| Following are techniques that I tried, | | | | think like your customer.WORD OF MOUTH |
| how they failed or succeeded, what works | | | | ADVERTISINGOnce I started getting |
| and what doesn't and why. I show many | | | | customers, because I always did a little |
| different ways of advertising your new | | | | extra for the customers, I received |
| PC Repair Business, and what to avoid. I | | | | really good word-of-mouth advertising |
| also show several unique types of | | | | and referrals. Referrals are gold! When |
| advertising that get good results, which | | | | you can call or stop by and see someone |
| you may have never heard of before, but | | | | about computer problems that you already |
| they work! There is a lot here to read, | | | | know that are having (from their friend |
| but you won't regret learning everything | | | | or relative) and you can drop a name of |
| that I have to show you. Don't make the | | | | someone they know who sent you, you are |
| same mistake I did, with trial and | | | | as good as IN THE DOOR! If your service |
| error. Let me show you what works. | | | | was good for their friend, it will be |
| Enjoy!NEWSPAPER ADSI knew quite a bit | | | | good for them. And when you have the |
| about graphic design (being a graphic | | | | name of their friend, it is like you are |
| designer for many years), so I would put | | | | their friend as well.One way to get |
| an appetizing ad, no, in fact, a COUPON, | | | | referrals from your customers is before |
| in the local newspaper. People are | | | | you are completely done with the job you |
| always looking for a discount. And | | | | are doing for them, and they can see a |
| EVERYONE has computer problems. So I | | | | definite improvement, give them a piece |
| should just get swamped with business | | | | of paper and a pencil and ask them to |
| just off this one ad. NOPE! I got one | | | | write down 3 friends or relatives of |
| phone call from my ad. I had placed the | | | | theirs who could benefit just like they |
| ad in the local newspaper (our city's | | | | did. Most of the time they will be happy |
| main newspaper) which went to 33,000 | | | | to give you the names, if you have made |
| homes, and I had it come out on the | | | | them happy. If you do this at every job, |
| biggest readership day: Sunday. The ad I | | | | your business will snowball! This is the |
| placed was a professionally-designed | | | | best way to build a business: by doing a |
| Computer Tune-up ad that I had done, | | | | good job and having a good reputation, |
| giving them a discount from the regular | | | | with a network of people who sent you to |
| price of $69, to $49. They were saving | | | | the next customers, stamped with their |
| $20! It was an incredible deal! But I | | | | seal of approval. It doesn't get any |
| only had one response. Why? What did I | | | | better than that!YELLOW PAGES ADSA |
| do wrong?Unfortunately, I was forced to | | | | Yellow Pages ad is a good thing, but you |
| use a horrible, red border. It is HUGE! | | | | don't need to spend the big bucks to get |
| In order to get the deal I was getting | | | | the biggest, most colorful ad, with ALL |
| for this ad, my ad had to be put in with | | | | of your possible services, mother's |
| a couple of other ads (not related to | | | | maiden name, the history of your |
| the computer business) and have an ice | | | | business, etc. on it. You need something |
| cream-looking coupon border around | | | | a little more than the listing (just to |
| it.The ad had all of the elements of a | | | | stand out from the other guys a little). |
| good coupon. It has a GREAT deal! You | | | | Your ad should list your company name, |
| are saving $20 off the regular price | | | | address, phone, and some services. One |
| (this is the next best thing to FREE - a | | | | thing that has helped me get business |
| dollar value of savings). They have to | | | | over my competition is that I offer FREE |
| act now (call to action) because it is | | | | Computer Pickup. People either don't |
| for a limited time and expires in two | | | | like to, or don't know how to, unhook |
| weeks. People are graphic in nature and | | | | the web of tangled cables to their |
| the picture of the computer and the | | | | computer, for fear that they will never |
| words, "Computer Help!" in the screen | | | | get them hooked back up. I offer a FREE |
| will identify with people having | | | | Computer Pickup, where I come by and |
| computer problems. The headline is bold | | | | work on their computer right there, or I |
| and heavy, it stands out from the rest - | | | | unhook it for them and take it back to |
