best response to adverts?

Question

I want to launch a small company, which would you be most likely to respond to;
internet search.
leaflet through door.
newspaper add in your local free newspaper.

Word of mouth is good when I am established but How do i get the word of mouth going ???

Answer 1

62% of people now use the net (those that have it) as the first place to look for anything. (tompson data)

74% of leaflets get binned as it's classed as junk mail (RM PO data)

newspapers costly and your ad is competing with all the other ads

best to target you customers direct, either by calling on them and introducing your self or by telephone.

get a free listing for your business on http://www.tradersreview.co.uk

Answer 2

The only way to find out the best response is by trying all of them and giving them all a fair chance. You can't just drop off one leaflet with someone and expect to close a deal. It may happen, but likely will not. People respond differently to different methods as you can see in examples above. One says leaflets, the other says she trashes them without reading them. Everyone responds different.
One thing for sure is you have to do a lot of word of mouth advertising. Use the 3 foot rule, anyone within 3 feet of you is possibly your next customer, so strike up a conversation and tell them about what you do. You have to live and breathe your business for the first while in order to really get the word out.
There is a lady in my neighborhood who is a seamstress, a petsitter and sells Avon. That woman makes sure she advertises in our local community newspaper, leaves her catalogs everywhere, drops off flyers at all of the homes in the area and works hand in hand with the local businesses, offering to send people to their business if they will do the same for her. I have never met her, but if I needed any of those services, she is the one I would call. Her name is engrained in everyone's head in this entire neighborhood because she is constantly getting the word out there and reminding us that she is there periodically.
I would do anything to have that woman in my business!

Answer 3

Word of mouth and decent advertising on the web.
I HATE leaflets through my door, nearly as much as I despise the free newspapers that are stuffed through my letterbox. I never read either, just stick them in the recycling pile!

Answer 4

okay, you haven't mentioned what country you're in or what sort of business you're thinking of starting, but i'll try it from a very general perspective...

the internet.... unfortunately unless your prospective customers know where to look for you, a website won't give you much coverage, but it is still worth setting up, make it very simple and easy to use and spend as much time on your meta-data as you do on your design as that's how search engines will find your site... you could pay for banners (advertising) but the click through rate isn't good unless you're an established brand...

leaflets.... these are the bane of most people's life and to be honest they'll most likely just end up in the bin... leaflets which are targeted are much better...

adverts in local free papers are okay, but you'll find their readership figures quite disappointing.. check out all your free papers/magazines and ask for stats on distribution and readership then compare...

before you spend any money, write a little marketing strategy.. work out what your business is and does, do a SWOT analysis (strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats)... work out who your potential customers are and build a profile of them... are they middle aged men with a high disposable income who read classic car magazines and go for walks on sundays, or are they teenage girls who get pocket money and talk to their friends lots on their mobile phones.. but building customer profiles you'll find the best ways to advertise and inform people about your new business..

use as many free resources as possible, if you're in the UK your local council will have a business department, likewise they'll be trade associations etc.. contact them for help... send out press releases to any many relevant media companies as possible, most are desperate for content, if you can give them a good story with a photograph, the chances are they'll publish it... call your local radio station and see if they'd like to do a little segment on you?

there's loads more of ways to get exposure, its probably best to pop to your local library and get a few marketing books and have a flick through the bits which are relevant... good luck..

Answer 5

Leaflet through the door

Answer 6

word of mouth! if my friends start talking about it then i have to go check it out!