ADVERTISING....WHAT WORKS

[Liam-a]

Curious as what people consider is the best form of advertising and what works best for them.

Also if different advertising works for different businesses. Do you have to spend a lot to see a lot of return ??

Cheers

 

[AllUpHere]

The more effort you put into marketing, the less you need to spend on advertising. If you want to burn some money, get a graphic designer to do you an advert, and then just find places to display it.

 

[Liam-a]

Definitely don’t want to burn money!

I have kitchen supply & fit business and I’m not really clued up on how to market and advertise my business to get more work in, i don’t have a showroom as I don’t need to sell mass amounts just one a week pays the bills but ideally would like to sell & fit 2 a week, I’m currently talking to a local garden centre which is incredibly busy about putting a small display in there.
I just really struggle with this side of business

 

[sminter1st]

We have a restaurant: our best advertising is: for tourists, TripAdvisor/Google Maps, free advertising by getting good reviews. Locals: Facebook, especially running competitions and boosting occasional posts, costing around £40 a month at the very most. Giving vouchers for various charities/local organisations raffles etc really increases word of mouth recommendations. Where we did try to spend money on advertising in, eg, local newspapers, adverts in local cinema, etc, the return was never worth the cost...

Just edited after reading your post, vouchers, offers might help you to start up to somehow? And Facebook too, with useful regular links/humour etc...

 

[Liam-a]

I’ve got a Facebook page and have gained a few jobs from there. I’m researching on the best kind of ads to put on there, I’ve seen some companies offer a free kitchen etc but i can’t afford to do that I’m only a one man band and don’t have a mass amount of money as I’m relatively new!

 

[sminter1st]

Bottle of wine/chocolates for successful referrals?

 

[AllUpHere]

Take a step back. What marketing have you thought about? How did you choose your target market? How did you decide which products and services to offer? Do you know how much you can spend to get a client? Have you thought about lifetime value of clients?

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

SEO is good and adwords

For me due to the customers we target the most successful thing is still cold calling over the phone

My idea for you Liam would be those trailer banners on the motorways in your area

 

[Mark T Jones]

Listen to @AllUpHere - unless you know who your customer is and what their triggers are you can't possible decide the right medium.

 

[The Byre]

I have a friend who has a kitchen fitting company and all his business is from referrals. He advertises precisely nowhere! No flyers, no SEO, no PPC, no newspaper ads, just a website. He is turning business away and has a waiting list of fittings to get done.

 

[AllUpHere]

I have a friend who has a kitchen fitting company and all his business is from referrals. He advertises precisely nowhere! No flyers, no SEO, no PPC, no newspaper ads, just a website. He is turning business away and has a waiting list of fittings to get done.

That's the way to do it, and it's a lot easier than people tend to think. I hear, 'I can't rely on referrals because I haven't been going long enough to get them' on a daily basis, but it's simply not true.

 

[DavidWH]

We don't bother with Facebook ad's, found the leads were terrible, I'm surprised some could dress themselves in the morning, let along run a business.

We've been using adwords, seem to get a higher calibre of leads, and the jobs we do convert are of a greater value. I suspect we're also getting recommendations from some too, as we're having a few leads from the same industry contact us lately.

 

[d4ndy]

I'm guessing that you are using the best local advertising space available to you?
At a one off cost sign writing your van can last for years and if it's designed properly can bring in plenty of new business.

Remember images speak louder than words but don't over do it!

 

[adamuk18]

SEO is good and adwords

For me due to the customers we target the most successful thing is still cold calling over the phone

My idea for you Liam would be those trailer banners on the motorways in your area

my partners family own a very big company that dont do cold calling but call exisiting customers and its got worse and worse.

I have a mate whos company made a living from cold calling and he laid of all his telesales staff.

Cant believe people still out there cold calling

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

my partners family own a very big company that dont do cold calling but call exisiting customers and its got worse and worse.

I have a mate whos company made a living from cold calling and he laid of all his telesales staff.

Cant believe people still out there cold calling

HA HA ! Your point is good but I don't pay anybody to do it I just simply do it myself and that costs me nothing and maybe 20 minutes a day .

I know what you mean though as a rule it is not done anymore but if your dealing business to business and you can find the right person for zero investment it can still be good

 

[fisicx]

Definitely don’t want to burn money!

...I’m not really clued up on how to market and advertise my business to get more work in...

I just really struggle with this side of business

Then get help. Pay someone to do it for you.

In the same way you get the garage to service the van, the accountant to look after the books, and customers to employ you rather than DIY.

 

[netdesignr]

I will definitely start with a good SEO plan roll it over and over.

 

[adamuk18]

seo. Oh dear - you may as well just put your money down the kitchen sink!