Replies

1. 
   millsie_ | Mar 11, 2002 11:12pm | #1

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   David, depending on where you live, you may have to just wait until "word of mouth" happens. I run a small line ad in my local paper. Sometimes I don't get a call for months. Then all of a sudden, I'll get a 30,000 dollar addition out of it. I guell the moral of the story is to continue with the advertising, sooner or later it will pay off.

1. 
   Mike_Smith | Mar 11, 2002 11:22pm | #2

   *david.. how many companies are listed in the same category as you in the yellow pages ?a lot , huh ?it's cheaper and more fun to play the lottery...if you can get listed in a category with just you in it.. then you may get some hits... or misses.. we haven't use yellow pages in 15 years..one diplay add every week in our local paper .. one column by 2 inches..the rest is all referrals and word of mouth...canvassing is more effective than yellow pages.. and the referral sevices... i don't think you get as good a return on investment as some other form of ads..try reading Guerilla Marketing by Jay Levinson..

1. 
   Stephen_Hazlett | Mar 12, 2002 12:55am | #3

   *Hold on Mike,just because the yellow pages doesn't work for you and hasn't worked for David,doesn't mean it doesn't work.I spend several times a year what David describes---and it does get results.Of course it is up to me to convert a ringing telephone into a sale.I would say it is perfect for roofers and plumbers and guys offering a repair-type service.I also know a guy who spray-paints houses who swears by the yellow pages.Yellow pages are a great reference for customers who need that leak fixed in a hurry or want those sparks to stop shooting out of the ceiling fan.Probably not effective for high end kitchen remodels or custom homes.Believe me,I wouldn't spend this money if I couldn't track a measureable upturn for every increase in phone book ads and a SIZABLE downturn for every drop in my yellow pages spending.But hey,you guys do what you want!.BTW , a couple of weeks ago I counted how many other "Roofing Contractors" compete against me in the yellow pages here .( for another regular breaktime poster thinking about entering HIS local roofing market)I think it was something like 180-200 advertisers of various sizes.

1. 
   Big_Guy | Mar 12, 2002 02:55am | #4

   *David,I'm a small remodeler and have had similar frustrations with finding the right work. IMHO spending big bucks with the phone book is not the way to go. I've been in business in a big PNW city for about 12 years and got the bulk of my business and started my word-of-mouth-network by doing something about 10 years ago when I had a partner. We didn't have a computer that could do decent things so we went to Kinkos and made up some simple, simple flyers saying what we did (we weren't even licensed at the time) under our biz name and then printed them onto a piece of paper and then picked out some nice card stock, sometimes lively colored, sometimes subdued--had Kinkos run off 100 of them-- and then proceeded to walk around nice neighborhoods and slip them under the mat or hang them on a door knob with a rubber band. Usually when I tell people that I got a lot of work this way, they say "really?" It does work. The thing that is important along with this is to be kind, intelligent and trustworthy to people. Make them feel like you are their trusted family member, and mean it! The next best thing that happened was getting referred from this network to a retired design professor that has in turn referred me to more people. It just keeps going on and on. My ex-partner also partnered with his brother and went to an architect specializing in remodels and told her what kind of work they were interested in and they got a good job. Although I need to do it more myself, the moral to this is to be PROACTIVE, rather than sitting back waiting for people to call from a yellow page ad. Seek out the kind of folks you want to work with, areas you want to work in --- nice areas!!! ($).

1. 
   xMike_Smith | Mar 12, 2002 03:54am | #5

   *stephen.. if i was trying to specialize.. i would definitely be in the yellow pages.. plastering.. roofing....but for high end remodeling.. a waste of time and money.. responding to the wrong inquiry...or... not responding to any inquiry..david.. you want kitchens.?..my kitchen designers at our lumber yard ask me every time they see me if i can squeeze in a kitchen install... sorry i can't...but you could.. if they knew you ....do you concentrate your business in a reputable lumber yard.. does everyone there know your name ?would they be confident in recommending you to a customer ?read Guerrilla Marketing by Levinson.. and start thinking how you can apply the same things..

