Advertising

[dannyg]

Hi guys I've been plumbing now for a while as part time but want to go full time self employed what's the best way which you get more work from I know word of mouth is a good form but need to get out there a bit more so I've got a good income coming on I'm on Facebook ,free index and a few other site I've just had 1000 leaflets made up and ready to go

 

[erpkid]

Hi guys I've been plumbing now for a while as part time but want to go full time self employed what's the best way which you get more work from I know word of mouth is a good form but need to get out there a bit more so I've got a good income coming on I'm on Facebook ,free index and a few other site I've just had 1000 leaflets made up and ready to go

Patience is the main thing. It has taken us over 10 years to establish ourselves to the extent that we can take a holiday without panicking. Just ensure that whatever job you do you do it well. The referrals are what will drive your business. As for leaflets think what you do with the piles of unsolicited mail that drops though your letterbox. Social media is good as customers are younger now compared to us hoary old plumbers so we need to have those avenues covered but don't bet you lot on them. It is a tough market at the moment so any growth in your business must be regarded as an achievement. Best of luck.

 

[dannyg]

That's some good advise thanks for that going have think we're put these leaflets like you say what do I do with them alwZys end up in the bin

 

[Citiheat]

I get most results from a local community magazine - and the work is local. Other than that I advertise in the Yellow Pages, but only in the Gas Safe or CIOPHE corperate adverts.

 

[Roger Welton]

I started with leaflets, 1,000 wont go very far, I think I had 10,000 printed on decent card, I still get calls from them nearly 4 years later as folk seem to have popped them on notice board and fridges. Got around a 5% hit rate from them, also pays to target them to particular areas.

Parish mags work but are a slow burner in my experience, and cheap enough.

Also get a bit off the gas safe website so make sure you tick the right box when you register.

Word of mouth is king really, though take s time to build.

 

[kay-jay]

Get yourself a website.

 

[Guest123]

Agree with kay-jay, get a decent website. His mate does a really good package deal, so PM the jay man for details.

I find leaflets to work really well, but ones advertising specific products and services targeted to particular times of the year work best. Expect about a 2% return rate per thousand or 20 calls. That's the easy part, turning those 20 calls into actual sales is the hard part. For that you need to be able to postively present yourself, put your customer at ease and sell yourself like hell.

Don't spend a fortune on another plumbing/gas course. Instead spend your money on a part time marketing course at your local college. Many are run at weekends and these courses are money well spent as they'll help you get work in the door, instead of having more letters after your name.

 

[vinniethecat]

NEVER do business with cold- callers, or e- mailers, scum, the lot of them, no matter how plausible they sound.

As soon as you put your advert up, anywhere, the calls will start offering work, advertising, anything to cheat you out of your money for zero return for you.

 

[dannyg]

Thanks guys I put a advert up on the net and ended with loads of people ringing me to put me at the top of google

 

[PlumbBobBob]

the one thing you don't want to do is pay for work, i.e. there are scammers out there who will contact you with offers of so much work if you pay them for the privilege

 

[dannyg]

Yes I keep getting emails off service magic were you pay for leads but I don't bother

 

[Whl4852]

Learn by my mistakes, never advertise in sainsburys or home base notice boards, can't remember the companies name that runs it, but they robbed me blind. Be warned :61: