Best Way to Advertise

chrisb1357

Hi all,

I was tininking to myself what is the best way to advertise myself in my area on a small budget without spending loads. I have had quotes for flyers etc but i am thinking is it worth spending money on flyers and posting them in doors of home users. I am going to be running a IT / Computer support company.

To get Business from other Compaines i was thinking of a small pack i can give to them.

Does anyone have any more ideas on best way to get me known

Chris

ukbill69

Search this forum, there is tones of advice if you look! this has been asked so many times.

chrisb1357

Hi Bill,

I have done a few searches allready. Seems to be mixed views all over on this subject as it depends on what sort of business it is. Myself will be providing Computer and IT support in the local area to home users and business users.

People say that using Yell and Thomson is not a good way around things as they get very few calls from people who see an advert in these books.

I know alot of the local shops in the area so i might ask them to stick some flyers on there window or inside the shop someware. I also have some local papers that come though the door as well.

With most of my customers going to be home users i was thinking should i tweak my website to get the best search results

Chris

Chris

ukbill69

Local paper is good.

sunny_mummy

i agree with bill, ad in the local paper would be a good choice.
also you have considered shop windows, supermarkets. Our tescos has a board with business cards in it for local businesses.

signage on your car, so as you drive around people will see your name and web. either a magnet or vinyl graphics depending on how permanent you want it!

how about sending a press release to local papers when you are running, about yourself?

good luck.

pcfixmanchester

Hiya Chris

I do IT Support / Training in Manchester, mostly home users and small business, and after doing it for 20 years this is my opinion. I hope I dont upset the posters above as I suggest a different strategy.

To be honest if your just starting up and you not been self employed before, then DONT spend any money on expensive press advertising. There is loads of FREE ways of getting your message out there.

Get some Cheap (but still good quality) leaflets that list your main services and show YOUR HOURLY CHARGE and do some targeted leaflet drops in your nearest posh area !! Only leaflet 50-100 houses at a time so then you can get feedback on which bit of the leaflet was good and what needs to be changed.

The reason I say to show your hourly charges is that so many people wont lift the phone to ring you until they know how much it costs.

Also avoid 0845, use either your geographic number or your mobile. Home users/Small business all use mobiles and they hate having to pay to ring an 0845 when then they can ring another mobile or geographic number for free from their included minutes.

I know the Leaflets will cost you money, so now some free Ideas.

Use Google !!! are you appearing on Google Maps for when people search for PC Support in your area ? It is very easy to add yourself to Google business list.

If you have specific deals or services, use Google Sites (free) to build a one page site about that deal or task that is linked back to your site.

Use Google Analytics !!

Use your Twitter / Facebook / Blogs to tell the world how you just launched and that the first 10 customers get a free bag of Maltesers to munch while you cure their PC headaches !!

Get your friends on board, offer each friend £5 for every job they get you.

Once you been running for a while and you have a name, then maybe look at doing some press stuff. But never pay full price for advertising and never believe the salesmens pitch about how much work an ad will bring it.

Before I do any payed advertising, I would first think what I would do when I need a service (Garage/Plumber/Builder) and first I would ask friends for personal recomendations, then I would Google, and then maybe yellow pages and shop windows, but at the bottom of the list would be to go and find a newspaper and read through all the small ads. Its sad to say but print media is dying and people just dont buy and read papers like they used to.

Are you active in forums and such were people can find you if they wish to use you ? It is within MSE (and most Forums) rules to have a link on your profile, and of course your profile should have your city on it, so then people know if your local to them or not.

Have you checked for any small business networking groups in your area ?

Have you thought about niche markets ? Silver Surfer Training / Home Worker emergency support / 1-1 IT training for people who are looking to get a new job/promotion but need to be more upto date on Excel, ACT, Powerpoint etc etc.

Anyhow, thats enough to get you going for now, if you want some more details or more ideas then just PM me I am always happy to help someone get started and good luck.

IT support for home users is hard work but can be very satisfying. Its all about service and not technical knowledge. If you have a mindset that you can be polite and patient and be the technical Jeeves to thier Wooster then you can do well. Remember that when at a customers house, they are paying you, so be polite and treat them like your favourite Aunt, if you go in shouting and moaning because they made a mess of a machine and its going to take you ages to sort out, then you just going to make them feel bad and unlikely to ever recommend you or use you again. Whereas if you are sympathetic and tell them not to worry and these things happen all the time, then they will feel at ease and be happy at what a nice chap you are and how they will tell all there friends about the polite guy who fixed all their problems.

Cheers

Andy ;-)

chickmug

Hi pcfixmanchester

A really good post with great tips.

I am retired now and ran my own business so can relate to all the advice you have given.

paulwf

If you haven't already read http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=701077

The problem with flyers and newspapers is that most people will bin them after a day or two, which isn't much use if their computer breaks down a month later. Spending the same money on a permanent adverts such as a website which could potentially last for years has to be more cost effective. Networking with small businesses and trying to get service contracts might be a way to go - advertising could be more focused and the workload more predictable.

inmypocketnottheirs

pcfixmanchester, I have to say that your posts is one of the best thought out, supportive, helpful and well constructed responses that I have read on this site for a very long time. So much so I am nominating you for the post of the month and urge others to do so also.

With this kind of attitude I am sure that your business is doing well, and I wish you continued success.

pcfixmanchester

WOW !! thanks inmypocket, nice to get praise for a post.

I think that there should be more direct support and help for those starting out, often startups spend a fortune on expensive adverts, office equipment, business tools that they dont need. I concentrate on having very low overheads and never spending large amounts of money on advertising without lots of research first.

But MSE is full of great people, I had fantastic help and ideas on posts I had about insurance and taking in an Apprentice a few months back so am more than happy to help out others in any way I can.

Cheers

Andy ;-)

pcfixmanchester

Another thing to think about with running any small business is keeping your costs low.

Just like in your normal life try and avoid borrowing money if at all possible, dont buy things on credit cards unless you are 100% sure they will bring in business that will pay for themselves within the 30 days to pay the card off.

It might sound harsh, and be against what others might say, but when you first start all you need is a computer, some cheap printing and lots of time and hardwork.

Joining business clubs with fees is something to do later on, there are lots of free clubs and forums to get information from.

Advertising in Magazines/papers/diaries/calendars etc etc are all for the future, get your business up and running for a year before you start to sign up for any advertising contracts. Especially ones where they want a regular monthy spend !! they are just a huge drain on your cash and if you have a bad couple of months you still have to find the money to pay for them.

When people ring you up offering advertising and telling you they have a great deal but need an answer in 5 minutes/1hour/end of day then just ignore them, its not a great deal if they are going to tie you into spending money that will not make you money.

When you first start every penny counts so think long and hard before spending any thing and never be talked in to giving a credit card number to a salesman for advertising on a first phone call. !!! If you read the forums there are so many rip off police diary / local papers that are just total scams.

So spend carefully, and dont use that credit card unless you know you can pay it back within the 30 days.

Even if you have 3 fantastic months and earn £3,000 each month, you could should not spend more than you usually would, bank that extra cash for when you have bad months where you earn nothing.

Sorry for the long posts again today !!

Cheers and now forget all about work and business and go and have a nice Friday evening in the sun ;-)

Andy ;-)