The above posts all describe the way I got going also.
Take it from me and the others, avoid yellow pages except a basic listing unless you want to spend all your time chasing dead end leads. You'll get mainly price shoppers looking for low price and free estimates for jobs that never happen.
One thing I did that was embarassing, yet highly proffitable, was to post signs on telephone poles saying "Ceiling Fans installed, Electrician, and my #". I gave good prices and built a very good customer base. The fan jobs were really just the way into the customers house, then I might suggest they add rescessed cans in the kitchen or something like that. Probably 50% of the jobs ended up setting up another appointment for more work. Other would tell their neighbors. But as Straightedge said, you need to be polite and friendly, also BE ON TIME and be neat and don't make a mess or at least clean up.
If you do use signs, get them proffessionally made, they only could $2 or $3 ea. I put out 20 and couldn't answer all the calls. Now I don't need them.
