yp / leaflets

« **on:** January 23, 2007, 09:22:46 pm »

does anyone just use leaflets and local rag instead of yp? Its coming up for renewal time for yp and im thinking of doing 5000 leaflets a week every week and staying out of yp. It was my first time with yp last year and it was ok but im thinking of just doing leaflets instead..anyone else do this?
thanks
ollie

« **Reply #1 on:** January 23, 2007, 10:15:24 pm »

Ollie
I do between 10 and 20,000 every month and it is my main income.
You can do a free ad in yellow pages and the bt directory ( only a single line) and you can go on yell .com free.
I have gone down the leaflet route for the past 3 years and it does ok for me.

« **Reply #2 on:** January 23, 2007, 10:40:04 pm »

Paul, do you use royal mail ? is it the pink flyer?

Craig

« **Reply #3 on:** January 23, 2007, 11:13:33 pm »

Yesits the pink A4 doule sided flyer.Dont use Roal mail as they are too expensive and can be hit and miss. Use a local company,they charge £16 per thou plus vat.
Get a bout 10 - 15 calls per tou leaflets.

« **Reply #4 on:** January 23, 2007, 11:49:15 pm »

Thanks paul,
I was thinking of maybe going for a much smaller yp ad perhaps. Im paying them 300 per month at the moment and 20000 leaflets only cost 189! I normally get 3-5 jobs per thousand so Im going to aim for 4- 5 thousand per week (ive been really lazy with my leaflets for the past 6 months.)
ollie

« **Reply #5 on:** January 23, 2007, 11:52:32 pm »

Now 16.00 per tonne plus vat is cheap.

Considering it takes on average a working day to deliver a tonne, I've always wondered how they could make money and charge this rate. Best of luck to you if you're getting 10 - 15 calls per tonne.

will

« **Reply #6 on:** January 24, 2007, 12:25:34 am »

they usually make money cos they buddle the leaflets with others so that they deliver 5 or six at once

« **Reply #7 on:** January 24, 2007, 12:57:23 am »

So solus plus 5 or 6 and 10-15 calls per tonne. Now that is impressive

will

« **Reply #8 on:** January 24, 2007, 02:16:35 am »

so u saying when u do 5000 leaflets aweek u get 50-75 jobs aweek ? or hav i misread it

« **Reply #9 on:** January 24, 2007, 06:32:15 am »

I personally find leaflets are far more effective than y/p or thompsons . so much that i will not be re newing the ads this year , and stick to leaflets .

« **Reply #10 on:** January 24, 2007, 06:58:25 am »

For years i did 5k a week leaflets and did really well but last year I had an argument with the lady i used and stopped. Instead i put a half page ad in the Y/P which brought in a 5-1 return.

last year was the only year I earned less than the previous year.

last week I went begging back to to the woman asked her to start leafleting for me again from now on I'll be doing 4k a week again and I've spent £5,000 on 2 Y/p ads and one in the BT directory.

Mike

« **Reply #11 on:** January 24, 2007, 07:53:11 am »

When you say you earnt less Mike, is that because you did less work or because you had more staff to pay?
I assumed you were busier !!!
Geoff

« **Reply #12 on:** January 24, 2007, 07:58:45 am »

Local guy delivers 2000 a week for me at a cost of £20,he comes and collects them and gives me a list of the areas they are being delivered at for me to check only wish he could deliver more

« **Reply #13 on:** January 24, 2007, 08:08:25 am »

geoff, a bit of both I had craigs wage to pay and perhaps a little less work.

but perhaps I'm speaking too soon I'm basing my commentt of a general lack of available cash last year and I did spend a lot on equipment.

Mike

« **Reply #14 on:** January 24, 2007, 08:47:50 am »

I am a little supprised Paul is getting 10 to 15 calls I presume per thousand with Pink Flyer although there might be an offer such as I have seen on Jims origional Pink Flyers offering a Free Room Clean.
Ollie do you make a reasonable return ie Profit on Your YP ad

Taking into account all expenses and profit required for doing job

Why not consider both because if it does not work you are sunk.

