Advertising: What works and what doesn't and timing is important!

Oh Yes, we have had our business phones interrupted at this point in time; and I don't seriously know how and when this circumstance is going to be reversed.  In the mean time we are just praying and hoping clients and new folks will just come on over anyway...regardless of the phone status.

This is a view of Our current AT&T; phone book Banner ad run at the bottom of in the business white pages, adjacent to our business listing; quite a bargain really.

The only problem I am seeing develop are the associated costs to be in "Every Phone Book" in a sixty mile radius of Muncie is people with phone books are not looking in this section, or that so many have changed over to Cell Phone use and ignore the phone books or don't get them anymore that this has turned out to be a pretty big waste of time and money.  So much so, that we have our cost of advertising now interfering with our ability to communicate at all or even be communicated with by our customers.

Once printed we are committed to do our best to fulfill our part.  But the real problem is the performance to generating revenue to pay the bill.  We are not getting our current customer base from the phone book but on line searches, and word of mouth.  Adding the toll free phone number was even a stretch of sorts, as I thought to reach out to households beyond our local market and draw them within the sixty mile radius...that has not worked either and again we don't know if they are finding the ad in the phone book or if competing phone books have displaced the AT&T Yellow pages/main phone book or what.

One thing is for sure, that being we can track the number of persons clicking on a link in a search or page and then "ASK" the individuals and groups that come in if they have "Seen, Read, or Viewed" our web site, pages, phone book ad.  Which leads to a bit of friendly discussion that is aimed at improving our communication media in whatever way is possible that we can afford.

Right now affording anything has become almost "ANY" form of advertising...except on line and some handouts directly to customers...This by the way is the single best form we have been able to track.

As "CRUDE" as this may appear it conveys the essential message and it was suggested that the clients put it in the phone book by our business listing or shared with as many persons they thought would also come to our shop for various reasons.

Note the picture is of the Rigger Hut I do my sewing in.  So it reinforces the image of what they should look for when trying to find us.

This little flier has been reproduced and handed out in the tens of thousands of pieces.  I have had a lot of person never call us but just show up as a result of this little 4.25 X 5.25 inch 24 lb paper stock flier.

The only real limitation on this form of advertising is you have to give it to a person face to face, and then they need to give it or additional copies to friends and family who they think would enjoy our products and services.  But if they follow through and do just that or post it in the break room or on a bulletin board or start a "Buzz" with associates...It is in fact the best form of advertising we have "Ever Found" that works for us year after year.  And having been in business from the winter of 1986/87 we have a pretty good idea of what works and has started to not work;  Be careful in overcommitment to a campaign of any type that may cause your business to lose its ability to communicate as I have allowed my to become jeopardized by.  More coverage is not always better; and the attempt may be hazardous to performance; after all it is only worth communicating with those who can afford and would want to use our our products and services in any given area.

With God's Good Grace and Favor abounding toward us this too shall pass.  In the mean time; spread the good word, that regardless our phone status we can be found doing what we have always been found doing.  Sowing N Sewing and offering the best products and services we are capable of.  Same hours, Save Folks, No Credit/Debit or Checks though at this point.

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