How do I double or treble my customer base in the next year?

Question

I am based in rural Ireland and operate a mobile computer repair business to homes and businesses in a 50 mile radius of where I live. I do not have a computer repair shop and have been working from home, I am in business for almost one year now, and I need to attract alot more customers, as I need more income to grow. I have plenty of competition from established computer repair companys, that have a fixed location (shop) and offer mobile computer repairs services. How do I beat those guys!:)

I have been under cutting there prices, but cant seem to attract the amount of new customers I need. I have advertised by means of a website, and a business facebook, twitter, local papers and lots of flyer drops locally, any help would be much appriciated.

Answer 1

Hi its tough old business but you get some leaflets printed up and put them through doors also approach the schools offering some students free computer training for i hour of your time may generate a lot of business the main problem i have found is computers run to slow as people store to much on their desk top so offer the speed up slogan on your advertisement good luck

Answer 2

Advertisment and by networking and word of mouth. If people have had a good experience with you word will travel when someone else needs their computer fixed and will get back to you. Don't stop advertising and make sure all customers leave happy. Also if you haven't already try doing follow up calls after customers leave a week or so after and make sure they are still happy. And if you haven't already or don't do it think about putting a guarantee on your work. You could also advertise a free service so you could attract a first time customer base so after they get a free service and they leave happy next time they need you they will be back. Good luck!!

Answer 3

It's about creating 'top of mind awareness' so that when someone does have a problem they will think of you and not your competitors.



Keep the advertising focussed and leaflet drops going but make them as highly targetted as possible.



Also, ask all your happy clients for recommendations. Perhaps give them leaflets or business cards to hand out to their friends and offer them some kind of reward for every new client who signs up eg a bottle of wine, a discount voucher or similar.



You could also approach another local, non competing business and offer mail each other's customers.



Hope this helps

Answer 4

you could try to get some longer term (yearly?) contracts with local companies to look after their IT systems. set up meetings, look around for new companies starting up, etc. that could provide a monthly income floor from where you can work on expanding your consumer business.