[colley614]

What do you guys do to advertise yourselves when your busy. I need a few more jobs to fill my week but I can't really find the time to get out canvassing anymore as I work right the way up until my wife leaves for work. I am going in the Yellow Pages at the end of the year. I have tried B.N.I. but thought it was a bit expensive for a breakfast once a week. I was just thinking of looking for a few big jobs more a month and that would do me. Plus with me looking to take somebody on I could do with the work coming to me instead of me running around looking for it.

[NWH]

If you can find anyone reliable let me know,it all looks good on paper.

[simon knight]

In the same position as you. I want to sort my round out and lose the crap but the crap keeps me busy all the time so i don't get a chance to go out and canvass some areas that i really want to work. My attitude being work while it's there to be done.

I almost fancy taking a week off and devoting it to canvassing....thing that stops me is I can't really afford to lose a weeks dough.

I've tried advertising in my local rag and got a few enquiries but they were the sort of jobs that other w/c's in the area had swerved.

[colley614]

I know what you mean I've tried everything I can think of but I just can't seem to find any way of bringing work in. My domestic work is building by word of mouth but the rest is not doing much at all and thats the side I would like to expand even if it cost me a lot in the short term.

[simon knight]

It's something I've told other people to do and might now try it myself...and it's this:

Keep a week free  (book in no work from regulars).

Bung ladders (I'm trad) onto car and go to area i want to work.

Canvass. I generally get 3 per hour!

Knock knock...hello are you looking for a w/c?  Yes? OK I can do 'em now or next time I'm in the area.

Sort of combine work with canvassing.

[colley614]

Yeah might start doing that of a Saturday and then fit the work into my week

[Paul Coleman]

I know what you mean I've tried everything I can think of but I just can't seem to find any way of bringing work in. My domestic work is building by word of mouth but the rest is not doing much at all and thats the side I would like to expand even if it cost me a lot in the short term.

Something that has worked quite well for me  is to target areas where you want more work and make sure that you work there on Saturdays.  I've been doing this in a particular road for the last few visits.  Out of 45 houses in the road, I now do 14 (it would have been 15 but I turned one down as no access).  Before I started going there on Saturdays, I had 6 of them for several years.  So in just a few visits, I've upped it from 6 to 14.  This has also worked in other areas - though not always with such success as in this particular road.
Of course you may have already tried this or may be unable to work Saturdays.

[xxmattyxx]

This topic is interesting for me to read, because, I have at times on here got the impression that shiners are fully-booked, too busy, new custys chase them down the road for a price, we're all behind as we have too many custys bla bla bla I'm sure you get the drift.

Despite the wet weather Im now up to date as up to date I could be, short of work to be honest. I said to my missus earlier I need about another 200 quids worth or so. 500 would be nice and then lose some dodgy stuff.

I read a thread on here a while back about searching out local off-the-beaten-track houses. Im thinking of doing this this weekend. The forecast for here isnt too bad this weekend, I always think that helps. Never know I might pick up a shed-load  But out there Im hoping to be and feeling good about myself with the results afterwards too hopefully 

Im also about to start advertising in the local village rag, a once a month publication, costs £9.00 a month, I thought thats worth it, it'll only take a small bungalow to pay for that.

[Neil_A]

If you have  £200 - £500 to spend give your local paper  a call.. Ive had a nice long banner in my local for a month! mine done a package 1week on the front page... then 1 week on another and  so on...

Worth the money

I allso put out 500 leaflets.... it only got me 28 customers over 1month but ive got my money back and more custies

[Dick]

Why not try a window advert in your van/car as per the post "Window Advertising etc" it's always on view and will attract attention when parked either working or anywhere else.