2. 
   Stephen_Hazlett | Mar 12, 2002 01:35pm | #6

   *Mike,I think we are in agreement that the phone book probably wouldn't work to generate custom kitchen work.but there is something that interests me here---and I am not really refering to Dave ,the original poster.How many times to we hear from guys who want to specialize in custom cabinetry,tasty trim work,high end remodels etc.?I don't think those businesses generally spring into existence fully formed and functional.I think they generally "evolve "from lower "life forms".Starting out doing scut work for the right people often leads to better and better referalls,as you slowly work your way up from the minor leagues.$30,000 kitchen lead from $15,000 kitchen facelift from$10,000 bathroom from $4000 basement den from $1200 porch repair.......In my trade I still enthusiatically advertize for scut work because it is a great source of referalls to bigger better work. I hope I am never to proud to do it.

3. 
   xMike_Smith | Mar 12, 2002 02:28pm | #7

   *stephen... we agree on the scut work...even if you have to adjust some employee attitudes about what is beneath us and what isn't... since my philosophy tends to become "our" philosophy, our philosophy is generally speaking the scuttier the work.. the less the competition and the higher the price.. we love scut work...part of the yellow pages problem for me is getting calls from areas that are too far away or too crazy to work in... like Newport in the summer...best for us if we can get the work right here on the island... which the yellow pages doesn't help but the local weekly paper is ideal...

4. 
   David_Levie | Mar 12, 2002 02:46pm | #8

   *Don't get me wrong, I do "scut" work as much as possible. The problem is I'm not getting that either. All I get is work from a few apt. complexes which I'm close with. Trying to get "scut" work is rough around here as well. No licsencing in NJ. Any ass with a hammer and business cards can call himself a contractor and work for $75/day.I'm a business, I have overhead. I don't work for beer money.

5. 
   Ralph_Wicklund | Mar 12, 2002 04:19pm | #9

   *If for nothing else but to show that you have a presence in your community the least expensive yellow page listing might be the way to go. Mine is a 1/2" box at $82 per month under General Contractors. I also get one free single line listing in any of the other catagories I choose. Last year it was under Home improvements, this year it's under Bathroom Remodeling. I get very few calls that pan out from these listings, but as I said, I can at least say that I'm in the Yellow Pages. No fly-by-night is going to make that advertising investment.My brother is a contractor in NJ and has more work than he can get to. All word of mouth and neighbors of current customers who get curious and then want work done.Same with me. The latest job, an addition, is from a guy who walks every day in the neighborhood. Truck sign got his attention, parked in my driveway, and then my wife invited him in to look at some of my work. Word of mouth works - especially when my greatest fan is talking.

6. 
   Tim_Mooney | Mar 13, 2002 04:14pm | #10

   *In my early years I was a painter with a big sign painted across my truck. I always backed in the drive way and opened side boxes. "PAINTER AT WORK" One summer (this is my best story) I backed up to do one house and ended up doing every house on the street except one, which I had done the year before. I dont know how many times I have noticed this ;One grass cutter gets one job and ends up with all the business on the street. I start mowing my lawn and there is another neibor mowing his lawn. A tree trimmer shows up to trim trees in my neiborhoodand ends up working for a month for others. One guy came in to do a shake roof last summer and did 5 before he left. And the list goes on and on.........The other thing that has been said is true. Climb the ladder to build relation ships with good people. Build a base of good clients that will go to bat for you. That is usually the ones you have helped. I gained one from a lady that came home to find me in her house fighting a chimney fire. That relationship is stronger than ever today and it was over twenty years ago. Those are the clients I choke up up over.No pun intended.

7. 
   pantango | Mar 13, 2002 06:41pm | #11

   *I started doing home repair part time. I get out of work at 2:00pm and have plenty of time to do work for people. The "scut" work you talk about is not bad considering it will lead into bigger jobs eventually. I know the poster said this is his full time job and can't afford to always do that kind of work, but it does lead into better things. Case in point, I'm repairing a bathroom ceiling for this women that I know from a friends, friend. She said she has been looking for some one for about 6 months to do this small repair. She said she asked her friends and neighbors if they knew some one and they replied "no, but if you find some one let me know I have stuff that needs to be done too." This "scut work leads to more and more people and WOM is the best advertising. Also, I think this time of year is slow. Wait till people start getting their tax refunds back. They might want to upgrade their kitchens. That's just my theory though. Good luck!!!