I started in April 2009 after being made redundant and to wish to be self-employed. I had some 3000 (I think) leaflets printed which I still use ( I give them out with a business card to new custies). I had a website built
www.nice-clean-windows.co.uk which costs me £90 per year hosting (a friend built it for me) and I spent £10 in a parish mag (result - 1 regular job), because a custie recomended it to me and I didn't want to appear ungrateful for her advice. The van is signwritten (by FAR the best advertising) - cost £250.
As you see most of these are startup costs. Since then I spend nothing on advertising. I have a (free) Facebook page which I don't update too often i'm afraid. I also fill in those free listings things like this one:
http://www.freeindex.co.uk/profile(red-dragon-window-cleaning)_177153.htm They are time consuming to do but that's what wet days are for.
An analysis of my business show that roughly 30% of my business has come from canvassing, 30% from word of mouth referrals, 30% approached whilst working. About 8% came from my website and the rest is a mix of leaflets left when canvassing, directories like Free Index and a pavement side I had before it got run over.
I should say that I canvassed for the first 3 or 4 months and haven't done any canvassing since, thus the canvassing % was higher in say 2010, but will gardually reduce as people pass away, move or dump me.