help no work

[belldinger1]

does any body have the same problem? its been 1 week and 2 days and ive not had 1 job any suggestions for advitising would be grateful ive tried local newspapers free ads on line but i think i need to get on top of google cheap but dont know anyone who does it cheap.

[aussielocky]

Your surprised ?

The consensus of advice here and elsewhere is that the locksmith trade is swamped and is best avoided ... ( I think that was pointed out in your other thread ) .

In case others missed the punchline, don't expect to earn a living wage for at least 2 years, probably much longer.

[globallockytoo]

While this section of the forum might be for locksmith business information, the actual forum is a lockpicking hobby site. Perhaps you should be looking into sites that directly explain how to market yourself.

I was on vacation for 2 weeks out of the country. It hit me hard, not being able to service my clients, but some have waited rather than calling someone else and I came back to a few calls. This loyalty is only built by a long ongoing process of development, good prices, first rate work, processes, friendliness, compassion and truth.

You cannot ever expect to build a business without actively going out and seeking it.

I know a locksmith in Australia, a few years ago, who in order to compete with the competition, actively went door to door. It is one of the more degrading marketing strategies because you will probably get more rejections but at least your name gets out there and when the client need arises, if you have done it right they will remember you before going online or to the phone book.

I guess it's about being seen.

There's an old marketing saying, If you fail to advertise, a terrible thing happens - nothing!

[Rickthepick]

Its tough! Most my work is coming from regulars and word of mouth.
You really need to stand out now to grab new customers.
Biggest tip of all is not to spend any money on any advertiser that calls you up pushing the sale, its a waste!
Its all about the net! Get a website and get it ranking well in search engines, Get on google maps, get free listings.
Save your money, advertise locally and expand outwards from there.
As already stated, door to door is hard work but essential when starting out!
Vistaprint will print you 500 postcard sized discount cards for under £20 this weekend order then deliver!
Cheapest advertising available! I started photocopying drawn out adverts at a local library LOL but i met some very interesting people at the end of it.

[Rickthepick]

Just to add an interesting story regarding the door to door...
I once delivered a flier to a man just leaving his door who then laughed screwed it up and binned it in front of me.
I forced a smile and continued....
A couple months later he calls me for a job opening his wall safe lmao! He'd gone next door for the number.
As much as id have liked to tell him to stuff it, i did the job

[belldinger1]

when you mention the net, ive been bombarded recently with calls telling me they will get me number 1 spot on google, any one got any reccomendations who to go with because most seem to bul****t you just for the sale, one rang me yesterday wanting £130 a month, is this what i should be picking or is this the going rate?

[Squelchtone]

when you mention the net, ive been bombarded recently with calls telling me they will get me number 1 spot on google, any one got any reccomendations who to go with because most seem to bul****t you just for the sale, one rang me yesterday wanting £130 a month, is this what i should be picking or is this the going rate?

None of these people are going to help you get a higher placement in google. This is a scam.

Squelchtone

Make some shiny double sided post cards and place stacks of them at pubs, corner stores, anywhere the public hangs out and people will grab the cards and use them when they need you. I like global's door to door idea, or spend $100 and mail out a nice flyer to 100 local businesses or homes.

[belldinger1]

ok thanks for your suggestions

[horsefeathers]

i presume you undertook the manchester locksmith 5 course?? How much was it?

After finishing my 3 week course a few years back it still took a few months to get the phone ringing fairly regularly. And that was before i started appearing in the yellow pages etc. It takes alot of time to get work to start to trickle in. Word of mouth and local advertising is all you can do until you get in phone books. Google is essential and can be done fairly quickly. Get a bloody good website and make sure keywords are spot on. Pay someone to do it if you dont know how to. Worth the money.

I spend 10k a year on advertising. And as a result earn a decent income, but i have been doing it a few years now so have fine tuned the ads etc.

[belldinger1]

yes i did the manchester course it was really enjoyable but i tell you what i do not know how you get all the knowledge in the other 2-3 day courses because you certainly need longer, and im sure it just work experiance on the job that you really need. The manchester course gave me the basic tools and i bought a basic van load as well.

