[pdl]

Totally Agree with Madmarys. 

We have all our 5 vehicles with logo's and telephone numbers on them, (had some good referrals from them, cost about £200 per vehicle) and we have been with several of our Site Managers for 3/4 years now moving around with them as they move fron site to site.

Greatest way to advertise is, do a good job in the first place and word of mouth soon gets round.

We have never used yell.com or yellow pages apart from the free line entry, never used flyers, we just get out there and do a good job at reasonable prices.

[richyvezy]

pdl

Interested to know how you managed to get with these site managers in the first place without advertising ? It's an area we are thinking of moving into soon.

We have just put our first ad in the yellow pages as my w/c mate has had a very good response from his so we took the plunge....only time will tell I guess.

[*Madmary's Cleaning Services]

Hey Rich.

Hope you're not near us then! lol 

Simple answer:

Polish your steeleys,
Get out your cleanest HI-Viz's.
Wash your van,
(We are cleaners after all)

and GET OUT THERE!

Look for developers hoardings or recently started groundworks.
(don't approach at groundwork stage)
Make a note of the site and then keep an eye on it.

Timing is now critical - no-one thinks of cleaners till the last minute!
A rough guide would be to approach the sales/marketing suite people (if any) first.  Get friendly with them.  Give them your literature (never your prices!)
If you are lucky you might bump into the site manager at the same time, but in general, don't approach the site manager until the roof is on the first property on the development (he is a busy man)  He may, or may not, be thinking of cleaners yet, but he sure will need them within the next month or so.

Its about getting to know these people at the right time and getting on with them.  If they like you and you look professional enough, they should point you in the right direction of the Quantity Surveyor/Buyer. (HE IS GOD!)  It is He that you then "respectfully request a tender pack for the above development" etc.

IF you get a tender pack - chuck your prices back at him - and wait......  and wait... (and usually)  wait...

Another way is to simply send all your literature, PLI, ELI etc. directly to head office, requesting inclusion onto their 'Approved Subcontractor List' and, yes you guessed it!  wait....

Good luck - but not in my area eh!  Ha Ha

[pdl]

Have to totally concur with Madmary's last post.

[turneylogan]

Majority of our enquiries come from Yell.com but our target market are young professional commuters who automatically turn to web for everything.   We are now looking at listings with search engines and wonder who has experience of such listings and what was the return on investment?

[Lesley J]

took on a new regular job today asked how they found us, reply, another cleaning company recommended you because they could not cover ther area, nice one thanks other cleaning company, we also do the same for them, lesley J