Hello tehnibblers (is that a thing? 
)
I'm terrible at marketing effectively. In my introduction I wasn't kidding, it's basically firing all barrels and hoping to hit. It just feels lucky when I connect with what I am looking for and tends to be overly expensive either in time, money or both.
I've canvassed areas with fliers but it feels very pizza-techish or something a high school kid looking to make a few bucks would do and seems very impractical on a large scale.
I've tried adwords in the past (couple years ago) but due to my inexperience with them usually hit way outside my targeted region. I'm looking for no more than 30 miles in any direction from where I am based.
I've seen tv and/or radio suggested in other places and that isn't really doable right now.
My word of mouth seems to be stuck in one social circle and not penetrating outside those that already know me. That is very much the fault of living in a small town where everybody knows everybody already and the reason I'm looking to expand to 30 miles in any direction as there are a couple large towns of 100k+ in that range and a few 5-15k.
I have others that help me if needed but for the most part just a one man operation working out of my home in a tiny town. Due to those circumstances I prefer to offer pick up and delivery (It's built into my rate) and offer only hourly onsite after learning my lesson having been stuck at a home for hours for peanuts and not being able to work on other clients, few that they may be and offer mostly flat-rate fees in-shop. It's designed that way to encourage the in-shop work and make sure I don't go belly up spending all day with one person for next to nothing. Due to my attempted expansion to 30 miles any direction from home I don't want to be stuck an hour away from another client so keeping all the work as central as possible in-shop is most ideal. The problem with this strategy is obviously gas prices and car expenses.
So back to the marketing. After writing it out, maybe it's better to focus that range increase to one larger area at a time and really focus on that market. I am just at a loss as to how. What worked in my little village doesn't work nearly as effectively elsewhere as I am already a known quantity around here.
This is residential mostly. For businesses I have had success selling myself the old-fashioned way, just show up and talk.
)I'm terrible at marketing effectively. In my introduction I wasn't kidding, it's basically firing all barrels and hoping to hit. It just feels lucky when I connect with what I am looking for and tends to be overly expensive either in time, money or both.
I've canvassed areas with fliers but it feels very pizza-techish or something a high school kid looking to make a few bucks would do and seems very impractical on a large scale.
I've tried adwords in the past (couple years ago) but due to my inexperience with them usually hit way outside my targeted region. I'm looking for no more than 30 miles in any direction from where I am based.
I've seen tv and/or radio suggested in other places and that isn't really doable right now.
My word of mouth seems to be stuck in one social circle and not penetrating outside those that already know me. That is very much the fault of living in a small town where everybody knows everybody already and the reason I'm looking to expand to 30 miles in any direction as there are a couple large towns of 100k+ in that range and a few 5-15k.
I have others that help me if needed but for the most part just a one man operation working out of my home in a tiny town. Due to those circumstances I prefer to offer pick up and delivery (It's built into my rate) and offer only hourly onsite after learning my lesson having been stuck at a home for hours for peanuts and not being able to work on other clients, few that they may be and offer mostly flat-rate fees in-shop. It's designed that way to encourage the in-shop work and make sure I don't go belly up spending all day with one person for next to nothing. Due to my attempted expansion to 30 miles any direction from home I don't want to be stuck an hour away from another client so keeping all the work as central as possible in-shop is most ideal. The problem with this strategy is obviously gas prices and car expenses.
So back to the marketing. After writing it out, maybe it's better to focus that range increase to one larger area at a time and really focus on that market. I am just at a loss as to how. What worked in my little village doesn't work nearly as effectively elsewhere as I am already a known quantity around here.
This is residential mostly. For businesses I have had success selling myself the old-fashioned way, just show up and talk.
