Best Method Of Advertising?

PGD

Which of these business models has brought you the most success?

Austkaine

Almost anything on the net is golden. Knowing your keywords that work makes all the difference.

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Custom Decks, Pergolas and Outdoor Living - Denver, Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Parker, Lone Tree, Centennial, Englewood, Lakewood, Castle Rock, Colorado
Basement Finish, Kitchen Remodel and General Contractor - Denver, Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Parker, Lone Tree, Centennial, Englewood, Lakewood, Castle Rock, Colorado

Chris Johnson

Depending on your line of work, word of mouth works best for me

You should have that in your poll

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Chris

Handymanservice

Are you a new business with limited funds? Have you existing clients? What kind of clients are you looking for? What kind of work are you looking for?

I guarantee a website will help, no matter what.

I know for a fact that fliers, in the right usage, will work.

Same with doorhangers.

Word of mouth works, but you have to have customers that are satisfied enough to spread "good" word of mouth. Nothing will spread faster than "bad" work, via word of mouth, I promise you that.

Radio/TV = big budget and I hate to say it, but if you are asking what works best, it may not be the way to spend whatever budget you have.

Direct mail will get you a certain type of customer usually, depending on what form it is delivered in . Post cards work well, they are spendy though.

Pennysaver, you get what you pay for. Craigslist - I have not tried, but I just signed up and am creating an ad to give it a try (I do the type of work that fits this demo, I think?).

Whatever you do, do something, start tomorrow, or tonight. Take advantage of the fact that people have cut back their advertising and exploit it. I have never spent as much on advertising as I am right now, but it is starting to pay off.

Good luck.

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"You can shear a sheep every year, but you can only skin him once!" Remember that when dealing with your customers and pricing.

http://www.yourhandymansite.com

Jordy3738

It has always been word of mouth with my business that produced. Never got a yellow page ad customer but did get a couple off of the signs on my truck.

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Free-Cabinet Repair eBook | Adjusting Cabinet Doors | Formica Kitchen Cabinets

PGD

NO, I purposly left out 'word of mouth', I think most of us know that direct referrals are the best period...the purpose of this poll is to see where I would spend my advertising money best!

Mr. Mike

Good luck getting word of mouth with out doing any prospecting what so ever! Word of mouth jobs only is not a very good way or smart way to conduct business it is a lazy non risk taking way to go about it.

If all you do is word of mouth think that must mean you are in no way shape or form in a hurry to get more work, you do a job and wait for another. Seems the same as working for a living and not a future, I want the word of mouth but I know the chances of getting called from word of mouth goes up the more mouths you work for.

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Commercial Painter KY. Residential Painter Louisville Painting Photos Louisville

Publisher1

Systematic Word of Mouth encouragement/marketing is a valid strategy -- this is not the passive "relying" on word of mouth, and is a form of advertising.

See http://constructionmarketingideas.blogspot.com/2009/02/recognition-and-referrals-renovators.html for an example.

Of course encouraging WOM referrals will produce higher yield than most other forms of marketing/advertising, but you would be foolish to consider it your only option.

For our business, we put associations and groups at the top of the list.

lostbro1

By far I would have to say that word of mouth or referrals is the best way to get more customers. If you talking about where to invest your money in advertising and the best ROI and tracking of ROI by far in my opinion its gotta be #1 getting a great converting website #2 paying an SEO to optimize it and market it online or get you the ranks for the best keywords in your industry #3 having that SEO track all site analytics and then explaining to you the steps you should take to increase the conversion rate of your website or most importantly ROI.

lostbro1

Agreed!

Mr. Mike

I will come out and say it, as far as the most valuable lead there is It would be a referral it is not a good way to plan on getting the most customers.

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Commercial Painter KY. Residential Painter Louisville Painting Photos Louisville

marc

Here they are in order.........

1. Homeshows
2. Internet lead providers (Service Magic, Renovation Experts, ABC Leads, etc.)
3. Shared Direct Mail (Val-Pak, Supercoups, penny saver, etc)
4 Past Customers
5. Refferrals
6. Our own website
7. Newspapers

NOTHING even comes close to home shows and it wasn't on the poll list.

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Marc

PGD

Ahhh, this is what i was afraid of, "website" is looking like the best form of advertising. the problem in my case I can't build a competing site w/ corporate, they do a great job of getting traffic in my area and they will route any leads to the right office or "profit centers". but it's against the rules to build your own site and use the company's name and likeness.

I almost didn't put that option in the poll but, I figured I'd look at the second place to see what might be best for me. I've been tempted to try Servicemagic but after reading all the bad press it's hard to see if people are just being tough on the number one lead generating business or they really have their head up their adss.

I looked into a site called buildingpros.com, anybody use? this type of website marketing is ok because I can just mention the company's name and have my own images on the profile.

they build you a profile (like your own webpage) and then I guess homeowners come to their site and choose you, it's only $29 a month and free for the first 3 months. the only problem I can see with them so far is that they mix everyone into like 6 different categories, so your either an architect, landscaper, electrician or a "contractor", so I gotta compete w/handymen & generals to do doors only, plus even if you pick landscaper or electrician, the same people come up in your search. Garage doors and doors only is big enough to be in it's own category.

No offense to you Handymen & Generals.

Is their another site like this?

PGD

Homeshows!!!

see, now that's the inside stuff I want to hear! I think I missed this years home show (pomona fairplex) what do I have to do to be a part of next years? or should I just walk around in a sandwich board passing out business cards?

Damnit! I knew I should have gone just to see inside one of these!

Chris Johnson

Well, in that case I can't help you with your poll, I have an advertising budget of $ 0.00 yearly.

I rely on word of mouth and that keeps me busy everyday.

I'm so cheap I have no business cards, all my t-shirts and caps are supplied to me free from suppliers, so their advertising money works, but I spend nothing.

Call me a fool, but it works and it works well.

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Chris

PGD

Nothing wrong with free!

DQSpec

[quote=PGD;684279]Ahhh, this is what i was afraid of, "website" is looking like the best form of advertising. the problem in my case I can't build a competing site w/ corporate, they do a great job of getting traffic in my area and they will route any leads to the right office or "profit centers". but it's against the rules to build your own site and use the company's name and likeness.

Who said you have to have the corporate name to get leads? You could setup a landing page with a coupon and auto responder tied to a backend office so you can keep track of them and drip on them from time to time.

PGD

[quote=DQSpec;688166]You suggest I use a generic company name? ... that just might work!

as for the poll, so far it would seem "junk mail" and door hangers are the most successful advertising methods (with 5 votes) outside of having a website w/great SEO....who wouldathunkit!

nEighter

I don't have a website right now, but door hanging is definitely good!

IllinoisBuilder

#1 Referalls!!!!!! There's no doubt about it. Third party validation is worth it's weight in gold!

Keep in touch with your past clients by using email and mailers! Let them know about every little exciting event that your company is doing and at the end of each email ask if any friends or family might be in need of you services. Best part, It Cost You NOTHING!!!

Look... past customers should be viewed as an extension of your sales force, you've already spent time, energy and money selling them on your poducts and sevices, if you've treated them right then they already know your great and they'll be more than happy to refer you. BUT IF YOU FORGET TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH THEM, THEY'LL FORGET YOU!