Advertising on Facebook

Anyone ever do it? I ask more out of curiosity....ive spent tons on Google with my other business and never really had a chance to play with FB....was curious because its more directed to a nice local target audience. low budgets and seems fun to play around with. unless you guys have been there done that and have good info for me. My other business is global and I dont have the pleasure of playing the game so local and detailed. Thought it would be interesting to drop a couple hundred on FB and see results good or bad. Thoughts??

Maybe FB isnt good??

I have no real experience with FB, so I can't really say.

In fact, I am not on any of the social media sites. I firmly believe that in small markets, you are selling yourself and not the company. It wouldn't matter if I was selling widgets, hot dogs, or carpet cleaning, it would come down to getting people to like and trust me that mattered.

I don't think that can happen over the internet or in media, it has to happen face to face. I'm a talker, sitting at the barber shop or dental office or just shopping, I am always engaging people in a conversation that eventually leads to the "what do you do for living" question.

I always carry a dozen business cards and that is where I get my work. Sure, I don't get 6 jobs per day like many, but I do have over 70k sqft of commercial and 6 homes scheduled thus far this month from it.

A lot of people never even think about having their carpets cleaned until you end up sitting next to them in a waiting room talking about it.

Advertising and social media would get people who already clean their carpets to pay attention, but they end up comparing price more than anything. Targeting those that have never cleaned their carpets requires a personal touch and then it is a yes or no deal rather than price shopping.

I agree to a degree...FB should help with awareness I would think. If I depended 100% on meeting them I would be in trouble.

I've tried them in the past ( a couple of years ago ), didn't really work for me back then, I kept thinking to try again though, just haven't had the time to set it up.
Most people will shop around, regardless if the awareness comes from a stranger telling you that he's a carpet cleaner or due to their evil mother in law is coming. Only a few will not, and I'm sure everyone wish they get their business, these non shoppers will come from advertising media, referrals, etc. I believe areas and demographics have a lot to do with where these customers come from.
If you live in Robert's area, you're one lucky dude ! Lol, advertising agency will not make $$ there

I'm not sure about this SM way of advo,  but I've never tried it. And really don't see it being good, but I have no real experience with it.

Also, I'm not the typical high volume cleaner, looking to do every call that they can get either.

Never discount the free advertising.....you and your truck.

I drive mine everywhere and wear the company shirt when I do. In small towns like mine, it gets you all the awareness that you need.

Now when it comes to the big city part of my area, I don't exist on anyone's radar except the commercial customers and real estate agents. To everyone else, I'm just some lost contractor driving around...which is fine with me.

You don't have to be a shark to be the bully fish in a pond. I move to the ocean and I am just bait.

I have great connections and will need little advertising...not any yellow page stuff.....maybe local news paper and I need to find one other way to boost a little more to keep me at the pace Im looking for....honestly I can do 1 or 2 a day and be happy with an occassional water damage. I used to do 4-8 a day with one truck and those days are not what I need anymore. Im teaching my son some skills he could possibly use later in life and making some extra cash doing it for both him and I. So, I need a moderate form of advertising....right now other than the ones who know me, there is no way for them to easily find my number. News paper, Van, shirts are all Ive done and been doing 2-3 a week so far from referals.

Sounds like you need a grand opening event of some kind to let people know that you are back in the game.

Maybe do a charity event where you set up in a parking lot and clean rugs for charity donations. Probably end up cleaning 30 rugs and getting a lot publicity at the same time. People see the van, the equipment, the tools, and you get to meet / greet a lot of people as you go.

Let the kid work and you work the crowd like a carnival barker.

milspec6 wrote:Sounds like you need a grand opening event of some kind to let people know that you are back in the game.

Maybe do a charity event where you set up in a parking lot and clean rugs for charity donations.  Probably end up cleaning 30 rugs and getting a lot publicity at the same time.  People see the van, the equipment, the tools, and you get to meet / greet a lot of people as you go.

Let the kid work and you work the crowd like a carnival barker.

That's not bad of an idea, I wish I can use it in here, people would line up 5 blocks up with their area rugs just to use the free service and will never buy anything else from me, lol.