What form of advertising gives you the best response?

[hanks75]

Just curious to know what is working for you guys out there across the country.

 

[Mikey P]

My website by far.

 

[Ken Snow]

Radio and network TV by far.

 

[Chris A]

For new clients, our website, but that's where most of our money is spent.

 

[hogjowl]

In the interest of maintaining useful information, shared by credible individuals, I am tempted to delete the two broke dicks responses and leave only Ken's on this thread.

But, I don't want to get Mikey all pissed off.

 

[Ken Snow]

Marketing and Advertising are different things, advertising being just one aspect of marketing.

I personally put a website in the marketing category, though this is arguable, as it is part of an overall strategy implementation in marketing but not a direct advertising vehicle. That said, I do believe parts of a website have an advertising element, but the site itself is part of marketing not advertising. Some forms of web based advertising imo would be, tiles on various websites (such as those Mikey sells), pay per click linked mediums etc. that when clicked on send a viewer to your website that is MARKETING your business.

Ken
Ps Dictionary definition of advertising
1. the act or practice of calling public attention to one's product, service, need, etc., esp. by paid announcements in newspapers and magazines, over radio or television, on billboards, etc.: to get more customers by advertising.
2. paid announcements; advertisements.

 

[rhyde]

direct referrals from current customers

 

[Art Kelley]

Word of mouth from satisfied customers.

 

[Johnny]

Referrals from thrilled and amazed customers.

 

[Ryan]

If your new or just a bdcc, door to door with a free bottle of spotter and trifold brochure works great. A letter and trifold, maybe a gallon of spotter for commerical accounts. If you live in big area (I sure wish I did) just keep going until you get jobs.

 

[Ken Snow]

might want to change the thread name title William- the answers are almost all related to marketing, not advertising specific.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Postcards targeted at existing customers. January cards work best on previous January and February customers.

 

[hogjowl]

It's amazing to me how often someone comes here asking for information related to advertising and I see the same idiots respond with advice. Knowing all the while that they have about as much business offerning advertising advice as I do.

Bunch of fakes ...

 

[Art Kelley]

It's amazing to me how often someone comes here asking for information related to advertising and I see the same idiots respond with advice. Knowing all the while that they have about as much business offerning advertising advice as I do.

Bunch of fakes ...

Everyone has offered a legitimate opinion Marty. No one is an idiot. My point is if Hagopian or Modernistic or Chem Dry or Stanley Steemer have muiti-million dollar ad budgets for radio and tv and magazines and coupons and newspapers, how can a small company compete with that? What is the best and most effective way to get and retain customers? Nothing beats word of mouth.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

I have come up with some really clever television ad ideas. I write them down and keep them so I can use them in the future. I can see how a great commercial would generate better than all other forms of media.

 

[Ken Snow]

I actually agree with that Art- word of mouth is the best form of advertising. The process of developing a campaign or process to help make it happen is Marketing. My point had nothing to do with the mediums people choose to advertise, just trying to shed soome light on the semantics that advertising is the specific action or ad, where other things are part of the marketing process but not technically advertising. Toast started as bread, but bread is not toast.

 

[everfresh1]

It's amazing to me how often someone comes here asking for information related to advertising and I see the same idiots respond with advice. Knowing all the while that they have about as much business offerning advertising advice as I do.

Bunch of fakes ...

Everyone has offered a legitimate opinion Marty. No one is an idiot. My point is if Hagopian or Modernistic or Chem Dry or Stanley Steemer have muiti-million dollar ad budgets for radio and tv and magazines and coupons and newspapers, how can a small company compete with that? What is the best and most effective way to get and retain customers? Nothing beats word of mouth.

I agree with you 100% Art. Although I do send out mailers occasionally. :mrgreen:

 

[bensurdi]

For us, the website pulls the most business. Hands down. There are other sources that we get a good amount but nothing that compares to the internet.

 

[Ron Werner]

repeat
referrals-word of mouth, BNI,
Local directory put together by the Lions Club. More people will look in this local book than they will the local phone book.
website is bringing in more each year

 

[Able 1]

Flyers..

