Someone says, “Hey, boy! You can’t climb over top of that mountain over there…!!”
Well… I say now after finding this forum, “HEY… !!! STICK TO SWEEPING DRIVEWAYS DAD!!”
Anyways. I put out 300 hangers and got 0 response in 5 days… wondering what you guys thought of these next ones I’ll be hanging on saturday… probably 200 each and see if any get a response. Be honest, looking for help haha.
Theyre printed on gold cardstock with the bottom perforated so the contact info pulls off.
What’s your primary business?
And where is Parksville?
There’s no business name listed. Me reading this it says you aren’t licensed, aren’t insured and not reporting income to irs which is illegal. Most people stay away from anything that might appear seedy. Point is put your business name on there and add some color. Hope this helps.
There’s nothing on there that “pops”. No “wow” factor. Company name would be good. Just putting your name & number makes it look like your just doing for extra cash. Show them your a for real business man. Just my opinion. Hope it helps.
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That’s kind of what I was thinking too… I am insured and licensed, and here in BC (canada) you can operate a business using your own name. Not sure about the States though. I want to keep using my name but maybe it’s better to have name to leverage? For this next batch though it will be still with my name. Any ideas to make it work? Did you guys have a business name right from the get-go? Appreciate the responses.
I think the design of your flyer is not indicative of the price point you have listed.
Pro it up or cut your rates in half. Phone will ring either way.
As I have said before, it’s a proven concept that people equate your quality and value with the quality of your marketing materials. People have spent decades studying this.
Some people may not know how to place value on a service that they have never used before and your materials project the value that you offer. If it looks like it was done at home with clip art and stuff, it comes across as cheap and makes you come across as cheap as well.
Tommy
© 903.261.3806
Maybe look at the hangers that wcra has to offer. Maybe get some ideas. That may get the creative juices flowing.
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Once again, I agree, but flyers/door hangers have their place. Cash strapped startups have to work with what they’ve got and cheap flyers/door hangers provide the low barrier of entry that’s absent in most other print-based marketing efforts. Furthermore, they’re [URL=“http://windowcleaner.com/vBulletin/marketing-advertising-sales/20960-why-do-postcards-flyers-suck.html#post201732”]great for testing message projection & perception. Once a winning message is found, and after a few jobs have been snagged, one can easily upgrade to better presentation and materials. Once the message & presentation are on [URL=“http://windowcleaner.com/vBulletin/marketing-advertising-sales/20960-why-do-postcards-flyers-suck-3.html#post202029”]equal and elevated footing, it would be a good idea to still give it a test run. If the results justify the cost, that’s the time to sink a few eggs into the basket. Otherwise it turns into an [URL=“http://windowcleaner.com/vBulletin/marketing-advertising-sales/20960-why-do-postcards-flyers-suck-3.html#post202023”]expensive lesson (although, one could argue that any marketing effort still produces results, so long as one’s company is being seen regularly and across different avenues, thus increasing long-term visibility).
[MENTION=32035]GreenWindowCleaning[/MENTION]: So, keep on doing what you’re doing. Keep pumping them out and testing them. Your market is going to force you to learn what works and what doesn’t for your market, at least, more than any of us will. Keep us posted and please share your lessons with the rest of us 
Every successful startup puts a greater amount of their resources into their initial marketing efforts, regardless of the industry. It’s more than about just getting the word out. There are basic fundamentals that need to be applied. There has to be something to catch the eye. There has to be something to KEEP attention on it because there is a window of just a few seconds before its either thrown away or the reader continues on. There has to be a message that connects with the reader. It has to be visually appealing, just for starters. You have to know WHO you are speaking to, ie target market. The list goes on and on. It’s been discussed on this board in numerous threads.
I’m not just regurgitating stuff that has been posted on here probably close to a thousand times. I have a bachelors in marketing from USF, class of 2000, go bulls!!!’ Haha. Kevin d has studied marketing as well and he has successfully implemented into his window company all that he has learned.
While I understand the need to start small and cheap, sometimes it takes a bit more than some clip art and ms word. Throw something on there to show who you are and what you do. Use photoshop or one of the other similar products and throw some energy into it.
That’s just my $.02
Tommy
© 903.261.3806
Free Photoshop Alternative: GIMP
Plenty of free tutorials on YouTube and the web, which is nice, since some of us have more energy than money
I use gimp also.
Tommy
(C) 903.261.3806
If all else fails: CRAYONS!
etch-a-sketch…
Does GIMP work well??
Yep…
Tommy
© 903.261.3806
So long as you have time. It doesn’t fall under the “Easy to Use, Challenging to Master”; it’s more of a steep learning curve from start to finish, almost a vertical climb, for me anyway. There are many excellent tutorials out there, just need to invest lots of time. I’m not entirely sure, but I think the same could be said of Photoshop, as far as the cost in time is concerned. If you’re somebody who’s got the chops for visual arts, you’ll probably do alright with either programs, so don’t let my experience keep you from trying.
One thing to think of when using your own name in your business is, are you going to want to do this till the day you die? If not you might want to sell at some point, I don’t want to buy Joel Dumas Window Cleaning.
Ones name to name there biz is underrated.
When you use YOUR name you are using your image.
All these trite names like" spotless or streak free or clear view, Glassmen" ( no offense ment to those that use these. Just making a point)
Have been over used.
It’s been shown over and over that on first view, that people gravitate to companies who use thier name instead of a made up name.
Personally I’d rather go to " Anthony’s Salon" before I would go to “cost cutters” anyday
If everything is good I would buy Joel Dumas window cleaning.
It’s not the name you will be buying, it’s the biz
And for the past few weeks I have been contemplating changing my biz name to my name.
Pax
I have to agree with [MENTION=3025]pagliachi[/MENTION] on this.
When you use “Your” name people feel its more personal. (Wagner Window Service for instance)
I have tried marketing both ways, I have gotten better response using ([U]name here[/U] Window Cleaning)
in marketing to high end residential to storefronts and everything in between.
