Small businesses - the best return advertising for least money?

What have been some of your most successful advertising campaigns for small businesses - I'm a painter and decorator and am just setting out so I have VERY little money to outlay. I am going to do the local paper and am in Yellow Pages, but what about websites or similar that people have used? All advice welcomed.

Use advertising effectively by planning it well.
For most service trades, leaflet distribution is great.
There is a company called goodtime printing, I think they are in Kent, but they do an excellent price on leaflets.
You should print around 20,000 leaflets one colour on white.
You should distribute 1000 leaflets a day, for best results 1 per door, folded once with the writing on the outside.
The top should have your name in large letters, the bottom should have in bold a special offer, say 10% discount with this leaflet.
Put as many as possible out before 10am. (it can take 6 hours to put 1000, early morning, around 4 hours)
People like to see eagerness.

Also, stick a map on your wall. Select areas to target.
Spend a week covering area 1, then move on to area 2.
Keep a track of your responses. Some areas will prefer a different style leaflet to others, and keeping a record will help with further campaigns. Repeat areas every 4 weeks. people become familiar with a name.
You will find, eventually that you will get a standard success rate. Say 2 or even 4 jobs per 1000. I think with decorating it can be as high as six. But these are actual jobs. And you know when you need more work, this strategy is going to work.
Your first few drops, even for two or three weeks may give a very poor response, as you are a new name, but once it starts, it starts.
Leaflet distribution is cheap and effective.
Other points to remember. Always put your address on the leaflet, and always mention free estimates.
Need any more help with that, email me.

The cheapest advertising is imagination. Invite your brightest, most imaginative mates around for a brainstorm (beer's on you).

For service businesses, door hangers often work better than flyers. Customers are more likely to keep them around longer than a flyer.

As mentioned before, craigslist would be a good choice also. Just follow the rules and post your ad every 48 hous.

Craigslist.com is free.
Signs at your local supermarket

I have to say in your case the best form of advertising (and it doesn't have to cost you) is word of mouth!

when people have the money to pay a decorator they don't want someone who's cheap, or can come the very next morning - they want someone who will do a nice job.

being recommended by others really is a great way to market yourself - don't be afraid to ask people to recommend you.
or for new customers give them 2 business cards, one to keep for the future and one to pass on to a friend.
you could also implement some sort of referral programme, ie. Â£30 for a customer who recommends you to someone who then has some work done.

for some low cost printed marketing materials like business cards, magnets, pens, leaflets and more try http://www.vistaprint.co.uk/vp/ns/default.aspx?xnav=welcomeback

There are 2 things which will destroy your competition and solidify you as THE expert in your field.

But before you do that... GET OUT OF THE YELLOW PAGES!!!

Sorry to yell, but that is the biggest waste of money ever. Think about what it is: a big freaking book where everyone looks the same.

Now... here's where we can go from there.

#1: Your website (And I'm starting with this because it'll lead into #2 soon)

SEO = Search engine optimization. Do Not Hire a designer who does not understand this. You do not need a graphic site. Why? Because nobody will find you unless they search for Pictures. Your site is indexed based on text.

Step #1: Find out how people are looking for you.
Google This (Free) Adwords External Keyword Tool
Do not optimize your site for your own name. Remember, people are not looking for you... they're looking for the idea of you!

- Find words that directly relate to your niche. For you taht would be Painting. (Rez or com?)

Step #1b: Take that money you were planning on flushing down the toilet... oops, did I say that, I meant spending on the yellow pages and toss some into an Adwords campaign.

What you do here is this: Track your results. End of story. In this system Google will provide you with a free tool so you can see which words don't just get clicks, but which words turn into money! (This is a good thing)

You'll run this for about 30-60 days.

Remember, your goal is to NOT spend money all the time. That's what's great about Adwords, you find out what words convert into sales... optimize your pages for those words... and get free traffic from that day forth!

Step #2: SEO/SMO = The power of Search Engine Optimization combined with Social Media Optimization...

For the sake of my poor tendons I'm going to skip on the huge background of SMO. It's been around for a while and all you need to know is that it'll get you ranked way, way faster than anything else.

SEO = 2 things... On Page Optimization/Off Page Optimization.

Your on page should have your keywords in the
- Title Tags
- Url
- Page description
- Headline

Because you're local you're in a huge place of power. Google returns results 1st based on keyword relevancy and 2nd based on Location!

Off Page - Research this "Anchor Text"
Know it and love it. It'll be the thing that puts you at the top of local searches for free and holds you there for the rest of your natural life.

Now... Phase 2 (ready?)

Phase 2:
Media.

You're going to get in your local papers! (How do I know this works? Because I do it all the time)

Step #1: Write an interesting press release about what you do - Please research the proper format for this. Very, very important.

Step #2: Sell without selling. This is massive. You're going to become a resource to your local media. This can even land you on TV and Radio.

- The top 3 ways to screw up your paint... how to avoid them

Crap like that has been selling magazines since we first crawled from the ooze... nothing has changed.

You're going to pitch the media based on what you can offer their viewers/readers etc... never, never, never directly sell anything to anyone.

Let them come to their own conclusions that YOU are the one they want to buy from.

Let's Put it together...
Why Do We Do This?

Because when people see your business in the news they assume you're the greatest thing in the world. They then go the Net to check you out.

What happens if they can't remember your biz name?

Nothing! You've already optimized your page and own the #1 Google.co.uk spot for Painting or something.

Hope that helps!

Oh yea (have to do the master card esq thing...)

Domain name purchase... $10
Hosting package... $5/month
Calling your family from your million dollar vacation home because you figured out how to get free advertising from the Internet and media... Priceless

More Great free information that I use for my business as well.

http://WrinkledPrunes.com

Kay,
I have very little money for advertising for my business.
www.stayhomeforgood.com So any free advertising online has been helpful...check out the web. Be careful though you may come across one that says it's free online advertising and it ends up showing you charges at the end. I welcome you or anyone you know to check out my websites... Luckily, I receive the sites from my corporate office. www.beneficialhealthplans.com

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