Greetings! Hope everyone had a good weekend!

I was just wondering how aggressive you all were with your advertising starting out.

What kind of advertising did you use? I have already signed up with the yellow pages for some small ads. have seen some glass companies around here use billboards? Do those work?

yellow pages always work. internet sucks.
i have a big big sign on my truck all around and on the hood too. my company name and phone number on truck. have 3 small ad.on yellow pages. thinking about 4 yellow pages by next year. decal on my truck cost me about $700
its a lot of money,but you only paid once only.

AGN

You told us that you are going to be a mobile unit solo. What type of business are you going after?
Cash,insurance,dealer...How many units a day do you want to do? What is your budget for advertising?
Are you planning on opening a shop in the near future?

Internet does work, you can incorporate a web adress into you ads,make sure it is a web site that has a form that can be filled out so you can get back with the customer. Join a TIPS club, for the price of a lunch you can get several leads a week that will generate lots of work. They love auto glass companies in thier clubs, everyone knows someone that needs a windshield. Buy lots of pens(black ink)and not cheap pens, the women love post-it style pads.

Start out with advertising that does not require anual contracts, find out what works for you. advertising requires at least 10-12 weeks to start working, you must be consistent for it to work.

I personally think the yellow pages is over rated, people shop the yellow pages to get the Cheapest price. If you want to be the cheapest, spend all your budget with the yellow pages. They yellow pages will be happy to take a huge portion of your profit monthly.

If you are getting point of sale software, its a great way to sell your product, you can quickly give your customers pricing options while on the phone with them, you can also see your cost so you can negotiate if a customer has been offered another price. Always get a phone number and name of the customer you are talking to, POS also allows you to assign a qoute number so your conversation is recorded on your computer and the prices you talked about. Always give the customer the qoute number and remind them to refer to that number when they call back, if you were unable to close the deal. When you have time, call back the people you gave qoutes to that did not schedule at the time of qoute. Always ask the customer when they would like the work to been done after giving them a qoute, you will be surprised with thier answer.

I am going to do mobile only and will be solo most of the time. The business I am planning on going after is mostly commercial (dealers, fleets, etc.) I will be bold listed in the yellow pages in my chosen areas for a shot at cash work also. As far as insurance goes I'm still pretty gray on that...I need to find out a lot more about it. From what I know so far it seems like more of a pain in the *** then anything.

Price will be a major selling factor for the commercial accounts I am sure so I have worked out good pricing with my distributor (ODG, God love 'em!)

I am not planning on opening up a shop anytime soon...that will come after I am too busy to handle it all myself and need tech(s). Real estate is one of the biggest expenses a start-up business has in our area (most areas for that matter) and I'm glad I don't have to worry about it right off the bat.

I will be establishing a website with the features you suggested above in the coming months and am thinking about looking for a customer relation class or something. I am very nice guy and do not have trouble talking or making friends out of people so I think I'll be good at closing the deal!

As far as vehicle lettering goes I have already farmed it out to several sign shops who are working on logos and such. There will be big ADs on each side of the van and on the back doors. I'm also going to hook it up with a bug guard and some window vents to compliment the running boards that came on it.

That so far is the PLAN!!

I make good PRANS!!! (refer to Team America movie for understanding)

I forget to mention that I am going to buy Post-It pads and probably refrigerator magnets for give aways. I am currently looking for good pens and some other type of pads to give out!

how many of u guy or lady is not on yellow pages.
i don't see how to get customer if you are not on the yellow pages. if there's a way around it please let me no. thank's...

Take out small lower price yellow page and spend your savings on radio.

If you are going for the cash market, you almost HAVE to do Y/P. If you are going commercial, you have to go see them, but then you know that. You can end up with a few insurance jobs from cash customers that call from the phone book, but MOST of those calls will be cash cusomers looking for the best price. One of the BEST ways to build your business when you are starting out is word of mouth. When you go "above and beyond" to take care of someone and they say, "I just don't know how to thank you" tell them that the nicest thing they can do is to refer you to a friend!! I am amazed at the amount of work we get that way. Give them a couple of business cards while you are at it. It really does work!!

your are right. all of my customer is 100% cash.
don't even get insurance job at all. i was thinking about radio-ad.not sure yet. anyone ever try inside movie-theatres.

