ForumsAdvertising, Sales and Marketing

Carpetman, How about a Marketing Plan. I am a SCORE Counselor and SCORE helps business
people FREE with marketing and other services to help you succeed.
Two additional thoughts. You have been in business 14 years. How about some give away
with the word FREE in it. The other thought. Have the local newspaper do a story about your success.
Good luck, LUCKIEST

No I had not. Thanks for the idea, I really appreciate it.
Carpetman

When I first went out on my own as a consultant, I had big peaks (very busy) and big valleys (no work at all) -- but I was good with my hands and not afraid of manual labor. So when things were slow and no money was coming in, I'd load my pick-up with the appropriate tools, put on some clean work clothes, and park on the side of the road leading to the elementary school where all the "rich" kids went. I'd stand next to my truck early in the morning with a big marker board that said, "I can have your lawn mowed by noon!" (or your fence repaired or your carpet cleaned or whatever I was doing that day). I'd stand there in the afternoon with, "I could be mowing your lawn right now!" (or shoveling snow or cleaning your carpet or whatever). I had some homemade business cards with my phone number in case someone stopped and asked for one. It took a few days, but I finally got a job (hauling away junk from the yard of a rental house and mowing the lawn). Then some kind of "Mom Network" must have kicked-in, because I started getting more handyman jobs than I could handle.

I think if exposure is what you need, this technique could work for you -- and it's essentially free. Have your truck and equipment ready to go. Look clean and professional. Park on the way to (not in front of) a nice elementary school in the morning, near the entrance to a busy mall after that, in an area where professional people eat lunch at midday, then back to the elementary school. Stand beside your truck with a sign that basically says, "I'm available to work!" It may take a week or so, but if you do a good job at a fair price for the first one or two customers you get that way, I'll bet you'll be very busy soon.

Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Lighthouse 24,
I appreciate your suggestion. The way I have built so far is going door to door when I'm able. Usually it takes about a couple of months before I get any calls. But I do find that those who call do so for 2 reasons: 1-They say they call me because they have already met me if only very briefly or 2-They say they call me instead of someone else because they figure if I am willing to work that hard to go out and get the business I will work hard to take care of their carpet. The problem is I do not always have as much time as I would like to do this. The only problem I would have with doing what you suggest is that it seems that people in my area re suspicious of a grown man hanging around an elementary school. Perhaps another location would be better in my location. Thanks.
Carpetman

I meant to ask, what is a SCORE consultant?
Carpetman

Thanks for asking. SCORE is "Counselors to America's Small Business" It is America's premier
source of FREE
and CONFIDENTIAL small business advice for
entrepreneurs.
Most of the SCORE Counselors are retired business men and women who volunteer their time to help
other business people succeed.
Be happy to tell you more if you ask. LUCKIEST