Spending way too much time on the couch here so, I decided to try something I thought about a while ago.
My idea was to market to all my past customers, but in a way they would remember. I found a list of obscure holidays and went to work creating a “holiday” flyer.
Come Tuesday, my old clients will be wished a “safe and happy National Battery Day”.
I figured it would be a great holiday for two reasons, first, its obscure, second it fits with home improvement (I reminded everyone to change their SD batteries).
I let you know how it works out. Whats been your best marketing plan?
Family…..They’re always there when they need you.
Replies
Cleaning the house before I leave
http://www.cliffordrenovations.com
http://www.ramdass.org
Thats great but it also assumes you got the job. I see what you're saying and we do the same but right now its quite hard to clean form the outside.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
yeh...I know..sorry...I thought that as I hit "post".
So far for me stuffing mailboxes works the best but you're not allowed to put anything IN them (I was fined $350 but it was worth it) so I attach them to the outside and use heavy grade colored (light blue) paper. A little too hard to simply crumble up and heavy enouh to look classy. I printed my own and targeted hoods I thought were good to go and close to me. USed a color phot that was an eye catcher and immediate info that was also thought provoking and informative.
Keep it simple but something to catch the eye and something that'll be remembered.
http://www.cliffordrenovations.com
http://www.ramdass.org
I put out 3500 flyers last spring/summer. I got 2 calls. One my plumber did, and one was for $200 worth of work.
I mailed these "cards" to previous clients.
As far as being eye catching, you ever get a "National Battery Day" card?
That was the whole point of this. I figure these people know what kind of work we do but maybe we've been out of site too long. Plus I gotta think at least one of my clients will mention their NBD card to a friend.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
The clients are seeing your marketing efforts Mark...but they don't have any money to spend!
As evidence to what you say, I have 5 clients right now with gun in hand yet unwilling to pull the trigger.
To everyone else, I do have a website (though probably not the best) and here is what the flyer says:
MSA Home Improvements
wishes you and your family
a safe and happy
National Battery
Day
February 18th
Dont forget to change the batteries in your smoke detectors
MSA is currently booking our spring and summer calendar.
Now is a great time to give us a call.
Did you get ice dams this year? Give us a call for drywall repair
Time for a new kitchen or bathroom? Check out our new website.
http://www.msa.detmich.com
Let MSA make your home even better in 2009
Give us a call today!
number
e-mail
I'm looking to put my name back on top on mind here.
I think NBD will help with its obscurity.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
looks great but...how many home owners know what ice daming is?
http://www.cliffordrenovations.com
http://www.ramdass.org
The one that called last Saturday freaking out did. In Michigan most people I know are aware of what they are.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
Ok...location explains that pretty well....round here they'd think i was talking about the harbor freezing over
http://www.cliffordrenovations.com
http://www.ramdass.org
How are things going in Texas?
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
I feel very fortunate to be in Central Texas where housing is still selling. Prices have remained fairly stable and there is a lot of ongoing construction.
The big national builders have slowed down a bit and the trades are scavanging a bit, just like they were in MI about five years ago...and we both know where it went from that point. So, I'm taking a dim view of construction opportunities in the near future. There will be more price cutting as the desparate get more desparate.
I'm still doing okay with the SM leads. Half are junk and half of the remaining half are worthwhile but I can't close all of them because I'm pricing things fair...to me!
Help is hard to get. Anyone decent is running their own show but even they will work hourly for fairly low wages. I can get fully tooled carpenters for $13 or $14 but they are not dependable because they're only available for that when they are dead in the water.
I'm just biding my time and I'm hoping to be wearing an ice cream cone costume full time very soon and waving a sign at the side of the road. I'll gladly do that for $12 an hour and try to make construction seem like a bad dream.
I'd be happy to hang up the hammer too if I could keep developing the RE inventory. The problem with that is obvious though. I'm sitting on deals right now and I cant find a penny to get them going.
I've been looking into commercial RE lately and find myself drenched in drool from some of the deals i've seen. not all are good but some of them are great.
You wouldn't happen to know anyone up here wanting to partner up would you?
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
I probably do know some people that are interested in a deal or two. It depends on what it is.
Mainly, it depends on the return and the safty of the return.
I got one good one on my desk right now. And a few others that would be worth a look. multi-unit light industrials mainly.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
There must be 50% vacancy in light industrial right now.
