Ok I'm ready to go out and market my new skills. This will allow me to earn the money to buy the course to further my education. Does anyone want to share ads they have used successfully?

Fred

As far as my PC business goes, I'm not currently marketing very aggressivley, but I have used different mdeia. I think it is important to be in the local phonebook YellowPages (or business listings.) This is where many people look first. I run a newspaper ad occasionally, and for a while I ran a small radio spot at the local radio station. I don't think the ad has to be a work of art or poetry...it simply has to get their attention. A clip art graphic of a PC will help....

I have used the one above...I think it gets the message across at a glance.

or you might use humor...


You don't have to use dozens of words. I just simply call my services computer "care" rather than repair. Briefly state the services you offer, and then give your business location and phone number boldly and clearly.

I also had a sign made for the front window of my store to catch people's attention.
The BEST marketing is people telling other people, which means the best marketing is treating people right...being personal, honest, caring and fair.

Thanks for that tip. I've done a few "Test" computers as I call them. Just my friends and family allowing me to help them out while gaining the confidence that I know what I'm doing. I'm hoping that I've done well for them so they will tell others and I will get some paying customers as well. Word of Mouth is the best form of advertising around and that is how I got some of the "test" computers I've done.

I'll look into the yellowpages as well, but in this day and age, do people really still use them? I just go to Yellowpages.com or superpages.com for what I need to look up.

I like your idea of using "care" instead of repair, Busdriver...and as for your humour - you rock! lol

Here is another idea you might be able to use. I am a biker, so in the last year I have donated 3 laptops that I purchased and refurbished to good causes, like
Cruzin For A Cure, which was from finding a cure for cancer. Another was for a toy drive for kids at Christmas. The third was a ride to gather foods and basic supplies for victims of the natural disasters that have struck all around the US this year.

In each case we did a raffle to raise cash for the cause. It was an out of pocket cost for me but the amount of business it brought into my business made it very much worth it. The computers were not new, but were very good condition and worked flawlessly.

Anything you can do toward a worthy cause and associate your business name to it will help with bringing recognition and business to you. People tend to remember that you have compassion toward others less fortunate and will tend to bring their business to you.

One other thing, is to select a business name that is catchy and easy to remember. My business is The Hitman Computer Services. I have had a lot of fun in the promotion of the name and the customers love it. My banker even gets in the act. When she see's me come into the bank she usually say's "Hi Hitman! How are you today?" She then tells the customers that are in the bank at the time, some of them startled at the name Hitman. She explains that I have a computer repair business. I hand a lot of business cards out at the bank! At the flea market where I am setup I rarely hear my name, everyone calls me "Hitman" So when thinking of a name for your business be creative and unique, because it can be the one thing that sets you apart from your competitors. That and doing honest quality work!

To any of you bikers out there, "Ride on Brothers and Sisters, and Be Safe!"

OldMan aka Hitman