Re: FN-FORUM: Advertising for 'home PC repair' work..

date posted 8th January 2005 22:33


>I wrote:
> > I've had
> > very little response from free paper ads for any of the services I
>> offer. And the responses I do get rarely result in decently-paying
>> work, since the callers hang up unless I'm willing to discount my
>> fees until they are lower than any of the other ads. Ack! Ptui!

And Dave Edwards replied:

>Wondering if this is indicative of your local business culture or
>plain old bad luck with local newspapers.

Possibly. The Rochester economy hasn't shown any signs of Our
President's claimed economic recovery. Many of the clients who gave
me repeat business and referrals are now out of business themselves.
More "Positions Wanted" ads than "Help Wanted" ads in the free weekly
Advertiser. An unemployment rate quite a bit higher than the
national average. Wish I could afford to retire.


Naaaah. I'm having too much fun working. Really. I just wish I
could spend more of my time working instead of client-fishing.


>I wrote:
>> 3. The owner of a laundromat just three blocks away installed free
>> wireless networking for their customers. Since his employees are
>> clerks and plumbers, not geeks, I offered to be available during
> > specific hours to respond to customer problems with their network.

Dave replied:
>Some very good ideas here, Kat, but this really impressed me.

Thankee, sir.


>I do
>have a bit of a business alliance with a plumber (which I should say
>is based on prior friendship) but the setting up of laundrettes as
>WiFi hot spots particularly appeals.

Lots of competition around here. The neighborhood is full of
university students and young professionals living in small
apartments carved out of old turn-of-the-last-century houses.
Businesses of all kinds are putting in WiFi (and other freebies like
snack food, soft drinks, phone calls, arcade games) to bring in the
customers.

WiFi is the only one that attracts me from a computer services
marketing standpoint. The coffeehouses have had WiFi for several
years. Now the delis and sandwich shops have it, and other
businesses where people sit and wait for service. The collision shop
that just fixed my car has a sign up saying they'll have WiFi soon.
Hmmmm...maybe I should prod T-Mobile to step up their marketing to
the neighborhood physicians, dentists and hair salons. I might never
have to advertise again.

--
K@
Kat Nagel, MasterWork Consulting
http://www.masterworkconsulting.com

585.820.4045
[EMAIL REMOVED]

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