You think its that good? Cant think of a better time to buy, than when no one else wants it.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
I can think of a better time to buy...after the free fall ends! You ain't there yet...sorry.
The lack of tenants certainly would put a chill into any prospectus too.
Well, if I dont find a partner, it wont matter anyway. I gotta get liquid.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
I don't see how buying vacant industrial buildings, with no possibility of getting tenants, will help you get liquid. Once you buy them, you are stuck with them and you won't have tenants to help with the mortgage.
Now...maybe if you can find a tenant first.....then, we have something to talk about...
I'm not looking at empty buildings. I agree that would be stupid. I'm just looking, trying to get me feet wet. I've seen buildings that were full and i've seen some I wouldnt accept as a gift.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
Oh, to update the basis of this thread. I've gotten two calls from my marketing initiative, both small jobs but at least i've paid for the letters.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
Almost forgot. I know I told you I sold the place in Onaway, but we've got one more one the market in Ferndale right now. Its been up for a month and I dont think we've had one showing yet.
My RE guy says no one can get mortgages now. Its killing me. Rates drop and no one will lend.
Inflation is coming. These banks arent going to loosen up with the money until the price of it (money) goes back up.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
Most unique for me happened yesterday.
Driving by a good customers house and saw about 30 turkeys crossing his field.Called him up and left a message on the ans. machine.
He called me back and told me about seeing as many as 80 at a time finally got around to how business was going to which I said great and he goes well block me off some time this summer as we have to replace the last of the masonite siding.
Cool, I have been really blessed by my past customers this year more than any past years.It just seems like I run into one a week and they all put me to work or line me up with one of their friends.
I will say in my opionion that sticking with this business and relating to my customers on several levels is really starting to pay off especially when times are so tough for lots of my fellow craftsman.
ANDYSZ2 WHY DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT BEING A SOLE PROPRIETOR IS A REAL JOB?
REMODELER/PUNCHOUT SPECIALIST
I'm sure i'll be here for a while I was just saying that if I could invest full time, i'd love it. Even if that happened i'd still keep the shop open as I enjoy construction too.
I just hate having to wonder how i'm making my house payment.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
I also sent out fliers but you're missing my point.
The fliers I sent out got me zilch too!! cost a small fortune as well.
One little improvement to a bad marketing plan can make al lthe difference in the world.
My thought after having jumbo sized 4 color postcards mailed out and doing zilch was that no matter how nice it was stillgetting mixed in with all the other junk mail so no matter how nice it got tossed.
By affixing my heavy stock paper fliers to the sides of mailboxes they almost always were at least looked at fairly carefully b/c I did get calls and thats what I was told.
On the backs...at the time (Spring) I had in large letters "STILL OFFERING WINTER RATES". And like I said in the previous post I used heavy strock paper....just short of oaktag/cardboard thick and a real pleasant color. They were just a hair too thick to easily crumple up.
I dunno...it worked by doing it that way for me. Coulda just gotten lucky but I'll do it again when and if I get slow. Oh yeh...and using a target audience helped as well.
Also while I personally delievered them to each mailbox post I did casually speak to passer-bys which I think helped.
IIRC one of the sets of fliers I passed out had as the heading "Your Local Village Craftsman" and when things got real bad in the beginning just b/4 I did this I put together an inexpensive web site using Go Daddy that I called http://WWW.Punchlistplus.net
edit:Oh geezzz...I thought that expired...lol
That sucked though...lol.
http://www.cliffordrenovations.com
http://www.ramdass.org
Edited 2/15/2009 9:22 pm ET by andybuildz
Mostly it's not how many you send out... it's what you say on it.What do your flyers actually SAY?
It's also not JUST what they say but also how they're presented. Unfortunatly people do judge books by their covers.
Just getting people to glance at it is 3/4 of the job then there better be something there instantly to make them actually start to read it
http://www.cliffordrenovations.com
http://www.ramdass.org
Exactly.I see so many of these flyers where they spent the money/effort on reproducing them and getting them distributed... but very little time/energy/money on the design part.There are rules to follow for good advertising. Most of it flows from a deep understanding of what your point of difference is from your competition and if that point of difference is relevant to the audience you are trying to communicate with.
"STILL OFFERING WINTER RATES"
that makes me wonder why we so often, as residential contractors, cater to the mindset of cheapness. Always advertising low rates or other such pitches. When will better quality matter? We often complain about the price shoppers but yet we contribute to the problem by structuring our ads in that way.
