Advertising and marketing

[iceman007]

Hi all,

Haven't been on here recently, due to one thing and another, but one thing has been in the back of my mind for the last few days.
I am finding that we are relying very heavily on our advertising in Yellow Pages some months it's good others not so good. We are getting our website done a bit better and put on the search elgines, but where are all you self employed guys finding your work comes from ? Are you sub contracting, advertising, mailshotting or what. We spent 20K plus on marjeting and advertising over the last year-we turned over good money-summer was manic but now its getting a bit quieter, and I need to think of a way to get something out of our marketing.

James


PS
Peter-als u dit leest,
Ik ben droevig ik u geen e-mail heb verzonden. Ik beloof ik zal verzenden het deze week

[Abe]

James

What type of equipment do you service and or install?

[iceman007]

Install mainly a/c splits 12,000 btu upwards and VRF systems. We don't sub contract so most of our bigger jobs are for technology businesses or multi office set ups. Refrigeration we haven't done as much of lately, probably because we have been doing more a/c work, but we usually do more refrigeration service than install for some reason, cellar coolers, dairy cabinets, commercial freezers. When I was employed by a company I never did anything small it was chillers, packs, and VRF/VRV stuff, which I do miss a bit.The thing is that 90% of our new business is from adverts Yellow Pages, the rest recommendation (I would like to get more jobs by not relying on Yellow Pages) I did a direct mail a coule of weeks ago, which bought a response, although not brilliant, so I think the answer would be either in the internet, or a leads finding company-I don't know.

Regards
James

[chemi-cool]

Hi James,
Good to see you here.
Marketing is the base of any business, assuming your service is good.
Its include a lot of feet work and a lot of talking.

You simply have to go to every potential customer and explain what you believe in.

Good luck.

Chemi

[PAXFREON]

James,

Hello.

I have had good success witth visiting your local Commercial kitchen dealers. I picked roughly 30% of my customers from doing factory installs. Once they see the quality of your work they will usually stick with you. I also do 4 direct mail pieces over the year..offer something free for instance " I usually offer a free cost assesment of their current refrigeration needs and point any problems I see in installation or lack of
PM service..It works. I also ask customers if they know anyone else in their business who would benefit from my services. It's common sense but alot of people forget the basics of doing business they want to spend money on someone else asking the same questions you can ask, and honestly I think the prospect or customer feels more secure or at ease when your having a conversation with them about their needs and not trying to sell them right away. Be your self and don't be a used car salesman...thats how what I learned from the old school of working for my father. Granted I'm a small family business who has been around since 1965. I just took over fo my father 2 years ago and been going strong ever since. I hope this helps. I'm no marketing guy but this is how I keep chasing the dollars.

Paul

[shark26]

Get in front of potential clients. Create a prof looking web site and pay for the good search engines (if they cant find you they wont use you). Send out mail shots and just generally dont let people forget your company name. Dont over do it though and anoy clients. Its a fine line but you do have to be proactive. (then the summer comes and you have to much work to cope with and then it goes quiet again... Its a nice problem though, its called running your own business)

[chistine]

However, marketing , in my eyes is the most frustrating work , you have to face disppointments many times while you get a little happiness

Failure is normal ,success is surprise

All you should do , keep going!

[munesh]

I do feel testimonials could help

[winfred.dela]

However, marketing , in my eyes is the most frustrating work , you have to face disppointments many times while you get a little happiness

When am in my mid 20s, I used to think also that Selling & Marketing is just that: Frustrating.
So i stick mostly on the technical side of aircon & refrigeration.

Until, i met a very good salesman and he told me that i should shift from technical to selling/marketing side of my existing trade.

His reasons:

One may outgrow the technical side of work but not the selling/marketing side.

Until your old age, you can never say that you have learned all that can be in selling/marketing because it is about people.

People comes in so many stripes & kinds that everyday one must need to learn another way to deal with another one.