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Best form of Advertising?

Started by reswire, June 27, 2014, 10:09:36 PM

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reswire

I've been trying to think of some ways, to drum up a little business. Are there any suggestions or tried and true methods that have worked for you?  As a construction contractor, "word of mouth" always seemed to be the best method.  With a sawmill, prospective clients are so scattered around, that method may not be the quickest or best way to build a business. 

A couple of times, I've simply pulled the mill around on busy roads, and have had people stop me with questions or small jobs to do.  I'm thinking of parking in a high traffic area on Saturdays and wait to see what happens.   What have you done to bring in the jobs??? 
Norwood LM 30, JD 5205, some Stihl saws, 15 goats, 10 chickens, 1 Chessie and a 2 Weiner dogs...

Brucer

Hand out business cards. It took me a while to figure out a name for my business, so I just handed out cards with my name, phone number, and what I did (Portable Sawmilling). I printed my own (Avery makes good ones -- 10 per page, no visible perf marks when you separate them).

I was never good a selling myself but after a bit of practice I learned how. Any time I'd run into someone I hadn't seen for a while, at some point I'd ask them what they were up to. I'd listen politely and usually they'd then ask me what I was up to. Bingo! People are always interested in "unusual" activities. I'd end the conversation by handing out TWO business cards (give one to a friend).

An inexpensive classified ad. Around here we have a weekly paper/magazine that consists entirely of classified ads. Delivered free to your mailbox. Seems everyone reads that paper.

Small ads on local bulletin boards. A coloured photo draws attention (hint). Look in local hardware stores to see if they have something like that.

Business cards on the counter of popular businesses (be sure to ask). I went into an ice cream shop at a nearby resort and introduced myself. The owner said he never let people clutter up his counter with cards, otherwise he'd be swamped. But ... it turns out he'd always dreamed of owning a small sawmill so he told me to leave a pile and drop in every time I was in the area to replenish the stock. You just never know unless you ask.

The Forestry Forum shameless commerce link. This link will get you onto the front page of a Google search. If you don't have a web site, Jeff can build you one. I was surprised at how inexpensive a single web page is -- and very nicely designed, too. Jeff will also build you an entire web site if you want.



Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

SawyerBrown

I'll bet 75% or more of the calls I get are generated by my website. What is the first thing YOU would do if you were looking for an unusual business?  Do "the Google"!  So you gotta build a website that at least gets you on the first page.  Most of the rest are business cards, and a lot of those are handed out to people that just do a curiosity stop at a job site. The other thing I do to be more proactive is to watch Craigslist for guys selling trees or logs, and just drop them a nice note, "if you or your buyer need a sawyer ..."  Just my thoughts.
Pete Brown, Saw It There LLC.  Wood-mizer LT35HDG25, Farmall 'M', 16' trailer.  Custom sawing only (at this time).  Long-time woodworker ... short-time sawyer!

Ianab

Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

thecfarm

Any shows,events,old time shows close by? I even saw a sawmill at a small airport that was having a fly in.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Cedarman

When designing a website, think business, not cuteness. 
I put the cedar scale on the back of my business cards.  Gives people a reason to keep them.  Maybe an explanation of board feet and how to figure.  Although some say leave it blank so they can be written on.
As Brucer says, learn to sell your self. 
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

glassman_48

reswire,
I have owned a glass business in michigan for over 25 years now.  I have little note pads made up with my name and phone number on it.  I hand them out along with my business cards all over the place.  This spring we had our phone company add a website ad.  I have never done that before and a bunch of our customers tell me they saw us on the internet.  I was pretty stubborn about the internet and I am glad we added that.  It cost 39 bucks a month and probably the best money I have ever spent.  Another logger in our area pins hand made 3 by 5 cards on every bulletin board he can find in our local businesses.  He does very very well with the hand made cards.   good luck,,,,,,,,,ed

stumpy

Get a website and sign on for the "Shameless Commerce section" on this forum.  It'll be the best money you can spend.  There is no way a small operator like most of us would get on the first page of Google without being linked to the Forestry Forum.  Jeff can explain further.
Woodmizer LT30, NHL785 skidsteer, IH 444 tractor

glassman_48

stumpy,
I am interested in the shameless commerce section you mentioned.  Hoping Jeff will explain further. 