I am very glad that i do not do residential work much anymore.... although the price shoppers still exist in this market too.... it is just not as bad for a number of reasons.
<!----><!----><!---->
I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
Edited 2/24/2009 12:51 am ET by PeteDraganic
that makes me wonder why we so often, as residential contractors, cater to the mindset of cheapness.
Notice no where do I see cheap prices or I will beat anyones price (which I see a lot)....it's all relative. Compared to some my winter rates are more then some peoples busy rates.
I think most people like to think they're getting some kind of bargin which doesn't mean they want a lesser quality product. Most people want to think they're getting it all so to me...give the people what they want. Don't cut off your shnoz to spite your face. It's all a game.
http://www.cliffordrenovations.com
http://www.ramdass.org
Got news for you... you are not allowed to put anything on the outside of the mailbox either... same law and fines apply.
You can put the flyewr on the post of the box or on the house or door, just not on or in the box.
<!----><!----><!---->
I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
You can put the flyewr on the post of the box
Youre right...not that they'd fine you for attaching it to the box but why chance it when you can tape something to the post.
Personally I think that law is idiotic being a mailbox isn't the property of the US post office. I know I don't mind when someone puts something in my mailbox other then the mailman...unless its a bag of........
http://www.cliffordrenovations.com
http://www.ramdass.org
When I first moved into this area I got a bunch of new business cards, put them in sized manila envelopes, and spent an evening hand-writing, "Have you considered a renovation?" on each envelope. Then spent one nice spring day going around and dropping them off at houses that looked like they had some green to spend. I did about 400, if I remember correctly.
It worked almost too well. I still hear about those things once in a while, the backlog of calls lasted more than a year, mixed in with other stuff, and I'm doing 2nd and 3rd projects this coming season for some of those customers.
Looking back, I don't know what made the big difference, but it worked when it needed to.
On a related note, quite a few people who responded to those cards were impressed that I had a website and sometimes people who see my truck note that too. However, I've never yet met anyone who's actually BEEN TO the website, much less contacted me after seeing it. It's actually pretty poor and has been under renovation for quite a while - not really any useful info there. Somehow just having one and printing the address on stuff makes a difference in my little market area. Who knows how that works.
j
LOL
MY best marketing plan is doing exactly what you are tired of doing...
Laying on the couch and doing nothing. Actually when I tire of that I go canoeing.
Been my plan for 40 years , stuck with it through thick and thin, always works, just about time money is ready to run out and somebody calls me wanting my skills.
"Don't Fix what Ain't Broke"
Have I said I hate working for a living?
Thats worked in the past but right now i'm about 1500 short of my house payment for March so, I think I need to try a little harder.
For some reason i'm not too worried. I know i'll have somethings going soon but sugarmomma only works part time so I gotta make this house payment.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
I do understand ..
One thing I do know is that the times I seriously panicked and hustled for a job while I made the dollars necessary I also ended up with it always being the job from hell! I work real hard at just relaxing and telling myself it all works out , not to panic, more money earned just means more money spent.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
MSA1 I don't know of anything I could do today-- that would generate a sale in time to make a March house payment for me it has to be part of an on-going process, all the time a lot of stuff i do--- is borderline O.C. D. because I want each customer to refer me to OTHER customers I want each customer to see ME setting up equipment on the job before any employees or subs arrive. I want customers to see ME on the job sweeping the driveway AFTER every body has left for the day I want them to see ME walking around the house checking the shrubs, the spouting , the work I am pretty fanatical about HANDWRITING thankyou notes and sending them out for just about every job, every referall and so on------------ example happened yesterday--- I did a roof 6-7 years ago for a customer-- the NEIGHBOR of that customer has given my name out now for years-- he called saturday to tell me he had referred me to yet another customer---sunday morning there was a handwritten thank you note in the mail to him thanking him for the referall lot's and lots of little things----- NO EQUIPMENT left on the customers property overnight--no ladders, no tarps, no scaffolding and especially no dump trucks, dump trailers, no debris etc. lot's and lot's of little things------and eventually the DOVETAIL method always works- the phone always rings again--- maybe not when you want it to- but then one day you come home and there are 3 calls on your machine accepting proposals you wrote long agoVery best wishes to you-- spring WILL come again,
stephen BTW--- one thing we are going to try differently this year is----- each month I am going to send out hand written notes to previous customers-- for example in March 2009-- the March customers from '08,07,06 will recieve a handwritten note reminding them that it has been some time since we completed their roof--- and that we are going to stop by for a few minutes at some time in MARCH to check out everything is still as it should be--and reminding them to let us know if they have any particular areas of concern.---- almost certainley this will generate additional referallsBest wishes,
stephen
Those little things you do - along with the quality of your work - is precisely your point of difference to the other contractors.And I will tell you as a HO... those little things are a huge difference maker.If I see you respecting my house like I would (or better), it speaks volumes to how I evaluate your work as I can't tell if you framed this precisely right or ran that electrical perfectly but I would THINK you had given the level of care and attention you obviously put into your work. I can judge the final completed work by how pretty/functional it is... and I would probably judge the work to be of the highest quality possible because of the way you approached the job.And handwritten notes are huge.... my older brother is a high-end comm/res security system contractor - does multimillion dollar houses - and key to his marketing plan has been hand written notes and yearly christmas cards/gifts to all of his customers - present and past.I think many breaktimers would do well to follow this example.BTW, in your marketing materials do you talk about your point of difference? That you are hands on, are meticulously clean, treat your house like it's my own, etc.?you should...
