What advertising do you do?

The_Tonk · Sep 28, 2011

As I am just starting back out on the self employment adventure I am looking for the best way to advertise.

I have done the usual and got business cards made up and booked my van in to get signs done.

I signed up to Trade UK/Job sorted when I was in B&Q opening a trade account, however any time I search for work on the site it is the same jobs listed that have been there for months. Is this just the area I stay (Just south of Glasgow) or have any of you signed up to it and found it to be a good way of getting work?

Do any of you use My Hammer, Rated people or any other similar web based advertising site?
I have looked into them and am unsure if they would offer a good value for money service?

I have never been into facebook but recently set up a page on it to advertise and have had a few enquiries.

Any ideas or suggestions welcome

sparra1100 · Sep 28, 2011

stay away mate from rated people ,job sorted,,my hammer etc you have to pay for the job and if is a small plumbing job nobody is going to wait round there gunner get the first person who comes along rated is only any good on boilers and even then everyone wants it done dirt cheap and you get beat on price by "mr i can do it in a day for cheaper" i paid hundreds to them and only got 3 boilers made about £200 on each of them so never worked for me i would go in the local paper or a website ,word of mouth ect at the moment its hard, little work about so its the wrong time to go self employed but good luck also be careful of people ringing you up offering contracts for work there usually a con if you have to pay for them up front or pay atall (usually gas tho)

gravytrain · Sep 28, 2011

hi, i agree with sparra rated people and the like are rubbish. invest in a decent website think clearly about what you want it to be like so some spotty web designer cant tell you what you want. clear text, pictures and maybe videos, testimonials are also good.
get into yellow pages and onto yell.com. then find all the parish magazines in your area and put an advert in all of them, for at least a year. this will cost you but is the only way you are going to attract business. there is very little work around so you need to do as much advertising as possible
always ask people where they saw your ad that way you can begin to work out where is the most cost effective advertising for you.
i also agree that word of mouth is not providing much work cos hardly anyone is having anything done. ita all reactive maintenance.

Tony Clifton · Sep 28, 2011

Sign up to www.freeindex.co.uk It's free i get loads work from there

Phil · Sep 28, 2011

Most of my work now comes from regulars and recomendations and I advertise in the church magazine at £40 a year.

For 3 years I've been in the Yellow Pages but I'm going to tell them to stick it this year, it probably just about pays for itself every year but it attracts endless junk sales calls and riff raff customers from miles away.

sparra1100 · Sep 28, 2011

yep am jibin the yellow pages this year and stickin to yell.com

Guest123 · Sep 28, 2011

Don't know anyone who uses Yellow Pages, as paper directories are old hat. The internet is where people search. Best to advertise in your local paper, get about 5,000 A5 full colour leaflets printed that are professionally designed and include good colour photographs and put them out through letterboxes at a minimum of 1,000 at a time. A box of 5,000 should last you about 5 weeks. Best printers I know are the inkshop in ***bernauld.
Finally you have to sell yourself. Aways be well dressed, smart, punctual and polite.

WaterTight · Sep 28, 2011

do you not do gas system? just looking at your signature.

Guest123 · Sep 29, 2011

WaterTight said:
do you not do gas system? just looking at your signature.

It's mainly bathrooms mate, though last year I did my CCN1 but never bothered getting GasSafe as I only get asked for gas once or twice a year.
This year seen an explosion of outside taps for some reason.

Just had another look at this....talking about gas and then explosions is not to be recommended!