A man walks into a bar....

Being self-employed I am constantly getting calls, emails and mail from companies promising they can boost my business. Increasingly it is by making my ‘web presence’ more visible. I don’t blame these people. I get paid to teach people to drive, they get paid to sell advertising, no problem with that. It does get a wee bit irritating when they don’t understand the word “No”, but they are just doing their job.


While considering leaving BSM, I gave a lot of thought to how to promote my business. Do I use Yellow Pages/Yell.com? Local press? Do I pay someone to come up with a fancy website? (If you look at my website, www.farle.co.uk, you will soon see that I did not take that option (yet)). I have to consider what I think will bring in the most revenue per pound spent on advertising.

Last week, after a long day, I decided I had earned a pint. I always to enjoy the quizzes when I had my own pubs and I saw that one of the local pubs had a quiz on that night. It was due to start before I finished my lessons, but I was happy to go along and listen to the remainder of the quiz. I had never been to the pub before, but it was immediately welcoming and I didn’t feel uncomfortable being there on my own. As it turned out, the quiz was late starting (although I suspect they advertised an early start time to get people spending money earlier) and I was in time to take part. The quiz was quite a drawn-out affair and I got chatting to some of the locals inbetween rounds. On learning that I was a driving instructor, one of them booked up some lessons for his wife. It may have cost me three (excellent) pints of Suilven (less than a tenner), but I gained a new pupil and a bottle of wine (I won the quiz).

Last night I returned to the pub (sadly, no quiz) and some of the regulars already knew about my pupil’s successful day with their driving tests. The barmaid made some comments about regretting giving up after only a few lessons when she was 17, but with her birthday coming up, perhaps she could ask her dad for driving lessons.
Strike while the iron is hot. “You can start tomorrow if you like.” I suggested.
“Ermmm… not too early. I’m working late.”
“11 o’clock?”
“Perfect. Great. See you then!”

It is 10.30am on a gorgeous sunny morning in Ullapool, and I sitting by the quay, enjoying the sun, the view and a coffee before Tess’s first lesson. Although it was a bit worrying ‘losing’ five pupils yesterday, I am buoyed by the fact that, after spending a whole £20 on ‘marketing’ I have gained five pints of Suilven, a dram of Ardbeg, a bottle of wine, two new pupils and two enjoyable nights out. I think you will agree, a very good return for my money.

Actually, I tell a lie. It was £21.…. I lost a pound last night on the quiz machine.