[lisa123]

do you think it is a good time to be leafleting, with it being easter in couple weeks?
anyone leafleting or going to be this month?

[*Chris Browne]

I am not sure if theres a good time or a bad time,but just think about all that free exercise

i pushed three lealets through 3 doors yesterday on my way to deliver some stock to one of our cleaners and got a quote from one of them, good ratio or what? its being at the right place at the right time

Chris

[stains-away]

 I'm about to start my leafleting campaign next week for the carpet cleaning, I'm doing 5000 a week (well, not me personally)repeated every 8 weeks, its slightly different for the carpet cleaning though as we have to constantly attract new customers, the thing being if you get your name about enough even if your services are not needed now maybe your name will be remembered, I'm going for time limited offers with offer codes to see what works and where, either way the flyer's are better out than sitting in a box

Andy

[lisa123]

I have about 9-10K sitting in a box from feb that i haven't had time to do. So i'm thinking of Tuesday, hopefully if it isn't raining, and i might deliver to every shop/office that i can see in town on a nice warm evening soon.

The thing is, our leaflet is aimed more at the domestic market. Maybe i should print off 100 or so intro letters for the office and shops. and include a business card and leaflet, what do you think?

[paul bruce]

Chris , regarding the leaflet ratio,once I posted leaflets to  a small row of ten houses ( oven cleaning) and got 2 jobs.Coversely i have delivered 100,s and had nothing.But as Andy says get them out there as people will keep and use in the future, bit like a Chinese or pizza menu coming through the door you dont rush to the phone but usually  keep them and use in the coming weeks.
So Lisa no good or bad time.

Paul

[stains-away]

If you are aiming at shops and offices you may find that face to face contact is the best way forward, try to establish who is responsible for the budget your after and ask to meet them, if there's a lot of competition in your area you may find that they are receiving mailshots on a regular basis which will probably be thrown in the bin as a matter of course, if you are told that person is unavailable ask the receptionist/assistant if they can just scribble down that persons name and contact details, most will give it to you just to get you out of the building, I would use the flyers for targeting preferred areas for domestic work, hope this helps, Andy

P.S Leafleting in bad weather makes you appreciate the jobs more when they come in, honest

[Ged]

in my opinion leafleting is a waste of time effort and money. and yes i know some people swear by 'em but have put tree loads of professionally printed leaflets and got sweet ******. I go and meet people say on an evening or weekend for domestics, people really like to see who they are dealing with and you can give them a leaflet and go through it with them if they show any interest.


Cheers Ged

[*Chris Browne]

What ive started doing and with great success is to post the flyer's with a business card stuck on as well  (get them free at vista print..well just p&p) ...they tend to keep the card longer than the flyer...

chris




www.scsf.co.uk

[lisa123]

thats where i got my biz cards from, 250 for 13 quid odd. including p&p full colour, 4 i think. They look quite good.

I'm thinking of standing outside sainsburys or something and handing out leaflets, i wonder what king of reception i'd get from that.

any other ideas we could try?

[stains-away]

With regards the vistaprint site has anybody managed to upload their own logo and get it correctly sized?

I'm a bit technically challenged and spent two hours last night trying to get it right without any success , Andy

[lisa123]

i used one of the preset ones, the blue and lilac with the blue bucket full of cleaning kit. i got fed up trying to get my own on there and just ordered the next best one.

[*Chris Browne]

thats where i got my biz cards from, 250 for 13 quid odd. including p&p full colour, 4 i think. They look quite good.

I'm thinking of standing outside sainsburys or something and handing out leaflets, i wonder what king of reception i'd get from that.

any other ideas we could try?

try the free ones lynn, basic,  but ok for pushing through letter boxes with flyers



chris

[lisa123]

ive just ordered 250 free biz cards, its the one with all the different coloured and shaped houses along the bottom, see where i go with these, might take a while though, i chose slow for delivery, mind you i received the last ones well before the approx 14 days delivery time. about 5 days i think it took.

[stains-away]

in my opinion leafleting is a waste of time effort and money. and yes i know some people swear by 'em but have put tree loads of professionally printed leaflets and got sweet ******. I go and meet people say on an evening or weekend for domestics, people really like to see who they are dealing with and you can give them a leaflet and go through it with them if they show any interest.


