Are you guys listed in the yellow pages? I am thinking of a marketing strategy for my business. Any opinions on say "testing the waters" for a first time action to get my business out there? I am getting flyers printed up but other than that I haven't really done anything major yet as my budget will not allow it. Any suggestions would be appreciated. If anyone has any first time marketing strategies they can share, that would be great..............Sam

Same here I do not know what to do....

I have been doing the following things, Craigslist for your local area and taking long walks leaving my business cards in their doors. But other than that, I do not know.

Good luck!

I keep telling people that having a website should be at the heart of your marketing plan. Fewer people pick up the paper Yellow Pages all the time. If you don't know how to design and write copy for a website, then hire someone local to do it. During the process, read up on, and pay attention to the fine points of SEO - Search Engine Marketing. Acquire an understanding what it is about a website that attracts the web crawlers of the major search engines - Google, Microsoft/Bing, and Yahoo. Learn the importance of keywords.
Check out www.searchenginewatch.com. Look for books on SEO at your local bookstore.

Also be sure to read about Guerilla Marketing. These are low-cost/no-cost ways of attracting attention to your business. GM is the brainchild of Jay Conrad Levenson.
Books and a website. Also locate and read a book called:
POSITIONING: THE BATTLE FOR YOUR MIND, by Al Ries and Jack Trout.

Jon Don sponsors a great website with a lot of free marketing info.

http://sfs.jondon.com/

Mark has listed a lot of marketing ideas in the forum that are really useful. I've been scanning a lot of posts. I have been copying and pasting these ideas into my notebook. Also, Mark mentioned Guerilla Marketing and I didn't realize that the information I recently purchased was actually in reference to Guerrila Marketing which I guess is inexpensive ways to market your business. I got the program off amazon.com not sure of the link but you can search for words like "How to get more Clients for Carpet Cleaning" it may show up (dvd & cd format). I have found that you have to make some investment in your business to get it off the ground. Check other places in this forum and you should find some other great ideas, I know I have. Haven't tried social media yet, though!

In any town, city, or metro area, there are people with more resources (the HAVES), and there are people with fewer resources (the HAVE NOT AS MUCH). While there are exceptions, you have a better shot of getting business from the HAVES than from the others. So if at all possible, concentrate your marketing resources on the people who have more to spend on home services - higher so-called discretionary income. These are also the people who are more likely to respond to your use of natural, chemical-free cleaning products. Concern about environmental and personal health issues rises along with levels of education, career status, and income. The more the customer can see the benefits you are offering other than just cleaner rugs and carpeting, the less price-driven she is. There are price shoppers, and there are people seeking more value for their money. Value combines price along with reliability, results, professional appearance,
environmental issues, and a number of related elements.
The value-oriented customer will be far more loyal than the price-shopper, who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing. PEARLS BEFORE SWINE!