 

[Al]

Most revenue was from Yellow Pages. We get a good amount of cc jobs from YP but most of our floods are still YP too
Were on a 64000. flood right now from YP. Can't live without YP here

Websites are bringing in a good amount of work! We have at least 12 sites and internet jobs are increasing all the time.

We have plenty of new referrals and repeats.

 

[Chris A]

In the interest of maintaining useful information, shared by credible individuals, I am tempted to delete the two broke dicks responses and leave only Ken's on this thread.

But, I don't want to get Mikey all pissed off.

Sorry Mort, let me rephrase...

Radio and network TV by far.

 

[Jonee]

I have tried many kinds of advertising and when I owned a coupon/ by the room type business, the best type of advertising was those glossy coupon magazines. The magic was posting prices and having an attractive theme......and slecting the correct publication, as in any market there is one that has been around for ever and has a good following. This advertsing company charges a bit more, and will only take so many carpet cleaners.

After I decided to become a one man show, and focus on specailty cleaning (fine fabrics, leather,etc) nothing I try brings me qualified customers. I have changed the media and the message, even spent thousands on consultants and still totally unqualified leads.......the phone does ring, but they are looking for an expert/ specialist at chem dry pricing (4 areas and hall -$99 in my area).

I have found only marketing down in the trenches will work for my type of business, visiting furniture stores, carpet retailers, designers.....and dealing with all of the rejection (must have thick skin) and every once in a great while you find a match. Its very time intesive and not very effecient, but it does help me find good referral sources. I wish there was some kind of post card I could send out and make poteinial referral sources stand up and raise their hand...."Finally a specialist.....just who I'm looking for" (Well I can dream)

-Jon

 

[Mikey P]

I want to change my answer to client referrals.

WOM definitely has gotten me the most new customers over the years.

09 was off the hook on web clients though.

 

[tafbaig]

Hi Hanks75. These days most things aren't working due to the freeze around the country. That dosn't really mean that it will last long before things start working. I'm a true believer of of networking. Most people don't know how to network correctly and those who learn it don't apply it. Just like this board, you don't see big ads for it. It's the people who keep it growing. The other part is technology. Old things like phone books don't work as well. You need to find a new way.
I would like to recommend that you start with watching a video and reading an article that I have linked below. Then give me a call sometime next week and we can weed out the things that don't work and get you some fresh marketing ideas.
Here is a Marketing DVD that I had them put on our website for customers who are slow and have time to fine tune their marketing. It is free for you to watch online (at least for right now) and you don't have to download it. It is streaming. Go to ww.MagicWandCompany.com, then scroll down towards the bottom of the page. It is the first video from the bottom.
After that, click on the DVD/Marketing Materials or Articles from the tab and read the Marketing articles.

 

[bonesheal]

I've had the most luck with web advertising and face-to-face networking-type venues. A frozen January is just a bad time to find business, though, in my experience.

 

[Royal Man]

The best form of advertising that I have ever found is also the easiest and the lowest cost method of marketing I have ever experienced.

I develop marketing partners throughout my area.

Many of you may heard of making relationships with carpet stores, designers and retailers.

These referral sources can be difficult to develop and if another cleaner is doing this you will be left out.

It may take repeated on site visits. Taking up time you could of been making money or spending time with your family.

I Have found that there are many other referral sources that are untapped and easier to develop that with these sources.

All it takes is a simple 2 minute phone call to get it started.

(You can call in your van between jobs.)

Also, the sources I found will actively advertise and promote your business to hundreds to thousands of new prospects every month forever and it won't cost you a dime.

Just one of these easy competitive free referral sources can provide your company with an endless supply of new clients for no money or effort month after month.

Now is the perfect time to develop these referral source.

It was around this time of the year a few years ago when I stumbled on to this unique way to market.

Because I had the time but, no money.

I had to find a way to that I could market even though I was broke for the winter.

It was frustrating.

I was always trying new ways to market. So, I developed this way of getting new client for little or no money and I couldn't believe how well it has worked.

Even in the dead of a very tough winter it is bringing in new clients every week for no effort or money on my behalf.

For more info check out www.FreeMarketingForever.com

This post is not meant as an advertisement. I am simply answering this post with a way to help other cleaners to discover a better way to advertise/market.