How to get you intrested

[BobbyLove01]

Hi I'm starting up on my own and I am a Carpenter based in uxbridge. what is the best way to get people intrested in my services. I was thinking flyer droping just walking around my area and droping them in the post? Any Ideas would be great thanks

Rob

[ursula62]

Sorry to disappoint you, but I think you would find that most people will chuck away the flyers. We always do. It would be a lot of work for very little return and the paper and printing would cost you quite a bit.

Get yourself in the Yellow Pages and Thompson Local directories. Use the community services at the larger supermarkets - they have business card holders where you can leave your card for people to take if they're interested. Ask people who you do jobs for to recommend you to their friends and family.

[boobesque]

also try in small local newsagents, all of them in my area have cards in the window to advertise services and news, just make sure your ad stands out from all the rest!

[Scarlett]

Do you have a local free newspaper you could advertise in? Sometimes small ads work better than big ads. Also I WOULD do a flyer and put it through doors. Even if people only glance at it and throw it away, they will have the fact that you exist in their consciousness. some people will keep the flyer. Make sure you are also in the Thomson directory, Yellow pages and yell.com, which is the first place many people look. If you only advertise in the free places you will seem like small fry and people may not trust you as an established business.

I also think consistency is important. Advertise EVERY week, even if you have lots of business, so people know you are still going. If you can think of a name too that may help. I currently use "Clean as a Whistle" cleaning services because they sounded so friendly! Much nicer than "A1 Cleaning Services" or something. You could also get yourself a logo and use that on all your promotional material. There is a fine line between too low key and simply friendly/accessible/good value.

[khana]

How about advertising with a promotional rate intialy until you have built up your business.

A lot of people would like a carpenter for the small things but worry about the cost, maybe you could quote your hourly rate in the ads.

[stanleyman]

You need to target the people who would most use your services, what sort of carpenter are you and what do you specialise in? Look out for building work going on if you do roofing, flooring, second fixing etc. or concentrate on more expensive properties if you are a cabinet maker. Your leaflets will then be more effective. Yellow Pages is expensive and they are only printed once year. The best advert is by word of mouth from satisfied customers.

[Buenchico]

Stanleyman is correct in saying that advertisements in Yellow Pages are expensive but you're entitled to a free basic entry. (Phone [phone] to get your listing in the next edition. They'll almost certainly try to persuade you to take a paid advert as well but you'll be given time to consider your decision).

If the type of work you're looking for is building related, I suggest keeping an eye on planning applications in your area (look in the local paper) and sending a leaflet to everyone who is planning extensions, etc.

If you (or sorrounding neighbourhoods) have a local community magazine it could be worth advertising in it. Where I live, we get a free magazine each month which (unlike flyers) many people actually read. Most people keep the latest copy (even if they don't actually read it) specifically because it serves as a reference point for finding the phone numbers of local taxis, plumbers, carpenters, etc.

Just one last thought: Why not contact other local tradesmen (plumbers, electricians, etc) and ask for a small supply of their business cards to hand to your customers who might want other services, as well as carpentry, carried out. In return, you could ask that your fellow tradesmen take some of your cards to pass to their customers who might also need the services of a carpenter.

Chris

[Steve_Luts]

Hi Rob,

I would not do a flyer - I live in an area that is targetted by flyers and it becomes too much - everything goes in the bin. Plus, because you are offering a service that most people will only require infrequently, its not likely to stick in their mind now if they need you in 6 months.

In addition to what everyone else has said, in my experience (renovated 2 houses from wrecks, not being in the building trade) I have always:

• Gone on personal recommendation/word of mouth


• 
  
  Looked for tradesman in clean, well maintained vehicles, with a sign and a phone number - on one occasion I booked a plasterer because I was sat behind him in traffic and could read his number in front of me - his quote came in best, so he got the job!


• 
  
  Always carry a few cards with you - you never know when you may want to give one out.


• 
  
  cheap small ads in local paper

Also, consider getting in touch with many of the big companies in Uxbridge who will all have internal staff (email) noticeboards. A quick Word document sent to them ("10% discount to employees of XYZ Plc") often works wonders - even if what you effectively charge them is your going rate +10%. We get lots of that where I work in Berkshire, and some people have become very busy from it.

...more on next post...

[Steve_Luts]

continued...

Finally, do you have a unique selling point, such as Saturday hours for small jobs? The amount of people who hate taking time off on a weekday to let you in etc must prevent a lot of chippies from getting work - if you are planning on offering work outside of 9-5, let it be known, I'm sure people will take your arm off. We also get lots of 'does anyone know a reliable chippie/sparky/brickie etc..' emails going round a company of 500 employees - a job done well for one of them gets you to network into all their colleagues you would not be able to reach otherwise.

All above is simple but gained from someone who has used the building trade a lot in recent years. I would also say I favour those who actually phone up after giving a quote to see how they match up, and are willing to negotiate if they are a bit high on the price, and genuinely appear to want the job, rather than the 'take it or leave it' approach some people have.

Hope it all goes well for you.

Cheers

Steve

[Jules001]

I would say not to do a flyer as ours always end up in the bin. Depending on what sort of work you will be offering, it might be worth leaving business cards with local bathroom and kitchen shops. Also advertise every week with your local paper as even though I don't need a service I always check that section of the paper and then recognise names which I know have been around for a while when I do need work doing. It might also be worth stating in adverts that you will do jobs no matter how small, it is surprising how many people turn 'little jobs' down - good luck

[smurfchops]

There are a couple of free papers in Surrey -- they are around �50 for a 3cm x 1cm weekly ad in a box, but could do the trick, and one job would pay for the ad. I would put the ad in for two weeks to start with and ask them if they can give you any discounts. Dont advertise until March because it is a quiet time for builders and carpenters now, and there's nothing worse than paying out for an advert and you get no replies. When the sun starts shining, people have work done to their homes. Also an ad in your local newsagent is a good idea but dont just give a mobile number, it puts people off - a name and land line would give people more trust in you.

[smurfchops]

By the way if you advertise in Yellow Pages or Thomsons only get the free lineage -- any larger adverts would cost you an arm and a leg - also with the free lineage you will probably get on their internet website as well.

[gucciman]

my dads a self employed heating engineer, putting an ad in the yellow pages was the best thing he ever did, we get about 70 calls a day during the winter and he can only do 7 a day.

just make sure your advert is honest and eye catching

[pauludall]

I took the plunge a few years ago and advertised in haste worrying about not getting enough work in. I withdrew the advertising after almost a whole week of running around doing quotations then ending up with just one job that turned out to be a bad payer! Word of mouth and recommendations are the backbone of a busy tradesman, yes keep business cards and a tidy sign written van but above all breaking preconceptions and being a courteous, clean, friendly and fair tradesman will keep you very busy.