[clinton]

Hi guys

Just wondering how much you spend on advertising at the mo or are going to this year

Just i have been going for a few years and have plenty or regulars but am going to step things up a bit and get more newbies.

Was thinking on the lines of add words on the top pages of google  etc.

cheers

[suffolkclean]

We were advertising in the local parish magazine for 3 months (£60 for 2 different areas) we had 2 calls from it, (2 jobs)! which I think is rubbish. Should of had more than 2 calls when they were sent to around 6000 homes. So I cancelled it - I had the dreaded Yellow pages call yesterday, she said 'Oh if it was FREE would you be interested'?! What a stupid thing to say 

[DanielWelford]

Hi Clinton

I have a monthly budget which I spend every month = £840

Dan

[richy27]

around 500 month at moment as soon as i get more work i am hoping to plough bit more into the budget

[John Kelly]

It is generally perceived that you need to spend 25% of your turnover to expand a business including startup and 10% to stand still. The secret is finding out what works in your area. Still too many don't monitor where their work is coming from and end up wasting money.

[COLIN BRIGHT]

spent £15,000 on advertising last year
got a good return on investment

[Andrew Briscoe]

Highest ever spend was 3k in a year, probably 1/2 that now 
50-50 split between carpet and contract cleaning

Andrew

[suffolkclean]

£500 / £800 + per month on advertising - that seems like a lot 
- Which source is most of the work comming from?

[DanielWelford]

Hi Suffolk

My advertising is split as follows;

£200 Google
£200 Monthly magazine
£240 existing customer reminders
£200 leaflets

On average I get back @ £6k a month, with the internet being the best return, followed by loc mag and existings.

Dan

[suffolkclean]

Thanks for that Dan - really useful. The 2 jobs we got were £200 in total for £180 worth of advertising - maybe I should carry on with it

[suffolkclean]

I know Clinton - Bargain  - I've read on here about how rubbish people think it is so wasn't prepared to waste our money

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Barbara

This is where the benefit of something like Kev Loome's software can come into its own.

Although you only got c£200 on £180 advertising spend, the trick is to track it from there. If you get a repeat job from each of those clients and say also 1 referral then the rate of return on your advertising obviously goes up.

But if you don't monitor/track it properly how will you ever know?

For the record my only advertising is YP about £270pm. From the first 3 months of this year I got just over £2000 in new business and a further c£5k from repeat YP clients and c£4k from referrals from the original YP clients.

[suffolkclean]

I know Doctor Carpet - when I was typing it I thought - oh that's not bad esecially when both the customers were going to recommend us to others etc. I need to be seeing the bigger picture instead of just - oh it was only 2 calls, this post has made me see that - thankyou - thankyou

As you can see from my photo - I'm only little & have a lot to learn!!

[Mike Halliday]

I think justifying a poor return  on any marketing by looking at the potential of future recommends or the customer returning is risky, you are in effect working for nothing.

I'd rather spend money on marketing that brings in work straight away then any future work is a bonus.

[richy27]

Hi Suffolk

My advertising is split as follows;

£200 Google
£200 Monthly magazine
£240 existing customer reminders
£200 leaflets

On average I get back @ £6k a month, with the internet being the best return, followed by loc mag and existings.

how do you come to the figure £240 existing customer spend per month intreeging is that 900 letters a month

Dan

[Buster Ingram]

Good post's guy's

Having started my business from fresh so to speak down here in Berkshire after trading for nearly 30 yrs in Wolverhampton.

It's comforting to see a fresh approach to advertising, like many I have tried leaflets with the help of me old mate Mike AK Henry Haliday with very little take up. So far the tinter net is giving me better results via yell.com and a second site that Doug Hollaway has done. (Thank's Doug)

Advertising is a very strange media and as many have said before me it pays to monitor or you could just be throwing your money away!

We all know that word of mouth is by far the best way. So saying that its off me backside and onto the street to sell my wares

[John Kelly]

Dave, you couldn't sell an ice cream on a hot day. You're far too shy

[DanielWelford]

Hi Richard

800 reminders a month x 30p (2nd class stamp) = £240

Dan

[Buster Ingram]

John,
Borax!

[Buster Ingram]

Clinton
Your probably right about the internet response, its a pity I couldn't send them an e-mail that cleans the carpet then I could truely work from home