Advertising Your Small Business

If you own a small business, please consider selling your scrap metal! Whenever you discard scrap metal, you are losing money! To learn how to identify scrap metal, see Scrap Metal Identification.  To learn how to scrap metal to make an extra 500 a week, check out How To Scrap Metal.This post will help you expand your business throw advertising. Before reading this, check out my last post on Expanding Your Scrap Business during the winter. 

Everyone and their mother has an ad up on craigslist for their small business... But do you advertise anywhere else? Advertising, when done correctly, can be a cheap and effective way to draw in customers.

There are so many places and ways to advertise your business. When you talk to a potential customer, they will be much more receptive to what you are saying if they feel as though they know you. This is true for any business, and, admittedly, it is not rocket science. Make your name more common, and you will get more business. 

Ways you can advertise your business:

• Webpages 

• Webpages that represent your business are necessary to make your service visible to your customers. When somebody searches for a scrap service, they will undoubtable "google" your name. 
• To make your own free website, visit http://www.weebly.com or a similar website. 
• Things to include: contact information, outside references, recent promotions and referrals.
• Be sure to spell correctly and use proper grammer, or you will be disregarded by customers.  
• Business Cards

• I keep several business cards in my wallet and a whole stack in my truck. If I see somebody who needs scrap service, I usually hand them a card and a coupon and I say some nice words. Business cards make your business more professional and respectable, as well as install a sense of trust in the customer.  
• Google Places
• I recently added my scrap hauling places to Google Places, a wonderful free classified ad resource from those geniuses over at Google. 
• Church papers
• I have added my ad to a few of church's in the area surrounding my shop. The appeal of these ads to customers over the others mentioned is surprising. And on top of advertising your business, this offers the opportunity of contributing to a churches funds.
• Public Bulletin Boards/Fliers
• Not much to explain here, just be sure to not put your fliers up somewhere that will get you into trouble. I once put my fliers up in a municipal office while I was pulling a demolition permit. The next day I had a message in my voicemail from a very perturbed clerk. 
• Swap Advertising
• When you come into contact with a contractor or another small business, ask to exchange advertising. When I write up quotes for large jobs (which happens often enough) I include the cards or promotions of a few of my buddies and other businesses, who in return do the same for me in their proposals. 
• Canvasing Neighborhoods
• Be sure you are aware of local laws, as I think some have regulations as to when, how and if you can cavas a neighborhood. 
• Craigslist
• Self explanatory. Although, now you will be able to include a link to your website and most recent "promotion."
• Hardware Stores
• Many hardware stores have some type of billboard where you can post your business card or fliers; especially the smaller family owned ones. 
• Local Classifieds
• This can be too expensive to run often. But right around spring cleaning time, these ads can work miracles. 
• Coupons and Promotions
• Everybody loves a deal. However your business model is set up, find a way to offer "coupons" or "promotions" and people will take advantage of them. Heck, most of the scrap yards I go to run promotions and raffles for people to win. This stuff really works. 
• Yard Signs
• Pick up some simple signs that bare your company name and phone number. You can possibly include a little info on a promotion or something of that nature. 
• Word of Mouth
• Simply talking to people about your business and giving them a little info never hurt anything. Before you finish a job, be sure to encourage the customer, if they liked your service, to refer you to their friends. 

Remember, your business is a extension of you. Your product (or in the case of scrap metal removal, your service) needs to become part of who you are if you want to be successful. This type of business sense will keep you on the top of your game, and keep other people wondering how you have done so well!