Advertising $$'s

[coinvestor]

For the first time I have actually budgeted for advertising, and I don't know how to spend it. Up until now I grew by buying other vendors, refferals, and hits on my website. I need to advertise more but not sure where to go next. Is the yellowpages even still relevent? It seems like now the only calls I get are from people that called everyone else and were told "no". I want to be the first one to tell them "no"

Anyone have any thoughts. What advertising has worked best or yeilded the best results for you.

Thanks,

JD

[mxer518]

Mass mailings to target industries have proved well for us, as well as mass faxing of these same company's.

[BluePlate]

Not sure if you already have one, but maybe a website and some google advertising.  I think there might be someone on these boards who could build you a nice site fairly inexpensive. 

[mission vending]

Join the local chamber and get involved. Join a business networking group and participate, they usually meet weekly at a breakfast or lunch scenario.

Neither one will cost a lot of money. Using the above methods, some customer referrals and very limited sales and marketing has yielded more business than I can take on. I will be closing a 6 machine 200 person location next week with no effort on my part other than preparing a proposal.

The chamber membership cost me 230 dollars and the networking group is 55 monthly with lunch included. Our group also puts together an AWESOME wild game annually that I use to bring important clients to. Last year we raffeled off about 50K worth of hunting and fishing gear.

The quarterly socials with both organizations are not only a lot of fun but you get to know the right people as well.

[mxer518]

I totally agree the local chamber business org had been great for my business's both vending any my other stuff I have going. Not only is it very proactive for your business but its a lot of fun with our annual golf tournaments and countless dinners.

[coinvestor]

Thanks for all the advice.

I do some mailings, but have had better luck with gaining OCS accounts with this than I have vending. I do have a website and I looked into joining the Chamber about 2 years ago, but never did.

Thanks

JD

[caserri]

Darn'it, You guys beat me to the punch! 

I would like to "3rd" the Chamber of Commerce suggestion. Far and away the best bang for your buck when it comes to networking. Everyone you'll socialize with at the functions will be a lead. They are all local and all business owners.

Plus, depending on your area, you might be the only vending operator there.

[sherlock]

Don't forget to "advertise" to your current customers.

Sounds weird, but IT WORKS.

NOTHING you can put in an ad will sound as convincing OR work as well as a personal referral from an existing customer.

Use some of your ad budget to reach out to your satisfied customers and enlist their help in finding you new business.

They can be some of your BEST advertising and some of your BEST sales-people.

They know your work AND likely know of other locations that can use a quality vendor.

More importantly, their business-owner friends will trust them MUCH more than they will trust you, your sales pitch, or your advertisement.

Advertise to your existing customers to incorporate their help.

It will make the most of your ad dollars.

[sbishop]

Referrals are the way to go. In addition to joining the Chamber. Look to see if there is a local BNI chapter. BNI stands for Business Networking International. www.bni.com

Each chapter has only 1 of any business type, you would be the only vending guy there. Their focus is on referring their customer, friends and anyone they know to the other members of the chapter. the cost is about $400 for the year and you meet for breakfast and have the meeting weekly.

I gained thousands of dollars worth of work and new contracts for a previous computer repair business. These referrals will put you in contact with the key decision makers, that advertising does not always reach.

The only reason I am not a member right now, is because I work full time and do vending part time, when you add family time it leaves me no time!

[mission vending]

I was part of BNI for a while. I switched to the San Antonio Executives Assoc. when I got an invitation to join. BNI is pretty strictly business networking and is a great organization. SAEA is probably one the original networking organiztions, it's been around since 1936. From what I understand from some of the oldtimers it used to be primarily focused on the networking aspect like BNI, over the years it has also evolved a pretty significant social component as well. To me it's combines the best of the chamber and BNI and to top it off its an all male organization.

We do group hunting and fishing trips, quarterly poker tournaments and our annual Wild Game Dinner which is supposedly the largest in the country, nearly 1200 people attended last year's dinner. It's a great event to take customers to which is one of the reasons I joined.

If you are wondering about the dinner, last years menu:

HORS D'OEUVRES:

Chilled gulf shrimp, Cocktail oysters, wild boar tamales, turkey fries, wild hog ribs, venison shish-ka-bobs, veal mountain oysters, wild boar tacos

Dinner Menu:

Axis and fallow deer, Nilgai and Blackbuck Antelope, Mule Deer Sausage, Venison Chili, Cowboy Stew, Mouflon and Aoudad Sheep, Pheasant, Breast of Dove, Smoked Wild Turkey, Smoked Quail with BBQ sauce, Roasted Muscovy Duck.

[andyinchville]

HI,

In our small town there are only about 5 total vending companies so yellow pages seems to be OK for this category (actually get calls!)....

On the flip side I also run a lawn care company BUT responses are very low for yellow page ads...probably because there are soooo many lawn care cos out there...

My thinking is yellow pages is OK if there isn't  a lot of competiton....otherwise flyers work well for me

(I hand out literally thousands of flyers (a shot gun approach)....my flyers often have more than one one service I do on them (example....one flyer may have a remodeling / construction ad, lawn care ad, AND a gun ad (I am also a FFL dealer)).

Flyers work pretty well for the $$ spent BUT do take time to distribute.....that is my best bang for the $$.

Andrew

[coinvestor]

Thanks for all responses!

I just thought that I would update everyone on what I eventually ended up doing. Advertising $$ was spent / allocated as follows:

< Logo redesign

< Ordered shirts and business cards with the new logo

< Put logo on magnetic signs for steel vehicles, 4 X 6 decals on the aluminum step van

< I had the company doing my truck print 2" X 3" decals that match the truck to go on each machine. The great thing is they are full color and printed on 7 year vinyl

< I will be updating my website with the new logo and rewrite some of it.

< I am in the process of joining the local chamber

< I have plans to do a small talking phone book ad come Dec.

Total cost ~ $1200 (does not include the phone book)

JD

[mission vending]

Looks like you are getting good value. The logo stuff, on truck, shirts, machines etc is important to build an image or brand in your market. I'm working on getting the same things done, hopefully everything will be done by Labor Day.

[s.weir]

My company is small, but being how I am with this stuff it was prudent to me to look legit from the start.  I had a few shirts made for wearing when i service my route, business cards, vehicle label (magnetic) made up and am working on my website.  It is pretty exciting stuff, it really adds character to the company. I will post a picture of my shirts later, I think you guys will love it.