Any advice promoting my business?

[Foodface]

I've just recently started up my own company after a bit of a plumbing career break and am currently undertaking an advertising campaign mainly concentrating on leaflet drops and local advertising. I was just wondering what other fellow plumbers advice would be for making the most of advertising as I'm getting fed up with people ringing my number and offering me the world (yellow pages, qype, thompson). Should I go with a costly directory ad or stick to my guns and advertise locally and via google?

Your input would be much appreciated.

 

[dontknowitall]

Most effective way for me was business cards through doors. Real chore but it did work.

 

[secret squirrel]

What I do is leaflets and yellow pages, business cards etc.

For me it was all about name recognition, people see a leaflet, stick it in a drawer, then have a sort out see the name again. May not need a plumber and throw the leaflet away.

When they do need a plumber they then flick through the yellow pages and my name rings a bell!

I'm getting calls now from people in areas where I did a leaflet drop 6-8 months ago..

 

[cdodds2004]

i went in thomson local total waste of time, leaflets and local rag works best for me then word of mouth after that

 

[John_]

Facebook worth a look at as well.

 

[RichardLopez]

Hi,

Have you considered registering with Rated People or similar websites...ppl search online for plumbers in their area and if you're featured you could get work from there...just a suggestion

 

[John_]

I once did about 10k leaflets/business cards through people doors, all by myself. Bloody hard work it was, got about 2 or 3 leads out of it but didn't really amount to anything that warrant the miles I put in on FOOT. So leaflets through doors doesn't work for me but when u r desperate u got to try.

 

[John_]

Apparently advertising in church magazines works as well because when all the old dears see adverts in these mags they instantly think you are good tradesman (not saying u r not) because they assume u go to churches. How true is this I don't know.

 

[Foodface]

I've done a lot since posting this advert, I don't want to sound like one of those down beat plumbers you see on here sometimes but it really is hard to see what works and what doesn't. Leaflets led me to one service, rated people is a load of rubbish they wanted £20 plus for a boiler install lead and there is no guarantee you'd get the job. Local magz are the best so far but it's all about reputation and word of mouth as far as I can see. Only been trading for 8 months by myself but it's all about customer service, every good customer you get is potentially another two in the bag.

The fact is it's hard out there for everyone at minute due to the state of the industry and economy, might have to get a part time job to tide me over if we have a bad winter.

Thanks for the replies on the post though.

 

[petercj]

3 tips:-

1/ Make your advertising material attractive and memorable... use images whenever possible, e.g. a dripping tap alongside a water-tight tap with your charge between them... easily done on any computer using a free graphics package.

2/ Give a highly competitive example of what you do, i.e. "prices from" .. "subject to survey" while stating how much the customer will save by choosing you, and mention any added value, such as Check-a-Trade registered, etc.

3/ Coordinate your advertising and make it systematic, e.g. link snappy, memorable adverts and flyers to a website where people can get more information (reassurance) about you and your work. Explain what you offer in a way that convinces prospective customers that you are reliable and competent, while offering good value for money in a competitive market. Show letters of satisfaction and recommendation from past customers on your website. Think of five very good reasons why people should choose you and list them as bullet points on your website, keep them simple but relevant, such as, you arrange set times with people, and you don't expect them to wait in all day, or half a day, as the larger companies do. If you give any kind of warranty on your work, make that one of the bullet points.

Having coordinated your advertising and marketing, make it *systematic*, e.g. a small, snappy, memorable ad in the local paper every week will keep you in people's minds - they may not need your services straight away, but when their tap starts dripping, you want your ad to pop up in their mind's eye. Having a regular ad tends to communicate that you are reliable, i.e. not a five minute wonder looking to get rich quick, and just here today and gone tomorrow. Regular advertising with an evening paper works out cheaper per ad when you are a regular customer.

Keep your advertising and marketing going all the time - don't wait until the work has dried up before thinking about how to get more customers lined up.

