Start-up looking for advice

[Guest]

Hi all,

Have been self-employed for past 2 years carrying out property maintenance and a few bathrooms and kitchens along the line(Berkshire area). Really looking to develop skills and get into kitchen fitting on a regular basis. Not the quickest worker around but always make sure the job is done to a high standard and have good references from previous customers.

I am completely aware that fitting kitchens is a great art and will take years to master, as i know myself I learn new things on every job i do.

Was just looking for any advice on marketing myself and getting the work in?
Do you guys work for any suppliers/showrooms?
Obviously word of mouth is the best advertising but just looking for a few ideas to get myself going.

Any help/advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[andy5405]

There's loads of different ways to advertise. My advice would be to do lots of different things that don't cost too much. Big glossy ads tend to make publications rich and not the advertiser. Flyers can work well, cheap lineage ads in publications like the Friday-Ad will work if you have them in every week. Cards in newsagents is another one. A well promoted web page is great but expensive unless you know someone who can do it reasonably cheap.

Anyway the bottom line is if you want it enough, you will find a way of getting it.

[andy5405]

There's loads of different ways to advertise. My advice would be to do lots of different things that don't cost too much. Big glossy ads tend to make publications rich and not the advertiser. Flyers can work well, cheap lineage ads in publications like the Friday-Ad will work if you have them in every week. Cards in newsagents is another one. A well promoted web page is great but expensive unless you know someone who can do it reasonably cheap.

Anyway the bottom line is if you want it enough, you will find a way of getting it.

Don't worry too much about doing kitchens that will make it into House Beautiful or Country Life. It's a massive market and large parts of it have low expectations, just get in and work your way up. Take pictures of everything, your portfolio will become more valuable than you could possibly realise.