Moved to new location - Google ads wont run - need ideas

[LordX]

Hey all - moved to Ocala Florida and am trying to setup my computer repair business here.

First - I don't mind working with another company as opposed to starting from the ground up - so if anyone knows or owns a place here in Ocala, send me a message!

So, I was recommended to try the Google Local Service Ads since they put you through a verification process. I did that - passed verification, and am still getting the dreaded 'third party technical support' policy violations. So my ad has never even run.

What are some other ideas to try? I heard Bing is also cracking down on third party.

I have tried to post on Facebook groups, but have had literally zero response from them.

Starting to get frustrated.

 

[callthatgirl]

Try these words
Microsoft Consultant
Microsoft IT support
Windows Computer something

I would do your own SEO, it will work great in Ocala as it's not a huge metro city. Is your website on Wordpress?

 

[LordX]

Try these words
Microsoft Consultant
Microsoft IT support
Windows Computer something

I would do your own SEO, it will work great in Ocala as it's not a huge metro city. Is your website on Wordpress?

It is - pretty old wordpress.

I know literally nothing about how to do SEO or web pages.

 

[callthatgirl]

Great! Mine is from 2009 and still works like a charm! All my inbound marketing is almost from my posts I create on my Wordpress site. Free to do and has long lasting marketing behind it. Once you post it, it's there forever. I have been doing this since 2013, it's the way I got to international clients.

If you want to spend some time to learn how, I'll help you do a few posts so you can see how it's done.

 

[LordX]

Great! Mine is from 2009 and still works like a charm! All my inbound marketing is almost from my posts I create on my Wordpress site. Free to do and has long lasting marketing behind it. Once you post it, it's there forever. I have been doing this since 2013, it's the way I got to international clients.

If you want to spend some time to learn how, I'll help you do a few posts so you can see how it's done.

I wouldn't mind learning at all!

I moved from Syracuse NY down to Ocala, and while my GMB allowed me to update the phone number and service area, I still am getting people finding my site from Syracuse. Frustrating.

 

[callthatgirl]

What is a GMB?

I would keep doing all the remote work from Syracuse, what are you doing that requires onsite? And find a referral partner, don't lose a dime on those calls my guy! I did that when I moved from Minneapolis to Florida. I had 7 years of clients in Minneapolis and didn't lose many that called. I either helped remote or referred to an excellent partner who pays me 10% still to this day. 11 years later.

 

[callthatgirl]

Message me to figure out a time we can zoom. I'll give you a great demo of how it works, and give you some other tips. Marketing is pretty hard for some folks but I know it pretty well and I'll teach you how to do competitor marketing lol.

 

[Markverhyden]

I moved from Syracuse NY down to Ocala, and while my GMB allowed me to update the phone number and service area, I still am getting people finding my site from Syracuse. Frustrating.

4 years after I moved from MA to NC I'm still getting calls from people up there because I show up in Google searches.

 

[LordX]

4 years after I moved from MA to NC I'm still getting calls from people up there because I show up in Google searches.

Wow - ok well at least I am not the only one.... jeez.

 

[callthatgirl]

I'm stlll getting calls from Minneapolis, call girl or helping with xbox lol.

 

[lan101]

I'm stlll getting calls from Minneapolis, call girl or helping with xbox lol.

I never get calls for "call girls" lol....but I do get a few on fixing video game systems. I've never even wanted to try and get into that market. Almost everyone that ever did that is closed now. That customer base thinks it can be fixed for like $50 bucks or less and that's not the case ever lol. There used to be a place within about 30 minutes from me that would fix cell phones, tablets, gaming systems etc. but it closed down like 2 years ago.

 

[ThatPlace928]

I never get calls for "call girls" lol....but I do get a few on fixing video game systems. I've never even wanted to try and get into that market. Almost everyone that ever did that is closed now. That customer base thinks it can be fixed for like $50 bucks or less and that's not the case ever lol. There used to be a place within about 30 minutes from me that would fix cell phones, tablets, gaming systems etc. but it closed down like 2 years ago.

