Advertising for work??

[Mcgoo's]

Hello all,
I am currently working on a large project in Bristol, but due to the pay being quite low (£12phr) and the hours also quite low (39), I am looking to do some extra work. I am new to the area and don't know many people so the word of mouth jobs which where rife at home are basically non-existent here! I just wana know if there is anyone in the same boat and if so, what is the best (and cheapest of course) way of advertising yourself?
Thank you

 

[Guest123]

Well done Mcgoo, door to door is still the best form of advertising. Why not try the TMSPrint leaflet deal on this forum?

 

[P4ULT]

mcgoo what job are you on in bristol.

 

[Mcgoo's]

I'm on southmead's new hospital, it's huge!!

 

[P4ULT]

how did you get on it i been trying to find out? pm if you want.

cheers

 

[Mcgoo's]

I'm sorry but I don't know how to pm??!! I got a call from "site services ltd" asking me to do 4 weeks doing cast iron and plastic soils and vents in Sept/October time last year and I've been here since, the pay isn't great but at least it's steady! The agencies to ring are- Vital, Site Services, Skyblue Solutions, Ranstad and Hayes.
Hope this helps

 

[Guest123]

To PM someone, just click on the persons name and click in the box and this will take you to the messaging page.

 

[Mike Jackson]

Well it was worthwhile pounding the streets last Monday week. Had a call this Tuesday from someone asking for a quote for a combi swap. Not that sraightforward as it's a roof flue, gas pipe upgrade etc. so I priced it on two days. Had a couple of e-mailed questions earlier and they've gone for me out of the three quotes they received. That one job was worth the time sticking the cards through doors.

Off out tomorrow to post some more in the same area.

 

[philtheflush]

well done son ive got to post some over the next few weeks had one job since crimbo

 

[Mike Jackson]

Since my last post I've picked up a gas cooker point install which I did this morning and a boiler repair and a seprate boiler service for tomorrow morning from the cards that I put out 2 weeks ago. That's 5 jobs from around 250 cards total so far and the lady I did the cooker point install for was already recommending me to other people before I did the job. It looks like my strategy of targeting the outlying areas and using A6 card which people are less likely to throw away seems to be paying off. I reckon a 1 in 50 hit rate is damned good.

 

[johnnyplumb]

Well done Mcgoo, door to door is still the best form of advertising. Why not try the TMSPrint leaflet deal on this forum?

Watch out for them doggies though, seen this sign on a fence the other day

 

[Mike Jackson]

And it gets better. The old lady whose heating system I repaired this morning is a leading light in a local residents group and has told me she'll be recommending me as they struggle to find decent plumbers/heating engineers. Quite a good result from a few cards pushed through doors. It's a nice area to work in as well, no parking restrictions, mostly bungalows and only 15 minutes from home.

 

[Rickster123]

Well done mike! All that worrying you did at the start and look at you now! Glad it's working out for you mate.

 

[Mike Jackson]

I've also had a response from the site board I left outside a boiler swap job. Potentially only a days work but it shows it's worth putting one up if the customer allows.

 

[Mike Jackson]

If anyone is struggling for work at the moment get out and put some cards through doors. The boiler service that I picked up from my last batch of delivering cards has turned into a back boiler to combi conversion as I condemned the back boiler due to a faulty flue. They are also talking about a bathroom refit after I've finished the conversion. I've also priced up a WC swap from another of the cards.

I'm sure luck has played some part but I think my strategy of using A6 cards instead of leaflets and targeting areas has played a big part. One customer also told me that they rang me because instead of sitting round feeling sorry for myself after being made redundant I was out delivering cards.

With things as quiet as they are at the moment in the trade it's nice to be picking up as much work as this. The friend who's helped me deliver some of the cards offered to help me deliver some more next week but I had to decline as I'm too busy.

 

[Guest123]

Working on a good deal for A6 cards with one of the forums sponsors. They'll post this up soon.

I prefer A6 cards for general advertising about my services and use A5 leaflets for advertising a specific product, e.g a bathroom offer etc.

To those who have not had success with leaflet drops, a professionally designed leaflet will work much better than a home job and you should aim to put a 1,000 out in a day for an average 2% response rate, which could equate to 20 good paying jobs and further recomendations.Some people put them in a drawer and will call you months later, so they're always working for you.

Spring is outside tap season! I'll post a wee A6 outside tap flier up then for you all to use as you please. I was getting an extra £400 a week with these.

 

[PlumbersMate]

fair play mike. shows there is plenty of work out there to be had, long as you dont mind putting the effort in. Better to be pro active than re active

 

[Mike Jackson]

I don't know how much difference my design had made to people calling me but I tried to keep it fairly simple. I produced and printed it myself on my colour laser printer.

 

[Guest123]

Constructive advice I'd give you mate is to lose the hypens at the end of sentences and use a bullet point between each of your services. Will open it all up.

Really pleased for you that you've found leafleting does work and I wish you continued success with it.

 

[Mike Jackson]

Cheers, if the deal for A6 cards comes off I'll be interested as I've been printing on A4 and guillotining it up. It's a bit time consuming but when work is quiet you may as well be doing something constructive.

 

[armyash]

will be bookmarking this thread to refer back to when it matters, good to take some some encouragement from seeing others do well! good to see some effort being rewarded well done, too many people scared of hard work nowadays but not here!

 

[Mike Jackson]

If you ever want to get together for a chat Ash give me a yell as you're not too far away from me.