« **Reply #15 on:** January 24, 2007, 08:51:31 am »

i do both and both work well
never get 10-15 call backs from 1000 leaflets though, lucky to get 5

« **Reply #16 on:** January 24, 2007, 12:51:55 pm »

Hi all

Interesting reading on this post, but as I am a newbie I don't know what the 'pink' flyer is.
Could someone please enlighten me.

Thanks

Andy

« **Reply #17 on:** January 24, 2007, 01:02:08 pm »

OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

« **Reply #18 on:** January 24, 2007, 01:12:13 pm »

??

« **Reply #19 on:** January 24, 2007, 03:40:13 pm »

Care to share your frustration murky ?!?

I don't think the question I asked is too difficult to answer is it?

« **Reply #20 on:** January 24, 2007, 03:51:04 pm »

Pink Flyer is a leaflet that comes along with the Fast Track Marketing System run by Alltec.

CHeers

Neil

« **Reply #21 on:** January 24, 2007, 03:59:37 pm »

Thank you for clarifying that for me.

Still don't understand the reaction from murky but... hey maybe he's having a bad day!

Kind regards

Andy

« **Reply #22 on:** January 24, 2007, 04:07:13 pm »

Sorry Andy,

No offence intended. Its just that to us old heads its a well worn path. Its like asking whats the best cleaning chemical etc etc.

If you wait until everyone comes in from work this evening and logs on to the question you will get loads of conflicting messages.

Basicly Andy its a marketing tool that will cost you about 3k to get off the ground and then you take it on as far and as much as you want.

There is a guy on here called 'Red Carpet' click onto his messages and you will see how he has been doing, he has just started it. Others do well others not so well.

Have fun.

Murky

« **Reply #23 on:** January 24, 2007, 04:38:45 pm »

Hi Murky

No offence taken and thanks for the extended explanation.
I have just been on the phone to Steve at Alltec about the Fastrack and he is sending me some information about it... sounds intersting.

Hope to speak again.

Andy

« **Reply #24 on:** January 24, 2007, 05:04:31 pm »

Hi Ian

I spent £3000 on yp plus yell etc and have made £5000 (Total, not taking into account expenses etc)

With leaflets I spend £189 on 20,000 and on average I make between £2,500 and £3,500 (Without recommendations etc)

YP was nowhere near as good as I was led to believe it would be by the reps etc.

Regards

Ollie

« **Reply #25 on:** January 24, 2007, 05:50:46 pm »

Hi Mike

I have sent you an e-mail about your YP advertising.

Cheers

neil

« **Reply #26 on:** January 24, 2007, 05:58:36 pm »

Niel.

my listed email is incorrect, I've sent an email to your address.

Mike

« **Reply #27 on:** January 24, 2007, 06:48:36 pm »

Hi Mike sent you a new mail.

Did you no what I wanted?

Cheers

neil

« **Reply #28 on:** January 24, 2007, 07:34:16 pm »

Hi Ollie,

Looks like you are making correct decision

Pink Flyer used to be a secret in fact you could be shot if you said too much. or at least banned from Alltec mail shots

If you use search button you will find loads of information and talk about it.

« **Reply #29 on:** January 25, 2007, 06:39:43 pm »

Sorry guys Ive just re read my post.

I only get 1 - 2 calls per thousand leaflets.
( dont know where i got 10-15 from must have been a senior moment as im starting to get them now)

I have them delivered in the free papers thats why they can do them at £16 per thou.

« **Reply #30 on:** January 25, 2007, 08:41:03 pm »

Paul you don't have PDF of your leaflet do you? I'll swop you for mine

Mike

« **Reply #31 on:** January 25, 2007, 11:25:57 pm »

Sorry to ask, but why is it pink? Is there some psychology behind it?

Also if each FastTracker sends out 10,000 a month how can you keep it a secret?

