Advertising

[b_jonston]

What do you use for advertising? What gives you the most calls?

I always heard word-of-mouth is the best advertisement. I personally have not seen this too much (Am I doing a bad job?? - I doubt it because I always get overpaid). Do any of you get alot of word-of-mouth?

I try to advertise using my website. Any piece of advertisement, I try to direct to my website. I also advertise in the local newspaper and local neighborhood ads. I've been considering a billboard but they might be out of my price range at the moment...

just curious what everyone else does.

 

[Bryce W]

Perhaps your contact information is not accessible? Word of mouth is definitely the best advertisement. However, do you leave those people a few extra business cards to give to their friends?
Websites are good advertising as well, but keep in mind that if they are having internet problems, the computer wont boot or are too scared to use it because it has a virus, they wont be able to visit your website and get your phone number.

I personally don't think a billboard will be effective for computer repairs. Billboards are typically used for brand building to support existing advertising. Though, I have never tried it myself.

To help improve those word-of-mouth calls, checkout our article called "How Sticky is your Business?".

For general advertising, checkout "How to advertise your computer business".

If you are trying to do it on the cheap, checkout "Spotting Advertising Opportunities"

Hope this helps.

 

[gunslinger]

I have an add on a local classified website, I also pass out business cards to all my friends and family. When i finish the job the customer gets one card on his/her receipt and another to give to there friends. I also have flyers up at the gym where i train and any other place that will allow it.

 

[cmonova]

There are a ton of ways to do advertising. Word of mouth is obviously good becuase it means you have done a good job in the past. But, it is very hard to live off that type of marketing.

Websites can pay off greatly if they are coded correctly and actually come up in the search engines properly i.e. computer repair "your town" . If they don't come up in searches then they are rather useless.

Billboards are typically very expensive, maybe you should look at housing areas and see if they have "community" newletters that go out monthly or quarterly.

 

[jimmm33]

Maybe I'm not the best guy to offer advice in this thread because I don't advertise. I'm not even in the phone book.

I launched my business using a local business network group called BNI. There is likely a chapter in your area. Check out their website. It cost about $250 a year to join. We would meet at a local restaurant once a week and exchange referrals. After about a year of this I got so busy I could not keep up. Now in my forth year all of my new customers are word of mouth.

I did recently buy pens with my logo on them. I give them away but I doubt I have gotten any business as a result. I just wanted pens with my logo.

 

[greggh]

BNI is a very good resource. We use it here in the new england area. It has worked out really good for us.

 

[dipper]

The other option to BNI is Leads Club.

There are also other local type networking groups in various areas.

 

[Holzster]

Great Networking

I found out a good idea is to join the local chamber of commerces in my area. I went to all the networking meetings regularly - that was the key keep going even when you get no leads. After 3-4 months that was 60-70% of my call were from the chambers or referrals from them.

I did not like BNI - it does work, BUT you are suppose to refer to them only & there were a few people in the group that I would not recommend to my enemy!!