Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

Most Effective Way To Advertise On A Budget

Posted by Anonymous on 9/21/2008 at 12:33 AM ET 250 Points
My domestic gas service and repair company is going through a lean time, I have severely limited funds, I advertise in the yellow pages only. I have recently done a few leaflet drops but what is/are the best ways to get company name out there and attract more customers? In my town, commercial gas companies are also servicing and repairing domestic appliances at the moment due to a lack of demand on the commercial side so this is also effecting my business. Is advertising in community publications a good way to go? I have networked within my industry, need ideas of how to reach general public. Thank you.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 9/21/2008 at 8:44 AM Accepted
    If you don't already have a website, create one. That'll help people find you.

    If you're going through lean times, is it because there is too much competition or fewer people needing your services? Is your business seasonal (if so, can you offer services that make sense -- or team up with other companies that do -- for those seasons)? Do your skills translate well into service/repair of other products (electricity, water, or HVAC)?
  • Posted by babbsela on 9/22/2008 at 12:40 AM Accepted
    There are lots of networking organizations out there - do some research and start going to as many as you can. Don't just network in your industry - network with the types of people who will need your services. Some good places to look are Meetup.com, Groups on Craigslist.com, or google for "business networking events" in your city. Referral networking groups can also be helpful. Visit the BNI and LeTip groups in your area and see if they are a good fit for you. Bottom line, get out there and meet people. Ask for referrals. And most important, provide the best customer service you can, so that you will get those referrals, and people will come back to use you again.
  • Posted on 9/22/2008 at 12:34 PM Member
    Since funds are lean....create free publicity! Can you be a local expert on how folks can can avoid repairs on domestic appliances by smarter usage? Offer to write or be interviewed for an article with a few tips on how to extend the life of the domestic appliances, and avoid repairs,or how to get more operating efficiency from the items. If there is a talk radio/tv show, offer to be an "ask the expert" on that. Are you able to offer specials.... contact us for a repair and we'll apply the service call to your bill. So if you charge $50.00 for a service call and the client decides to use you for the repair, apply the $50.00 toward the total repair cost. Ask for the sale and referral. If you do a repair, and the client is satisfied... give them a couple of business cards and say you appreciate word of mouth referrals. Follow up with previous customers, ask if the repair met their expectations and is working well, and thank them for their business. Drop a quick card or note to a client to say you appreciate their business.
    Follow up with any old quotes that did not use you for a repair. Ask if the job is still open, ask why you didn't get the job. Right now, I believe it is the best time for you to differentiate yourself from the other guys by being more personal. Like an above poster said... doing business with a neighborhood guy!
  • Posted on 9/22/2008 at 12:39 PM Accepted
    Since funds are lean....create free publicity! Can you be a local expert on how folks can can avoid repairs on domestic appliances by smarter usage? Offer to write or be interviewed for an article with a few tips on how to extend the life of the domestic appliances, and avoid repairs,or how to get more operating efficiency from the items. If there is a talk radio/tv show, offer to be an "ask the expert" on that. Are you able to offer specials.... contact us for a repair and we'll apply the service call to your bill. So if you charge $50.00 for a service call and the client decides to use you for the repair, apply the $50.00 toward the total repair cost. Ask for the sale and referral. If you do a repair, and the client is satisfied... give them a couple of business cards and say you appreciate word of mouth referrals. Follow up with previous customers, ask if the repair met their expectations and is working well, and thank them for their business. Drop a quick card or note to a client to say you appreciate their business.
    Follow up with any old quotes that did not use you for a repair. Ask if the job is still open, ask why you didn't get the job. Right now, is the best time for you to differentiate yourself from the other guys by being more personal. Like an above poster said... doing business with a neighborhood guy! Good Luck.
  • Posted on 9/28/2008 at 12:25 PM Accepted
    Why don't you use the power of PR
    1. Host How-to Workshops: "How to get more miles per gallon with the car you have" or "How to get ready for winter roads". Host early morning 15 minute coffee breaks or afternoon workshops and promote it to the local papers. That way you are getting your name in the paper every other week or so. Constant reminders of a good community neighbor and a good person with whom to do business.

    2. Take the show on the road. Speak at local schools and clubs on the above topics.

    3. Send in monthly How to Tips to the local paper.

    4. Talk if Up. Get on a local morning drive talk show as a local car talk expert.

    Do any three of these things, and you won't have to ever spend a penny on advertising again.

    Suzi McCoy, [URL deleted by staff]
  • Posted on 9/28/2008 at 7:46 PM Accepted
    You need to get some online marketing started fast. It's cheap and more importantly, it is extremely easy to track, which helps you understand your ROI much better than with print media options.

    A website would be the first thing I would do. Make sure that it explains your products and services clearly, and make sure that it is easy for the customer to contact you via the website.

    Second thing would be to start marketing your website. Hire someone to starting doing some SEO and look into a small Google Pay-per-click budget... maybe $50/month to start.

    Make sure you have your customers fill out a survey about how they found your company. This will help you decide where to spend your marketing money.

    Hope this helps.
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