Cheers Ged

Ive tried a variety of different flyers over the last few months, from full colour all singing all dancing jobs printed on 130 gsm paper down to single colour on 80 gsm and Ive found no noticeable difference in response rates,infact my best response came from 400 luckily placed leaflets that brought me in 26 enquiries which converted into 21 jobs, all from the single colour flyers with just plain text,
wouldn't it be nice to achieve those figures regularly!

On the other hand last week I put out 1700 and received 3 calls resulting in 1 job from quality leaflets, it just depends on your luck, I'd rather work this way than through local papers where theres 4 or 5 regular advertisers all competing on price,
                                                                                                               Andy

[Eric H]

I went out with my wife and we posted about three hundred leaflets , we had three replies and got two good paying jobs. I have just put a half page add in a local free mag which is out this Sat, cost £49, if I can get one decent return this will more than pay for the advert. I will keep you posted on the response.

[AJCleaningServices]

If you are consistent with leafleting then your potential customers would think of you as an established company that they can trust.
Regards,
Arthur

[Tim Downer]

Lisa, just a thought, but you may have to ask permission to give out leaflets outside a supermarket!!! Maybe i'm wrong, but may proove prodent to ask anyway. Could even leave a pile of leaflets in the staff canteen.
Staff offer......10% off first job type thing?

Tim

[Prestige1]

Lisa
Sainsbury’s would want around £250 a day to hand out leaflets about £350 a day to canvass customers. You could do it a wait till you’re moved on.
As far as leafleting goes in my opinion it works better if you advertise and market your brand in 3 to 7 different ways. the leaflet even if its picked up read and binned its planted a sublimable message in the mind of the customer then when she sees it again in the yellow pages or a ad mag you are re-enforcing your brand image then when the customer is ready for a cleaner and she sees a full page in the yell pages she will see your company and choose you above the others! That’s how its suppose to work?
Regards Phil

[Tim Downer]

Could you get away with putting the leaflets on the windscreens of the cars in the supermarket carparks???

Tim

[AJCleaningServices]

...in my opinion it works better if you advertise and market your brand in 3 to 7 different ways...

Phil,
7 different ways is a lot.  Could you specify please, just wonder if I have missed something in my advertising campaign. 
Thank you,
Regards,
Arthur

[lisa123]

sainsburys would want me to pay them for me handing out my leaflets?? is that what you mean?? thats crazy.

I had an ad in local paper for 13 weeks only got a few enquiries from it, and 1 job i think. cost a couple hundred quid.

I'm thinking of advertising in the free paper next, when i get some leaflets out next week, that way, people who ive delivered to will also see me in the paper, i already have a free linage add in yellow pages, i get calls from that quite often, but its mostly price checker type customers. or competitors 

[Prestige1]

We do as much as seven, if you time your leafleting with a newspaper add always improve my chances. These are my advertising ways
Free listing in the news paper 1 line
Monthly mag with trades in (best results by far from this)
2 livered vans
Leafleting
Google ad words
Listing on a web site for trades ( type in “cleaners in Harrogate” on google then click local cleaners you will see it.
Just pulled out of yell pages
Yell .com
Newspaper ads
It soon adds up, I have been thinking of going for an add on the back of a bus, one with a route that takes it past all the right areas. putting leaflets in supermarkets is risky I am sure I have heard of supermarkets pressing charges not sure though, If you going to do that you need put them on cars at golf clubs, Gyms, conservative clubs etc. you could ask to put your leaflet up in there offices or leisure rooms.
The reason why I know about Sainsburys I have booked them many times as well as other big stores and shopping centers, for my previous job. the Arndale centre in Manchester wanted £2500 per week to canvass there!!!!
Regards Phil

[stains-away]

As far as leafleting goes in my opinion it works better if you advertise and market your brand in 3 to 7 different ways. the leaflet even if its picked up read and binned its planted a sublimable message in the mind of the customer then when she sees it again in the yellow pages or a ad mag you are re-enforcing your brand image then when the customer is ready for a cleaner and she sees a full page in the yell pages she will see your company and choose you above the others! That’s how its suppose to work?
Regards Phil

