Taking A Poll....

 
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Old 12-21-2007, 12:15 PM   #1
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Taking A Poll....


How many of you advertise in the yellow book?

And how many of you advertise in a local home and garden magazine?

And for those of you that have or do the above, how effective has it been for you?

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Old 12-21-2007, 12:21 PM   #2
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Re: Taking A Poll....


Better get a poll going...Celtic will be in here shortly looking for a poll and will he be dissapointed. Get er done or he'll be riding you.

I don't advertise, new construction only, referrals from past clients or leads from manufacturers/suppliers/distributors. Most times I have no one to bid against.
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Old 12-21-2007, 12:24 PM   #3
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Re: Taking A Poll....


We placed a quarter-column ad in the yellowbook this year, got maybe 6 calls from it and only one turned into a job. We may have some luck with it come springtime, when all the snowbirds and those with the beach homes return.

Our AD Linky
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Old 12-21-2007, 12:45 PM   #4
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Re: Taking A Poll....


I do not do either, and I would not recommend the yellow pages to anyone unless you had little compititon in your market and could afford the largest most attention grabbing add. When I did it, it was not at all effective and almost killed my sprouting company.

I have not done home shows, I have heard good and bad. At this point I don't think I have the money to invest to do it right. Perhaps in the future.
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Old 12-21-2007, 01:18 PM   #5
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Re: Taking A Poll....


I've been on Yellowpages.com for about 4 months now. No calls, & only one click to my website. Probably canceling after the spring. Want to see how much action I get during tax return, good weather coming, time.
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Old 12-21-2007, 01:55 PM   #6
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Re: Taking A Poll....


Not me.
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Old 12-21-2007, 02:24 PM   #7
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Re: Taking A Poll....


Where's the poll? Let's poll the poll wherever it may be!
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Old 12-21-2007, 02:28 PM   #8
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Re: Taking A Poll....


I only paint new construction, residential & commercial....The only advertising we do is what is on our vehicles.....Don't need to, our reputation carries us.
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Old 12-21-2007, 05:03 PM   #9
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Re: Taking A Poll....


Yellow pages phonebook is expensive considering we never got a call from the ad, but it's good to tell people, "We're in the phone book."

Direct mailings are the best single way to generate work.
Speak with the direct mailing company BEFORE starting anything... they will advise you best format and set you up with their printer.

I was in a networking group with a DM guy... there's a best way, and plenty not so good ways that end up more expensive.

Overall is best to plan a campaign using all forms of advertising.
Including the good ole boy net, the chamber, the rod n' reel club, and it's all a write off promoting your business, so why not?
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Old 12-21-2007, 07:20 PM   #10
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Re: Taking A Poll....


I was in the YP for ten years or so (it was part of the business phone line, hard to change), in that time I got three calls from it, one of which turned into a major money earner- $200.00! I was also for three of those years the only one listed under "Carpenter". Maybe that was the problem.

Finally dumped them (years ago, now) and now only work off referrals and the Xmas card action, cheapest advertising money can buy.
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Old 12-21-2007, 07:41 PM   #11
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Re: Taking A Poll....


I have 4 months to go on Yellow Book with a business card size ad for kitchen remodeling. To date, one call from a woodworker who wanted to buy adjustable cabinet legs. I told him he could have a set of 4 for only $1298.60, that would have covered my ad cost.
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Old 12-21-2007, 11:13 PM   #12
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Re: Taking A Poll....


No adds of any kind. No listed phone numbers, just the signage on the trucks and equipment and business cards. Referrals only.
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Old 12-21-2007, 11:31 PM   #13
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Re: Taking A Poll....


Since I do mainly service work and am new to this area,I do use the yellow pages with good results.I've bein in the business for years so I can usually tell if a customer is shopping or wants work done.Like everyone,I need to save where I can ,and I hope to have a good client base within 2 or 3 years so I won't have to spend the bucks on the books.
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Old 12-22-2007, 12:58 AM   #14
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Re: Taking A Poll....


No yellow book or local magazine....

All advertising done by word of mouth and direct mail.
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Old 01-05-2008, 06:01 PM   #15
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Re: Taking A Poll....


Quote:
Originally Posted by joasis View Post
No adds of any kind. No listed phone numbers, just the signage on the trucks and equipment and business cards. Referrals only.
We started a new construction clean up company in stillwater, oklahoma and could use any advice anyone can give about how to get clients.
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Old 01-05-2008, 07:33 PM   #16
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Re: Taking A Poll....


DO what you say, when you say , how you say and quality work, it will take a while especially in this volitale economy. try every marketing program that you think may work, you can never have too much advertising, word of mouth referrals will come but don't stop advertising especially when busy.

PS get a website as soom as possible 95% new leads for me are via internet some way or another.
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Old 01-06-2008, 02:16 PM   #17
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Re: Taking A Poll....


We only use the 'local' yellow page book which is what people around here use primarily anyway ($800 yr). And a little classified ad in the community weekly newspaper ($8 wk)- it is surprising how many calls I get from that! Other than that, word of mouth is still my largest source of work, accounting for all of my jobs last year
Join your local Chamber of Commerce or Rotary or whatever is big in your area.
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Old 01-07-2008, 10:24 PM   #18
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Re: Taking A Poll....


We have a website already just wanting to try new marketing tactics that we haven't done yet. We are going to do a small listing in yellow book and we have comitted to 6 issues of a local home and garden magazine. It was expensive but is geared to high end clientle. We just think it is the cost of doing business.
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