AGN

If dealership and fleet work is your thing for now, skip the yellow pages. You will be dealing mostly with service writers and used car managers9(you are the yellow pages). You will be doing lots of favors for them to be generous to you. mostly you will be dealing with men(no offense ladies)and they like lunch brought to them and a bottle of liquor. Service writers and managers hardly ever see a lunch break. They do use alot of note pads and hand notes to customers a lot.

There is a lot of spin off work that becomes referals for insurance work and cash work that the service writers hate screwing with, so learn how to deal with the insurance companies and bill them direct, do not join the networks and become hostage to there system....

AGN leave your phone number and I will tell you a few tricks to get you going quick. I prefer not to share some things with the big boys.

OMG

Send me an e-mail and we'll swap numbers.

autoglassninja@yahoo.com

I haven't totally skipped the Yellow Pages, but have placed some SMALL INEXPENSIVE ADs to have at least a presence. By the time all my ADs hit I'll probably be spending about $100.00 a month.

I'm planning on a lot of face time with the dealerships and service centers.

AGN I don't advertise at all & my business has tripled over the past three years. Your best sale & advertisement is you & your work. I would start by building customer relations because a great job will land you five more & so on. Word of mouth is your best bet so I would'nt even think of dumping a grand into the yellow pages at first. Build your clients first then branch out from there. I also use National pen for all my pens, pads & bottle openers. They do good work & the pricing is more than fair. You are the success or failure of your own future not what people see in a book & also the only people I know that shop the pages are only looking for the cheapest price not the best job!

HeyJohnL, It would appear that we think alike. See post above. I use National Pen also. They really are great!!

I believe that is going to be my strategy as well. I'm going to get some bold print listings in the yellow pages just so people can find me if they loose my card or see my van, but don't have time to write down the #. It'll cost me about $100 a month, I figure thats probably all the YP is worth.

My plan right now is SELL SELL SELL and then QUALITY QUALITY QUALITY.

AG ,


I am reading your response and I am not sure i understand.. Your trying to tell me internet advertising sucks? And yellowpages is great? where do you live in the woods? I am actually asking a serious question i do about 200 booked internet jobs a month..
I think the thing that is imporant is , 1. knowing your keywords, 2. advertising only to targeted customers, 3. Having a fair market price. 4. the ability to get instant online quotes.... Most glass shops do not want to nor can afford the NAGS fee's to get started. I coded a back end program that uses no nags data to price and sort out my vehicles i price..

DO NOT DO A RADIO COMMERCIAL!!! We made that mistake! We ran a 45 second ad for about 4 months along with some sponsorships and received 1 job!!! And we're still paying the bill off!

RADIO DOES WORK. IT'S A LONG TERM DEAL. ADS MUST BE WRITTEN THE RIGHT WAY AND PLAYED ON THE RIGHT STATION AND AT THE RIGHT TIME OR NO IT DSOESN'T WORK.

Talk to all the radio stations in your area. They almost all have a van or other vehicles they use for remotes, promotions etc. We have traded out glass work on their vehicles for ad spots in the past. They are usually willing to give you a better deal on the trade out than if you went to spend the cost of the replacement with them. I believe that I got 30 spots over 2 weeks for a dw1504 last time around.

Thats not a bad idea. I'll have to do some detective work on that one.

Yep I agree. Stations have been more than happy to nogotiate a trade. Either they give you the same discounts you give them or full rate for their full rate, either way it's a win,,, win! I've even traded flat glass for the office, made out real good. Look also for stations with weather wheels. you can usually get on for 2-5 bucks per 30 sec spot and people do listen to the weather! Also AGN if you ever want to get away and learn more than your brain can handle, running a small shop (husband, wife team) that does ALL glass, res, and auto, some commercial, you would be welcome anytime,,, and it would be worth your time!!!! you might even get in on some great fishin, or Snowmobiling! INTERESTED??? let me know!

Sounds like a great offer XXX! I appreciate it!