Great advice from a new business

...about advertising and getting your name 'out there'

Colette & David started their Security Alarms, Intercom & CCTV systems business in early 2011 through ourselves. They sent me the following about their experiences with trying to get their name out there. Good practical advice from the 'coalface'. 

"Again for reference/feedback purposes, you may find it helpful to know about some of our other experiences.  From an advertising aspect, we really used the skills we learned in BAP and the following would best describe these experiences:

• Newspapers - very costly and unworthwhile.  Only response ever seemed to come from other advertisers wanting us to advertise with them.
• Flyers - had pretty good ones done with little or no success.  People are sick of junk mail and usually bin them without even looking at them.
• Website/Social Networks. Unfortunately, we never really got these up and running properly so to do so this year is a real target, hence our particular interest in these in your forthcoming courses referred to above.
• Business Cards - easily the most cost effective and successful.  We've had 2 lots printed (copies attached) - a first batch in May and a second in December with a calendar on the reverse. We've found that, unlike flyers, people tend to hold onto them and keep them in purses/wallets, etc for future reference and if if they're particularly happy with our work/service, most willingly, they take several and pass them onto family, friends, work places, etc,  The present ones with the the calendar are particularly going down well so we're in the process of distributing several thousand of them to mainly households. It would be interesting to hear what you think of them yourself.
• Good job/service provided at a fair price.  Need it be said - the best advert of them all and by a long way, referrals is where most of the work comes from. "

Colette Maguire & David Conroy,
Beat The Burglar Security Systems.

Phone:    (01) 8206932; 
Mobile:  (087) 7652962; (087) 2832063

E-Mail:  beattheburglar@eircom.net
Web:     www.beattheburglar.ie