If the customers getting regular leaflets and still reaches for the yellow pages then your message must be that subliminal that they haven't even picked up on it ,repeat, repeat, repeat, its the only wat, Andy

[keen2clean]

I have delivered leaflets to cars in sainburys car park and had no complaints even got helped out by one of the car wash guys he was bored and we started chattin footy lol.
But i could imagine supermarkets charging they charge for everything lol.
I got 20,000 leaflets delicvered today they sre beautifull to me lol, i think i may well be sad lol
wish everyone best of luk in their businesses ray

[paul bruce]

Andys experience was one in a million even the car wash chap he mentioned has to pay a fortune.
Just to confirm you are not permitted to leaflet in supermarket car parks, whether it be by hand or under car windscreens,you would be moved on,and your details from leaflets on the cars would be used to
contact you to issue a caution.
If it were allowed supermarket car parks would be awash with people leafleting.Leafleting outside schools at pick up time can work.

 Just to add, in my neck of the woods ,Newcastle, the council are also starting to prosecute companies placing advertising boards on road sides and fences advertising factory shops in industrial estates and the like.

Paul
 

[paul bruce]

Sorry i meant Ray,not Andy

[stains-away]

In my area the council have brought several prosecutions for people using A boards/pavement signs, yet their latest revenue maker is the "sponsor a roundabout scheme",could be a good way foe the local recovery truck operators to promote themselves,a nice advert about 6' high showing a bikini clad model and you should get plenty of people looking at the board instead of the traffic!   Andy

[keen2clean]

good to hear ive had one bit of luck int he last few months lol
I had a wacky advertising idea the other idea probably not a new one or even wack to you guys but be gentle, dont issue me with a battering for saying it lol.
What about doing a carpet cleaning or some cleaning demo in front of a club e.g a womens social club or something could get quite a few jobs what u guys think
thjanks ray

[*Chris Browne]

Hi ray, i think this idea as been talked about before unless i was dreaming it!(probably!!) by the way,how many jobs would you expect to get from 20,000 leaflets?

Chris




www.scsf.co.uk

[keen2clean]

hey chris erm i dont really know i put ut ten thousand leaflets about a month a go got one job one quote.
The leaflets were to colour on 80 gsm card that  ahd designed on word.
I have just ordered some new leaflets that are double sided 130gsm glossy full colour etc they look really professional so i guess il wait and see from that despatch.
when it was talked out previously were any clubs ascociations identified to aproach
thanks ray

[Prestige1]

Ray
I think the carpet demo is a good idea, you would have to be spot on with your presentation; as far as sales go you couldn’t get a better opportunity. I have done this when I worked for the AA with AA patrols attending night classes for women and there was always opportunities to sign up new members so I would say go for it. Kind regards Phil

[stains-away]

hey chris erm i dont really know i put ut ten thousand leaflets about a month a go got one job one quote.
The leaflets were to colour on 80 gsm card that ahd designed on word.
I have just ordered some new leaflets that are double sided 130gsm glossy full colour etc they look really professional so i guess il wait and see from that despatch.
when it was talked out previously were any clubs ascociations identified to aproach
thanks ray

Leafleting should return on average 0.5-1%, but has been said its swings and roundabouts,I would certainly look at changing the format if i was getting 2 calls from 10,000, over the last month I've averaged just over 2% which is better than expected,do you put any time limited offers on yours?

[keith b]

Lisa,

Heres some more ideas!

Cards in sweet shop windows.

Cards on nursury notice boards (aiming at busy working mothers)

Pay for cards in DIY stores

Cards in health clubs (aiming at busy executives/single men with time & money)

Advertising inside taxi cabs, (ie back of flip down seats or a card holder)

Direct mail to companies in your area

How about giving away freebies: key rings, pens, lighters, computer mouse mats, pension book & bus pass covers all printed with your company logo/name & address etc

[lisa123]

does the freebies thing work in the domestic sector?

We have the shrewsbury flower show coming up in a few months, it might be good to get an advertiing stall and stand their all day whilst kids (mainly) pick up all the free bearmats, pens, badges, stickers magnets etc that they can get. (i used to do it lol)

might feel a bit of a wally just standing their with an advertising board in a stand though.

