How do you advertise your business?

[Tony McC]

Do leaflet drops ever work? Not just for paving, but for any business other than takeaways?

I know that when the daily handful gets stuffed through my letterbox, I check to see if any are updated menus for the Indian/Chinese/Thai/Pizza places I use occasionally, and then the rest go straight into the recycling.

It strikes me that a leaflet is not going to be the trigger to spur me into having my windows replaced, my little remaining body hair removed, or my driveway re-paved. I'm not likely to magnet it onto the fridge for a later date, either.

Word of mouth is definitely key, and then I guess a strong visual presence locally, which means neat and tidy vans, A-boards, sponsorship of local u-11s footie/rugby team and possibly an ad in the local magazine, and then I reckon a well-maintained website is essential. I've never once paid a penny in advertising, ad-words, SEO or any of the other gimmicks but then this site relies so heavily on its content and relevance rather than financially induced manipulation of search results, which I feel can often demean the value of any search results.

I ruin a small number of websites for contractors (it used to be a good idea, but nowadys I don't have the time to do much more than essential updates) and I know that the key to keeping those sites on the first page of search results is fresh content regularly updated, which is why I've come to think that blogs/facebook are a better format than static webpages for that type of application.

[sy76uk]

I never look at junk mail and it get's right on my nerves. Thing is there have been a couple of occasions where people have showed me leaflets they had saved from paving companies.

The first one was on a job I did laying some roof tiles on an extension. The bloke had a brand new tarmac drive. When I mentioned it he told me that it used to be a gravel drive way but local kids were pinching the stones and breaking windows with them. He also told me that he got a leaflet through the door stating clearly how much per m2 the paving cost from that company so he rang them and just had it done.

The second time was a neighbour who saved more or less exactly the same type of leaflet just in case he wanted his driveway done.That led me to thinking that leafletting is worth a try.

You'll always get wasters that tell you that they can get it done cheaper elsewhere. I just say that's my price, take it or leave it. Last year I only did 2 full driveways. The rest of my paving work consisted of
1 block paved patio
1 lift and relay patio in old council 3x2's
1 patio extension in 2x2 buff rivens on a new build.
1 sreet full of patios in buff rivens for an agency
1 job laying council greys round a solicitors office. I also put some steps in and prped the rest of the ground for tarmac.
That's it. Probably 6 weeks work if I remember right.

This year I've done 1 block paved driveway. I've got a driveway to do for a local building firm in a few weeks and a patio to do in May but that's it. It's all well and good saying word of mouth is the best way of gaining work but I need to be doing jobs before the people I'm doing the work for can tell there mates about me.

I have no choice but to rely on advertising for the time being. People say that Yell and Thompson are old hat. I agree. What else is there without paying google a fortune?

I'm an experienced paver but I'm new to running my own business in the domestic game.
I broke my smart phone so I have no pics of recent work but I'm going to fish out my digital camera and take some at the weekend for my site and I'll post a few on here.

[lutonlagerlout]

your website
those steps have got to go! :;):

the images are small and of poor quality,
more decent and clickable images please,
an about us page?
there are some negative comments about other people's fencing and steps,
I would rather see more positive stuff about your dedication to quality and customer service

on the positive side it is clearly laid out and there is a personal touch to it
nice to see a real address and no freephone number

cheers LLL

[RAPressureWashing]

Website, CheckaTrade & word of mouth works for us, haven't done a leaflet drop for a couple of years, found them to be a bit of a waste really.

[Dave_L]

I'm finding Facebook an increasingly powerful marketing tool - so easy to update with photos of jobs you have completed - and include a "Follow us on Facebook/Look at our recently completed works" on the bottom of each quote works wonders. I wouldn't/couldn't be without my iPhone for this reason, it makes on-site photos so easy to do.

[sy76uk]

Just been put on the Marshals register. Hopefully have that on my website/advertising will help.

[lemoncurd1702]

Good luck with the register.
You probably won't get a vast amount of leads but I find the guarantee a useful selling point.

Tick all the boxes as soon as you can, awards, suds training, customer feedback etc.
The more boxes you tick the more likely a customer will choose you for a quote.

[DNgroundworks]

Ive not done it for a few years now, but i put a small 4 inch square advert in the back of a local paper, that got me loads of work over the years.

Only advertising i do now is a full page in a glossy mag, i know our architect has a double page spread in "live ribble valley" that works for her and in turn it works for me

But like others have said word of mouth is king, your already a favorite for the job before you even go and look.

Ive done leaflets, a few thousand i think......got two enquires...not worth it IMO

I keep busy say 75% of the time, from one local developer, one landscape architect and a horse stables.

[lutonlagerlout]

having said all I have said we used to work with 2 brilliant architects,1 retired and 1 chucked it
these two were great guys and if anyone has a chance to get on board with a great architect ,thats where its at
LLL

[sy76uk]

Since posting up this thread and reading all the post's I've come to the conclusion that I need to-

1, get my website updated with new pictures, better wording in places, state that I'm on the marshals register and get a link set up to the sampaving facebook page.

2, get some leaflets made up and posted around the area I live in.

3, try and get in with a garden designer.

I have the name of a garden designer on my phone. I was doing a care home car park and some slabbing round the building when I met him and he seemed impressed with my work. I took his number down in case I got any private work where they wanted to use a professional designer. He did a really good job on designing the grounds of the care home.

I went and measured a patio up this afternoon for people I don't know and have never seen my work. The fact that I am now on the marshals register really seemed to put them at ease. I have a good feeling that I'm going to be getting more initial phone calls and winning more work.

Fingers crossed.

[RAPressureWashing]

I know this thread is a few months old now, but if any of you have time could I get you to like our Facebook site please?

Seems when you hit the magic number of 30 likes (on 26 at the moment) it opens up a new world of insights?

Still try to get the Facebook thing, but we are getting hits to our main site from it.

Here is our FB site address.
https://www.facebook.com/RAPressureWashingServices

Cheers Roger

[sy76uk]

You just got a like from me Roger. I also set up a FB page after posting this thread.

It's a good idea because we can use it as a public diary so that potential customers can see what we are doing as far as our work in progress is concerned. Not sure how many hit's I'm getting on it but it is liked to my main site.

This is my FB page https://www.facebook.com/Sampaving

[RAPressureWashing]

sy76uk
Just liked your FB site back Thanks mate.

[lutonlagerlout]

just liked by me mick mcmanus
LLL

[mickg]

just liked using my real name

could you do the favour back please

Crystalclear - Driveways and Paving Specialist