Like everyone has said here fliers give mixed results.
I made the mistake a few years ago of having 5000 put out in one neighborhood all in one day. I got over 80 calls over the next 2 days and over 120 by the end of the week.
I wasn't ready for that response. Heck just 3 of those calls kept me busy for 6 months. I ticked off quite a few people by not being able to get to them.
But that said over the last 3 years I've had fliers put out 3&400 at a time in test areas to see the response and have had almost none.
I did however change from fliers to door hangers for the convenience. I'm just not sure if the hangers are an issue. I hope not cause there easier to put out.
Here's a source for them they cost about $50 bucks for 1000. You can print them yourself.
http://www.blanksandbags.com/?gclid=CJzLqeqBi5cCFQhJagodaAMq-w
I too have had mixed results with flyers. I put 1000 in one area and got a 50k job. I out out 3500 last summer in another area and got two calls, one for my plumber and on $100 job for me.
These were mailers sent to past clients meant as a gentle nudge letting them know i'm still here.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
I've pondered an opinion that since 911 people arn't as receptive to unsolicited door fliers any more. Thinking a little less trusting and a bit more fearfull.
I try to stay with my choir and hope they bring new members to church.
I just need to figure out how to run the equivalent pie sale. Get them in with their stomachs and then feast off their wallets.
My suggested Marketing Plan:
This is based upon noticing that about 50% of the houses I see after a for sale sign has been posted and just before the moving truck comes to move the new family in, have a construction crew making modifications first.
I'm noticing this is rather significant in these times. That the new people have beaten up the old ones enuff in price to get something remodeled in the house they're buying.
Now this is a team approach. You as construction guy, someone else as barber, a third as stockbroker, a fourth as dentist, a fifth as beauty salon, etc. Each of these occupations need new customers on a regular basis cause the others either die or move away.
Betwixt you guys (and gurls), you either buy or complile your own, a list of homes that have just recently closed in the area which you wish to do work. Public information that's available at the courthouse. Or if'n you want to pay someone, there are many services that do the same.
When I was stockbreakin', I subscribed to a service that weekly would send me all of the closing transactions of homes in several certain zip codes I was targeting. Some weeks I got one. Other weeks, I got 20. The service felt guilty when they only would send me one, so sometimes, they'd toss in a few more in a nearby zip code, or in my case, since I was targeting transactions above $700 grand, they'd throw in a few from $650 thru 699.
What this would do, is create a managable level of prospects. A few every week. So's a new introductory letter to these newcomers would go out to a handful each week. Nothing so much that would overwhelm me so I would not be able to follow up. 5 this week. 10 the next. 2 the following. Like clockwork. New leads coming in every week.
I'd target this group because they were more likely to be looking for a service that I was providing. Along with the other service providers that I would share my list with - thus cutting my cost dramatically.
Then, the ongoing, constant "dripping" on the client would take the form of a regular mailing (or some form of contact) to all of these prospects of this service or that service.
Funny, this stream of prospects never ends. But instead of marketing to people that you've already stripped down and cannot afford anything more, you got fresh people repopulating your list of prospects.
And all of these prospects do not have a relationship already with another similar local provider. They need you.
