It’s been quite a while since I’ve been on WCR, since my business has had to take a backseat to other personal obligations over the last six months. Now that I’m at a place now where I can return my attention to my WC business, I’m back on here, perusing all the different threads regarding marketing. I still maintain my website and have a good supply of business cards but I still need to get the word out. Before everyone gives the general reply of “just check out the website man, there are plenty of great threads on here about how to grow your business”, etc, I’d like to hear some feedback as to what method of marketing is working for you right NOW. EDDM? Fliers/Door Hangers? Door-to-Door? In my research, here’s what I’ve gathered so far:
[B]EDDM[/B] - Obviously the most expensive, even if you handle everything yourself. I have never tried EDDM because in the past I had been working on a shoestring budget. But the general consensus is that this the most professional-looking and effective method of getting the word out about you and your business.
* I was speaking with someone in a coffee shop just this week though who specialized in marketing for small business and said that the return on mailers in this area where I live is 20%!!! :( He did admit though, that he only worked with companies in the home technology sector, such as computer repair, home theater, etc. and did not know anything about the service industry such as window cleaning, carpet cleaning, pool cleaning, etc.
[B]Fliers/Door Hangers[/B] - This was the approach I took earlier this year in the Spring. The results were pitiful. I put out a few thousand myself before burning out physically and picked up less than a dozen clients. The return did not warrant the effort I put in, AT ALL :mad:
[B]Door-to-Door [/B]- I’ve never tried this method and haven’t really read too many experiences about it.
Part of me wants to go the EDDM route but the other part of me thinks that doing so is akin to just “throwing money” at the problem and expecting the calls to come rolling in. So WCR, what are your thoughts? How does a Window Cleaner put the word out without throwing hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in both time and money down the drain in any efforts to do so? If I risk what money I have saved up to invest in an EDDM campaign, at what point should I stop and readdress my situation? How much money should I spend until I should be honest with myself that it’s not just working out? Any feedback would greatly appreciated. Thanks.
If your message is ineffective or off (in other words, it sucks) or you are targeting the wrong base… Well then it doesn’t matter WHAT venue you use.
Lots of guys use fliers and they are effective for them. When you do ANY marketing, you HAVE to be able to repeat it. You can’t run one campaign ONE time and make up your mind that venue doesn’t work.
IF you are not good at writing copy, then I suggest you join WCRA or get marketing materials someplace else, that are proven. You can’t be a cheap ass about it either thinking some dude will write your copy for 50 bucks and all is solved. Use someone who is EXPERINCED in your service area (window cleaning).
The question you pose, is much more complicated then WHICH venue to use. Whatever you do with you marketing, BE CONSISTANT.
… Hey there in Scottsdale, Prescott here. I love eddm. My first mailing was 2500 pieces and I negelcted to even put any kind of offer on it, I just had a little paragraph about my business. It paid for itself. I moved up to 5000 pieces and usually get 20-25 new jobs out of it. Now I’m going for 10,000 pieces and looking at hiring a helper because if it returns what I think it will I won’t be able to keep up with that and my current customers.
Personally I use flyers - repeatedly throughout the year to gain exposure.
Sometimes people hang on to them and forget to call and the more regular you are they will be jogged to call. Even if they have someone already and they mess the client about you will be the back up guy to come to the rescue and take over future cleans…
Think long term regular exposure when it comes to flyering or eddm it’s not a 1 shot does all option.
But ensure your message attracts the right type of customer for you… that one is a must! No point getting lots of calls from tyre kickers and deal hunters looking for the cheapest offer, if your after high end work!
1 Totally agree with [MENTION=37601]freemind[/MENTION] Be Constant. It’s so important.
2 My basic marketing is Online presence, mailing EDDM every week to choice routes, Yard signs in completed jobs, 5 around door hangers after completed jobs, Angie’s list.
3 For you what it would do to get the engine going is find some nice area you wanna/do work. Deliver flyers week 1, week 3 door hangers, week 6-7 flyers again. Put some yard signs at the entrances of these neighbors.
Two important things, what sure the flyers and door hangers have the same design and you have a good message to your customers.
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I get my helper to knock on doors and stuff ad cards in the door. We get the best sales from people who answer the door if they’re interested I go see them. Most companies here will only do phone estimates so a smile and a handshake gives me an advantage.
I do streets that have nice houses sometimes we will do an area, pick up a customer for the next day and drop flyers again saying we just another house in your area.
One woman said when we knocked ya I have your flyer I’ve been meaning to call you.
I have never put a discount or special on. Some cards have price examples some don’t one street has about 75 houses we have canvassed it at least 6 times this season and get a job or two each time
I calculated that my helper costs about the same as the post office but gets more return and can help with jobs too
