[Mike Halliday]

Just had a local paper group on the phone offering me a good deal on advertising,   a front page spot ,

(a banner advert the full length of the bottom.)

But it's a collection of 4 local newspapers covering all of the East Yorkshire area  which would mean delivery to homes 20 miles from my home. It also includes my local town which at first plucked my interest

Normally I would just say no as its too far to travel, and we are busy anyhow  so don't need the hassle.. But one of the papers  covers a selection of villages which I travel past quite often, (and my favourite restaurant is in one)  every time I say to my wife......." I should leaflets around here" as it is a very up market area and I know it does'nt have a local carpet cleaner , the nearest is me or 25miles further away in York.

I think it is ripe for targeting...... But it's 20  miles away

Am I being too choosy and lazy not traveling 20 miles down a decent main road (so 20-25 minutes travel time each way)

How big an area do you cover?

[neilwebber]

I usually cover a 25 - 30 mile radius, but am prepared to travel further afield for the right job.  If you are busy enough anyway, then what you are doing must be working.  The main question to ask is, if you got lots more work from the new ads, would you be able to cope ?

[wayne zabel]

Very rarely travel more than 5 miles away.

[Mike Halliday]

I usually cover a 25 - 30 mile radius, but am prepared to travel further afield for the right job.  If you are busy enough anyway, then what you are doing must be working.  The main question to ask is, if you got lots more work from the new ads, would you be able to cope ?

I'm always looking at ways to increase my hourly rate if I get more work than I am handle then I can be more choosy about which jobs I do , so I can cherry pick the high profit jobs .

I might even see if I can use different ad in each paper and have pressure washing advertised in the further areas as that has a much higher average job value

I've already decided that I will have to add £30 onto any price that has a 20 mile travel time and will heavily sell the The Benifit of having extra rooms cleaned

[Shaun_Ashmore]

The only fly in the ointment I can see is that do you want to travel 20 miles to do a quote?

To combat this you could do a website with suggested prices and offer a 3 for 2  this could save time on going out I'd also push protector with something similar.

Upholstery cleaning quotes could b a bit tricky.

Shaun

[JandS]

Bit like Wayne on this 80% of my work is in a 5 or 6 mile radius but it is a heavily built up area.
Have recently started advertising in places like Pontefract and Castleford  15 miles away but only 25 minute drive on motorway as I only live 2 miles from M62.
In fact can sometimes be quicker than travelling to a 4 mile away local job.
I picked those 2 areas as they are virtually devoid of the Asian community that we have round here, most of whom are a pain to work for to be honest.
Sometimes I'm adventurous and travel the 8 miles into Leeds city centre but that's for commercial.

[jasonl]

I go 50 mile radius but mostly 10 miles . I am fortunate having Leeds Manchester and sheffield all under an hour away.

[Simon Gerrard]

Is there an issue working 20 miles away?  Just book two or three jobs in the same area on the same day, fuel cost is zilch.

Simon

[tim handley]

i do a fair bit of local work, but to be honest i often travel  30 miles or more for the right job.............
im off to a care home in skegness on monday which is  55 miles!   early start, late getting home, but the price is right......
i have a care home im doing in manchester which is  a two hour plus drive, price factors in a b and b as its a two day job, plus fuel, and then still a good earner for me......... i will travel for the right price.........
im finding as i get into the care home groups they want me to go to various locations, which im happy to do......
 domestically i will travel  an hour for a   £300 job, why not?  i wont travel to quote these jobs i will quote over the phone. I have four ccn areas and sometimes get jobs for minimum call out fees (£65) which i dont travel for, but i will lump them together in an area, so if i end up with four £65 jobs in one area in one day im as happy as larry!    i know this wont suit everybody but its working for me, im earning more than i ever have done........ plus, i love driving!!!!!!

[Mike Halliday]

Is there an issue working 20 miles away?  Just book two or three jobs in the same area on the same day, fuel cost is zilch.

Simon

I would book any work In the same area into the same day, but it's not always possible, like Shaun says as well going out to quote would be a problem as  well. I would more than likely give quotes over the phone using my very  persuasive   telesales techniques

I would only need 2 jobs a month from the paper that covers  the 20mile area to cover the extra cost but I need to book a 3 month  insertion .

[wayne zabel]

Unless you live in rural areas do you find that CC "travels well"...I'm often contacted by newspapers/ advertisers from out of my patch and I tell them that it wont work.

I'm often told by customers that they prefer to use someone local.Especially for domestic work.

I personally wouldn't dream of employing a tradesman from 30 miles away.I'd want a local guy just in case there was a problem.

[maxcampbell]

We'll drive 45 mins for an average carpet job, an hour for the right hard floor. When you're busy you usually can organise a day all in one direction. Local is nice but £ per job is king.

[Kev Loomes]

We have a 30 mile radius, but it's not quite as simple as that. Although we have a radius we tend to go more on time travelling because some areas can be difficult to get to and others not at all. For instance we wouldn't travel more than an hour away unless the job ticket was really really worth it, but most jobs if they end up being half an hour/40 mins then that's fine.  We do try and lump them in together where possible. There is no point in travelling that far for a £75 job for example, as all your doing is breaking even - its pretty futile, you may aswell do some marketing instead.

If someone wanted me to go further than an hour however, it would have to be substantial.

[derikraven]

I live in Inverness. I cover all of Inverness-shire, Morayshire, Ross-shire, Sutherland and Caithness......5 counties. A 200 mile round trip is nothing to me.

[Mike Halliday]

Derik I would be interested in your pricing structure,  what limitations do you have if the job is a 100 miles away? You surly can't travel that distance for a single room or minimum priced job.

Do you plan your day  so all your jobs are on asset route.

[Paul Clapham]

Kevin , you wont travel 30/40 mins for a £75 job ?

So if you had nothing booked in your diary you would not drive ......

 40mins there, 45mins on the job, and 40 min drive back home is 2 hours and 8 mins total......

and have the potential of a "customer  for life" and a possible referral from this customer ?

[Shaun_Ashmore]

When you start marketing an area you don't get calls immediately they come in drubs and drabs it takes time to put jobs together, to make it work I'd try multi buy and up selling.

Shaun

[derikraven]

Derik I would be interested in your pricing structure,  what limitations do you have if the job is a 100 miles away? You surly can't travel that distance for a single room or minimum priced job.

Do you plan your day  so all your jobs are on asset route.

Mike, I will travel long distance only if I am getting a full days work out of it. Its not a problem travelling around here, the scenery is probably the best you will find anywhere in the British Isles. Plus, I'm 65 in a couple of months so I enjoy a day out more now

[tim handley]

55 miles each way next monday for £290 and fish and chips at the sea side...

[Paul Wisdom]

Did a £90 cleaning job the other side of Brum last week. About a 34 mile round trip. IF I had done it in the week it would of taken me a min 3hrs there and back - SO I did it Sunday morning. Took me just over 30 mins each way. Still thought it was a total balls ache mind you, so  I do try and stay within 10 mins of base these days.