Advertising on a budget

[marble_pars]

I have been thinking about some local advertising over the next few months to lift local sales and awareness.
We are based in Islington, London and we are looking to advertise the IT support side of the business to home users. I will be running a thin budget so can't be to extravagant and don't want to waste it.

I used to do local papers ads where the business used to be based and it was very unsuccessful.

Any ideas would be great.

 

[TotallySport]

what market research have you done to assertain if the local public to your area want/need IT support? and what they would like and how they need it?

 

[TODonnell]

I have been thinking about some local advertising over the next few months to lift local sales and awareness.
We are based in Islington, London and we are looking to advertise the IT support side of the business to home users. I will be running a thin budget so can't be to extravagant and don't want to waste it.

I used to do local papers ads where the business used to be based and it was very unsuccessful.

Any ideas would be great.

Some ideas:

- Gumtree;
- Loot;
- Leaflets;
- Find local businesses which are related to what you offer and see if you can do a deal to get them to pass your name on.
- Word of mouth, if you do great work.
- Deliberately target local journalists and community groups, like the Chamber Of Commerce. Become a 'face' to them.

 

[catsandcanines]

I have been thinking about some local advertising over the next few months to lift local sales and awareness.
We are based in Islington, London and we are looking to advertise the IT support side of the business to home users. I will be running a thin budget so can't be to extravagant and don't want to waste it.

I used to do local papers ads where the business used to be based and it was very unsuccessful.

Any ideas would be great.

Local newspaper ads never work for me as I don't have the budget to place a huge advert which catch peoples eye.

I've just put an A5 advert in various local shop windows and on their notice boards. You could try that?

I noted your industry is web design? Are you looking to target home businesses?

 

[Working First Aid]

- Various small shop/supermarket notice boards.
- Local rags
- Local sports team sponsorship (accompanied by a story in the local rag)
- Leaflets
- Posters
- (legal) flyers
- Supply a prize for a small local radio show competition

Costs could be kept quite low if done right. Might be a fair amount of work involved though to get the most from your efforts...

 

[Super Simon]

Editorials in the local paper are usually a free and effective way of getting your name out there.

 

[S-Marketing]

If you are on a very tight budget I would say that advertising would be the worst part of marketing to concentrate on. Even when done well, advertising can be very hit and miss, and usually an expensive way of attracting new clients.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Rather than advertise in your local paper, they often allow flyers to be placed inside for £22 per thousand in my area, You have the cost of the flyer ontop but should get a huch higher retention rate and basically get a A% or A$ flyer size adver far cheaper than inside the paper

 

[HertsCCTV]

I would stay well clear of paper advertisement never got me anything, that's not to say it won't work for you.

Also I have many friends that started IT business's and are still going now but dropped domestic clients as the money is just not there.

One mate is very successful with charity clients.