Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: davep on February 16, 2007, 07:07:19 pm

Title: marketing vs profit
Post by: davep on February 16, 2007, 07:07:19 pm
What do you guy get coming in compared to going out?  I have been having leaflets printed and delivered for around £20 per thousand with a return of 3 calls/2 jobs (although only been a week)

Ta 

Dave
Title: Re: marketing vs profit
Post by: benny d on February 16, 2007, 09:20:10 pm
Thats pretty good going I say
Title: Re: marketing vs profit
Post by: carpetguy on February 16, 2007, 09:22:16 pm
I think it's easier and more productive to place an advert in a newspaper, from which, you should get at least double that return, possibly much more.

These clients should then be regarded as your next marketing tool.
Title: Re: marketing vs profit
Post by: Kev Loomes on February 16, 2007, 10:48:49 pm
Sounds too much of a bargain to me!

What company prints them and delivers them at that unbelievable price?? Is that including artwork LOL!
Title: Re: marketing vs profit
Post by: Ian Gourlay on February 17, 2007, 12:58:38 am
Davep you do not say how many thousand leaflets you put out for your two jobs

If this is first time you could have a freak result, but if you find result consistant at this low ptice replicate
Title: Re: marketing vs profit
Post by: davep on February 17, 2007, 12:10:54 pm
Thanks lads, i get full colour A6 for around £16 a thousand, then i get a postie to deliver approx 2500 for £30..  so i am wrong saying £20 per thousand, its £24..

The 2 jobs i have from this first lot brings in £120, doesn't seem that good to me (as i am getting them delivered cheap)

Think i will go with a paper ad next, how do you find these compare with leaflets?

Ta,

Dave.
Title: Re: marketing vs profit
Post by: Ian Gourlay on February 17, 2007, 03:22:44 pm
So you are getting 1 call per thousand.  Now you are going to ditch leaflets and try somthing else, be disapointed again and then give up.

Work out  if anything is wrong with your leaflet.

In my  opinion starting with A6 is not good

Title: Re: marketing vs profit
Post by: davep on February 17, 2007, 03:29:25 pm
No you have me wrong, i am going to put out loads more leaflets, just wondering what to expect from papers in comparison.  I like my A6 flyers, they are nice and thick and look good.  I will try A5 but 2 tone as well?
Title: Re: marketing vs profit
Post by: carpetguy on February 17, 2007, 04:32:04 pm
The only disadvantage with newspapers, is the fact that you will be competing on price, but that doesn't have to be a negative, as you will get volume, from which you can build a customer base

If you do an exceptional job, tell your client and when they agree, get a referral, or two, your marketing cost , per job is then reduced and you will gain credibility, very quickly.............if you deserve it !

Before placing ads in newspapers, check them out first, for other ads, you don't need to be cheaper and should avoid getting involved in pricing, too low.

A business card size ad' should cost between £50 and £70, but this could get three hits, if you are in a local , daily, with Free weekend edition.

From that, you should get about 10 - 15 jobs, but I worked with a guy a few years ago, who only used newspaper, priced ad's and got 50-70 jobs per week, minimum !!!!!!!!!!!!

Always leave something with clients to get repeat or referral work.

Title: Re: marketing vs profit
Post by: mark_roberts on February 17, 2007, 06:41:21 pm
15 jobs from a newspaper ad that was £70.  I dont think so on average unless your £10 a room cleaner.  More like under 5 from experience.

Also Davep nobody cares if YOU think your flyer is nice its the customer your trying to convince.  Keep changing the ad till you get a better responce.  Oddly enough its not the pretty stuff that gets the most work.  Look at fast track.

Also people buy when they are in the mood/need.  That could be today or next month so keep advertising consistant and monitor results over time.  Ive done work this year from flyers delivered 4 years ago.

Mark
Title: Re: marketing vs profit
Post by: davep on February 17, 2007, 06:56:03 pm
The customers usually ask me about the flyer as i have an unusual logo, i tried to design one that people want to keep as it is funny..

I Dont know about the Fast track flyer..   :P
Title: Re: marketing vs profit
Post by: the red carpet on February 17, 2007, 09:17:36 pm
http://www.printcarrier.com/index.php?page=shop.browse&root=79d0edcb66fb2f54ef9c9d635be5657d&category_id=a09c9814bb3051821af8c62f8d35334e&option=com_phpshop&Itemid=1

Heres a cheaper source for your a6 flyers works out about £10 a thousand
Title: Re: marketing vs profit
Post by: ianharper on February 18, 2007, 06:26:19 am
as they say size is everything.

a6 is a bit small if you drop inside newspapers as it will get put inside bigger leaflets.

one reason that the "pink Leaflet" is a3 is for this reason

why limit yourself and your message?

if you use small leaflets then you need to use what is call "expanding" and that to make prospects go to a place that you can expand your message like free recorded message or the Internet.

or

have an irresistible offer

respect

Ian Harper
Title: Re: marketing vs profit
Post by: davep on February 18, 2007, 12:02:19 pm
Thanks lads, i suppose my A6 is designed like a postcard, will look into designing a bigger one with more info although too much can put someone off reading it?

As for paper ads its hard to stand out from the others with 2 or 3 lines of text   :-\

What is the basis of the Fast track one?
Title: Re: marketing vs profit
Post by: craigp on February 18, 2007, 12:11:11 pm
Ian Harper,

Do you get any better a response from the pink flyer over any other leaflet?

Craig
Title: Re: marketing vs profit
Post by: davep on February 18, 2007, 12:37:43 pm
Is the fast track flyer the thin paper 2 tone one that looks like it was designed by someones dad?   ;)
Title: Re: marketing vs profit
Post by: ianharper on February 18, 2007, 04:55:41 pm
davep

i don't think Jim wolverton would take to kindly to your comments.

he built a very big business, i think it was three truck mounts within about 18 mths. and thousands off carpet cleaners around the world have made loads of money from this leaflet.

its been going for over seven years now and still cant be beat, it is the standard.

its like driving a car, you don't have to understand whats going on under the bonnet but it get to your destinations.

understanding what the "basis" of direct response is, well you would need to study it. its about USP,  offers, positioning yourself, and many other things.

fast track is about direct response but they don't teach it. they just do what works, just like a franchise does.

as as far as standing out in two or three lines of text. i just put "free recorded message call 0800 000 00" into a friend advert in a different type business advert and he is getting thirty calls a day to the line. thatsnot sales but prospects call for new info.

each month he gets a bill that has all their numbers on it. apart from doing something that no one else in his type of business is doing.

on the message is his site address which by the way the newspaper will not let him put in his advert, and we know way, it because he can say more and do more on his site without spending loads of money with them. (expanding his message)

this direct response stuff works in any type of business. and the great thing is that you can take something from a different type of service and make it work in yours. who need fast track when there are cheaper options around.

I have meet Jim and he is just like you and me, a carpet cleaner. if you want to learn all you really need is a secondhand copy of Joe polish stuff because everything is in there. just do it as he says and you'll see the benefits.

respect

Ian harper