I may have mentioned this idea already in another post, but I couldn’t find it for an update.
Here’s what I did. Since this year was better than most I wanted to do more than just the usual fall news letter thank-you. And since work seemed to be slowing down the end of October I needed a way to keep the jobs coming .
So I sent the fall news letter telling everyone that got the letter they will be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift certificate at Carino’s Restaurant. No strings just my way of saying thank-you. I figured during this hectic holiday hussel a free dinner would be appreciated.
But, the only catch I told them was if they should brag about my work to a friend, as they usually do, and that friend calls me for a consultation about their project before Dec. 7th I’d put their name and their referral in another drawing for a chance at another $50 gift certificate.
Well it worked out great. Two clients referred me to friends. I have a $5000 plus bid pending and I just finished $1600 worth of cabinet work for the other referred and new client.
One drawing pot had 1:30 odds the other pot had 1:4 odds. Turns out a great hit.
When I send out my Christmas cards I’ll note the winners. When I send out my winter news letter I’m going let my clients know I’ll be doing this again next year.
Replies
That is a fantactic idea. I'd go one step farther and send a gift certificate to everyone that I heard recommended me ... might drop it to $40 instead of the "winning" $50.
That way, the "losers" win, and you already know they're willing to actively pass your number out. Either way you work it, great job. I'd also be inclined to include those "odds" in the news letter that laid out the winners. very winable ... should up the anty on the next go round. You realize you are locked into this now! Vic
Oh ya, I know I'm locked in. But it helps create community with my clients. I'm thinking about a mid year drawing, say around the 4th of July.
We did a "buy you lunch" program. We gave away $10 gift certificates for referals. Bigger the job or the better the referal the more they got in $10 increments.
But one thing we did we went to a popular local place and asked if we bought $300 at a time could we get a discount? He knocked off 20% so that is how we bought them. DanT
Carinos gave me a bottle of their oil with a small bag of pine nuts with each $50 certificate as well as a $10 Corino's coupons. So the $100 cost me $80, cool!
The most powerful word in Marketing is free..
However it is also the most abused word. You need a twist to make it effective.. by selecting past customers that you know are capable of buying your services you have found an effective twist..
Another words?
Ya dun good boy!