phinds

I like your idea of parking in a high traffic area (if you can afford the time) but I think it would only work if you have a really easy to remember name in big letters or a small banner or something on the side. Forget just having a phone number 'cause folks driving by won't remember it ... you have to have something they can look up on the internet and as several others have already said, you have to have a decent web site.
you can never have too much pepperoni on your pizza or own too many clamps
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/

Banjo picker

As to a web site, how much lead time is required to get something like that going?  Right now I do no advertising as I still work a 40 hr. a week job, with the state of Miss and still have a good bit to do on the Banjo house renovation.  But in 3 years I will be retiring and will want to do more custom sawing than I am right now.  Its hard to get the word out by just word of mouth even in a small town.  I had a neighbor that only lives about 3/4 of a mile come by the other day wanting some sawing done and he had just found out about my mill and I have literally know him most of my life.  So you cant just assume that folks in the area know what you do....I am one who has been slow to come around to the teck. of the internet, but I see its the way of the future...Banjo
Never explain, your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you any way.

phinds

Quote from: Banjo picker on June 28, 2014, 09:32:18 AM
As to a web site, how much lead time is required to get something like that going? 

That depends entirely on what you want to do and how slick you want it to be and how much you are willing to spend. A very simple web site with no frills at all can be done in very short order.

For example, just for kicks, I put this together in 11 minutes and most of that was spent looking for pics that were what I wanted.

http://www.woodstuff1.com/sample/

You can't get any more basic than that, but hey ... 11 minutes.

you can never have too much pepperoni on your pizza or own too many clamps
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/

Chuck White

The best way I've found to gain saw-jobs is to get a saw-job that is in sight of a road!  When people can see you while you are actually sawing, some will stop and inquire!   ;)

Other than that, I simply rely on word-of-mouth!  If you do a good job sawing for someone, they will let others know who sawed their lumber!  ;)
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

curdog

The guy up the road from me put a sign up at the end of his driveway and attends many of the local festivities. If you have a local forestry office stop and give them a few cards as well. I have people ask all the time if I know of a small outfit to cut a few logs that would be too small of a job for most loggers.
I've got no experience with websites, but that seems like a good idea as well.

GAB

I make it a point to point out to customers when a log has a lot of stress and warm them that the ends will be thin because of it.  Bad word of mouth travels very fast, that is why I take the time and let them know up front why it is happening and allow them the option of sawing thicker to be able to plane it flat. 
I also dub the owner/customer the QA manager.  If you see something you do not like - please speak up.
Gerald
W-M LT40HDD34, SLR, JD 420, JD 950w/loader and Woods backhoe, V3507 Fransguard winch, Cordwood Saw, 18' flat bed trailer, and other toys.

stumpy

In my opinion, a high tech professional website is not critical.  The more important issue is getting people to find you.  This is especially true if you mainly do sawing.  That's where Jeff's Shameless commerce section comes in.  Because of it's dominance on the internet, you get great placement on Google.  Jeff can explain further.
Woodmizer LT30, NHL785 skidsteer, IH 444 tractor

Chuck White

Quote from: GAB on June 28, 2014, 12:04:52 PM
I make it a point to point out to customers when a log has a lot of stress and warm them that the ends will be thin because of it.  Bad word of mouth travels very fast, that is why I take the time and let them know up front why it is happening and allow them the option of sawing thicker to be able to plane it flat.  I also dub the owner/customer the QA manager.  If you see something you do not like - please speak up.
Gerald

Yup, always inform your customer where things have a tendency to go wrong!   ;)
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

Brucer

Here's a link to the post I made just after my Jeff-built web page became active. There's quite a bit of stuff about why it ranks so high on the Google listings.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,37265.msg538137.html#msg538137

Reply #6 on that topic gives you a direct link to the web page. You can try finding me indirectly if you want to see how effective the link is, try playing with some of these
criteria.

- I supply the West Kootenay region of British Columbia.
- I saw mainly Douglas-Fir.
- My main product is timbers.
- I do a lot of jobs for timber framers.
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

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