Do you advertise, and do you use an answering machine??

[Pheasant Hollow Farm]

Ok, let's here it!! What's your take on answering machines and advertising, do you use them? Do they work to your advantage? If not state why..... Waste of money?  Give us your pro's and con's on the issue. It could be to the interest of our members whether to go this route or not.


Here is what I found.....

I found that the greatest response I get is advertising in, what we have here in WV, called the W. Va. Sportsman magazine. :smile: The magazine is free to the public (good reading material for the John, FREE is FREE, ya just can't pass up a free hunting magazine) :smile:   and is usually in all WV stores that issue the State Hunting Licenses. So what better way to reach the general hunting public, the farmers looking to propagate his land or anyone looking to get into raising game birds? :smile:

The W. Va. Sportsmans magazine is usually sitting right next to the WV (syllabus) Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary guide.

If you find and advertiser that also places there magazine on line, that's an added plus and usually at no additional costs.

Here, check this magazine out! http://www.wvasportsman.net/

I am listed under their advertisers. You can click on the magazine and read the whole shabang! My add is on page 35. Oh and by the way the whole magazine is in pdf, so if you want to copy the magazine, go for it.

If you don't want to look through the whole magazine then go to this link:
http://www.wvasportsman.net/images/SportsmanFall07.pdf My add is at the lower left corner.

It is amazing how many calls you can get from this type of advertising if it is available in your area.

I use to advertise in the local Bulletin Board/Pennysaver/Buylines, weekly, but got very few responses. Too many people looking for garage sales.. I got no responce to the advertisement. These papers go out weekly and the minimum cost is $35.00 Definitely not worth the expense.

Where and How do You Advertise?

Next!! :smile:

How about answering machines?

Do you use one for your bird business? I do, and I found that it works to my advantage. the opening greeting on my answering machine says:

You have reached Pheasant Hollow Farm the home of, blah blah blah, our business hours are: Monday - Thursday from 8am - 6pm. Friday's from 12pm to 6pm and weekends by reservations only. Please leave a message, including your name and telephone number and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

I found that having this establishes a time frame for customers inquiries and also holds an established time frame with the State DNR.

I have also found out which people don't understand the business hours! They seem to be the same ones who call over and over again after 6pm and leaving the same message as previously, expecting a return call.

Well how about it, do you use an answering machine in your business?

Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm

[sugar run gamebirds]

well we advertise.we put fliers we make at home out at gander mountain,local clubs and we also go to field trials and hunts and pass out fliers and business cards.works very well for us.we also use an answering machine at the house to.i hate to miss calls so that gives clients a chance to leave us a message and we get back to them.if you don't have a machine they might think they got the wrong number.but the fliers are the way to go put them up whereever you can.we get alot of business from them.places where guys hang out to have coffee to your local feed store to the board at your local sporting goods store.


       Lenny
Sugar Run Gamebirds

[jchiar]

Don't advertise just use word of mouth  .Works pretty good.

[maplesummitgamebirds]

We do some advertising but not a lot. We print fliers and put them on every board we can. Mostly feed stores/mills, Gander Mountain, and hunting supply stores. Word of mouth has been great and continues to be our best source for business. Also a few phone calls to the right people can make a big difference. We also sponsor the shooting team at the high school and offer birds for their silent auction. We also have a huge shooting club/Olympic training grounds in the county and we have fliers and signs there as well. I do not have an answering machine just for the farm but all our fliers and signs have 3 different numbers that I or my help can be reached at. We are considering a website but I don't know if I want to spend the money to get one.