[keith b]

Don`t laugh, and im not suggesting you do this personally, but i do remember a cleaning company who pitched a large umbrella with table in a town centre many years ago,

They hire two promotional girls dressed in scimpy black frilly victorian maid outfits, to hand out leaflet and freebies!
Think they were called "Molly Maids"

[Spot On cleaning]

Just another idea;

We have a car/vehicle show in my town every September where they exhibit everything from cas, lorries, buses and every sort of machine under the sun. The proceeds go to the lieukemia charity and this event has been going in excess of 25 years. The money is raised from both the exhibitors paying for their stand and the entrance fee.

I am going to get a stand and exhibit the van and truckmount setup with plenty of leaflets on the table and a big board explaining about what these machines do. Also as i hae a few hundred car sales brochures from the late 1970s i might make my entrance fee back plus a few bob on top. Hope this is useful to somebody.

Dave

[Lesley J]

Be careful about leaving leaflets on car winscreens, most people throw them away in the car park, and you could be be charged with a littering offence.

[Ian Gourlay]

Also if you are on a council Car Park you will run the risk of being fined £80.

[MrsMeredith]

Tim, as far as i know when you put a business card or leaflet on a car windscreen on any private car park, eg: council or supermarket you can be reported for doing so. A couple of years ago my boyfriend and me went and did some PR work for a local designer clothes shop and we went to Asda supermarket and just went round each row of cars in the car park and slipped the flier under each windscreen wiper,,,,a piece of cake!,,,,until the manager of the shop got a phone call from the council and Asda on the Monday ! , never the less, he still got plenty of customers that week after,,,,but think he was threatened with legal action by council and asda and told if he was found to be doing this again he would be took to court.

Tracey.

[stains-away]

One problem with leafleting carparks apart from the obvious one of disgruntled councils/shop managers is that if the carpark is in a large town/city people will be travelling in to the area, no use leafleting a carpark in London somewhere when the local conference centre is hosting the annual meeting of the Zimbabwaen ken livingston appreciation society, Andy

[the red carpet]

With the carpet cleaning demo talked about by ray and dave (spot on)
If i had a t/m or a generator i think i would do this, and prob will in the future.

I would do it at the local schools bazar and fette things they hold every so often.
As its gonna be loads of mums with small kids there, so you know most of there carpets could do with a clean to start with

theres not usually to much of any interest to the mums at these things, most are just stood about chatting while the kids are on bouncy castles and the like.

And once you get in with one, all the rest will know as they all chat outside the gates everyday as they pick up the kids so if you do a good job word will travel fast.

And they cost peanuts i know my local school charge £15.

And depending were you live and how big a area you cover there is usually loads about, im sure i could find 20 local to me no prob.


Ray your leaflet response 1 job in 10.000 was rubbish
did you pay a firm to deliver?
if you did i think most went in the bin first mate, that or they were terribly designed and i doubt they were that bad i have allways managed at least 6-7 jobs and would hope for 10-20

[Spot On cleaning]

Red

Talking of schools and publicity, every year the school holds a raffle with donated prizes, from hampers to a bottle of champaigne etc. How about printing a voucher to the value of a free sofa clean or one carpet, and make this the top prize, then contact the school. Think of the publicity when you do a good job for one of the mums and you may get multiple recommendations.

You might think it a waste of your time, but sometimes so is posting endless leaflets and getting no work from it. It's only your time you are giving up.

Dave

[stains-away]

Red

Talking of schools and publicity, every year the school holds a raffle with donated prizes, from hampers to a bottle of champaigne etc. How about printing a voucher to the value of a free sofa clean or one carpet, and make this the top prize, then contact the school. Think of the publicity when you do a good job for one of the mums and you may get multiple recommendations.

You might think it a waste of your time, but sometimes so is posting endless leaflets and getting no work from it. It's only your time you are giving up.

Dave

Dave, i did this at the village school for the last Christmas raffle, maximum value set at £100,the freebie was done in about an hour and a quarter and ive done 4 jobs since through people at the school, theres only 80 odd kids at the school, cant wait until my eldest goes to senior school , Andy

[Spot On cleaning]

Red,

There we are, straight from the horses mouth, it works. I won't do it though because theres a woman who's kids go to ths school, who my wife and i can't stand. Knowing my luck she would probably win it

The school in the rich area, that would be a better prospect.

Dave