For those of you who EDDM Through the year, do you send different postcards throughout the year, or do you feel comfortable sending the same postcards a couple of times?
One year we did the same cards multiple times to the same routes. Good return.
We have experimented with mailing different cards. I would say our biggest mistake was not having a fully unified look to our cards.
Overall, it has worked out well for us. We’ve made money on every card we ever sent. So I can’t complain too much. Some could have done better, that’s for sure.
This year we were changing some priorities, so we didn’t advertise at all. Just our website and truck wrap. Our gross still went up about 23%! (And due to many steps, Profits up ~40%!)
We are planning on getting back to EDDM in the next couple years as we restructure things.
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Awesome!!! Good for you!!!
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There are a lot of variables. If you are doing EDDM you are spending $2500 or more per mailing right?
Not sure of your marketing budget or your marketing plan, but before you do that type of spend. You may want to split test your offers to maximize results and only sending out the postcards that perform well.
Same graphics can be a good thing… Repeating the same brand over and over helps a lot. The 5th mailing will do much better than the first 2.
As far as my marketing goes. Someone told me a long time ago if you fail to plan you plan to fail. The words of proven true multiple times in multiple business ventures throughout my short time on this earth. So I create an outline and marketing plan for the entire fiscal year. Every month has a different theme pre planned before the time comes.
This month I am preparing for January’s campaign. So my sales copy, graphics, printing, and digital media campaigns all have consistent branding.
Why?
The mental buying habits of consumers have changed over the years. I think it was back in 2011 Google announced the Zero Moment of Truth
[video=youtube_share;g40rrWBx2ok]The Zero Moment of Truth - YouTube
Today it is all about Micro-Moments. But that’s a whole other conversation.
The point is. When people “Google” you to find out what others are saying… You have consistent branding all the way across the board, giving you the benefit of added trust and increased professionalism by your potentials. When you get the phone call for an estimate, they are pre-sold on you before you even show up to do the estimate.
Easy way. Don’t change it.
Hard way. Make a plan and take action.
Thanks for the advice. I think I’m hearing you and appreciate the- at least what seems to me to be- the complete and professional approach you are sharing. I haven’t even had an opportunity to hope to become that established yet, and it seems a far off paradigm, but thats why I appreciate this forum so much: I am gaining so much perspective.
That said…
No, I dont have $12,500 to spend on EDDM. And it doesnt sound to me like you’re only recommending 5 mailers, though, and you havent specified over what time frame one might send them. So should EDDM be out of the question for someone like me?
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If you don’t have the budget for EDDM don’t worry about it. Door hangers and fliers are just as good, sometimes better in my opinion.
You can pay someone to even put them out, but I recommend just going out and doing them on days you don’t have work booked. Hitting the pavement and getting fliers/door hangers out isn’t that much fun, but it’s affordable. You can spend $100 or less on a couple thousand fliers and get them out yourself for a fraction of the EDDM cost.
Mike
Pro Window Cleaning
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This was my experience.
My first full year I wanted to go with EDDM. I budgeted about 6k, that was for 5 mailings of 5000 each. I did four different cards to pretty much the same routes.
The interesting thing is that some routes responded great but several didn’t respond at all. All in all it was worth it, but there is a lot of risk if you are a small company (like me) that you may blow your whole advertising budget and pick bad routes and end up wit nothing to show for it.
If you are going to go EDDM the consensus is you have to commit to at least four mailings.
But the simple truth is that people respond to different things. Case in point. I booked a big job for Monday, almost $1300 for residential windows. This will be my biggest residential window ticket to date. And she didn’t respond to the five cards I mailed her but to the $15 yard sign on the corner.
So you have to make sure you are covering all the avenues. If you go small ball with EDDM say 1000 cards to 2 different routes 3x a year, you could miss the mark completely and not get a real picture of what EDDM can produce.
If I had my 6k to start again I would have put 2500 into a website, 1500 into fliers, 300 into good company shirts, 1500 into truck and trailer lettering and then the rest into yard signs/5 around cards.
I think I would have ended up with the same or better returns and had a really good web presence, as it stands I am playing catch up on that.
Then after I had a clearer picture of who my customer is and what areas are productive I would start EDDM with targeting those routes at peak times of the year.
I will do EDDM again for sure, but not like my first try. For next season it will be more of a peak time/specific customer approach than a shotgun blast.
It all depends on who you are targeting, for me after a few years in business it appears that my ideal customer may be changing.
How this helps.
Joe
Joe
I would recommend as an ongoing strategy. I would not even dabble with EDDM until I have put out enough fliers to know what message works.
Honestly, there are too many Guerilla Marketing strategies that work for the Window Cleaning industry for you to focus on EDDM just quite yet.
