Touchlocal? Best way to advertise?

[Connor Williams]

Hello guys,

I put a plumbing advert in my local paper and a company called Touchlocal called me desperate to arrange a meeting and tell me how they could promote my plumbing business online.

I met them and the package for the year worked out at £733 inv VAT, which workes out at about £12 per week.

I was interested until they insisted I had to sign up there and then, otherwise I couldn't join up, I wanted the evening to think it over and weigh up the costs but they insisted a decision had to be made and deposit put down.

I declined as this in your face, sign up and give cash now seemed desperate and dodgy.

Anyone worked with 'Touchlocal' or know anything about them?

All the best,
Connor

 

[tamz]

Never sign up for anything without thinking about it and never believe the hype from any advertisement mob. They are all stuggling too and the salesman is probably on a small basic + commision or possibly commision only, no sale = no wages.
Have a read through some of this
[DLMURL="http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=28653"]Touch local- anyone used? - UK Business Forums[/DLMURL]

There are better ways to spend £733, like
[DLMURL="http://www.thomson.co.uk/destinations/europe/spain/tenerife/holidays-tenerife.html"]Thomson Holidays - Holidays in Tenerife[/DLMURL]

 

[Blake]

I have to agree with tamz. I did advertise with them, I only paid a couple of hundred though and that did not produce any great return. Just get a free listing with them and then go on holiday with what you have saved.

 

[justlead1]

Hi. A guy put a post up on here the other day. Saying he had camped up out side one of the national DIY stores on a Saturday Canvassing people and giving them cards / flyers. Sounds like a great way to promote your self.

 

[plumb-tech]

i went with them paid £350 not 1 job out of them

 

[Guest123]

£733 will get you a hell of a lot of advertising! Don't spend all your cash on just one medium, use several until you get the one that works.

Here's mine and costs that I've settled with and get good results:

5,000 x A5 leaflets printed full colour on gloss paper = £99
I get a guy to put out 1,000 out a week and always get bathroom work. Takes about 4 hours and 5,000 lasts 5 weeks. The guy takes £25 to put them out. Make sure they're professional looking though and the person who puts them out is trustworthy and doesn't dump them.

Single colour newspaper ad in local press = £32 per week
I get everything from an outside tap to a lead dormir from this cheap advert.

I'm doing a radio ad nearer to Christmas as this is the time I get least work. Expensive (about 3 grand) but done right and advertising the right product produces excellent results. For example get a good supply of towel radiators at this time and advertise a supply and fit. There's no point in advertising outside taps in December! Don't just advertise as "Joe Bloggs" Plumbers, get a product that people are interested in at a particular time of year, if you do a good job, general plumbing work will follow.

Or stand outside B&Q with your leaflets as we did and get your own back.....

 

[Connor Williams]

Thanks guys for all you your help and advice, lots of facts to consider! Greatly appreciated.

All the best,
Connor

 

[Centralheatking]

I always think that a local landline number is vital to give the potential customers a handle on where you live/operate from.

Mobile nos are fine as well. Here in Lancs customers know the area from the 1st 2/3 numbers after the area code and like to keep things local.

Centralheatking

 

[Guest123]

And you can get a freephone 0800 number which can be transferred to your mobile. Although you pay for the call (about 3p) your customers are more likely to call you on a freephone number.
Put an address on all your leaflets, a landline and mobile. I had a printing company for 15 years as well as my plumbing so I have lots of experience in marketing this.

 

[PlumbersMate]

System3 you say you get alot of bathroom work from leaflets so is that what you have on them? That you specialise in bathrooms? Obviously prob not best avenue to go down but I'm thinking perhaps spring time. Who the he'll delivers them for you fr £25?!!! That's superb!