Successfull in Spain.
Jan 6th 2008, 4:17 pm
#31
Mucho Macho
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Huescar
Posts: 1,213
Re: Successfull in Spain.
In the two years I've been here I've never advertised at all. No need to....it's all customer recommendations!
My customers just tell people I'm a mentally disturbed, loud, vulgar, motorcycle-riding Welshman (who occasionally has orange hair) who publicly scratches his cojones and who will just rip the piss out of them!
So they pick up the phome immediately!
Money can't buy that sort of advertising.
My customers just tell people I'm a mentally disturbed, loud, vulgar, motorcycle-riding Welshman (who occasionally has orange hair) who publicly scratches his cojones and who will just rip the piss out of them!
So they pick up the phome immediately!
Money can't buy that sort of advertising.
Jan 6th 2008, 4:19 pm
#32
RETIRED ;-))
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Benalmadena Pueblo,Spain
Posts: 20,156
Jan 6th 2008, 4:25 pm
#33
Banned
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: What one has not experienced, one will never understand in print
Posts: 569
Re: Successfull in Spain.
If we didn`t all take a chance we`d never know.
Not many can take at least £50,000 in cash free to spend on essentials without warning signs appearing.
Jan 6th 2008, 4:27 pm
#34
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Jan 6th 2008, 4:29 pm
#35
Straw Man.
Joined: Aug 2006
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Posts: 46,302
Jan 6th 2008, 4:49 pm
#37
Banned
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Jan 6th 2008, 6:07 pm
#38
Straw Man.
Joined: Aug 2006
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Jan 6th 2008, 6:33 pm
#39
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Jan 6th 2008, 8:39 pm
#40
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 543
Re: Successfull in Spain.
One problem I found in the South is trying to market yourself beyond word of mouth.
In the malaga area there are several Brit newspapers and free books to advertise in, but many are simply dumped in the darkest corner of Spanish Newspaper shops or in brit shops spread out in the Campo.
Leaflet drops are a waste as the Urbs are either abandoned most of the year and locked with only key access, the finca`s are so spread out it`ll take all day just to get to 100.
Estate Agents usual know several people all ready.
The only way really is to work for several years hoping that the community will spread the word.
Even yellow pages arn`t any good as nobody really uses them.In the UK there are about 8 pages in my profession, in Malaga there are only 5 businesses, and there are more than 5 Refrigeration Engineers in one poly in Malaga city.
Advertising I found to be the most frustrating.
And the fact there`s no A-Z type maps and the Sat Nav only work 60% of the time.
In the malaga area there are several Brit newspapers and free books to advertise in, but many are simply dumped in the darkest corner of Spanish Newspaper shops or in brit shops spread out in the Campo.
Leaflet drops are a waste as the Urbs are either abandoned most of the year and locked with only key access, the finca`s are so spread out it`ll take all day just to get to 100.
Estate Agents usual know several people all ready.
The only way really is to work for several years hoping that the community will spread the word.
Even yellow pages arn`t any good as nobody really uses them.In the UK there are about 8 pages in my profession, in Malaga there are only 5 businesses, and there are more than 5 Refrigeration Engineers in one poly in Malaga city.
Advertising I found to be the most frustrating.
And the fact there`s no A-Z type maps and the Sat Nav only work 60% of the time.
Jan 7th 2008, 9:24 am
#42
sun lover
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: hertfordshire
Posts: 362
Re: Successfull in Spain.
I agree word of mouth is the only way to get ahead over here. We have been here for 3 1/2 years now and a lot of time, money, patience and freebies to potential customers has helped us to build up a successful business. We now only really take on customers through word of mouth. We don´t speak fluent Spanish but we more than `get-by´and our customer base is mainly english. We have had to sll 2 properties in order to provide us with enough time/money to stay here in Spain. We have worked very very hard to get where we are and we are looking forward to the next few years being successful and happy here in Spain.
Last edited by pjj; Jan 7th 2008 at 9:35 am.
Jan 7th 2008, 11:25 am
#43
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Jan 7th 2008, 11:30 am
#44
Senior Moment
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: On the edge
Posts: 20,460
Re: Successfull in Spain.
Well BNI is the only one I have experience of. They are once a week meetings where you have maybe 20 members. Each member stands up every week and tells the group (and visitors) what they do and what kind of work they want. Every so often you get a chance to give a 10 minute presentation. The others in the group are active every week in looking for business opportunities and work for their fellow members, and every week the members have a chance to give "referrals", which are basically leads and new business they have picked up for their fellow members during that week. So basically you have a group of unpaid salespeople looking for work for you every week. It does work. You have to commit to it though and turn up every week otherwise eventually you get dumped.
Jan 7th 2008, 11:41 am
#45
Banned
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: What one has not experienced, one will never understand in print
Posts: 569
Re: Successfull in Spain.
Well BNI is the only one I have experience of. They are once a week meetings where you have maybe 20 members. Each member stands up every week and tells the group (and visitors) what they do and what kind of work they want. Every so often you get a chance to give a 10 minute presentation. The others in the group are active every week in looking for business opportunities and work for their fellow members, and every week the members have a chance to give "referrals", which are basically leads and new business they have picked up for their fellow members during that week. So basically you have a group of unpaid salespeople looking for work for you every week. It does work. You have to commit to it though and turn up every week otherwise eventually you get dumped.
I don`t think it`ll work for me as people need me as and when there Air con is rogered or there Gas blows up.