|
Post by riverrat on Feb 20, 2008 9:41:27 GMT -5
Another blast from the past, this question was posted about a year ago and could use some updating.
I think this question should be interesting and helpful to everyone, I am always looking for ideas on how to promote my business.
Question For Today, Do you advertise, What works the best for you?
|
|
|
Post by fishhead on Feb 20, 2008 10:52:24 GMT -5
I haven't even been able to put my name in a phone book because of the prices.I do have a few fish hanging at at 3 diferent bait shops.But I have only got busines from 1 of them.
|
|
mrs
Spike
Posts: 52
|
Post by mrs on Feb 20, 2008 13:43:03 GMT -5
I have a display up in one major league sporting goods store and it has paid off for me. What works best for me is gregarious customers who really liked the mount they got back. ;D
|
|
|
Post by cecil on Feb 21, 2008 13:08:11 GMT -5
Incredibly the yellow pages do nothing for me, but get me oddball calls. And I think their prices are outrageous. And then there are so many phone books a person can't afford to be in them all!
Word of mouth is a big thing in this business and once you are out there long enough I believe word of mouth takes over. I've been doing this for 24 years now and most of my business is word of mouth. I also have fish on display in bait stores and Gander Mountain up to 50 miles away, and two bait stores are pick up drop off points for me. I give them a 10 percent commission. Additionally I do fish for three area taxidermists so I'm riding high. (This makes up for the slow down in fish mounts but it is a pay cut as I do them wholesale.
That said, I'm not saying the yellow pages is a waste of money. I think it depends on your market etc.
What I find weird is although I take credit cards I have very few customers that go that route. I don't know if I live in a conservative area or what, but most of my customers pay with cash or a check.
|
|
|
Post by fesekula on Feb 21, 2008 18:33:22 GMT -5
I use the two cheapest forms of advertisement, business cards and word of mouth.
|
|
|
Post by circleh on Feb 25, 2008 19:24:23 GMT -5
So far I do the same as fesekula. Word of mouth and business cards. Right now I am getting just the right amount of work I want.
|
|
|
Post by cecil on Feb 26, 2008 17:56:58 GMT -5
So far I do the same as fesekula. Word of mouth and business cards. Right now I am getting just the right amount of work I want. Oh yes I use business cards too. I give so many away I am constantly running out of them. It's a good thing the wife can make them on the computer with the lazer printer.
|
|
|
Post by goodstufftaxidermy on Feb 28, 2008 14:33:26 GMT -5
We are in the yellow pages, and have some of our pieces in the local Walmart... This year we even tried a radio commercial... But I have to say that our best advertisement is word of mouth, that has by far been where most of our clients have come from. Needless to say the radio thing was a one time deal, I won't be trying that again.
|
|
|
Post by cecil on Feb 28, 2008 21:37:51 GMT -5
We are in the yellow pages, and have some of our pieces in the local Walmart... This year we even tried a radio commercial... But I have to say that our best advertisement is word of mouth, that has by far been where most of our clients have come from. Needless to say the radio thing was a one time deal, I won't be trying that again. Good luck with the Wallmart display. I had things in five stores at one time. Took it all out. Dishonest manager took one of my mounts with him when he relocated. Same thing happened to a friend in Michigan. Then there were signs that kept coming up missing and my business cards were being thrown away (that may have been by jealous competitors. ) The final straw was the sunglasses on my bass and rudolp noses and santa hats on the deer. And with all that trouble I can't honestly say I got much business through wallmart. I think many of their customers were looking for lower prices than I was offering. That said it may work fine for others. Just a waste of time for me.
|
|
|
Post by jwj4856 on Feb 28, 2008 22:54:50 GMT -5
I had problems with the mounts I had in Wal Mart also, a supposidely friend was the manager and talked me into putting a few mounts in there, outcome was only 3 customers in 19 months from there, backboard on a shadow box with a deer torn off, squirrel tail broken and a wing on a duck broken, and as everyone else all business cards gone in a couple days of placing there, so no more Wal Mart for me. Only advertising now is a small sign in my front yard, business cards in my shop and word of customers.
|
|
|
Post by goodstufftaxidermy on Feb 29, 2008 15:01:47 GMT -5
Thanks for letting me know about the Walmart horror stories.... I haven't had any problems with them as of yet, except for the business cards disappearing from time to time. Like you said though, that could be somebody else besides employees. But thanks for the heads up.
|
|