Where does it pay to Advertise a Business?

[pawngal]

As a small business owner I am constantly bombarded by phone calls, emails, and print wanting my advertising dollar.Yellow pages in the phone book, local radio stations, local access TV, cable TV, the free Shopper paper, the paid weekly paper, and worst of all all the interest companies that tell you that they will get you 1st page listing on Google, Bing & Yahoo.

So, when you are looking for a product or service, where do you search?

Would some of you do a bit of research for me? From the Google home page, search for Pawnshop Okoboji IA and see if I'm on the first page, if you use Bing or Yahoo do the same thing and let me know. Then try the same thing with some of these, Guns, Gold Buyers, or Jewelry.

Also, promotional items such as calendars, pens, keychains, bumper stickers, small pocket knives, mini flashlights and the such. Do these items interest you or do you just toss them?

I'm drowning in expense for advertising & promotion items and need to figure out the best bang for the buck.

Thanks in advance for you replies and help!

 

[Wingmaster]

I never have advertised my business until about a year ago.

I made a business page on Facebook. I post pictures of my business and customer cars. (The business is a car wash) about twice a week. I share it on my personal page and by the next day I usually have about 25 or 30 shares and likes. Theirs no telling how many people see it.

Sometimes I post a special like free wax if you mention this ad. I am usually surprised by the response.

I would say I get a pretty good bang for my buck. It's all free.

I hope this helps.

Wingmaster

 

[pawngal]

I have both a business & personal Facebook page and have never gotten much response ( except when I had 22 ammo and no one else did) Facebook success is very dependent on friends, likes, and sharing. Most of the people I have as Facebook friends are relatives that live out of state so that's no help. But, yes, I am aware of some businesses that have become huge successes though Facebook. My local microbrewery is one.

 

[LouisianaJoe]

I have been developing software for 50 years as of this year. I have never advertised. My customers told others about my work and that sold others.

Several years ago, some asked on this forum "What do you do for a living". I said that I developed software for courts and other agencies. Cajunlawyer contacted my brother, that he knew and he called me. I ended up developing a case tracking system for the public defender's office that he worked for.

I consider myself lucky to have had the contacts that kept me in business all of these years.

 

[LouisianaJoe]

As a small business owner I am constantly bombarded by phone calls, emails, and print wanting my advertising dollar.Yellow pages in the phone book, local radio stations, local access TV, cable TV, the free Shopper paper, the paid weekly paper, and worst of all all the interest companies that tell you that they will get you 1st page listing on Google, Bing & Yahoo.

So, when you are looking for a product or service, where do you search?

Would some of you do a bit of research for me? From the Google home page, search for Pawnshop Okoboji IA and see if I'm on the first page, if you use Bing or Yahoo do the same thing and let me know. Then try the same thing with some of these, Guns, Gold Buyers, or Jewelry.

Also, promotional items such as calendars, pens, keychains, bumper stickers, small pocket knives, mini flashlights and the such. Do these items interest you or do you just toss them?

I'm drowning in expense for advertising & promotion items and need to figure out the best bang for the buck.

Thanks in advance for you replies and help!

I did a google and this is the link that lists 1 pawnshop. Is this yours? Do you have a web page? If so this one does not link to it.

Pawnshops in OKOBOJI | The Best Pawnshops & Reviews in OKOBOJI

If you do not have a web site or a facebook page, do not expect google or any web search to provide much info about your business.

 

[arjay]

Googling Okoboji pawnbrokers brought up a lot of links to West Okoboji Pawn

 

[JSR III]

I have been self employed most of my life and have never advertised. I am in a service business so my customer base is where most of my new business comes from.

With a brick and mortar business I would think that most people don't go around asking "hey do you know of a good pawn shop?" I would think that the yellow pages (if they still exist) and a Google listing would be your best bets.

I use Google for everything. So in this modern age, I would look there.

 

[Muss Muggins]

As a small business owner I am constantly bombarded by phone calls, emails, and print wanting my advertising dollar.Yellow pages in the phone book, local radio stations, local access TV, cable TV, the free Shopper paper, the paid weekly paper, and worst of all all the interest companies that tell you that they will get you 1st page listing on Google, Bing & Yahoo.

So, when you are looking for a product or service, where do you search?

Would some of you do a bit of research for me? From the Google home page, search for Pawnshop Okoboji IA and see if I'm on the first page, if you use Bing or Yahoo do the same thing and let me know. Then try the same thing with some of these, Guns, Gold Buyers, or Jewelry.

