1K GBP How to Spend?

[Cadishead Computers]

I would kspend some time accumulating loca business names and addresses, adding them to your contact database. Then calling, email, writing to those to put forward your business.

Personally I wouldn't bother with the Facebook pages, too much money for very little reward. But that's IMO.

Spend some money on a good copywriter for your website. This will save you heaps in the long run.

Be very careful about your school idea, especially if your there not collecting a child. Parents and the school themselves could have very different ideas to what you consider to be ok.

Instead, I would sponsor a local schools football team, or advertise in their magazine or similar.

Couple of ideas, I've done in the past which have paid off, is made up some good quality flyers, then went rob d my loca area, to all the local businesses, newsagents, bakers, hair dressers corner shops etc, asking if I could put a flyer in the window. Also hand the a bunch of business cards. Offer a incentive for the shop owner, of a free tune up etc.

If the shop wishes for you to pay for the ad, then pay for a couple of months, then make a note on your diary, as to whe the ad is due for renewal. As the shop will not tell you it's due.

On these flyers, offer a great incentive for prospective clients to come to you, and not joe blogs next door.

[Cornerstone Technologies]

Originally Posted by Dameize

8: Depending on how I end up feeling about it I may hand out business cards at the local primary school at the end of the day every now and then to parents

Unless you are some kind of pervert, I would not do this. I don't think school administrators and parents would be too happy about an adult soliciting to underage children, no matter what your services. In fact, I would avoid soliciting anything at a school, even if it was to a parent.

[HouseOfTechs]

Originally Posted by Cornerstone Technologies

Unless you are some kind of pervert, I would not do this. I don't think school administrators and parents would be too happy about an adult soliciting to underage children, no matter what your services. In fact, I would avoid soliciting anything at a school, even if it was to a parent.

lmao yea deff dont do this....

[Dameize]

lol i meant to adults NOT kids lmao but yeah might not id look like a paedophile rofl

[Stephenniall]

Hi pal, Bit off topic here but do you mind if i ask where you got your loan from ? Been looking to get a small loan in the uk

[Dameize]

Originally Posted by Stephenniall

Hi pal, Bit off topic here but do you mind if i ask where you got your loan from ? Been looking to get a small loan in the uk

Hi mate,
From the EU program for those going self employed may be only if you have been on job seekers though (BS I KNOW!) otherwise you can try the princess trust.

Alternatively you can use a bank lol.

[nesrinamb]

Originally Posted by Dameize

1: Leaflet drops
2: Facebook selling pages
3: Advertisements in shop windows
4: the local paper
5: google
6: Incentives for repeat customers and referrals
7: Having family and friends share my site url on facebook etc
8: Depending on how I end up feeling about it I may hand out business cards at the local primary school at the end of the day every now and then to parents
9: I may sign up to my local business chamber depending on costing

1)Drops don't work that great but if you got a lot of spare time drop off as many as you can on each and every house. Will be a long time for you to drop off a lot of them but maybe have some one help you.

2)Never tried it

3)This should be pretty good especially if you get it in already well know established places.

4) Really think about this because in my experience is that it will get you clients but not many. The only reason it worked out for me was that I spent $600 on the local paper and it ended up getting me a very large business client. Still thought didn't really bring in that much and i was the only computer repair guy in the entire paper.

5)its good but be careful to target the right areas and bid correctly, also use the keyword tool to get the best keywords for your site and use negative keywords.

6) Haven't tried it bu theirs some threads about this on the site

7)Did this for a friends business, set up their site on facebook and then my friend sent out request to all of his friends to like him, the business got 100 likes in a matter of days. Wasn't bad as he did get some business out of it actually.

8 and 9) forget about the local chamber, it worked very well for me and it actually really got me going fairly well, but after a while the people going to the events are the same old same old. Go online to the chambers website and download their member directory. Then go straight down the list and go introduce yourself to each and every business. Hand out your business cards with your logo if you don't have one go to 48 hours logo and set up a contest for $130 so you get some good designers. By the time you are done going through the list you should have gotten some pretty soar feet walking that much and at the same time have given out at least 250 business cards and gotten 10 or 20 clients depending on how many businesses you visited.

[PC-MOT]

Get yourself a copy of a book called 'marketing without advertising, its a bit dated now but there is some very good ideas in there', its by philips and rasberry. my bro did a marketing course and he recommended it to me

[Dameize]

thanks for all the advice it has actually helped me quite a bit. i will filter that list and implement that business chamber idea along with purchasing that book.

Any further advice?

[goldmercury]

£1000 on a computer repair business - where to spend it.

£300 BNI/rotary/chamber of commerce membership. (This is #1 Priority)

£6 Domain name
£10 on a years website hosting - PM me for free hosting.

£25 on a geographical telephone number you can point to any number (TTNC) - customers will trust a local number more than a mobile/0845 number.

£100 on domed labels that you can put on laptops/computer you've repaired. Labels will have your URL & Telephone number.



The remaining ££££ keep this aside for your pay as you go hardware purchases. I recommend scan you can get free next day shipping with them if you are members of certain UK forums.


Start a blog on your website. Buy a domain that has a keyword like citycomputerrepair.co.uk - target keywords like

Laptop Repair city
computer repairs city
virus removal city
data recovery city
etc......

You might not rank for these terms but over time you will get many visitors to your site searching long tails like "Where can I get a free link to help my laptop website get on google?"

Replace city with your local area.

Update this blog at least weekly with articles that will help your visitors and add value to your site.

ANY MONEY SPENT ON PRINTER MEDIA IN THE FIRST 3 YEARS OF YOUR BUSINESS IS WASTED MONEY - except business cards.

Ignore Yell advertising and the like. The best is free.

Sigin up to Google Places.

Don't advertise your email - only your local phone number - most people that email are time wasters/tyre kickers. You want to get the customer to call you and then it's up to you to sell them your service.

When you start to take on too many phone calls in a day sign up to a service like Moneypenny - they will answer your phone for 99p a time and you can get your PA to email you the customer details straight down onto your phone.

Best of luck in your new venture - read about my venture here

And remember - no one ever got rich repairing computers..........