Thanks
Very interesting idea.
I've always hoped the client base that I keep in contact with will bear more fruit and thus an ever growing base. But lately I'm beginning to wonder if I even have a base. Maybe I just finally emptied their wallets.
Time to think as I did in the beginning about 25 years ago...I got nobody and nobody knows me so what can I do to get known.
Your idea has possibilities. Our neighborhood has a high average age and homes are always showing up with estate sales suddenly. Maybe I should plan a few welcome mailers when they get sold.
Or buddy with the agent whom has the listing...
Aready got with a couple realitors I know. They think there won't be a problem here in Tulsa. I told them thatto please keep my number and call about anything when the SHTF, I'll be around.
Good.
The marketing people back then kept on us about building the "Network." And finding ways to "systematize" or automate the marketing component of our business.
Having done all sorts to build the business, I found that going door to door leaving flyers is practically worthless. Just creates garbage for the "customer" to clean up. Doesn't leave a good taste with him.
One wants to develop a rep of being honest, dependable, and trustworthy. Gotta do things compatible with that perception.
Blasting Out a marketing compaign by sending thousands of communications out at once, - just as you so nicely pointed out - puts you in a position of creating bad feelings when you don't or can't follow up as you indicated. One must do this function in a manageable process.
Also, I recall the marketing people telling us to keep our prospects in prospective. We'd focus the majority of our marketing efforts on those prospects that are able to need the type of service we would rather provide. Meaning potentially, the most profitable and easiest. We would break up these prospects into A's, B's and C's. The A's being the elephants that would bring windfalls. The B's being decent money makers over a long time. The C's were where we'd have to go after the others dried up.
The A's were to be "dripped on" once a week. The B's monthly. The C's, about every quarter. "Dripped on" means some form of communication to keep you in the mind of the prospect. A phone call, a mailing, an email. Something that is to the point, short, and unintrusive.
My dentist got me by this "new to the area" list. His office had a regular mailing they did. The first to welcome us to the 'hood. The next, about a month later, to brag about their skills. Another, another month later. This went on for about a year. Then, a letter saying they appreciated me reading their material and asking me to call them if needed and they'd stop sending all the junkmail. That one got me to call them.
So create a introductory letter about your business. Send it to these new people. Another a month later with a pic of something you did in their 'hood. Another another month later.
Keep your list clean. Buy sharing it with these other non-competitive businesses, their feedback will help you update and refine your list. If the people on your list hired another crew, lose their name. Share the responsibilities of keeping the list clean with these others.
This really can become the responsibility of another in your family or business.
But keep your face in front.
"'My dentist got me by this "new to the area" list. His office had a regular mailing they did. The first to welcome us to the 'hood. The next, about a month later, to brag about their skills. Another, another month later. This went on for about a year. Then, a letter saying they appreciated me reading their material and asking me to call them if needed and they'd stop sending all the junkmail. That one got me to call them."" My old dentist retired, sold his practice to a new to town one so I now had a "New" dentist. The "New" one started doing exactly what you described.
After 1 year I quit seeing him. His #### in the mail pizzed me off so bad I went out and found one who treated patients as patients, not as prospective cash cows.
On my last visit his office help insisted they "HAD" to take my picture for their "clients of the week" glossy mailings.
I turned around , showed them the back of my head and said in a loud voice "Get a good picture of me leaving because this is the last time you will ever see me".
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Well, it doesn't sound as if this is exactly the same.
I'm referring to prospecting for new clients.
What you describe, is prospecting old clients. I, too would be pizzed as you describe. I fail to see what the advantage is to the dentist's office by continuing to mail old clients the same as how they do potential new ones.
But then, it depends on what you got to sell. Some products and services are best sold to existing customers. Other products/services need fresh faces to sell to.
I have found that there are some extremely important and simple guidelines to effective advertising.
short and simple are top on that list.
A potential customer should be able to get the jist at a glance.
The most common mistake is to make an advertisement too wordy or busy.
I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
I agree. This was probably my most wordiest flyer, and that was because it was also a National Battery Day card. The rest of the message was short and to the point.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
Middle aged guys, young hookers, and video. Works every time,
"Don't you think your wife deserves a new kitchen?"
Hey, it's hard times.
So, you're suggesting I plant #### in the guys car then blackmail him into getting his wife a new kitchen?
I like it, great idea!
Family.....They're always there when they need you.