Where does it pay to Advertise a Business?

Back when I was in business yellow pages ads were crucial and effective. Who uses the yellow pages today? Virtually worthless now. Everybody uses Google for that. Facebook is good if you are active on it. Post pictures of what's new, newly reduced items, in stock ammunition, etc. A very low end local pawn shop advertises a lot on talk radio. I guess it works. It got me to go in a couple of times to look, but I haven't bought from them. On the other hand a local knife store also advertises a lot on talk radio, and I have purchased from them.

One of the local gun shops advertises a lot on cable tv spots. It must work since she keeps doing it. Either that or she's buying the spots from a relative or close friend. I don't know.
 
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LouisianaJoe said:
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.
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There is a HUGE problem with relying on referrals for business, and that is you have to have a quality product at a reasonable price for that to work, and most business just don't.
 
PPC - is your best bang for the buck if you have a decent website!

Use bing or google - I prefer bing myself as I don't agree with googles business policies or their tracking mechanism of everyone on the internet!

Besides, googles search results have become less relevant the more they charge.

Now searching for your name is NOT the way people search the internet - in order to search for Pawnshop Okoboji IA they would have to know your name and shop exist!

That is not the demographic you are trying to reach - correct?

I believe you are trying to reach new customers as well as old and to do that, the search criteria needs to be along the lines of:

Pawn shops Okoboji IA
Okoboji Pawn shops
[product] for sale Okoboji
Okoboji Pawn shop sells [product]
etc.

All these have to be in your advertising and the pages of your website - it's called website optimization and is big business - SEO = search engine optimization and that is what will make your investment return the highest.

Not a fan of FB advertising - I know some have had limited success, however there is a cost to time factor involved in social media advertising which provides less ROI than PPC.

20+ years in SEO and advertising, 40 years in Computer systems and design - best of luck.
 
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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 ...

I am a Sponsor Member of Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever and have been for over 20 years and have served on committees of both organizations. Rotary Club would be a possibility, the others aren't active here.

I do support the local schools when the students come to me in person for Yearbook ads or merchandise donations for After-Prom Parties.
 
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PG, I did like Muss and found your site.

All the years I had my brick & mortar store, I never needed more than the Yellow Pages and a web site. Credibility and reputation did the rest. Even when Mars, Guitar Center and Sam Ash moved in.

I was good to my customers and good to my employees.

I could come over and stump with a sandwich board for ya.:)
 
You could experiment with gimmick videos on YouTube promoting your business. Moss Pawn and Gun became famous for IraqVet and the guy with the beard.
 
I went to google.....

I searched google for "pawn shops in spirit lake, IA and your outfit was right on top.

Searching 'gun shops in spring lake, IA" your place is fourth on the YP site

On FFL gundealers you are on the second page. Lots ahead of you.

The result of the search itself puts you about five down on the first page.

It seems that if I were looking for you on the web, I'd be able to find you easy if I knew where you were.


I pay no attention at all to pop up ads.

If I want something, the first thing I do is go to the computer and start with google. I hardly ever need to use another engine, just make sure the wording of my search turns up what I need.

If you have a page with an address and a phone number, I can call you and find out what I want.

A gunshow would be a good place to hand out promotions/flyers.

I'll ask my bro in law who is a master pawn man and see if he has ideas on this. He was very successful in the pawn business until his family leeched off of him so much that he changed vocations to get away from them.
 
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The website that is up is not good, just some generic stuff some advertising outfit put together. I do NOT like it at all. Had a decent one earlier with more personalized info. I will contact them on Monday about re-working it.

I have all the free Google Map stuff done that was mentioned, that was done sometime ago, I did check it today to make sure it was all correct & current.

Also, what internet sites that sell guns should I register on to get my business out there for accepting transfers? I'm on Gunbroker and CDNN currently. Checking out GunsAmerica right now.
 
Dear PawnGal,
I only advertised once and it was on Morning TV . The results were dismal almost every one who responded to the add were totally disappointing or just plain looney. It actually cost me far more than I made from the add in lost time and money due to trying to correct other peoples mistakes and giving away free consultations.
But you on the other hand have a very popular business and are surly benefitting from the free advertising of the TV Pawn Shop shows. Why don't you try to tag an add on while Pawn Stars is airing on TV? Compare your service and expertise with Rick and the Old Man and I bet you get some good response. I certainly hope you do better than I did! Good luck, but steer away from the AM do it in the evening, I think you`ll get a better audience.
 
Hi Pawn Gal I also visited your site and was disappointed that there is no listing or photos of items you have in stock . I think if you could post some of the real juicy items you have for sale you could generate a lot of interest. Who knows if you start posting guns for sale you might pick up a lot of business. I have bought many guns from pawn shops and at least 4 from Gun Broker Pawn shops. I would be happy to buy You?
 
pawngal said:
Thank you........
Click to expand...

One always starts a meeting with humor. I knew a rogue kind of guy, he left his coworkers business card with a lady of ill repute and said if you ever need anything call me. Well the word really got around.

I googled you as pawn shop Okoboji and came up with several listings, Milford and my Birth place Storm Lake along with Spirit Lake. The last 2 also list your Milford main store Tel number.

When I looked at the list Best Pawn shops in IA the list is not in alphabetical order but some shops have had folks give reviews and they have x number of stars which might influence some, maybe some relatives or folks who buy ammo etc from you can send in a review.
Pawnshops in Iowa | The Best IA Pawnshops & Reviews

When I did gold okoboji I go the a gold and silver place in Spirit Lake.