| so that you don't have a paragraph of | | | | my shop to work on it. And when I |
| information that people won't read, and | | | | return, I don't just drop it off at the |
| it speaks directly to people having a | | | | front door, I go in and hook it all back |
| slow computer (everyone has a slow | | | | up for them. This is not only a HUGE |
| computer). Then it goes on to explain | | | | benefit of them going with me over my |
| the headline in more detail with a | | | | competition (who is standing behind a |
| subhead. Plus, there is a GUARANTEE of a | | | | pretty glass case, waiting for business |
| speed increase. You CAN'T go wrong with | | | | to come through the door), but also |
| an ad like this, can you? Well, I did. I | | | | shows that I really did fix their |
| don't believe that the ad is evil and | | | | computer and it now works and works |
| doesn't work. I believe that I had the | | | | better. It is a reassurance factor and |
| ad where people don't look.Whenever you | | | | builds credibility.In a Yellow Pages Ad, |
| get ready to do any type of | | | | you can get carried away by trying to do |
| advertisement, you should test-market | | | | a long sales pitch, when, in fact, you |
| it, first. Whether it is an ad, a | | | | can just list a few important things you |
| website (or page), direct marketing | | | | do, and tell them to visit your website |
| (such as mailers, mailed brochures or | | | | for the full details. This gets them to |
| ads), etc., you should test it on | | | | your website and there you can give them |
| different types of people to see how | | | | the full scoop and exactly how you can |
| they will respond, and record their | | | | help them. Just don't spend $100 or $500 |
| responses. In the case of the ad, I | | | | every month to tell a story that you can |
| should have passed this ad out to | | | | do for free on a website.Here is my |
| several people and got their responses | | | | Yellow Pages Ad.I spend $50 per month on |
| of the ad. I should have then placed | | | | this ad: |
| this ad on a page with several other | | | | (my logo) |
| similar ads and got responses from | | | | -Computer Tune-Ups |
| different people looking at the entire | | | | -Small Business Networking |
| page of ads, had them put down the page, | | | | -Wireless Networking |
| and asked them to tell me what stood | | | | -PC Troubleshooting & Repair |
| out. Could they remember any good deals? | | | | -Custom-Built Computers |
| This would tell me if my ad would stand | | | | -Computer Upgrades |
| out in a newspaper, among other similar | | | | -OnSite Support |
| ads.In my particular instance of only | | | | -Microsoft-Certified Techs |
| getting one response from my "great" ad, | | | | -Website Design & Hosting |
| it was literally buried in with other | | | | Columbiaville, MI |
| ads that looked similar to mine. In | | | | (810) 793-1093 |
| fact, my ad was not even on a page with | | | | FREE Computer PickupBROCHURES & |
| other services, but "hidden" on a series | | | | BUSINESS CARDSOf course, you definitely |
| of pages that had nothing at all to do | | | | need something to leave with potential |
| with what I was offering, or computers, | | | | and current customers. You absolutely |
| or even a story about a computer... | | | | MUST have a brochure and business card, |
| nothing! People who would be looking for | | | | and NOT the peel-off or perforated card |
| my type of service were not going to | | | | stock you get from your local office |
| look where my ad was, and that is the | | | | supply store, and print them off on your |
| lesson: PUT YOUR AD WHERE YOUR POTENTIAL | | | | ink jet printer! Your brochures and |
| CUSTOMERS WILL LOOK, NOT WHERE YOU GET A | | | | business cards are sometimes the only |
| GOOD DEAL ON ADVERTISING ! and DO TEST | | | | thing that a potential customer will see |
| MARKETING.After my ad came out, I gave | | | | that represents your company. Now, you |
| my wife the newspaper and asked her to | | | | may work out of your home, but you don't |
| find my ad (test marketing after the | | | | want it to look like you do. You want to |
| advertising came out... too little, too | | | | appear as if you are a HUGE computer |
| late). It took her TWO TIMES of going | | | | company, capable of handling any of |
| through the newspaper, page-by-page (and | | | | their computer needs. A basement |
| this is a small city newspaper) to find | | | | business card job doesn't say that. If |
| my ad (and she knew what to look for and | | | | you want to gain good credibility, spend |
| what the ad looked like). So how are | | | | a little money and get |