My son fixes game systems, phones, tablets, PCs, etc. Definitely no $50 fixes, especially if he's doing any micro-soldering.

 

[lan101]

My son fixes game systems, phones, tablets, PCs, etc. Definitely no $50 fixes, especially if he's doing any micro-soldering.

Exactly...but I've found at least in my area a lot of the people that call about game systems especially think it can be fixed way cheaper than it can be done for. Of course the larger the area in population the more viable of a business model it probably can be too.

 

[callthatgirl]

@lan101 "Exactly...but I've found at least in my area a lot of the people that call about game systems especially think it can be fixed way cheaper"

the higher the rate I have, the less and way less I hear any of this. Thank god!!

 

[lan101]

@lan101 "Exactly...but I've found at least in my area a lot of the people that call about game systems especially think it can be fixed way cheaper"

the higher the rate I have, the less and way less I hear any of this. Thank god!!

Yeah that seems to work lol. Most of these that I get calls from on the gaming is guys in their 20's or early 30's maybe. They probably are broke or just don't value what it takes so they tend to be very cheap regardless. I had a guy a month or so back that was in his 70's and plays some of the newer computer games. He was more than happy to pay me to fix his computer. Ended up just needing a new NVME drive but he needed help to kinda get things back in order etc...but a 20 or 30 year old something would've never wanted to pay me for that kind of service lol.

 

[callthatgirl]

@lan101 exactly, the older they get, the easier they are in my opinion and they buy up. My last client, 91 immediately said "oh give me 2 hours to start" and then told me later how he only flies private charter and his kids pay for it lol. Guessing it's their inheritance lol. Adopt me!!!

 

[sapphirescales]

but a 20 or 30 year old something would've never wanted to pay me for that kind of service lol.

I don't know much about game console repairs because I don't do them and I hardly ever get those types of calls, but "young" people (under 40) don't have any money. Most of my clients are older and when I get a younger client in, they aren't able or willing to pay much. The exception is gaming computers. They'll go into debt to get them fixed. Though I still frequently have to hold on to them until they get paid so they can pay the credit card down enough to put the repair on it. I had a woman probably in her mid 30's come by my house to drop a computer off and when she saw my house she blurted out that I must have either won the lottery or I live with my parents. Uh, no, I just run a business. My house isn't even that nice. It's a tacky McMansion. But she's used to everyone her age being poor so she assumed I would be too I guess. She had a heck of a time coming up with the $250 to fix her computer. I ended up having to hold onto her computer for like 3 months while she saved up the money.

 

[lan101]

@lan101 exactly, the older they get, the easier they are in my opinion and they buy up. My last client, 91 immediately said "oh give me 2 hours to start" and then told me later how he only flies private charter and his kids pay for it lol. Guessing it's their inheritance lol. Adopt me!!!

Yeah no kidding lol.

 

[lan101]

I don't know much about game console repairs because I don't do them and I hardly ever get those types of calls, but "young" people (under 40) don't have any money. Most of my clients are older and when I get a younger client in, they aren't able or willing to pay much. The exception is gaming computers. They'll go into debt to get them fixed. Though I still frequently have to hold on to them until they get paid so they can pay the credit card down enough to put the repair on it. I had a woman probably in her mid 30's come by my house to drop a computer off and when she saw my house she blurted out that I must have either won the lottery or I live with my parents. Uh, no, I just run a business. My house isn't even that nice. It's a tacky McMansion. But she's used to everyone her age being poor so she assumed I would be too I guess. She had a heck of a time coming up with the $250 to fix her computer. I ended up having to hold onto her computer for like 3 months while she saved up the money.

Yep I've had a few like that too over the years. Maybe they'll become better clients in the next 10-20 years if they gain any inheritance money lol.
I get it though. I don't think many of us are better off now then we were pre 2020 era. Inflation of everything has definitely eroded a lot of the disposable income people may have had prior.