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  Paul & Megan Dovey January 31, 2013 at 9:19pm

  Check your area for a group called (the best of......) where ever you are, if you have such a group, met up with them, see if they do a networking breakfast and get them to help you get your name out there. We've been going since Feb 2004 doing ok then joined the best of Torfaen and best of Newport two years ago. Best thing we did. If not try any networking group in area but make sure they are wroth the money to join. And of course ask for leads from any client you have already worked for, also check if there's anything else they may need done, we have a lot of repeat business that way.
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  james@progardensolutions.co.uk January 31, 2013 at 9:46pm

  Thankyou guys, thats excellent advice. I just cant understand whats going on at the moment, seems to be very little about for me. I'm not sure if im going the right way about it in the way i am advertising ...eg. my flyers that i have posted have been aimed at jetwashing services as i assumed that little would be a decent earner early in the season and kinda save me being snowed under with this type of work during the summer months was this a mistake?
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  Myles jennings January 31, 2013 at 9:58pm

  I would suggest an advert in a local magazine if you have one come round to your area. It can take a couple of months for people to see you in there but after that its just word of mouth. Also once the grass starts growing people will get out into their gardens and realise the work they want doing.
• PRO

  Brian www.mibservices.co.uk January 31, 2013 at 10:01pm

  Hi James welcome to ljn. First thing that needs your urgent attention is your website, get that completed. Second, make use of all the free advertising available on the web ie; free index, yelp, scoot, gumtree etc etc. Get your LJN profile page sorted. The "about you" section is there for you to fill with pictures and lots of text about you and your services. Have a look through other members text and you will get some ideas. LJN ranks very highly on Google, make the most of it. You could also look at registering with Rated people, but do it on the pay as you buy option, that way your not tied into a membership fee. I have noticed a lot of leads coming through from it already this month. Local paper advertising is also productive in generating leads. Things will be quiet for a few weeks yet but the important thing is to get your name out on as many media formats as possible and all of the above except the paper advertising is free. Getting your format right on the free business listings will also help your website listing on Google if you back link it on the profile page of each one. Google MIB Services Edinburgh and you will get me coming up on numerous business index pages, and all free, take advantage of them, gid luck
• PRO

  Gary RK January 31, 2013 at 10:12pm

  This may be relevant / help :
  
  http://www.landscapejuicenetwork.com/forum/topics/how-to-reach-the-...
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  james@progardensolutions.co.uk January 31, 2013 at 10:41pm

  Hi Brian, thankyou to you and others for the warm welcome. I completly understand where your coming from on the website and its certainly an issue i continually worry myself about justifibly i suspect. One of the issues im dealing with is that as i have worked for others in the past i cant put together a portfolio solely of my work and am reluctant to use images from jobs i worked on for other people. Do you guys find most of your work directed from your website or do you utilise other marketing methods more effectivly?

  Thanks once again.
  james.
  www.progardensolutions.co.uk
• PRO

  Brian www.mibservices.co.uk January 31, 2013 at 10:48pm

  I only use the web to advertise now and word of mouth, but every few years or so I do a leaflet drop in local industrial estates to try an drum up some new customers but mostly my customers find me through my web sites. A well SEO'd web site will bring you in work regularly, you just got to get it right. I spent months on mine last year getting them onto page 1 of Google, but its been worth it, getting enquiries coming through in January, for my line of work anyway, is unusual.
  
  James Roberts said:

  Hi Brian, thankyou to you and others for the warm welcome. I completly understand where your coming from on the website and its certainly an issue i continually worry myself about justifibly i suspect. One of the issues im dealing with is that as i have worked for others in the past i cant put together a portfolio solely of my work and am reluctant to use images from jobs i worked on for other people. Do you guys find most of your work directed from your website or do you utilise other marketing methods more effectivly?

  Thanks once again.
  james.
  www.progardensolutions.co.uk
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  Lawncare-4u.co.uk February 1, 2013 at 12:43am

  is yell called Hibu or something now ?

  parish magazine james ?
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  james@progardensolutions.co.uk February 1, 2013 at 5:45pm

  Hello Gardens4u.co.uk thanks for your reponse... i think your right to suggest Yell group as it was formally is now Hibu. I have thought about adding a advert to the local magazine but i must admit to being a little naive to what works best. When local magazines turn up on my doormat i generally pay the little interest. What are/were your most effective/disapointing marketingng strategies? ;)http://www.progardensolutions.co.uk
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  Lawnman February 1, 2013 at 6:00pm

  If I was starting up now I would get flyers professionaly printed A6 size on good quality card.
  Would be thinking about 5000 plus.
  Why good quality card ? More likely to be looked at and you have a prospect of customer keeping it for later in the year. I have had enquiries in of leaflets 6 months after I delivered them .
  I presume you are a sole trader so need some regular income so I would target domestic maintenance jobs to get money coming in each month.
  Leaflet drop areas with young professionals, cash rich , time poor they dont want to be out on the weekend sorting the garden.
  Other target area is better off affluent areas, here customers likely to be older and like garden to be kept to high standard , but through interests or ageing process cannot devote enough time to garden.
  I do a leaflet drop every year some customers always drop off and you always pick up either customers who have never had a gardener or those who are looking for a change.
  I will probably start leaflet drop about middle of February when hopefully worst of winter is behind us.
  Good Luck