Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: david@zap-clean on October 10, 2013, 05:08:06 pm
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Who advertises in the Thompson Local directory (paper based catalogue)?
Does it work these days?
I don't advertise in it, it looked a bit expensive, and they simply weren't listening to me when I called them.
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Have you ever used it?
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Have you ever used it?
no
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Exactly ;)
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Exactly ;)
That hasn't answered the question.
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Hi David
I tried it twice in the past once in London and once in Essex, both times it was not worth the money and that was when people used directories!
Cheers
Doug
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Does it work? Yes like this......
(https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT9ONN7zukOxS23t1GhpE5Gyc6leI-_FF7Ra3oy6jVRLPDaIf_x)
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Look at the demographics of the people that buy from you if they are 60+ they tend to look in directories but my return on yp this year is very poor infact the rep in my area hasn't even contacted me this year I'd imagine tompsons is the same.
Shaun
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Hi David
I tried it twice in the past once in London and once in Essex, both times it was not worth the money and that was when people used directories!
Cheers
Doug
That's what I'd heard previously. The latest version of T.L. has just hit my doormat, and it's full of all the local (and not-so-local) carpet cleaners in this area... That's why I asked.
It's a bit thin these days - A5 x 1cm thick.
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Iam in it ive got a small add costs about £170incl vat a year this years book came about about 2 months ago so far ive had 5 or 6 jobs that I know about from it was going to cancel a couple of years ago but just carried on with it as it cost peanuts.
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they make good door jars :)
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I use it and it brings in enough work a year to justify keeping it going.
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Wayne, ring them up and tell them, you will be in their one in a million ;) :D
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I don't advertise in it, it looked a bit expensive, and they simply weren't listening to me when I called them.
:-X
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Who advertises in the Thompson Local directory (paper based catalogue)?
Does it work these days?
I don't advertise in it, it looked a bit expensive, and they simply weren't listening to me when I called them.
Never used it. seem expensive. if its like big yellow rival that i have used for years, got their area rep chasing me too for december deadline. very dissapointing. :(
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Used as door stops in communal flats that's all they good for
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Directories aren't for people who rent they are used by home owners and aged ones at that, new build flats are for the younger clientele who have no money but booze like troopers.
Shaun
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I advertise in it. Yep, the same £170.00. Dont get loads but it pays for itself. Thats like 1 decent domestic job.
How is that too expensive for anyone?
Rich
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Anyone advertising on yell or with yellow pages I would be very wary of handing over payment for a full year. They are £2.3billion in debt :o
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I advertise in it. Yep, the same £170.00. Dont get loads but it pays for itself. Thats like 1 decent domestic job.
How is that too expensive for anyone?
Rich
but you want it to pay for more than just itself do you not.
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As the conversation has drifted from Thompsons to Yellow Pages, here is a picture I took a couple of years ago at some flats in Walton , needed something to hold the door open and there they were, the caption I put on later thought it very apt. ;D
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If you're just starting out then TL and YP, regardless of the fact that they are nowhere near as good as they were in the past, is probably essential to get your name out there. If other carpet cleaners (your competitors) are advertising there then so should you.
Simon
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If you're just starting out then TL and YP, regardless of the fact that they are nowhere near as good as they were in the past, is probably essential to get your name out there. If other carpet cleaners (your competitors) are advertising there then so should you.
Simon
No I wouldn't agree with that at all,, if other CC are advertising there its probably because they have been mugged off by the sales rep or quite simply don't know any better,.
If you're just starting out pile your scant resources into your Web and networking sites, YP and Thomos is burnt money.
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Clearly there are certain customers who still use directories and not the internet otherwise the directories would have died a long time ago and I doubt it is now only populated by idiots who known no better. We maintain a presence with small ads in both directories purely for past customers to find us if they used a directory to find us in the past and sales figures show that it more than pays for itself.
It is however true to say that directories are nowhere near as effective as they once were and the internet is now king but for start-ups you need to spread yourself as wide as possible because you, unlike the established firms, are totally reliant on new business and the more rods you have in the water the more fish you will catch.
Simon
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the more rods you have in the water the more fish you will catch.
Simon
Perhaps if you tried carpet cleaning instead of fishing Simon................... ;D ;D
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If ... as a new starter you put an ad in YP or Thompsons, you stand more chance of getting a customer than if you don't. Once you have that one customer who wouldn't have found you any other way, you have a referral source, and as such, it is a building block for your business.
Any method that brings in a customer, is a good business tool... If the cost of bringing in the customer is more than the worth of that one customer, then you do the best job you can and work that customer for referrals and get the value higher.
The advert will have done the job, IE get the customer, it is up to you to get the value out of said customer..
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Yell - there debitors took over there asset last year and ThomsonLocal went into administration in August to be bought by 118 directory enquires. There no money in printed directories however a lot these firms will sell your data to companies for marketing and TL data is one of the BEST business data out
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Was going to pull out of thompson local last year after being with them for years as I didnt seem to get many calls, but then so many carpet cleaners pulled out there was only three left so get quite a bit of business from it now :)
May be worth holding on and being one of the few in there still .
Although ultimately they're a dying breed.
Steve
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Thats right Steve. The more businesses bail, fewer there are, so they find us easier.
That was my thinking, and thats why its worth it for £170, another cheap way to get ur name out there.
Im in the BT book as well, only £80 colour ad!!
Cheapy cheap!!
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Right guys - I've been checking out Thompson Local (on-line) and this is what you're paying for:
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1381937972_Thompson.gif)
...and no, it's not a problem at my end!
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One hour later, and it's still down. ???
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TL. I pay 50£ a month for first position on TL online, and coloured pic in a book since february. Not even one customer !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait to come out of it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Yell.com I'm with them for one year, and can't complain. They're not brilliant but getting me some customers. But this is only me. Regards my friends.
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Yell.com I'm with them for one year, and can't complain. They're not brilliant but getting me some customers. But this is only me. Regards my friends.
Do you use a different phone number for Yell?
I started using a company called SaltireTelecom who gives me a Free 0333 number or Local number and I found it great to find out where I get leads from. I just have to pay the call per min. Does mean I now increased my Newspaper advert as I get more calls via that.
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I have seen that option with a number, but never used it. Is this option giving you lot more work???
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I have seen that option with a number, but never used it. Is this option giving you lot more work???
It just means I know how many calls I get from Thomson Leads as I only use it on ThomsonLocal. I have started to go over onto a landline number and getting more work and better work too.
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Aaalright, thank you Chris. I might try do that aswell. Have a good day
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Aaalright, thank you Chris. I might try do that aswell. Have a good day
Good way to get your way with these firms. I got Yell to give me a half page Colour listing for £50 as Last year I got 50 calls from Yellow pages and at first they said No we don't change prices and so I said that is fine, I will not be on Yellow Pages as I only got 50 calls and they asked how I knew that and I said 'My number was ONLY used on Yellow Pages as I use different number for different forms of marketing'