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deleted
12 Posts |
 Posted - 30/08/2006 : 10:49:24
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It would be really useful to know from active conservator/restorers, which methods of advertising used (if any) bear fruit. As a new starter in a difficult market, my business startup costs are significant. Whatever advertising budget I decide to allocate will be limited and hence needs to be spent wisely and as effectively targeted as possible. It occurs to me that it would be of benefit to all of us to pool experience and share information on which forms of advertising and which advertising outlets work, and which one's do not.
I see many different types of ad in varying publications and wonder at what response the particular restorer actually achieves. I know that I build my own personal perception about a restorer simply based on the advertisement style and publication, i.e. professional or amateur, expensive or cheap. It therefore follows that the potential market clientele also draw their own perceptions. It is obviously then very important that any advertising is done with such issues in mind and not because the advertising space salesperson does a god job of selling to you!
I personally believe that a conservator/restorer needs to build his/her reputation based on recommendation, so advertising is not the best way. However, to begin the process and to manage awareness, some advertising is necessary as part of the overall marketing strategy.
I would be very interested to hear from other restorers where they advertise and why? I'd also very much like to know where not to go.
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mbarrington
Administrator
United Kingdom
92 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2006 : 01:07:24
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I hope you get a lot of response to the very knotty subject of advertising. When I started in BAFRA in 1984 I worked principally for the antique trade which gave me the opportunity to dabble around with trying to assess the best forms of advertising. Possibly a first was our Parish magazine followed by those of surrounding parishes/benefices. This has always been a success. A 6 liner in a monthly A5 publication costs me about £25 a year today and I probably get 50 times the amount of business out of it and I live in a very rural part of the country with few big properties from which one expects custom. The next was YELL. Quite by chance a very good YELL advertising specialist came and visited and I followed almost exactly her advice which turned out to be quite excellent and I have always received a very large amount of work through my YELL entry. I am only in the Bournemouth edition but of course BAFRA is in all the five hundred and something YELL directories in the UK so at least those interested elsewhere know what BAFRA is. I have tried numerous other forms of publicity both locally and nationally and really none of them have been successful. I have also been included in the Conservation Register (now for accredited members only) since about 1993 when it started with minimal response but I still keep my entry there.I think that most of the BAFRA Full members will agree that 'Word of Mouth' advertising is by far the most successful and consistent once you are on the map. BAFRA membership is a huge benefit. Interestingly a lot of people say nobody knows about BAFRA which I believe is highly inaccurate. Certainly the people in this country and a number in overseas countries who own and are interested in antique furniture are very well aware of us. There is of course a huge number of people who are not and who I suggest have either marginal interest in antique furniture or none atall. The larger numbers who own and/or are interested in high quality contemporary furniture are obviously not immediately attracted to BAFRA because of our title, although a number of us do receive a lot of inquiries in this area of interest. If BAFRA was not well known and the nationally recognised authority on the conservation and restoration of furniture, I suggest there would not be many of us really doing quite well and it is significant that in the 22 years I have been in BAFRA we have not seen one member go down through lack of trade. The V&A Museum, The Wallace Collection, The National Trust and English Heritage are all supporters of BAFRA and by and large won't go anywhere else. The top four sources of referrals are Bonhams, The V&A, The BADA and LAPADA. Also our membership of the Historic Houses Association accounts for a lot of interest as well as our close connection with Ecclesiastical Heritage and soon the BDMA with any luck - I have been very lucky in getting insurance work through my Specialist Affiliate membership since I joined. So everybody "Keep with BAFRA and keep working towards Accreditation"!
michael barrington conservation |
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roderick
Starting Member
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - 18/06/2007 : 19:33:03
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| I couldn't help but agree that Yellow Pages has worked well for me in promoting my business. I spent £400 and got around 13 leads last year. Their prices have gone up this year but is still good value. I am doing Yell.com this year too, another £300, but hoping will be a good return. I have also joined the Verification Association, which gives you a free internet listing on ifindabusiness.com. I joined in March 2007 and have received 5 jobs so far, an average of just over 1 a month, so again not bad. Has anyone spent money with BT? they now do a directory a bit like Yellow Pages, but I don't think it is as well known. |
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roderick
Starting Member
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - 23/06/2007 : 12:04:04
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| I have spent a while speaking to customers on Infoserve.com and the ifindabusiness.com websites. Response is quite good to both. I have not yet joined infoserve.com but probably will if they do a deal on cost. I wonder if Bafra could negotiate members rates with these directory companies. Ifindabusiness and the verification association offer members of bafra special rates. I saved around £100. If yellow pages and others could do special rates for bafra it would really help us small businesses. |
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mbarrington
Administrator
United Kingdom
92 Posts |
Posted - 25/06/2007 : 00:43:01
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We will follow up your suggestion re the two websites. YELL will not give discounts but their charges reduce each year if you stick with them. As you may have read from an earlier posting I have been with them for a long time (some 20 years) and find them quite excellent but the best advert by far is through BAFRA membership and our website.
michael barrington conservation |
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roderick
Starting Member
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
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roderick
Starting Member
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - 27/06/2007 : 07:25:11
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| I agree with your earlier posting, and will join Bafra shortly. I am sure it will be very valuable. 118118 are also creating an on-line directory which may be worth advertising on. Ifindabusiness and Infoserve seem good. Everyone knows that Corgi is considered the main seal of approval for Gas Fitters, wouldn't it be great to get the same vote of confidence in the public that Bafra is the membership that gives the seal of approval for our industry. The Verification Association gives free internet listings with Ifindabusiness.com directories and does not have many businesses like ours listed yet, so could be good. Ufindus provides basic websites which you can update yourself without hugh cost. |
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mbarrington
Administrator
United Kingdom
92 Posts |
Posted - 28/06/2007 : 18:31:53
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Interesting that you should mention Corgi because a while ago a group led by BAFRA and Corgi, together with a number of other trade associations representing around 20,000+ members, took issue with the way YELL were accepting and listing advertisers without sufficient checks on their backgrounds, especially where logos and accreditation were concerned. Together we won and it improved the way YELL operated considerably; no problems now - so far as we know  .
michael barrington conservation |
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Which ads work?
