I am looking for a honest answer: man to man, friend to friend, not competitor vs. competitor. What is the best way to adverise? Word of mouth, signs, flyers, sport shops, or other ?
Thanks
Mike
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Mike,
I just got started and I have done a few things that I have noticed worked real well. First I went to my local fair to kick off my biz. I set up my best display and just sat there the whole time. I ended up getting 3 projects right after the fair. Just don't get your hopes up to much because you will have 20 guys say they are coming. But of course I knew they all would not come. I was pleased to see the 3 that did. Next I hung up some extra work I had at the bait shop and since 1 month ago I have got 10 more projects. So that helped out alot. If it seems like I am not getting to much work thats because I work from my house and don't even have my sign up yet since the city is still digging up my yard where my sign will go.
Hope this helps out alittle
a satisfied customer.
I did a nice mount last year for a woman who runs a sporting goods dept. She was very happy with her mount. Much to my surprise she is friends with the owners of a local deer processing market. Need I say any more. My phone is starting to ring. A phone book listing is very important when getting started too. A competitor can pick up your cards but they can't erase the phone book! Time,patience, and good work are all you can really count on in the end though. Good Luck. Jeff F.
Your advertisements always say what YOU want them to say and people know that. They also know that the mounts you place in stores are your BEST pieces. The guy who walks out your door will make you or break you with what he tells others. That's exactly why some deer noses are black and their ears are white. Never try to teach a man who's paying you a salary to make him happy.
YOU pay for cards, YOU pay for ads, YOU pay for shows, YOU pay for radio spots, and CUSTOMERS pay for your mounts, then tell everyone how good you are, which is called 'word of mouth'. If you cant figure out which is best, at least pick the least expensive one.
I often wonder why you guys dont ever stop and think first. Arent YOU a consumer all day long? What works for you when its YOU looking for something?
Good luck with your decision, especially if you have sense enough to pick word of mouth, and then use those others to compliment it as needed...
You have to get some customers first. Otherwise, there is no one to spead the word of mouth. Put your number in the phone book first thing. I use radio ads and newspaper ads with much success. The radio ads will get you people out of your normal area as well. I've gotten mounts from towns 80 miles away because they heard it on the radio.... After you establish your base clientle, then advertise less and rely on word of mouth.
Les
Worked for me. I'm in 4 of the yellow books in our area now, and my business had at least tripled. Put a big sign out so people can see you, and go to shows. Make your own business cards, and do everything you can to get your name out. Don't just pick one way. It will pay in the long run...whatever that means.
Here in the south we have tons of hunting clubs. This is where I start for word of mouth. Around here everyone knows someone in a hunting club. I do a few deer mounts for club members and ask them to spread the word if they are happy with my work. Well guess what....hunters are the same everywhere. They like to show their buds the mount (bragging rights) and their buds are mostly club members too. It is natural for these guys to look me up when they kill a good buck and on these managed clubs there are some dandies. I now have clients from clubs in Tennessee, Illinois, Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina and Arkansas. They are now my ONLY clients since I have purposely slowed down this year due to my increased travel schedule to Asia. No $ spent for me in the last few years in advertising. I am not against it if it gets you the additional work that puts you over the top but word of mouth and a satisfied customer spreads like wildfire directly in the demographic that you want exposure with.
I have only advertized once since I started and that was in the local paper for a week. It came with the deal when I had my business cards made up. Word of mouth is your best option IF you have the cliants to put the word out there. I am going to put a small ad in the local paper this season as well. They do a hunters section every year and have ask if I want a space. I don't have a listed number and for now that seams to work for me. I get more then enough business and I don't even do birds yet. I was contacted by a local ATV business to put up a display in there new store. I jumped at the chance and it is very nice I will say so my self. I am sure I will get plenty of work from that display. One more quick story. I have my business name and number on the side of my truck. I was way down in PA a while ago and picked up a fish mount to do when the guy saw my name on my truck. I was in heavy traffic over vacation from Myrtle Beach. When a gentalman ask for one of my cards on the highway. I gave him one out the window of my truck. I pass out more cards on the road then you can imagine just having my name and number on my truck. Having this ddone was the best money I have spent on advertising. Good Luck to you and your business. Remember if you build it they will come.