Research shows that one of the most compelling motivators for selling anything to the public is the message that everyone else is after the product or the service. So on that basis, as far as the customer is concerned, you are always busy. If you can fit them in tomorrow, it's because you've just had a cancellation due to a customer having to change their appointment time.

A good reputation takes time to build up, and is well worth protecting, even if it means bending over backwards to satisfy an unhappy customer - bad news travels fast, and tends to be very memorable.

 

[petercj]

Apparently advertising in church magazines works as well because when all the old dears see adverts in these mags they instantly think you are good tradesman (not saying u r not) because they assume u go to churches. How true is this I don't know.

Most of the plumbers I know mention Jesus Christ at least six times a day!

 

[Foodface]

Six times an hour for me, consistently getting stuck in cupboards, eves or banging my head on something.

 

[petercj]

Six times an hour for me, consistently getting stuck in cupboards, eves or banging my head on something.

Really!

It's not a well known fact, but actually, there is good evidence to show that plumbers tend to be very religious people!

Some research done by Fernox in the 80's found that there is often a religious dimension to the giving of quotations.

They found that 70% of plumbers drew on their faith and support from above when working out an estimate in an almost ritualistic way.

Apparently 70% of quotations begin with the words: “Jesus Christ … OH MY GOD … will you look at THAT!” ... followed by ...

“GOOD GOD, I’ve not seen one as bad as that in 30 years of plumbing!” .... and ....

“JESUS … what am I supposed to do with that!” ... then....

“GOOD LORD …. give me strength!”

Huge sigh as the plumber positions himself in relation to the job like David squaring up to Goliath!

Followed by a deep purging of breath from the lungs … and then a loud sucking noise as the word: “welllllllllllllllllllll” starts to form on the plumbers lips.

By this time the customer has usually turned ashen grey with every drop of blood drained from his cheeks, and lips having turned blue. Trembling on the verge of a panic attack at the thought of what the job is going to cost (I mean, how much does God charge an hour these days?)

The customer fights to regain his composure and summons up the courage to ask: “Well, what do think?”

Another ritualistic purging of breath is expelled by the plumber as he says: “It’s gonna cost you!”

Trembling with anticipation the customer mutters in a croaking whisper: “How much?”

“I’ll do the best I can for £500 quid”, says the plumber!

As the blood rushes back to the customer’s brain, he yells: “JESUS CHRIST! HOW MUCH???”

The plumber smiles, happy in the knowledge that he has brought about another conversion by getting his customer to talk to the Good Lord when finding himself in troubled waters.

[FONT=&amp]Amen.[/FONT]

 

[RichardLopez]

Haha didn't expect to find religion in here, amen to that

 

[E4gas]

In the summer time , Try getting a board done , leave it outside jobs or any school or church fetes leave by the entrance , give them a small donation , or if you no any one doing a car boot ask to leave it by there stall ..lots off people will see it

 

[Guest123]

Whatever form of advertising you use, make sure that it is professionally designed. Home made looking stuff smacks of amateur and cheap and you'll find it a lot harder to get work.

For those who have little or no work, instead of spending thousands on yet another plumbing. electrical, gas course, spend a few hundred on a marketing course in your local college. It will be money very well spent.

 

[petercj]

Whatever form of advertising you use, make sure that it is professionally designed. Home made looking stuff smacks of amateur and cheap and you'll find it a lot harder to get work.

For those who have little or no work, instead of spending thousands on yet another plumbing. electrical, gas course, spend a few hundred on a marketing course in your local college. It will be money very well spent.

Are you planning another career change system3?

Seems to be a growing demand for small trades marketing!

:4:

 

[Guest123]

Are you planning another career change system3?

Seems to be a growing demand for small trades marketing!

:4:

No mate, got too much on in my plumbing company without adding to it with something else!

 

[petercj]

No mate, got too much on in my plumbing company without adding to it with something else!

Diversification is the best way of staying in the game these days - if you have plenty of plumbing work, why not take on a plumber so that you can put some time into setting up a marketing course?

Two days: The concept of Brand ... Designing a logo ... Producing a professional looking Flyer ... Setting up a website.