| potential customers going to find my ad | | | | commercially-printed brochures and |
| if they don't even know that they need | | | | business cards.You will want a good |
| to look for it??? They won't!Think of it | | | | image design (designed by a |
| like this... if you want to sell | | | | professional) with raised ink on the |
| motorcycle parts, put your ad in a | | | | business cards and some kind of color |
| motorcycle magazine. You have to think | | | | (no black and white business cards or |
| like the customer. A customer wants | | | | brochures). If you can afford it, get |
| motorcycle parts, so where should they | | | | matching business cards and brochures, |
| go? They start looking at places that | | | | with the brochures on a white or ivory, |
| sell motorcycles and accessories, groups | | | | gloss stock (like a 70# gloss text). You |
| that are associated with motorcycles, | | | | don't want it to look like you |
| magazines that cater to the motorcycle | | | | photocopied the brochures. And it is |
| crowd, message boards and websites that | | | | proven that by adding some color to your |
| are all about motorcycles. You may or | | | | marketing pieces, your responses are |
| may not go to the newspaper and look | | | | MUCH higher, than with black and |
| through every page and see if someone is | | | | white.And by having matching business |
| selling motorcycle parts. In fact, it is | | | | cards and brochures (the same color |
| probably safe to say that a person | | | | stock and printing), you show your |
| looking for motorcycle parts won't leaf | | | | potential customers that you have it |
| through pages of articles in a | | | | together and this isn't some basement |
| newspaper, looking for motorcycle parts. | | | | operation (although it might be). |
| They may look through the only place in | | | | Appearance and perception is everything. |
| the newspaper that they think might list | | | | And your marketing material represents |
| places that sell motorcycle parts, and | | | | how you appear to your customers. Don't |
| that would be the business section of | | | | skip corners here; you will regret it |
| the newspaper and/or the classifieds. | | | | and it will cost you more money doing it |
| So, if you were in the business of | | | | the hard way. Trust me!If you would like |
| selling motorcycle parts, you would want | | | | to have the rest of this article, in the |
| to have an ad right where your potential | | | | form of a 15-page "Marketing |
| customer expects to find an ad for | | | | Techniques... What Works and What |
| motorcycle parts. Place the ad in those | | | | Doesn't For a PC Repair Business", along |
| sections ONLY. Do not place it where I | | | | with accounting forms for a PC Repair |
| did (in the middle of a bunch of | | | | Business, a PC Repair Business Website |
| articles) because I got a good deal.So, | | | | FULL of Content, Step-by-Step How-to's |
| in case your eyes just rolled back in | | | | and much, much more, visit for all of |
| your head, here is the gist of what I | | | | the details.I have worked in the IT |
| just said... when placing an ad for PC | | | | field since 1989 and hold several |
| Repair in your local newspaper, either | | | | Microsoft certifications. I am a network |
| place it in the Business Listing for | | | | administrator and owner and operator of |
| Services in your area, or place it in | | | | Lapeer Tech Group, located in |
| the proper classified sections, where | | | | Columbiaville, Michigan (just outside of |
| people will look for your type of | | | | Lapeer). During these years, I have |
| service. Do a test: ask a few people you | | | | supported both Macs and PCs, am an |
| know where they would look in your local | | | | accomplished graphic and web designer, |
| newspaper if they needed PC Repair Help. | | | | and have had the opportunity to support |
| Let's say that their computer was | | | | 2nd and 3rd level enterprise networks |
| running extremely slow and they needed | | | | for GM, EDS, Delphi and Delco.© |
| help before they pulled out the rest of | | | | Copyright 2005 Lapeer Tech Group (810) |
| their hair, where in the newspaper would | | | | 793-1093Visit our website at or email |
| they look. Ask at least 10 people. And | | | | us at If you would like to use this |
| whatever the majority is, that is where | | | | article for any publication, you may do |
| you should place the ad (no matter how | | | | so if you do NOT change any of the |
| much it costs). If not, you are just | | | | content, and the tag lines remain |
| wasting your money. Remember to always | | | | intact. |