If I do gold and silver pawn Okoboji it goes to you.

I see you are on facebook, Twitter?

I looked at your web site, West Okoboji Pawn - Cash Advance | Spirit Lake, IA

I see the important items and see them readily.
Nice clean and clear photos,
What you do,
Items you take in on pawn,
and 2 forms of contact. Phone and email.
your .com web info.
Address for Milford.
Info on the 2 other sites that gives your number.

You might look at an actual web page.

Sorry to be this detailed. For the last 20 years of my communications life this is part of what we did for customers.

Times have changed, once the hard wired phone and a FAX was all it took.

Now one has to have a phone system that is smart, and it is now more important that the internet works flawless as more business is done via the net than the phone.

I assured my customers that I know communications is any modern companies life's blood. That simple statement caught them off guard, after reflection they agreed it is the single most important piece.

So Pawn gal you are not at your competitors who's web site under Pawn shop okaboji said they are open when I looked and called them. I covered for you, said some lady who pawns a lot might be there.......
 
Model70hunter,
Thank you, lots of good information.

There is SO much wrong info on the current website I could just scream.
My actual location gets confusing, technically, I am in West Okoboji, IA, but there is no post office there so no zip code and the address doesn't come up on a GPS. So physical address is Milford, IA. The business mailing address is a P.O. Box at Spirit Lake, IA. Are you confused yet?
I'll add a little more. In Spencer, IA, 15 miles away, is a gaming store by the name of The Pawn Shop.

Even the email address on the website is not right, I called them some time ago and it has not been corrected. And I don't do cash advances.

The site developer was Hibu formerly Yellowbook. Part of the problem would be my fault. The email they were sending the beta test site to was an old account that I wasn't checking so I didn't know what was going on until it was all done and they called me.

Getting reviews as a pawnshop is a bit dicey, people are happy to leave bad reviews cause I don't want their junk or they think I should pay new price for it.
 
pawngal said:
Model70hunter,
Thank you, lots of good information.

There is SO much wrong info on the current website I could just scream.
My actual location gets confusing, technically, I am in West Okoboji, IA, but there is no post office there so no zip code and the address doesn't come up on a GPS. So physical address is Milford, IA. The business mailing address is a P.O. Box at Spirit Lake, IA. Are you confused yet?
I'll add a little more. In Spencer, IA, 15 miles away, is a gaming store by the name of The Pawn Shop.

Even the email address on the website is not right, I called them some time ago and it has not been corrected. And I don't do cash advances.

The site developer was Hibu formerly Yellowbook. Part of the problem would be my fault. The email they were sending the beta test site to was an old account that I wasn't checking so I didn't know what was going on until it was all done and they called me.

Getting reviews as a pawnshop is a bit dicey, people are happy to leave bad reviews cause I don't want their junk or they think I should pay new price for it.
Click to expand...
Nope not confused now, I saw all of that as I was looking at all aspects. Like I mentioned I did call the "pawn shop" and that part is confusing.

I think about here is when I'd ask my customers for a list of issues or concerns. They would be broken down in to groups and priorities. All issues would have note space for issue, end goal, folks spoken with, time lines and follow up dates and times.

Right now Hjibu might be the place to start.

Number 1 if they failed to get yu the customer what you asked for and have failed to follow up you probably need to speak with he supervisor and then manager, VP until it is corrected.

I think asking new customers if they found you ok is a good marketing follow up for you. Make a list of any thing they found difficult.

I am not a marketing person, marketing is very well described in Dilbert by Scott Adams.

Best bang for your buck is to figure out where most of your clients shop and or things they do, perhaps next to yard sale in the local add newspaper, like a wooden nickle, do they perhaps do yard sales, if so put a West Okoboji add under yard sales.

Find something catchy, like used Pheasant feet for sale. Perhaps no gold is too old. Find some cheap ammo and run specials, even if you break even would it lure in buyers for other ammo or guns?

Make a list and work your list.
 
Back to my facebook reply. For me, Most of my customers have friends with the same interests. everyone I have asked so far if I could take a picture of their car to put on our facebook page is more than happy to let me do it. Then I tell them if you like our page we have specials on there once in a while. If you post a picture or something and get them to like it, their friends will see it.

We have about 200 people that "like" our Facebook page. Most of them are customers. I try to post cool pictures that my customers will "like".

Wingmaster
 
I've worked at the same small business for 21 years. And I have a close friend that owns a pawn shop nearby.

First, the yellow pages is a waste of money. And I would not spend money on Google Ads. They support fraudulent businesses by taking their money and placing ther ads at the top while honest business suffers because of it.

We've been in business for 36 years and our reputation carries us. And we do have a professionally done website.

My pawn shop friend advertises on Craigslist and Armslist. He lists specific items for sale with pictures and detailed descriptions. The business has been there for close to 50 years and is well known so he does very little advertising.

Remember that it is difficult to target specific customers that may need your services. So blanket advertising may not be the answer. I work for a locksmith company. People don't need us until they do. I know of people that have driven by our shop for over twenty years and never knew we where there.

I suspect that most of your business is in writing/rewriting loans. So people that need your service either know where you are or will do a quick search on their phone to find the closest pawn shop.

From our experience, a very high percentage of the people we help use the Internet to find the nearest locksmith. And most of them use their phone to do so.

I would seriously consider a website if you don't have one. And I would have it done by an expert.
 
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