pshawny 410 Posted April 9, 2014 Anybody want to share was has and hasn't worked for them? I haven't done much advertising because I'm not 100% sure where to spend the money on in order to get the best return on investment. Last year I did some mail adverts to local real estate agents trying to sell them gift certificates for my wall decals at a discount. I was thinking they could give them out when they sell a home instead of a gift basket or flowers. I sent each real estate office a priority mail envelope with separate envelopes inside for each real estate agent. Each agent received a small wall decal and a letter explaining what we do, why new home owners want wall decals, and how to contact me. Out of around 12 offices and 80 agents I didn't hear one peep from anyone. I thought this was an awesome idea and it was going to generate lots of sales, but it turned out to be a waste of time. I've been pondering the idea lately of either doing an insert in the newspaper or doing some USPS direct to door mailings. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xpaperman 719 Posted April 9, 2014 I find what works for me best..... is first pick a place/business that you want to approach, Lets say for example, the local school district. What product do I offer that I could make and pass out a few freebies? Hmmmm, all the teachers, principal etc all have computers! Several probably drink coffee. I made a few mugs and some cheap dollar mouse pads and went around and passed a few out here and there. Introduced myself, my business, gave a few business cards. Nothing high pressure (that is not my nature anyway) and mentioned I was not trying to take them away from their current person, just wanted them to know I was available should they ever need say a small run of something that the big guy wouldn't do or if the other person was to busy etc. I am here as an alternative or fill in as needed. Also, when I head to town for anything.... I always wear a shirt with my company info on it! I think this tip here might be the best one yet..... when doing a job for someone and your in the "start up phase" make sure to do a top notch job in a timely manner (I have yet to miss a deadline!) at a fair price.... you will be surprised how fast word of mouth gets around!! These two things are pretty much all I have had to do and (didn't happen overnight but ) now I am about as busy as I want to be. If I wanted to step up my game and work it a bit I bet I could have more than I could handle! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mabscotthandyman 1,410 Posted April 9, 2014 Flyers, radio and tv ads work but are expensive, the phone book used to be the number one source for leads especially in the home improvement and sign sales and of course the inter webz and social media but the very best source is word of mouth and referrals from well satisfied customers. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcextreme 475 Posted April 9, 2014 Word of mouth, business cards, facebook, and advertising on your vehicle. Deck out your vehicle with your buainess name/logo/phone/website, and go park it in an open area at a public parking lot..like walmart..park it toward the end or wherever near the entrance. Leave it there for the day. Free advertising right there. Theres a local lawn care company...he has a fully wrapped truck with his business stuff..and i see it parked at walmart and target and the mall all the time. I talked to him..he said the truck is strictly used for that purpose...his wife follows him in another truck and they leave the advertised truck in the lot for a day...he gets many calls and customers from it. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mabscotthandyman 1,410 Posted April 9, 2014 This is parked on jobs but dont look near that good now but still readable and is just a big billboard. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrznFire07 217 Posted April 9, 2014 Our company van and our facebook page so far have got us the best bang for our buck. We live in a town with only one newspaper, we advertised for 1 year, and got maybe 2 jobs off the ad. on the other hand,our very recognizable company van gets at least one job EVERY time we go out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildgoose 4,200 Posted April 9, 2014 I have had the same experience as many of you here. My wifes suburban is plastered with our company logo and contact info and we get a lot of interest from that. I wear a company shirt a lot and have had several jobs come as a result. Another great move was doing a couple friends trailers/pickups who are both builders and then all of their contacts noticed and asked them who did it so it generated several long term customers from that. Word of mouth is the best reference possible IMHO. I also am luck that I have a local shirt shop who manages to piss off just about everyone who does business with them and then they find me an we get along famously! LOL 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dawn's Design 403 Posted April 9, 2014 Same thing here with the local shirt shop. I have people call me all the time because of them. A guy came by the other day wanted to know if I could do a t shirt for him he furnished the shirt said it had been at the other shop for 3 months. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildgoose 4,200 Posted April 9, 2014 One of my now long term customers was buying cheap transfers from wally world and having a print shop print his logo on them (with non-pigment ink) and then taking a costco white shirt and taking both to this shop and paying them $8 to press them on the shirt. How would that be...how much to press these transfers on these shirts?...Oh I don't know how about $8 each. They didn't even bother to do any trimming so the cheap transfers have this huge 8x11" ghost an top of it all. What a joke. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mabscotthandyman 1,410 Posted April 10, 2014 The van and yard signs are the only advertising i do.. I have had a lot of, people ask why there is no mention of signs etc. on the van but i install for other sign companys and any mention of my sign business on a van where i am installing for the other sign company just would not be right. I guess i could do a maganetic for when i am doing my own install. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MadHatterGraphix 1,258 Posted April 10, 2014 Advertising is always the tricky part however there are other ways than just signage and your vehicle or word of mouth. What really advertises is handouts. I'm not talking brochures, or just your business cards I'm talking actual product. If your aiming towards a certain crowed you have to cater to them heres a few things I have done. Car Shows Mini License Plates Can Coolies with a car and my logo Key chains. Wear a shirt with a vehicle on it with your name on it. Mini t-shirt with your information on it but remember put a car on it. fishing and hunting clubs Go to their meetings, Camo Coozies with some type of hunting or fishing image on it with my information use hunter orange vinyl it really gets the clubs going Try to sell them on personalized license plates showing their passion of fishing or hunting. They also sell fishing lures you can sublimate. Tell them you can personalize their gun case their hunting jackets and hats. those are just some examples. I have more just don't feel like typing them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
