best form of advertise?

Hello
i was wandering is somebody can help me with some straight answers to my questions?
1. I am an concrete carver and i create from concrete mix rock,stone and wood with plenty appliances in the garden and home. MY QUESTION IS WHAT IS THE BEST FORM OF ADVERTISE AND YOUR HONESTLY OPINION OF MY WORK, AND IF YOU WERE PUT-IT IN YOUR GARDEN AND HOME!!
The prices are not too big and after all is hand work, and it really must be taken like an sculpture not as an copy, or replica.
I wait for your hones answers.
you can see some samples of my work here:
http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/members/rully-albums-my-work.html

 

Word of mouth is the most powerfull advertising...a friend telling you they got a great bargain from where ever....
I think your work looks great but not my kinda thing to be honest.

 

You had some really good skills there. Love the tree and the steps!! I would love something along those lines somewhere in my garden, but if I'm honest I would assume it would be pretty expensive for someone of my age, and would probably not persue it. I would possibly be looking for something much smaller too. There are local wood carvers that make displays at our local garden centres inside and out using the plants with the carvings/ and or props. These do seem to gain a lot of interest, also you can gain sponsorships with companies so I hear, or something along those lines. Have you approached the national trust or English heritage? Or are you looking to establish this as purely your own business?

 

Not my kind of thing either.

I think a decent website would be helpful. It doesn't have to cost that much (£200-£300) and then you add information details and pictures as you go along.

You would need to spend a bit of time putting in keywords etc. and submit to Google and other search engines for decent exposure. There is no need to spend money paying service providers to gain position on search engines.

I operate a website for a Club I'm involved with. After the small initial setup fee we pay an annual service charge, which provides a backup support if there was a corruption - or I knack something essential.
Have a look at www.blueflamesclub.co.uk if you like.
Totally left field in complarison to your market, but I achieve about 2000 hits a month and Bonfire night the hits last year were 4000.
The info is available worldwide. It's up to you how you limit your market.

 

Hi rully,

a lot of business today relies on a website presence of some sort.

For my point of view forums relevant to what you produce and as local to you as it gets, are the best way to advertise yourself.

Not simply by posting one off set of pictures and hoping that somebody call you from there, but by making yourself known over the time, building therefore reliability on your work and on your person (you can also include your website in your signature I believe).

One may or may not like your style of work, prices, etc. but at least they have an informed choice.

I don't dislike your work but that does not mean that I have any intention to buy it anytime soon...

 

gcc3663- a decent website would be helpful if you know how to use it.

Nowadays there are zillions of websites but that does not mean that all those visitors translate in actual business.

Automatisation of submitting here and there will be soon out of fashion because it brings you up on the result but if they are all up there is no good.
It is the same as having 1000 facebook friends that are just wasting space.

The future is all about quality and and honest traders (better if they can adjust to demands of the customer) because we have reached a level nowadays where there are more scammers than honest traders therefore those few good ones will become a treat. By honest I mean that they do what they say on the tin.

 

Word of mouth and freebies in place
Our town has a resident artist, now so famous I can not remember his name but this week his work is now removed from the town and placed in the Scottish Parliament building

Most of his work is in CAST CONCRETE

He started off by donating a sculputure to the Council and it stood outside their main entrance, the council then commisioned him as the official town artist

In 1988 town artist Malcolm Robertson produced the "Giant Irises" sculpture as Glenrothes' contribution to the Glasgow Garden Festival. The sculpture was awarded the John Brown Clydebank award for the "Most Original and Amusing Artifact" at the festival. The sculpture was re-erected at Leslie Roundabout in Glenrothes following the festival.
http://admin.1fife.org.uk/uploadfiles/publications/c64_TownArtGlenrothes1.pdf

The BIRDS was his first one concrete and stainless steel, now fibre glass or Bronze

I expect he struggled at first but now seems well heeled and well respected

SHOULD THIS NOT BE IN THE NONE GARDENING SECTION THOUGH?

Jack McHammocklashing

 

I agree with most of that Miraflores.
The question being asked was to attract potential buyers for a product that, it would seem, is not as yet in people's gardens.
To achieve sales, without word of mouth, would require the product to be made available to potential buyers.
If 1% of the hits results in a purchase, or 10% results in an enquiry then it will be of benefit.
Unless the product can be seen the business is dead in the water.
The potential market, I would assess, is more likely to be Public Art (if the funding was there) than Mr Average Joe in his modest patch of garden in Middle England (for example). Either way Media profile can only benefit.

 

Thanks to all you guys for the honestly answers.
It was an delight reading your honestly answers and advice's.

 

What do you think about leaflets or flyer's?
Honestly i do not give big importance to the one i receive, but i read all of them before trowing.
Maybe i should try?
What do you think?

 

hi rully,

I suppose you could try, although I see better a small ad on a local paper.

What about making contact via telephone with whoever can be potentially interested in your service.
After all some call centres do just that, look for business via telephone (classic examples selling conservatories or some insurance)...You would do it for yourself.