sshortcircuit Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Never give it a thought. If I want to take up an offer I will meet with a person and will ask for info and references so foresee no problems if you take precautions. Many businesses with landlines and addresses can be just as big rouges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 sshortcircuit - 2014-02-07 9:41 AM Never give it a thought. If I want to take up an offer I will meet with a person and will ask for info and references so foresee no problems if you take precautions. Many businesses with landlines and addresses can be just as big rouges. One of the latest scams is for thieves to post advertising literature into the letterbox but not allow that letter to drop into the house. They return a day or so later to see if the leaflet is still there. If so they deduce the property is unoccupied and rob it. I'm not saying that this is a case in point but you are right to be cautious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Mike88 - 2014-02-07 9:07 AM sshortcircuit - 2014-02-07 9:41 AM Never give it a thought. If I want to take up an offer I will meet with a person and will ask for info and references so foresee no problems if you take precautions. Many businesses with landlines and addresses can be just as big rouges. One of the latest scams is for thieves to post advertising literature into the letterbox but not allow that letter to drop into the house. They return a day or so later to see if the leaflet is still there. If so they deduce the property is unoccupied and rob it. I'm not saying that this is a case in point but you are right to be cautious. Before anybody takes this to seriously, my regular postman does not always push the mail right through so if I find mail like this I am not going to be paranoid about a break in. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Brian Kirby - 2014-02-07 12:16 AM Can only speak for me, but I won't deal with any business that appears to have no postal address. I always ask myself why not, and the invariable answer that comes to my mind is that the proprietor doesn't want anyone to know. Why? Because they don't want dissatisfied customers turning up to complain. So, in my case, I'm afraid your flyer would go straight in the bin - along with many others. Sorry Mike! :-) Same here Brian. Why wouldn't a vendor want you to know where they operate from ? I 'm also very wary of dealing with websites with no addresses. :-| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 sshortcircuit - 2014-02-07 10:29 AM Mike88 - 2014-02-07 9:07 AM sshortcircuit - 2014-02-07 9:41 AM Never give it a thought. If I want to take up an offer I will meet with a person and will ask for info and references so foresee no problems if you take precautions. Many businesses with landlines and addresses can be just as big rouges. One of the latest scams is for thieves to post advertising literature into the letterbox but not allow that letter to drop into the house. They return a day or so later to see if the leaflet is still there. If so they deduce the property is unoccupied and rob it. I'm not saying that this is a case in point but you are right to be cautious. Before anybody takes this to seriously, my regular postman does not always push the mail right through so if I find mail like this I am not going to be paranoid about a break in. :-D Really. Do you really leave such mail in the door for two or more days? As I said this is probably not a case in point but merely reporting recent advice from our local Police via Neighbourhood Watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Mike88 - 2014-02-07 9:40 AM sshortcircuit - 2014-02-07 10:29 AM Mike88 - 2014-02-07 9:07 AM sshortcircuit - 2014-02-07 9:41 AM Never give it a thought. If I want to take up an offer I will meet with a person and will ask for info and references so foresee no problems if you take precautions. Many businesses with landlines and addresses can be just as big rouges. One of the latest scams is for thieves to post advertising literature into the letterbox but not allow that letter to drop into the house. They return a day or so later to see if the leaflet is still there. If so they deduce the property is unoccupied and rob it. I'm not saying that this is a case in point but you are right to be cautious. Before anybody takes this to seriously, my regular postman does not always push the mail right through so if I find mail like this I am not going to be paranoid about a break in. :-D Really. Do you really leave such mail in the door for two or more days? As I said this is probably not a case in point but merely reporting recent advice from our local Police via Neighbourhood Watch. Shortly going to Spain for two months and then later on in the year for three months, "am I bothered" that mail be be hanging out my letterbox? *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliB Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 fjmike - 2014-02-06 5:45 PM Sorry to Mr Woo for hijacking his thread but as I have said peoples views on landline numbers or lack of them doe's concern me. Thanks to all those who have contributed, I just off to put my landline on my flyers. :-D :-D :-D I think it depends on the type of business. As yours is a mobile business it would not bother me. However, for one of our business ( security installation services) lots of customers say they chose us as we have a landline, street address and the company is registered at Companies House. So I see no harm in giving as much detail as possible about your company on the flyers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capcloser Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Its easy to have a landline no.,ours is an internet phone but had to have an area code so we chose norwich,not where we stay,could have had any code we wanted from a list they emailed,even so tend to be wary if something is advertised with only a mobile no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody. Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 fjmike - 2014-02-06 2:19 PM I post my flyers through letter boxes when I see a caravan or motorhome and my flyers only have my mobile number (best way to get hold of me) , web address and email. Am I scaring people away?????????? Ive known mike for many years hes as honest as the day is long , cant speak for otheres who leaflet properties , but i do agree just mobile numbers can look suspicious , but as judge says a lot of these people are trying to make a living and not everyone of them has a landline these days , infact many people cant afford landlines and just use mobiles , but it does help like mike has said to include a landline if youve got one , thanks to the OP for this one good post . ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 woody. - 2014-02-07 10:11 PM...............Ive known mike for many years hes as honest as the day is long , cant speak for otheres who leaflet properties , but i do agree just mobile numbers can look suspicious , but as judge says a lot of these people are trying to make a living and not everyone of them has a landline these days , infact many people cant afford landlines and just use mobiles , but it does help like mike has said to include a landline if youve got one , thanks to the OP for this one good post . ;-) I don't think anyone was suggesting Mike is dishonest, just that a flyer with no postal address and land-line number looks very casual ind impermanent. One can conjure up the most impressive website on the basis of no business at all, so a website is no guide to substance. If a business is a serious business, with at least some assets backing its existance, it must have, at minimum, an address - else how is it to have a bank account, a tax record, order supplies, etc. That a lot of people are trying to make a living is understood, but they need to understand that no-one owes them that living, and they need to make themselves identifieble and show themselves to be more than the proverbial men of straw. If someone has a mobile and no land-line, because they can't afford a landline, and wishes to conduct business, what does that say about their ability to put things right when they go wrong? Will they have the insurances they need? How can they reassure their customer that they will still be around next week? Why would anyone but an idiot want to treat with them? These are questions they need to pose to themselves: if they can't answer, they should take some advice, or enrol on a business management course. A flyer is a first introduction to a potential client, and first impressions count. It needs to convey the impression that the client is being invited to do business with a solid, reliable, well run, honest firm of sufficient substance to undertake whatever work it seeks. So spelling, neatness, a traceable address, a traceable phone number, and clarity all help. The flyer reproduced at the head of this string would give me no confidence that I should deal with whoever produced it. It is cheap, untidy, garish, poorly designed, and gives me exactly the same impression as the OP gained. A ducking and diving wide boy out to make a killing, preferably in cash, John! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Did Bill Gates and Steve Jobbs not start out in a garage? A lot of management speak and assumptions being made with not much practicality being posted. A business develops by personality with face to face contact, references, etc will tell you a lot whether the appointment has been made to a mobile number or whatever. Many small companies run from home to save on overhead expenses and good luck to them. As they say, do not judge a book by its cover but do your homework. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjmike Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Once again thanks to everyone for their very constructive feedback (thanks for the kind words Woody). Today I printed my home number on the back of my flyers so hope it will make a difference. PS so that people can see its a good quality flyer I have posted a copy on my Facebook page as I thought it might not be proper to post it on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 sshortcircuit - 2014-02-08 5:17 PM Did Bill Gates and Steve Jobbs not start out in a garage? A lot of management speak and assumptions being made with not much practicality being posted. A business develops by personality with face to face contact, references, etc will tell you a lot whether the appointment has been made to a mobile number or whatever. Many small companies run from home to save on overhead expenses and good luck to them. As they say, do not judge a book by its cover but do your homework. All of which is perfectly true, Hamish. But, the subject of the string was a flyer, stuck through a letterbox, with only a mobile number for contact. What we were discussing above was the impression that gives. That flyer is the first thing prospecitve clients will see from that business. It needs to show the prospective clients that they are being taken seriously, and would be treated with respect. It does neither. It merely offers the client the opportunity to become the originator's cash cow! What you are describing is absolutely correct, but it is what happens some way down the line, after the parties have met: not how one creates a favourable first impression on a complete stranger. This is not management speak, and it is highly practical. If one wants to do business with folks, one should treat them seriously and with respect. Doing otherwise, as that flyer does, is a turn-off for anyone other than the gullible and the desperate. The flyer, in context, is quite clever, IMO, because I'd guess it is exactly the gullible and the desperate the originator is seeking. That is why it is a turn-off for the rest of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Brian Kirby - 2014-02-09 11:17 AM What you are describing is absolutely correct, but it is what happens some way down the line, after the parties have met: not how one creates a favourable first impression on a complete stranger. This is not management speak, and it is highly practical. If one wants to do business with folks, one should treat them seriously and with respect. Doing otherwise, as that flyer does, is a turn-off for anyone other than the gullible and the desperate. The flyer, in context, is quite clever, IMO, because I'd guess it is exactly the gullible and the desperate the originator is seeking. That is why it is a turn-off for the rest of us. Exactly my sentiments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 sshortcircuit - 2014-02-08 5:17 PM Did Bill Gates and Steve Jobbs not start out in a garage? A lot of management speak and assumptions being made with not much practicality being posted. A business develops by personality with face to face contact, references, etc will tell you a lot whether the appointment has been made to a mobile number or whatever. Many small companies run from home to save on overhead expenses and good luck to them. As they say, do not judge a book by its cover but do your homework. Great stuff Hamish you are an enlightened soul....Nice to see some common sense on the topic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliB Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 sshortcircuit - 2014-02-08 5:17 PM Did Bill Gates and Steve Jobbs not start out in a garage? A lot of management speak and assumptions being made with not much practicality being posted. A business develops by personality with face to face contact, references, etc will tell you a lot whether the appointment has been made to a mobile number or whatever. Many small companies run from home to save on overhead expenses and good luck to them. As they say, do not judge a book by its cover but do your homework. I think you have missed the point. Mike is not starting a new business but trying to grow an existing business. I bet you Mr Gates only grew his business when he moved out of his garage. Yes lots of businesses can survive from a garage but the opportunities will be so much greater when you present a professional image to your clients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 AliB - 2014-02-10 11:30 AM sshortcircuit - 2014-02-08 5:17 PM Did Bill Gates and Steve Jobbs not start out in a garage? A lot of management speak and assumptions being made with not much practicality being posted. A business develops by personality with face to face contact, references, etc will tell you a lot whether the appointment has been made to a mobile number or whatever. Many small companies run from home to save on overhead expenses and good luck to them. As they say, do not judge a book by its cover but do your homework. I think you have missed the point. Mike is not starting a new business but trying to grow an existing business. I bet you Mr Gates only grew his business when he moved out of his garage. Yes lots of businesses can survive from a garage but the opportunities will be so much greater when you present a professional image to your clients. Not missed the point, just looking at a real world, been there, have the t shirt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody. Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Well whatever eh ? all i say is good luck to mike hes damn good at what he does and is very conscientious , and whatever anyone on here says is the right or wrong way i reckon the fliers coupled with word of mouth will get him a long way , good luck mate . ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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