I almost posted almost the very same kind of question here today myself. I sell and install kitchen and bath countertops. I know there's a good market for it since I've been doing it for years. I had one excellent source of referrals at a local kitchen and bath showroom, but that company changed ownership and the new guy just doesn't seem to understand the business. No Saturday hours, for example, which doesn't make sense to me. I've always gotten referrals from individual customers - and a lot of repeat business, but it's not enough. I need to replace the phone calls I used to get because of the showroom referrals. I have one nice 1/4 page ad in a local magazine, but it hasn't produced much of anything for the $750 it cost me. I do use yard signs and they do get some results, but not enough. So, I pretty much have the same question: where to put my limited advertising dollars?
This is kind of what started the original conversation I had with the cleaning lady. One of the posters said that they consider all marketing lies, and I'm wondering if that view is more or less prevalent.
I have noticed a generational divide in the way customers react to good or bad service. The older folks expect it and let you know if it's not correct. Many of the younger ones seem less likely to complain, but also less loyal.
I also wonder the effect of immigrant labor in so many of these industries. I don't have any hispanics working for me, but I'm the only company I know of around here who doesn't. The cleaning lady uses hispanic employees, but tryies to keep an english speaker on the crew.