Also, promotional items such as calendars, pens, keychains, bumper stickers, small pocket knives, mini flashlights and the such. Do these items interest you or do you just toss them?

I'm drowning in expense for advertising & promotion items and need to figure out the best bang for the buck.

Thanks in advance for you replies and help!

If you run West Okoboji Pawn - Cash Advance, your shop is the very first listing when I do the Google search you suggested . . .

 

[Muss Muggins]

I have both a business & personal Facebook page and have never gotten much response ( except when I had 22 ammo and no one else did) Facebook success is very dependent on friends, likes, and sharing. Most of the people I have as Facebook friends are relatives that live out of state so that's no help. But, yes, I am aware of some businesses that have become huge successes though Facebook. My local microbrewery is one.

I have a Facebook business page as well, and I agree that it is dependent upon your Facebook network, along with the network of people willing to "Like" and "Share" your page. My business is quite different from yours, and wouldn't exactly generate a lot of buzz on FB, but potential clients use it to get my other contact information . . .

 

[Marine Corps Air]

I agree with the OP, you can spend a lot of $$ on advertising and not achieve even a decent return on your investment.

I don't believe that a business should set a goal of "being all things to all people". Yes, if you have the $$, I always have the time.

I'd recommend that you define who your "target" customers are - age, preferences, spending habits, proximity to your location, who they associate with (network) on a regular basis (references and cross references), and then where do they obtain their information. I'd also go to the marketing or mass media department of a local college or university and speak with them about the most effective methods to reach those potential customers. Often, this assistance will be free as these young, aspiring college students are anxious to work with "real world" business challenges and leverage that knowledge that they just acquired.

When I grew up it was the newspaper. Today, people of all ages use Twitter, Google, Facebook, the Internet, etc. I wonder how many, if any, still use the print versions of trading documents??

I have spent far too much $$$ in a local pawn shop. Most pawn shops hire the cheapest people that they can locate. My favorite among many was one in which there was a gunsmith, about my age, working there who has forgotten more about firearms than I will ever know. He is one of the very best.

Perhaps a local LEO who really knows firearms would like to work P/T at your shop. You'll be financially and pleasantly surprised about how quickly the word will spread like wildfire. Local gun ranges may potentially add to your sales base if you build a relationship with them, leave business cards, offer discounts to range members, offer print material on the ranges in your pawn shop, etc.

 

[pawngal]

I did a google and this is the link that lists 1 pawnshop. Is this yours? Do you have a web page? If so this one does not link to it.

Pawnshops in OKOBOJI | The Best Pawnshops & Reviews in OKOBOJI

If you do not have a web site or a facebook page, do not expect google or any web search to provide much info about your business.

Hmmm, not good. Yes, that is me. Yes, I have a website and a Facebook page.

 

[pawngal]

If you run West Okoboji Pawn - Cash Advance, your shop is the very first listing when I do the Google search you suggested . . .

Thank you, that is what should happen! Except I'm not a Cash Advance store. Will have to get that changed.

 

[pawngal]

Googling Okoboji pawnbrokers brought up a lot of links to West Okoboji Pawn

Thank you........

 

[307-Niner]

When I owned my auto repair business, I didn't advertise very much. It was mostly a waste of money. Word of mouth is the only advertising that's worth anything. Reputation is everything.

I had an ad in the local phone book, but it was only a small 3x5 in two different sections of the book. Plus the signs on the building & at the street, with matching designs to the phone book ad.

The only other advertising that I ever paid for, never really gained me any increase in business that I noticed. But I bought those ads for different reasons anyways. I sponsored the local drag strip, so I had signage there, and they mentioned my business every couple of hours during each event. I also made it a point to purchase any advertising from school kids doing fundraisers for sports or any other extra-curricular activity. These things help build the community more than my business, but equally important to me. But when staff from the school would call & ask for donations, I always declined. To me there's a big difference when the kids get out there and do the work. They are earning it, and learning how the real world works. Always ticked me off when school staff called instead of having the kids earn it.

Just my take on things, after 23 years in the auto repair industry.

 

[pawngal]

I agree with the OP, you can spend a lot of $$ on advertising and not achieve even a decent return on your investment.

I don't believe that a business should set a goal of "being all things to all people". Yes, if you have the $$, I always have the time.