There are flier distribution companies out there… Probably going to be way more cost effective than having to commit to the quantity you may not need.
Also, you can laser target and set up a route for specific neighborhoods. This way, you know you consistently get your message delivered to qualified prospects and not 1200 unit apartment complexes. Just a thought.
[MENTION=27673]ProWindowCleaning[/MENTION] makes some valid points. I think you should listen.
[MENTION=10995]bubbad2u[/MENTION] Makes some even more valid points. In another thread I shared with the forum how to get internet customers with about $50 even if you have no website or coding experience. Might wanna find that one… it’s got some golden info in it.
Also. Dude. I am rolling up in a 2003 Xterra with nothing but my website on the back. But… My cards… My marketing… my WHOLE brand… except the vehicle. Are Pro as F__k.
The other day I sold 8 double hungs, 2 Sliding Doors (Normal Size) and screens on all for $200 in and out. She want’s me back quarterly. whaaaaaaaat…
It was a lead I got from the strategy I mentioned in the other post. Really. Now that you know how to clean windows. Let’s get you looking pretty.
I wrote a book a few years ago on How to Get to Number One on Google Local (My Business)
Actually… It was how to make $699 per day selling the service, and then how to do get the results for the client. Anyway. The technical stuff I figured out over years of trial and error still work today. I’ll see if i can dig it out of one of my back ups. If I can find it… I will send it to you.
I guess thats what I needed to hear. Thanks.
[Quoye=Louie the Window Guy; 360788]
[MENTION=27673]ProWindowCleaning[/MENTION] makes some valid points. I think you should listen.
[MENTION=10995]bubbad2u[/MENTION] Makes some even more valid points. In another thread I shared with the forum how to get internet customers with about $50 even if you have no website or coding experience. Might wanna find that one… it’s got some golden info in it. [/quote]
I found it last night while holding the watch at the station and already checked out the company. Im still a little hazy on your strategy and where to use/post the lead pages, but I’ll try to do more research first.
And I’ve taken everyone’s input and, again, cant thank you guys enough… thanks. I mean it, sincerely.
[QUOTE= Louie the Window Guy; 360788] I’ll see if i can dig it out of one of my back ups. If I can find it… I will send it to you.[/QUOTE]
I’d very much appreciate it.
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Do you have a domain?
Also known as URL. (i.e. Windowcleaningresource.com, windowcleaning.com, iqmarketing.net, etc.)
BTW. [MENTION=40544]WindowRescue[/MENTION]
You have a cool logo. I can only assume you have worked in the Fire and Rescue Field. Tell me…
Is it true what they say about badge bunnies?
windowrescue.biz
BTW… I will be in Grand Prairie at Xmas if you wanna grab a cup of Joe or something and talk shop.
I am sure you will be busy with your own stuff. But if something frees up. Let me know.
Its just a crummy wix site I put up quick and copied from other people, to be honest. I’m working on a wordpress site right now, but my learning curve is kinda steep. I’ll hopefully be done within a couple of weeks with it.
DUDE. I was hoping you were going to go with WP. It is EXTREMELY search engine friendly. Also easy to maintain because you don’t need a pro. You can do it all yourself.
I do have a few professional themes you can use. WP is pretty hardcore if you are not familiar. If you need help. Let me know. I have a lot going on at the moment, but websites I can throw up fast.
3 years now we have been consistent with our EDDM mailings.
one year we tried a different postcard each month. Switching up what ever service made the most sense for clients and us.
The other two we have stuck to the same card and just changed the coupon.
Can’t say it’s the only way, but for us we’ll be sticking to one card. If I want to test a different card I would send it to a totally new area.
Re: Badge Bunnies-
Couldn’t tell ya man- I’m happily married. 
But I’ve heard stories 
Dude, I’d love that. You’ll be around the corner.
Thanks man. I’m gonna figure out as much as I can, so I can continue to edit it, but I’m defiantly going to keep your offer in mind !
Cool my man… If you have questions or whatever just let me know.
I just tried my first EDDM campaign at the beginning of October. So far it sucks a big one. 0% return to date. I used the Fed ex EDDM site. They had a big discount at the time. Used their templates. Looked good, went out the first week of October and I haven’t heard abutting yet. I will not do another EDDM until I have a proven, effective, message on a good target area. I feel like I wasted a lot of money on that. Pretty disappointing.
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I am really sad to hear you didn’t get single little bit of ROI.
That is really confusing. Every single marketing campaign I have ever done… I at least get my money back if its a complete failure.
Just saying.
Not really, weather and timing play a factor in response.
He may get response once the weather weather breaks and after the holiday.
EDDM you cant just expect immediate results it a long hall game…
