[Terry_Burrows]

yes its very dead here to in or part of Essex

[Geoff Jewkes]

The new Thomson local started circulating today and i`m the only CC in there rewardin Nectar points, hopefully I`ll get the nectar card holders      ( apparantly 48 % of the population has one now  ).Not expectin miracles but lets see how it goes.

[CARPET KNIGHTS]

rewardin Nectar points, hopefully I`ll get the nectar card holders      ( apparantly 48 % of the population has one now  ).Not expectin miracles but lets see how it goes.

how do you do that?

[Geoff Jewkes]

If you take an ad out with thomson you get the option to join nectar. Its extra on your ad price. You have your ad, and at the bottom of your ad you have the nectar logo with a phone number. Customer phones the number, punches in their nectar card number then gets diverted to you. They earn 50 points each call ( equivalent to spending £25 at sainsburys ). Thomson started distribution yesterday in my area and I booked a church in through the strength of the nectar ad today ( job worth £375 ( half of what my ad cost !! ). In summer thomson are doing a TV ad campaign to rival YP promoting the Thomson ? Nectar partnership. Worth looking into

[Geoff Jewkes]

You can`t put the nectar phone number on your van BUT you can put the nectar logo on and text saying look us up in thomson to earn £££££££££`s   

[CARPET KNIGHTS]

It sounds a very good idea. Don't advertise in Thompson but it may be something that could sway me to. do you have to pay for the points too or is it just the one off payment on top of the ad?

Cheers Goron

[Geoff Jewkes]

It was a one off payment.. I think it was about £70 quid after a bit of bartering. But like I said, got half of the wrexham ad back today on one call! Worth a gamble, especially when the TV ad kicks in this summer. 

[Geoff Jewkes]

The new thomson has a woman in a cat suit pointing to the Nectar logo and a catchline...... THOMSON local, the only directory that gives you nectar points. So nectar card owners will probably think hmmmm. And whenever they need a service go there rather than YP. I know I will ( I have a nectar card ). 

[Terry_Burrows]

we are in thompson local.com.we are not nector points etc have been on for a month,nufin so far,yp colour add comes out now lets hope this year is better :

[turneylogan]

We do our own leafletting when things are slow. In our experience your leaflet falling out of a newspaper or combined with other leaflets in a drop, end up in the bin. Targetting specific streets is the key (not too rich not too poor). You can do 200 letterboxes in a couple of hours, or 750 in an hour at a station car park (hassle getting permission though). Leaflets need to be bright and simple. We always get business from leafletting and some customers keep your leaflets for later. We have tried all types of advertising but our best is Yellow Pages combined with Yell and link to website. Customers like to use busy service providers; cold-calling smacks of desperation.

[AquaMagic]

Im not desperate and i cold call, even when im fully booked up i try and call 5 prospects a day, ive got some of my best Property Management Customers this way.  Telemarketting should not be used as a last measure but more as a complement to your other ongoing marketing projects.  I would limit this to businesses though, or previous Domestic customers.
Dene

[NigelD]

Prodry

When you pressure clean a driveway do you use a lance on the TM or some type of rotary/spinner type of cleaner?

Someone told me with a lance you can end up with lines, is that your experience?

Nigel

[AJB]

in nine years have found Thompson Local to be Utter C*ap.
Ad only pays for itself, and people only use it for a couple of weeks when it
first comes out.
Went quiet this week but still managed 8 jobs.
10 booked for next week, but saturday usually busy phone day for me.

[prodry]

Nigel D

I have a spinner and a lance and use the lance on 50% of jobs. Use min. 800/1000psi and spray, brush and dwell with a brick acid or cleaner I never get any lines. Small diy units with little lances and poor flow and pressure without using a cleaner/acid you will usually just make patterns/lines on the surface.

The spinner is great for areas with a nice slop like drives as you dont have to move the water about with the pressure. Also areas where you dont want any overspray onto painted walls or windows.  Hower lance with the right method is fine.

[NigelD]

Prodry,

Thanks for that, I believe lances are not overly expensive.
Do you recommend and brick/stone cleaner?

Certainly would be nicer on a sunny day to be outside rather than in

Nigel

[prodry]

Try woodbridge www.wcsuk.com www.sweepfast.com or www.dualpumps.co.uk for a quality lance or spinner.

for cleaner B&Q sell it cheap for small quantities, bought a load in November last year really cheap, end of line, not sure what they have this year. Or try local builders merchants. Be careful with the industrial brick acids.

[ian loughlin]

Hi mate i was in sale once a long time a go. and i was told that every NO was one step closer to a  YES.

If you can put up with the s..t you get Carrie on but personally i would not entertain ANYONE who came to my door. door to door selling just doesnt work any more, and i think i creates the wrong image.

Paying for advertising seems expensive at first, but it is necessary if you are to increase business.

[NigelD]

Prodry

Thanks for that. I'll check the websites out.

Nigel

[bennymon]

hi red is it picking up yet

[Neil Grainger]

Del

Have you seen my advert in the Guildford Times, its in the specialist section.

Things seem to be moving forward now that we areinto spring.

Hope it the same for you.

cheers

Neil