[Squelchtone]

i presume you undertook the manchester locksmith 5 course?? How much was it?

After finishing my 3 week course a few years back it still took a few months to get the phone ringing fairly regularly. And that was before i started appearing in the yellow pages etc. It takes alot of time to get work to start to trickle in. Word of mouth and local advertising is all you can do until you get in phone books. Google is essential and can be done fairly quickly. Get a bloody good website and make sure keywords are spot on. Pay someone to do it if you dont know how to. Worth the money.

I spend 10k a year on advertising. And as a result earn a decent income, but i have been doing it a few years now so have fine tuned the ads etc.

How do you guys feel about a company Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn page? It helps you get the word out via social networking vs. a real advert in a magazine or the side of a bus stop or side of a van or however it is popular to advertize where you are.

Those are big in the states, not sure how big in the UK.

Also, consider apps that people use on iPhones and Blackberries, most of the younger crowd I know don't even own a real phone book, we look everything up on our phones using apps.

Squelchtone

[Rickthepick]

You can learn SEO yourself it is suprisingly easy if you have ever dabbled with html.
I find my site appearing higher than these SEO companies can get a rival site, and for free! (well a few hours a week modifying bits)
Its well worth learning.
Its impossible to maintain no.1 all of the time things change and you will usually be between 1-5 position, so anyone claiming that either thinks its a non competitive area or theyre lying.

[thelockoutguys]

Rick said it in a post earlier..Start locally then expand outward! Make sure you have a uniform or a shirt with your name on it when you go out and talk with people. You need to look professional so they take you serious. Hand out cards to everyone you meet and speak with. Apartment managers, realestate agents, property management, restaurants and hotels ect. Here is a link to an old post that has tons of great suggestions.

[url][http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=16296/url]

[globallockytoo]

i presume you undertook the manchester locksmith 5 course?? How much was it?

After finishing my 3 week course a few years back it still took a few months to get the phone ringing fairly regularly. And that was before i started appearing in the yellow pages etc. It takes alot of time to get work to start to trickle in. Word of mouth and local advertising is all you can do until you get in phone books. Google is essential and can be done fairly quickly. Get a bloody good website and make sure keywords are spot on. Pay someone to do it if you dont know how to. Worth the money.

I spend 10k a year on advertising. And as a result earn a decent income, but i have been doing it a few years now so have fine tuned the ads etc.

How do you guys feel about a company Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn page? It helps you get the word out via social networking vs. a real advert in a magazine or the side of a bus stop or side of a van or however it is popular to advertize where you are.

Those are big in the states, not sure how big in the UK.

Also, consider apps that people use on iPhones and Blackberries, most of the younger crowd I know don't even own a real phone book, we look everything up on our phones using apps.

Squelchtone

In my opinion, Facebook is a social-networking site NOT FOR BUSINESS. It is designed to keep telling your friends your opinion on something (as useless as it might be), or a pic or video you like. It is a gaming platform I think.

Twitter, on the other hand only allows 140 characters which means any post must be short and link elsewhere (to your website or the article), so I think it makes a good portal for search engine inquiries.

Linked In is the best professional networking site right now. It enables the six degrees of separation rule to work really well. Contacts are there who are professionally minded, making it a great source for professional leads.

I think combining business and pleasure is a NO No. I would rather keep my professional and social lives separate.

If you have a business facebook page, make sure it doesnt connect your personal page.

[Harrison]

does any body have the same problem? its been 1 week and 2 days and ive not had 1 job any suggestions for advitising would be grateful ive tried local newspapers free ads on line but i think i need to get on top of google cheap but dont know anyone who does it cheap.

You need a website you control, my website as been at the top of the seach engines for about 3 years now and l reset the counter every Jan last time l looked it had over 5000 hits this year, as l know at least 40k worth of work and we do it all our self for free the site costs £20 a year , remember the 9 second rule
Paul H