[Jamie Lindsay]

Hi guys sounds like a silly question...

I am just starting out and was looking for peoples opinion on getting new costumers and getting a client base

thanks

[Ian Gourlay]

Advertise in local village Newsletters

[wayne zabel]

Isnt this the hardest part of the job?Getting the customers,I dont think theres an easy answer

If it was easy then everyone would be doing CC.I'm a newbie to full time CC and have just come to a bit of a standstill after a very good start.I have just started mass leafleting again in order to get my name known.I also advertise in 3 local A5 glossy give away magazines and the local paper.

Up until about 2 weeks ago the little magazines got me loads of work but the only enquirioes I have been getting recently want you to do work for nowt.I hope this is just a temporary blip.

Good luck

[Jamie Lindsay]

Isnt this the hardest part of the job?Getting the customers,I dont think theres an easy answer

If it was easy then everyone would be doing CC.I'm a newbie to full time CC and have just come to a bit of a standstill after a very good start.I have just started mass leafleting again in order to get my name known.I also advertise in 3 local A5 glossy give away magazines and the local paper.

Up until about 2 weeks ago the little magazines got me loads of work but the only enquirioes I have been getting recently want you to do work for nowt.I hope this is just a temporary blip.

Good luck

what is your return on yor flyers? per 1000 handed out

[colin thomas]

it takes time, hope you have enough money to get you through about 2 years before you start to think you've done the right thing.  the work doesn't start to really flow until you are getting loads of repeat work and you won't get them unless you do really top work

colin

[clinton]

Colins right and the doing cheap work wont help you one bit after a few years..Your client base will build up after a few years to start with..

Its easy to fall into the lets do this job cheap to get work and money in but after a few years the pot will be emply with money to replace vehicles and materials etc..

good luck

[Simon Gerrard]

Get customers and building a client base are two completely separate things.
Getting customers is easy, you just advertise.
Building a client base requires you not only to advertise in order to attract customers but requires you to retain that customer so that they will use you next time around and hopefully be sufficiently pleased with your work to recommend you to their friends and family. In order to do that you have to be turning out top quality work, so that you meet or exceed your customers expectations. So the question is - how are you going to achieve that?

Simon

[Mike Halliday]

but he's not asking how to build up a client base, and he can't do that until he gets the customers to start with.

to say 'advertise' is too vague, he could spend £10 grand a week on newspaper advertising or pay-per-click on google.

the question he's really asking is what is the most cost effective way to find customer

[Jamie Lindsay]

thanks mike think you have put it into words for me... the best return on investment methods

[Simon Moat]

Hi Jamie,

Do a great job at a fair price.

Simon.

[derek west]

there isn't one. all forms of advertising are hit and miss, one week you'll get a good return on leaflets then the next week, zilch. same with every other media. returns on amount spent are minimal. stick it out, do a good job, and when they return next year to use you again, thats when you get your return on ad cost.

[Mike Halliday]

we have a new company near me called Swan carpet cleaning he has been going about 6 weeks. he is booked up for 2 weeks.

he started his company after separating from his wife who ran a company called Village Carpet Cleaners in Hull, she sold herself on the fact that she was the only female carpet cleaner in Hull.

she cleaned the carpets and he went out leafleting EVERY DAY this kept his wife fully booked up all the time,

now he is fully booked all the time and he is spending very little on advertising and he has only been in business 6-8 weeks

have a guess why : :

it does not take time to a build a business, only effort....... he is putting in the effort and reaping the rewards.

[Simon Gerrard]

Mike,
His question was: getting new costumers and getting a client base

Getting customer is simple, advertise according to the depths of your pocket
Building  a client base is not quite as straight forward.
People coming into the business think that when they make a sale they have a customer - which at face value is true - but they are not truly YOUR customer until they come back to you of their own free will.  Getting people to remain loyal to you requires an awful lot of thought care and attention and in my view unless you get that aspect of it right you will never build a successful business which is built upon repeat and referral work and not solely as a result of constant advertising.

Simon

[jasonl]

I agree with Mike , it is failig to carry out the strategies that holds anyone back in this or any other business, there is loads to be had , just need to get out there.

[Mike Halliday]

Simon just reread his first post and you are correct....I apologies

 I'll read more carefully in future

[Simon Gerrard]

Mike,
tut...tut

Simon

[Colin Day]

It's the little details and first impressions that matter.

For instance, I had my phone re-directed to the mobile phone... My wife said to me the other day that when she rang the house phone, it went dead for a good few seconds... then started ringing again to the mobile which I didn't answer as I was talking to a customer when it rang, most other times I missed it as I took the mobile out of my pocket... (And, I seen it was the wife trying to ring so ignored it anyway... like you do )

My potential customers must have been fed up with such a shoddy answering set up and probably deemed my workmanship would reflect it!!!

So, we've changed it so you now get my rather posh talking (all fake of course) wife to ask the customer to leave a message if the home phone isn't answered.... Result? Just about every customer leaves a message and booking 1-3 jobs a day at the moment... I managed to suss the phone out and I could see that I have missed so many calls, it's embarrassing!!!

If you want my wife to record you a message.. Don't bother... It's costing me a fortune

[fitz2kleen]

We are just going into our 3rd year and we have tried just about every type of advertising there is.
Personally i would say a good website that is regularly updated, local listing on google maps and a listing on as many free business directories as you can find.
Once you get the bookings, be sure to treat each and every customer, no matter how annoying they may be, like royalty and show them that nothing is too much trouble for them as long as they are happy.
Only then will they remember what an excellent service you provide and will call you back or recommend you to others.
The first 2 yrs are a roller coaster of ups and downs, manic and dead periods, its up to you how you deal with that and whether you can ride the storm and still keep your head above water.
During quiet times, you either stay motivated and use the time to get out there and get your name noticed or sit with your head in your hands and pray for the phone to ring.
One will build you a great business, the other ..... well it goes without saying.
Stay motivated and focused and you will go far, but its a cut throat world out there, make yourself stand out from the crowd .

[fitz2kleen]

Hi guys sounds like a silly question...

I am just starting out and was looking for peoples opinion on getting new costumers and getting a client base

thanks

Having a website that doesnt go to a dead link would be your 1st step matt, just clicked your link here and nothing, potential customers will just move on to the next one.

[Simon Moat]

fitz2kleen, reply 17 is a great post.

Hope Jamie takes your advice.

Simon.