone else has said, referrals are golden.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

I have a full page in the yellow book and a bunch of half pages. Do all your online listings, and craigslist. I normally get a few calls a month from cl but seems like people are cheap as **** from there

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[Brendon Phillips]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm def gonna step up my advertising this summer.

 

[EcoTreeCo]

Google ad words is what I started using last year. It can get pricey but if you do it right you'll have plenty of calls coming in.
I started sending thank you cards with two discount coupons inside. I mail them out about a month after the job is done. This tiny gesture really gets the customer referrals going.


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[treevet]

Get a website and Facebook page first. Cheapest way to get your info public. Buy small weekly ads in the local paper. Buy large ads in the phone books every year. Return every call. I also had luck with radio ads when first getting going. Make sure all your trucks are lettered and clean.

you REALLY get work from that website? ....REALLY???

thought that was for when you went on vacay and wanted NO one to call

Young Phillips is the only one on here with less experience than you...but REALLY??

 

[treevet]

Gay bars need placemats too. Just throwing ideas out there for you. Those guys typically have all the money too.

You are SOOOO BAD!!!

Go to your room.

errrrr you're in your room...aren't you?

go outside then!

 

[Blakesmaster]

you REALLY get work from that website? ....REALLY???

thought that was for when you went on vacay and wanted NO one to call

Young Phillips is the only one on here with less experience than you...but REALLY??

Lol. Sitting with an ad guy for yellowbook right now and it came back graded 8.8 out of ten. You're a ****ing moron.

 

[treevet]

***** = incredibly amazingly genius like...moron?

 

[mckeetree]

So far for me it's been door to door

1. Well, that says a lot doesn't it. This thread should have been in the BM forum.

 

[Blakesmaster]

***** = incredibly amazingly genius like...moron?

Lol. Yours scored a 6.0. Hahaha. I stand by my original statement. You're a ****ing moron. He's forwarding me the whole report where you can improve and I'd be happy to pass it along.