Local rag effectiveness

[rocker]

So, folks, does advertising in your local paper work for you? I know it's been discussed within other threads, but I thought we could try and get some definite figures. It's something I'm thinking of doing but I would want to be convinced of it's effectiveness as my local rag charge a fortune! So, have you done it, and if you have, did it get you any work?

 

[jedisparks]

I did the local paper when i 1st started out. it was expensive, i did get a few jobs from it but also alot of time wasters, ie. people wanting a quote to install a security light, id say that'l be about 60-70quid (cheap i know) they would say oh! i didnt think it would be that much!. you know that type of thing.

 

[Guest123]

It did work well for me first off, got some tidy jobs from it.

I got one job at a local chimney factory in my frst week of contracting and we still do all they're installation and maintenance now. I dont use it anymore as the world and his wife are in there advertising "part p" certificates catered for.

 

[Phil]

as daft as it sounds i advertised in the local shops around the area. a couple of quid for a couple of months and got plenty off them. well worth the effort of sticking them up. then of course it leads to the free word of mouth which is better than any paid advertising.

 

[ezzzekiel]

As with anything starting off is difficult, i recomend investing heavy on adverts, local papers, flyers, yellow pages, yell, just about every internet source (facebook, twitter etc) build your own website, and anywhere else you can poss think off this will cover you for first year then hopefully by the end you will have established a reputation and you can cut back the following year to free adverts on yell etc...

 

[rocker]

Nice one fellas. I am putting everything into free or cheap advertising at the moment - been delivering so many flyers door to door you wouldn't believe, and picked up one or two jobs from it. Done a few shop windows as well with an eyecatching poster (bit of a graphic designer, me) but I may explore that route further. Seems that Premier have taken over much of the little shops around here though, and they have their massive acetates they put on the window so you can't put posters in....

I'm going to draw the line at a yellow pages paid ad at the moment because all I have ever heard is that they don't work, and they are a hell of a lot of money. Got their free one-liner though.

Done the website thing as well but need to try and get it promoted.

I've also tried the free myhammer membership and have had one job out of it, but there is one guy in my area who has a premium membership who is obviously getting in the back door because he can communicate directly with the customers, and he's hoovering up all the work. Problem is, their '3 months obligation free trial' doesn't seem that obligation free, as you have to cancel within 2 months to avoid going into a 12 month contract, and they have yet to reply to my question whether if you cancel at 2 months, do they return the third months money that you paid up front? Anyway, enough about myhammer.

There does seem to be a general consensus that it can work, and my paper only has one spark in it at the moment. Still, I'm totally brassic right now so need more convincing. Keep it coming, guys, it's all useful data.