How To Advertise And Gain Business

[wagin]

Can any welding, fabrication, small business owners offer advice on how to get your services known to potential customers?

[BOSSfab]

Go to local businesses who could use your services and introduce yourself, pass out cards, and explain what you can do for them. Always pass out at least two cards to every customer you complete work for. If they are satisfied they will recommend you to someone else. Never cut corners no matter what and don't be afraid to turn a job down or sub it out if you're not qualified or 100% confident in doing it.

[MetalMan23]

What he said, plus...

Get a website that's the most important, research "search engine optimization" and optimize your website to be easily found by Google. Then sign up for Google places, and yahoo business, that will list your business with Google and yahoo and give you a little listing to put your address and a brief description of the business. I have advertising through YP, only costs about $20 per month, gives me 2 listing online and 2 in the yellow pages. This will make your website more viable by Google and it will come up sooner in the listings

Most people search online nowadays so it's important to have a strong online presence

[Burpee]

Move to a prosperous area.Like Brazil.

[mikecwik]

Do steller work.

[rschreck]

Speaking of networking...I should have did that before I closed up shop. But then again...a bunch of dirty *** weldors (yeah someone told me that's the way you are supposed to spell it when referring to the person who does the welding and not the machine) aren't searching the internet for high end furniture (that they could probably make themselves).

[brucer]

A nice large vinyl sticker on your truck,the brighter and more pronounced the better,.

[lhdmech]

The best advertising is by word of mouth. Do exceptional work, be honest with your customers, and don't overcharge. You do not want to undercharge either or you will be broke before your name gets known. If a customer tells you he thinks the price is to high explain to him what your costs are and what you have to get out of the job to make a profit. If he thinks the price is still too high tell him you are sorry but unable to do the job for less. If you let them lowball you as much as they do or that the consumables could be that are going backwards and wont last long. I have had customers tell me they had no idea an engine drive machine would cost as much as they do or that the rest of the cosumables would cost so much.

[pedaldude]

I second word of mouth is the best way. I've been retired the past six years and have only been doing welding for myself and friends. The last work I did was an eleventh hour security gate because the idiot 'welder' that quoted my friend (who didn't know I did welding because I try to keep my mouth shut) disappeared. The so called welder quoted the job at $500 total and when all was said and done, I went through twice that in steel and twice that over again in consumables, fasteners, hardware and paint. I did it as a favor for only fuel for my truck and food and he did happen to pay for a few clamps that I now have. I had over forty hours into the job and ten of those hours were welding. Two hours of welding was overhead and one day I forgot my hood so I did all my tack welds with a bucket over my head. This also was done all in GTAW because my only alternative at the time was to use OAW and no chance on doing that in a timely fashion on 14 gauge and 1/4 inch plate which was what I was using. So anyway; when I was done with my part, the security guys came in to wire in the electronic latches, cameras and intercom. The one guy mostly did commercial and a lot of nuclear plant and prison security system stuff and asked me for my card because according to him "you don't see people who know what they're doing." I laughed at him and told him I didn't know what I was doing either but at least I admit it.

So yes, do good work and people will recognize it.

Also, one thing I can't help but notice is the more you turn down work, the more people want you to do it. Don't hesitate to charge what you're worth and chances are, if the customer didn't have it in their budget to do it right the first time, they'll be more than happy to pay to have you do it right the second. I would do that a lot in my other professions and I had a friend that specialized in fixing other's mistakes and he didn't advertise at all.

Anything that I've charged for lately has been quick things that took less than twenty minutes and they've been more than happy to pay practically anything just to have their equipment working again.

Retirement isn't what I thought it would be with all the recent inflation and I've been seriously thinking about going full time with welding myself. I just talked to a friend of mine and he mentioned a job that would have been right up my alley a few weeks ago that would have been gravy and would have more than paid for all the costs associated with going legit for a year plus refilled all my tanks and a few drops to mess with.

What kind of welding do you do and what would you like to do?

[wagin]

Hey guys,
Thanks for all the great info. I will look into the Google and Yahoo listings. I don't think I'll move to Brazil or try welding with a bucket over my head though.

[Sberry]

Find something that saves or makes them money, the rest will follow. Another thing is be timely, meet deadlines.

[Bob]

I was in the middle of building a large sail boat marina and had pieces of it scattered around the shop and out at the fringes of the yard. A guy came driving in and said he was with an advertising company and I should be spending about $1500 a year in advertising to keep work coming in and grow. I thought about it for a minute and said I agreed with him but as every one knew, word of mouth was the best advertising. I told him that I would just do $1500 worth of free work every year and let those people do my advertising for me. I chose who to do the work for like people that needed some thing done but couldn't really afford it, signs for a garden club,(paid off well) auction items for the local FFA banquet(really paid off well), county mower broke down on the side of the road(really, really paid off well). Just something to consider.

[smithdoor]

Shoe leather works everytime.

1) Go out face to face
2) Also a large print business card.
3) A good Portable shop ready to do work

Do not try cold calling.
A internet work well in 2001it helps to show the work you do like a line card.
Having your truck ready to do welding can give a job on spot.
Most will though away cards with find print. Leave back side blank or maybe with lines and your name at top. They save note and see your name over and over.

Dave

Can any welding, fabrication, small business owners offer advice on how to get your services known to potential customers?

[Sberry]

You need to be different. I have a welding shop and i do welding but most is as mich restoration, i follow welding with paint.
I agree with being ready to go. Meet schedules and deadlines if committed.
I got some i take with the agreement that you grt it when you get it.
Some specialized is good. Dont take all the work you can get. I save it for best customer's.
Had one pay us last week for work we hadnt finished yet. They had budgeted for it.

[Sberry]

I find bottlenecks. Solve a problem and they look for you next time they jammed up.

[Sberry]

I am bdoing a couple buildings now
I seeded them a long time ago and really promise myself not to hunt bigger jobs. I like service calls better but they aint steady. I have 3 majors and a repair to 1 of my trucks and i wannashift gears a little.
I looked at another one today. Pretty good size. Depending a bit on weather its not all bad to build some in the winter.