« **Reply #32 on:** January 25, 2007, 11:31:05 pm »

Its ment to be A3 size which gives it authority a bit like the Finnancial Times

I do not know how Many Fadtrackers there have been but there must be millions out there

Same as evey Yellow Page Advert has a WARNING line

« **Reply #33 on:** January 26, 2007, 11:56:56 am »

Hi guys just incase any of you are interested my mates dad works for royal mail so i got some prices of him £500 min order for 14000 which get delivered over 13 weeks.
matt

« **Reply #34 on:** January 26, 2007, 01:56:36 pm »

Paul,

I thought the pink flyer was supposed to be the Holy Grail of tested response, every word, every sentence everything about it geared to response, only to get 1:500 at best? Surely that can't be the norm.

« **Reply #35 on:** January 26, 2007, 02:04:58 pm »

As i said before my old design leaflet was bringing in atleast 1-2 jobs per 1000 and it was cxxp. It's no wonder the pink leaflet has the same response thats if it is the same one that came through a family members door it was so cheesy and very overboard in my opinion - too much.
matt

« **Reply #36 on:** January 26, 2007, 02:18:50 pm »

So Matt, what's the answer, be less 'American' and keep the same priciples or go down another route?

« **Reply #37 on:** January 26, 2007, 03:36:19 pm »

The principal of the Pink Flyer is great, just lose the american rubbish and replace it with (The Times) speak.

THis is what works for me.

« **Reply #38 on:** January 26, 2007, 05:42:35 pm »

Who's got a copy of this pink flyer for us to see.

Anyone?

« **Reply #39 on:** January 26, 2007, 06:21:43 pm »

Its possibly the best marketing leaflet in the World you might need to sign up with one of the marketing companies or be careful about infringing copyright laws as well as your own integrity which is far more important if you used it as a template my thoughts are that a reasonable leaflet will work to varying degrees as lomg as you get enough out there simon

« **Reply #40 on:** January 27, 2007, 11:50:42 am »

I'm just thinking Paul's response is low and wondered if he should investigate his delivery method. If it's the norm, then all the hu ha over the flyers is hot air, or perhaps they have been so overused any positive effect is no negated.

« **Reply #41 on:** January 27, 2007, 08:35:40 pm »

just like to say I've been in business for twenty five years and I've never been tempted to do a leaflet drop. I prefer to keep a permanent ad in the local paper as well as a small ad in yellowpages. Yellow pages get me enquiries from commercial businesses and the local paper attracts domestic response. The best form of advertising is recommendation. Always do a good job and you'll never be out of work.

« **Reply #42 on:** January 27, 2007, 08:43:09 pm »

[Always do a good job and you'll never be out of work/i]

this is the biggest lie in bussiness.

Mike

« **Reply #43 on:** January 27, 2007, 08:47:15 pm »

Mike,

funny you say that, i just been saying the same on the TM forum. glad some one agrees.

« **Reply #44 on:** January 27, 2007, 09:08:45 pm »

Mike
Im not happy with the leaflet distribution as I have just change them. I was going to do quotes to villages where they should have had 4 leaflet drops last year to find the customer saying she has only ever had one leaflet.The new distributer has promised me back calls to ensure they are all going out.
In terms of the leaflet design, I use A4 black on pink leaflets,double sided,thse are my own design, which have been developed over the years from fast track,customer feed back and personal likings.
Prob like everybody else I tweek my leaflts every month or so.

Mike im on the laptop at the moment and my busines stuff is on th main comp,so will email you a few copies tomorrow

Craig call you tomorrow

Paul

« **Reply #45 on:** January 28, 2007, 06:44:51 am »

Mike, can you explain your statement please

« **Reply #46 on:** January 28, 2007, 09:32:26 am »

it really needs no explanation, this statement is said all the time, usually by people just starting up in business as a way to comfort themselves and give themselves hope.

if you rely on 'doing a good job' to keep in work then you're in for a shock.

of course there are exceptions to the rule who have been working for donkeys years who can get bye without any form of creating new customers, but the majority of companies will fail if they think 'doing a good job' is all you need to do.

I know lots of carpet cleaners who have been complaining of no work over the last week, all of them do a good job

the biggest indication that this idea doesn't work is how many carpet cleaners ask on theses forums about getting more work from salesletter, leaflets & Yellow Pages etc..etc I'm sure all of these carpet cleaners 'do a good job' so why do they to ask how to get more work?

Mike