Do you have an advertising budget to start off with?
I mean.... I can suggest anything from walking around town with flyers to using direct mail but it all depends on your budget.

More info and I'll try to help

WELCOME TO THE BOARD BTW :Thumbs:

 

Do you have an advertising budget to start off with?
I mean.... I can suggest anything from walking around town with flyers to using direct mail but it all depends on your budget.

More info and I'll try to help

WELCOME TO THE BOARD BTW :Thumbs:

Thanks for the welcome Nathan. I'm in the process of discovery, while I've worked in the industry for over 25 years I'm cueless to how to go about getting jobs for a new business. As for the adv. budget, I'd say its developing.
Right now I can't put a figure on how much I need because I don't know what medium will best suite my needs. I can do flyers at a low cost but I'd much rather do commercial work or small new/rehab. construction projects.
So, I guess I will be willing to pay adv. rates for what ever will get me the must jobs. I'd just like to get advise from others in the business on which medium will bring the best results to start for a small up and comming business.
Again thanks for your interest

 

I'd really love to hear what the more experienced folks have to say on this. I have put up flyers on bullentin boards in markets, convenience stores, etc, ran some inexpensive bus. classified ads on local radio, and newspaper ads in the bus. directory section. All met with so/so results. My best close rate has been from the newspaper ads, seemed like folks that responded were ready to get the job started and were looking for a pro who could start, & stay on their job until it's completion. Will have a yellow page ad as in this yr's new ph book, single line listings under multiple headings only, (display ad are out of my budget for now), got shafted out of it last yr, they somehow managed to loose my paperwork and my ad didn't get listed.

A good relationship with your lumber yard & suppliers can help you alot, or at least it has me. I bought some small bus card dispensers and got them to set them up on the counter, have gotten several calls from those and have landed a few cherry projects that way. Next to finding & retaining quality minded, dependable workers, chasing down & landing jobs is the worst part of hanging up your own shingle.

A real problem I run into is most builders have regular subs and I only get calls when their regulars get behind, but when the work slows this time of year, they get the work over me. I understand the builder's loyalty to the long time subs, but it just sucks when they won't even entertain a bid on some projects, but when they get in a pinch they call you & offer top $$, if you can go right now.

 

This is getting so repetitive! Go to your local builders assocn or Chamber of Commerce. Get involved, you should be smothered in work if you work everyone else right.

 

Welcome Aps.

I think almost all of us would rather do commercial, much better money in it and a little less fry's with the shake customer wants BS.

As far as getting started, it's pretty simple if your going to shoot for all retail (no sub crap). Define your principle market, find your principle market and target your principle market.

Drywall Paint ect..., I would find homes 8 to 15 years old, the morgage is about half up. I'd organize my ad toward young profesionals, they seem to make up the populous that wants more change.

Target the area, shake the bushes and see what falls out.

Bob