[myvanwi]

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What method has everyone found to be the best when marketing a domestic cleaningy business? We have spent a fortune on advertising in local newspapers and most of the time it has been a waste of money. We had 10000 leaflets printed and delivered 5000 ourselves - again hardly any response. We paid a company to deliver the other 5000 and I'm pretty sure they were not delivered. We have put postcards up in all newsagents, supermarkets we can find. There doesn't seem to be any one effective way to grow the business. We are in yellow pages, BT business pages, in all the local magazine type directories that are delivered to thousands of homes. I know word of mouth is the best and we do get these but we need alot more work. Any Ideas?

[CLEAN-MASTER]

One way to get 'word of mouth' business is networking, I'm a member of BNI and it works for me.
The only other marketing method that works is leaflet drops but you need to do it on a large scale e.g 5000/week, every week!
Robin.

[paul macca]

The bad response from leaflets could be down to the quality, maybe they need revamping.Do they state land line number and not just mobile ? Do they have your full contact adress on ?People are very cautious about who they let into their homes so need to know as much about you as possible. 
I mention this only because I made these mistakes myself with my first leaflets and adverts.


 Paul

[chosker]

You can get a lot of free advertising with some things - usually only one liners but every little helps - yell, Thomson and most online directories have a free listing option.

We find leaflets work well but response rate you would not see much of a difference with just 5000 leaflets. We find responses vary but sometimes response can be as low as 1 every 1-2000 so you may only get 2 or 3 enquiries from 5000 leaflets.

I find newspapers bring in occasional clients - we wait for the special offers and then beat the sales rep down to the lowest prices possible, got 1/4 page in one local paper once for under £50 which got us a few through

Word of mouth all very well but you need the mouths in the first place to pass word on! We give referral vouchers to all our existing clients everytime we have any correspondance with them they get a voucher. they just send it in if they want to recommend anyone and we give them money back towards their cleaning as a thank you

[*Chris Browne]

The easiest is to get yourself a website and get it optimised for search engines, also to get yourself on as many "free" directories as possible.

Chris

[chosker]

definately agree with Chris there!

[myvanwi]

Thankyou for the replies. We deliver good quality postcard type leaftets with full contact details on. We probably need to deliver alot more leaflets. We have used all the free directories. You are right you do need the mouths in the first place to get word of mouth referals. We give marks and spencers vouchers to any clients that refer new clients to us. We seem to be doing all the right things just have to hang in there. We do want to have a website soon but I am not sure how much more business we would get. Could anyone who has just got a website let me know the difference between before and after re. new business.

[Ian Gourlay]

Have you tried to get a stand in your local shopping mall.

Outside a Suppermarket

Car Shows

Country Shows etc

Look at the way Window Companies promote their products.

You are not in the Cleaning Industry thats just the end product.

What you are in is Direct Marketing

[myvanwi]

We have tried to promote our business outside supermarkets and inside shopping malls but had to resort to giving leaflets out when security not looking as they would not give their permission. I think you made a good point when you said to look how window companies promote themselves though.

[Ian Gourlay]

What I ment was get a Canopy like Sky TV

Get some Hunks to do the talk

Sign The Customers up

You would have to pay


But it might cost less  in small local shopping areas  in up market suburbs


You may get permision to pitch in car park like window chip companies etc

[Art]

Ian, is this something that you've tried?

Arthur

[Ian Gourlay]

Yep

Its not easy unless you are a natural

Thats why you need these people who are attractive an full of themselves

But yes did get leads aND JOBS

best to have competion , specials things to attract the kids etc to break ice

Cloulorful stand

[Londoner]

Leaflets do work, and if you deliver enough they have to work but you must be prepared to slog it out week after week. We deliver to some roads every six months and still pick up new business. Just keep at it. Buying leaflets in bulk and shopping around for the best prices can save you lots.
Ask on the carpet cleaning forum for advice on where to get good deals on leaflets. Many of them are very clued up on leaflets