[Terry A]

My van is sign written
I'm in the local phone book
I have a free listing on Yell.com
I leaflet drop from time to time
And still the phone is quiet.What gets you the best results?
I'm thinking of a paid listing on Yell to get me higher up but some say it's a waste of money.
Any tips please?

Regards


Terry

[Smurf]

Depends what services you offer/want to target be it commercial or domestic for a start.
Walkups & recomendations are the cheapest and most effective form of advertising.
Goes without saying a decent website on the first page of google organic search results helps too.

[Nathanael Jones]

Have you got "Window Cleaner" on the back of your work tops in big letters?

I know someone who got a £10 kids battery powered bubble machine & strapped it to his roof rack - any time he's driving through town he switches it on,... people see the bubbles & take notice of the van they're coming from & he reckons this has brought him in loads of work.

Do you have a business FaceBook page & Twitter account? Do you have a website? Do you have a Google places listing?

[Smurf]

Have you got "Window Cleaner" on the back of your work tops in big letters?

I know someone who got a £10 kids battery powered bubble machine & strapped it to his roof rack - any time he's driving through town he switches it on,... people see the bubbles & take notice of the van they're coming from & he reckons this has brought him in loads of work.

Do you have a business FaceBook page & Twitter account? Do you have a website? Do you have a Google places listing?

I'm betting he calls himself bubbles too 

[p1w1]

If your simply after more customers then i agree door knocking is probably best. I think all forms of advertising work well together and there isnt really an individual best form of advertising. You could also get yourself a website there fairly cheap nowadays however if you want a slightly more professional one for google ranking then best to get someone to build you one (you dont have to spend loads).
Even work some Saturdays thats when i seem to get most of my walk up customers asking for a quote. Also try knocking on a few doors either side of the house your currently cleaning while working.
I certainly wouldn't bother paying Yell for advertising.

[Smudger]

Don't touch yell with a barge pole - far better options out there

Door knocking builds your round the fastest, but the more your seen the more work you get, try a few cleans on a Saturday always gets attention.


If you want good advertising to bring in work, then you need to be prepared to pay for it.
Local paper ad needs to be a 2" box minimum not a single line, have 1/2 or full page ad in local parish mags or community news letter a good web site ( see Nate Jones ) and get seo done

Darran

[jwplasterers]

knock doors  end of waste of money anything else

[Cookie]

In my experience canvassing is definitely the fastest way of building up a customer base. Drop leaflets through doors where you don't get an answer making a note of the house name/number and knock again on a later date...

[duncan h]

knock doors  end of waste of money anything else

I do well from leaflets.
Just started using a company to do it. Me and a guy usually share paying someone basic wage. That's on and off, but worked really well. This month I paid £90 for 2000 flyers dropping off. Got 2 calls I was gutted. Paid her to do the rest (2000) got about £60 monthly work and 3 one off at £10 each. You pay about 5x when buying a round. 5 x £60 is £300. I have paid £180 plus £30 in one offs. It will be paid in 3 months. That's not bad. Also, still getting replys from them

[duncan h]

I did a local Face Book add a few months ago. "need a window cleaner, message me" I got 12 customers. 2 were junk. Not bad for a free message

[Johnny B]

I am in this game 19 years now, and have built up 2 runs from scratch without ever having a sign written van or paying a penny for advertising.

All my work has either been self-canvassed or come my way via word of mouth recommendation or walk ups.

John

[combat1]

I print my own a5 flyer. White paper black print. Simple, states the essential info and these bring me in loads more than my fancy printed ones ever did.
I also have an a board sign which I put out in the area i'm working in.
Company name, book today,mobile number. Get loads off this too.

[telfordwindowclnr]

Advertising is mostly like winking at a girl in the dark. You know you are doing it, but not many other people do. Traditional advertising has changed a lot over the last 3 years. You only have to ask Yellow Pages about it. Yellow Pages kids? Well, it was a big yellow book that everyone............oh never mind.

Google 'Content Marketing'. It's far superior to advertising in the data age.

[CleanClear]

My van is sign written
I'm in the local phone book
I have a free listing on Yell.com
I leaflet drop from time to time
And still the phone is quiet.What gets you the best results?
I'm thinking of a paid listing on Yell to get me higher up but some say it's a waste of money.
Any tips please?

Regards


Terry

You've been a member here since 2004 ? What is it you are  trying to achieve ? And where are you up to now ? You got retention problems, looking to expand , what ?

[Frankybadboy]

flyers 

[tompoole]

Just keep on leafleting each area you want to work every month, this will get your name known, also put add in local magazine full page explaining who you are ( people buy people) put same add in local paper , sponsor a charity group etc keep doing this month after month  year after year until you have the work you need . It works , then word of mouth kicks in if you do a good job

[lee_dewing]

I've done a bit of canvassing but a bid of a scaredy cat.

I'd say get a map of your local area or if better a map of nearest affluent area to where you live.

Highlight the best roads, semi and detached houses.
Knock on every door if no answer make a note of that house number and go back and knock till someone is in and says yes or no.

If they answer no then give them a business card or leaflet.
Make sure you have a website and it is on your bus card/leaflet.

Nat/avondhu did my website best thing I ever did.
Took about a year of having website as slow trickle of enquiries but now most weeks I get someone call or email.

Still have to sith through enquiries as I'm not interested in one offs only mainly regular monthlies.

If you do this you will get a compact round.
Imo it will take 2 years to get a round you are happy with.

If you do all said you are a better man than me

You can see Johnny b just canvassed no advertising with great results.
But I think website is a must for me it reinforced my confidence that better work is always out there.

Which gave me the kick up the backside to put my prices up.

I've now asked a few customers I've had for keys for their gates I know some will refuse even though I've cleaned their windows for 7 plus years but tired of people costing me time and money.

I do climb over some gates alot I can lean over and undo bolts with a pole but getting tired of the fort knocks brigade that I text and keep forgetting.
Happy to give their space to someone else.

Good luck mate.

[robbo333]

The three main ones that work for me are:

Google ads - combined with a good, informative, 'short but sweet' website. Yes you do need a website. Setting up google ads correctly takes 'two coats of looking at'.

Leaflets - always good... providing your leaflet is good (again 'short but sweet'). Think about what the customer wants to know, NOT what you want to put on it.

Canvassing - you can't go wrong really. The best time to do this is when you've just finished cleaning a house. You're hot, sweaty so go and knock on a few houses either side and opposite. Be polite, say 'Sorry to trouble you, i'm Pete the window cleaner. (No I know you're not Pete) I've just been cleaning your neighbours windows and wondered  if you'd like a free quote to clean yours? Most people say no, but some say yes. Happy days!

The most important thing is, not everything works for everyone. You have to find the advertising that works for YOU. Different types of cleaners, different areas, different custys, different prices, different attitudes, different range of services. You have to try everything and see what works best for you.

Once you've found your magic formula then it's 'rock 'n roll' time. 

[Tony dunmall]

For years I used google add words and Thomson local with online slow trickle came in

Then I used Nathanael from Avondhu to do my website, best decision I ever made, I kept Thompson on line in place  after one month I was getting about 5-6 calls a week end last year I've had to cancel as I couldn't handle work load coming in, last year picked up £1500 6 weekly  jobs really top quality customers
after sifting out the rubbish and usual clean couple times  then not sure

I've now sifted out bad payers and customers by  using go cardless  if they won't sign up there cancelled

I still get about five bookings a month  just from website to be honest I now cannot handle my round,  so this year I'll be looking for someone for three days a week

So I would say website, coupled with sign written van clear and simple  it gives good presance