What is your most effective form of advertising?

[Stu]

The title speaks for itself, I am interested in knowing what you most effective form of advertising is? For me, it is local newspapers.

[markr]

Word of mouth from happy customers here!

[abe]

Yup word of mouth, before you leave the job, make sure to update the av's ask them if they are intrested in backups (if there not the next time they hear someone who is, they will recomend you) email once in a while to ask if they remembered to update av's and windows.

IN SHORT, SHOW YOU CARE. and your not just doing your job and leaving.

Abe

[usacvlr]

Signs on the street in front of the driveway for the shop.

[JohnG]

The only form of advertising expenditures I have...business cards. Word of mouth is by far the most effective advertising there is. If you are just starting out, bribe your friends and family to "spread" the word!
Seriously, use "customer service" or soft skills to win over your customers. You aren't going to be able to always please everyone, but if you listen, and take a genuine interest in your clients, even the @**holes will respect you and more than likely, refer someone to you. Even if its only one person who does refer you, that is one more client than you had before. :cool:

[stevenamills]

I hate to say it, but Yellow Pages, but only the primary book. For me it is AT&T.

[TimeCode]

Word of mouth and my website.

[gunslinger]

Word of mouth and business cards. I give two cards to every customer and tell them to give one to a friend and keep one.

[Bullfighter]

Word of mouth, of course. I also scored some business in a local coffee news flyer. I also just scored a nice little contract by going door to door (businesses, not houses).

EP

[navigatorrs]

Word of mouth is priceless!!!! With out it no one will last long in this business!

[ell]

word of mouth, business cards, google and craigslist both with direct links to my website. Also links in all search engines, local.com,dex,yellow.com,yellowbook, yahoo, etc. none of it costs a dime! (except for the printing ink of cards!)

[ijunkie]

word of mouth, business cards, google and craigslist both with direct links to my website. Also links in all search engines, local.com,dex,yellow.com,yellowbook, yahoo, etc. none of it costs a dime! (except for the printing ink of cards!)

How did you do it? They seem to want money for any listing on the sites you mentioned. I must be oblivious.

[ell]

How did you do it? They seem to want money for any listing on the sites you mentioned. I must be oblivious.

dig deeper on their sites, I have never paid, you only get a simple online ad ofcourse

[vontreigo]

word of mouth.

PS i ordered once from vistaprints.... not they won't leave me alone. but they offer 250 free biz card every day. heh... .I'm stocking up.

[MrMille]

Word of mouth is not advertising, it's called referencing.

The op wants to know about effective forms of 'advertising'.

Money out on advertising, phone calls, site visits, invoices out, money in.

That type of thing.

[Stu]

Thanks for the replies all.

I agree, word of mouth is great advertising, but not really something you can accurately predict or quantify. Having said that, a lot of my business IS from word of mouth, and of equal importanance, returning customers.

But yeah, MrMillie is right, I was thinking more along the lines of commercial advertising. What brings you the best return for your money?

As I said, local newspaper adverts are the ones for me, they pay for themselves and more.

I am thinking of branching out into local directories such as Yellow Pages, yell.com etc and getting hot on my website SEO. I guess I will never know what they will bring me until I least give them a try.

[Wheelie]

Thanks for the replies all.

I agree, word of mouth is great advertising, but not really something you can accurately predict or quantify ...
Sure is. Word of mouth is by far the most important method of getting new and repeat business. It starts with staking your reputation on each and every job.

[Methical]

I dont personally own my own business. But word of mouth is that I am good with computers; so that makes me a bit of money on the side while I'm studying. Am thinking of setting up my own business @ home, just dragging a sign out to the corner every morning; live by one of the busiest roads in my city (right by the motorway), few thousand cars every day will see it I'm sure. But has anyone suggested discounts for referrals?

gunslinger: just a suggestion. don't get me wrong. you said that you give your customers two cards, one to give to a friend. How does that work out for you? Do you keep a record of your customers? Have you ever thought if this person gives a friend their card, and tell them when they go to you, to mention their name (friend they go the card off) and maybe give each party a discount on a 'spring clean' of there system?

It worked for me, and word got around where I work and I got an additional 6 customers that week, which put a few hundred in my pockets (I work @ Millennium Hotel part-time while studyin' full-time)