I'd recommend that you define who your "target" customers are - age, preferences, spending habits, proximity to your location, who they associate with (network) on a regular basis (references and cross references), and then where do they obtain their information. I'd also go to the marketing or mass media department of a local college or university and speak with them about the most effective methods to reach those potential customers. Often, this assistance will be free as these young, aspiring college students are anxious to work with "real world" business challenges and leverage that knowledge that they just acquired.

When I grew up it was the newspaper. Today, people of all ages use Twitter, Google, Facebook, the Internet, etc. I wonder how many, if any, still use the print versions of trading documents??

I have spent far too much $$$ in a local pawn shop. Most pawn shops hire the cheapest people that they can locate. My favorite among many was one in which there was a gunsmith, about my age, working there who has forgotten more about firearms than I will ever know. He is one of the very best.

Perhaps a local LEO who really knows firearms would like to work P/T at your shop. You'll be financially and pleasantly surprised about how quickly the word will spread like wildfire. Local gun ranges may potentially add to your sales base if you build a relationship with them, leave business cards, offer discounts to range members, offer print material on the ranges in your pawn shop, etc.

My daughter was a Marketing major in college and tried to work on this but targeting the customer base for a pawnshop is next to impossible. The broke college student or welfare Mom needing $20 for groceries doesn't have much in common with someone looking to buy a Browning Superposed or a $1000 piece of jewelry.

I wish there was a gunsmith any where around me, just don't exist here which is sad considering waterfowl & pheasant hunting is huge here.

Good tip on working with the shooting range, I am a charter member. I recommend them by word of mouth and will ask if I can leave business cards with the handouts they have. I am also going to ask them about sponsoring some of the classes they offer. They are also an FFL so need to be careful not to step on toes that way.

 

[kwselke]

You be the judge.

Google
Bing
Yahoo
DuckDuckGo

 

[GatorFarmer]

I would suggest 4imprint.com or the like and circulating some free swag in the community.

 

[Bekeart]

Why I seldom use Yellow Pages ...

Why I seldom use Yellow Pages ...

In the last few years Southern Bell (a bunch of ding-a-lings ??) has no longer included white page listings in their distributed phone book.

Now instead of being my first choice the book is way down the list for my searches. Word-of-mouth is always the best advertising.

Promotional trinkets are wasted on me.

As others have mentioned there is a difference in community support and functional advertising. (e.g support of school activities)

Join fraternal and social groups and be active so other members think of your business first. (e.g. Lions / Kiwanis / etc.) Ask any insurance agent or realtor which ones he is a member of ... The members might become customers or might refer others they know ...

Decide on your targeted customer.

1) XYZ Pawn Shop has money for you ...
This customer WILL find A pawn shop ...

2) XYZ Pawn Shop a good place to buy bargains ...
This potential customer may not have even thought about a pawn shop ...

Bekeart

My advice is free and possibly overpriced.











Bekeart

 

[Marine Corps Air]

I should have been more specific in my response. My favorite pawn shop in this area devotes about 65-75% of it's floor space and staff to the sales of firearms. I agree, someone who needs to pawn an item is unlikely to buy a firearm. In my opinion, and if it is possible, I would re-examine your products and services and determine if firearm sales can become a greater contributor to your top and bottom lines.

If after speaking with the head of the marketing department you decide to build a website, consider having someone do it for you. I had mine built for less than $1,500.00.

Insofar as a gunsmith is concerned, perhaps a local law enforcement officer, deputy sheriff, state trooper etc. who really knows firearms would like to work part time or on his/her off days in exchange for a lower salary but a compensating discount on all of the firearms that he buys.

I have attached a "How To" document for how to put your business on the map using Google Maps. There is no cost to you.

When I was defining the parameters for my website developer I snooped around at the websites for other tax professionals and identified some of the features that they had that I liked.

My daughter was a Marketing major in college and tried to work on this but targeting the customer base for a pawnshop is next to impossible. The broke college student or welfare Mom needing $20 for groceries doesn't have much in common with someone looking to buy a Browning Superposed or a $1000 piece of jewelry.

I wish there was a gunsmith any where around me, just don't exist here which is sad considering waterfowl & pheasant hunting is huge here.

Good tip on working with the shooting range, I am a charter member. I recommend them by word of mouth and will ask if I can leave business cards with the handouts they have. I am also going to ask them about sponsoring some of the classes they offer. They are also an FFL so need to be careful not to step on toes that way.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Gun shops around here run commercials during the morning though mid day on our talk radio station. Apparently it must work because they keep doing it.