Finding the right advertising platforms can be challenging. Not all platforms are the same, and not all are for everyone. Based on years of testing and feedback, here are the best places to turn to when looking for help:

Friends and family (for starters or those looking for 1 or 2 new workers)

For many small business ideas, a friend or family member can be an excellent place to find a new worker. If you are looking for someone to cut grass for your lawn mowing service or to walk a dog for your pet walking service, you can turn to a friend or family member. It will cost you $0 to look for them. All you have to do is call some people that you know, and get them on board. Have them sign all the documents and take them through training if one is required.

Craigslist (the most cost-effective place to find cleaners, dog walkers, etc..)

This is an excellent and cheap method of gaining professionals to perform service for you. Using Craigslist to acquire new professionals is extremely easy. You post an AD and wait for leads to come in (lots of leads will come from CL, in a short amount of time). It is very effective when looking for out-in-the-field providers such as housekeepers, nannies, barbers. It is not an excellent source to look for new doctors, dentists, or even lawyers, although you can try it out.

A small, niche-specific local paper (another cost-effective place to find cleaners, dog walkers, etc..)

You will find a lot of great success and for a great price when advertising in smaller, local, niche-specific papers. From our experience, a large portion of workers that come from such places is already highly trained. If you are looking to find 2-3 good workers for the quarter, this could be a fantastic place to look.

Schools (another free option you can use)

Depending on the industry, schools can be a fantastic place to find professionals. It is often free and instant. Test it out. It does not hurt.

Glassdoor, Monster, Snagajob.

Places such as Glassdoor, Monster or Snagajob, are designed to help you find lawyers, consultants, marketers, or even customer service representatives. Often they are not as good for finding housekeepers, pet walkers, or barbers but can still work.

Referrals (the longer you’ve been in business, the more referrals will come your way)

This is a powerful technique, primarily if you treat your workers well and brand your company correctly. People will refer others, and quality leads will come your way. Referrals are great to fill any position.

Do your research before spending money on any advertisement. Find out where your audience looks when they need a job and advertise there. Not all sites are for everyone. Once you find your providers, you can easily add them inside BookingKoala and continue automating your business. I’d also highly recommend checking out this article that talks about hiring fast to scale fast. It will teach you the best techniques for hiring providers.