Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: maxcarpets on September 29, 2007, 05:45:50 pm
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Afternoon all,
For the last few months I have been keeping a record of where jobs come, ( I know you should always do this but not always possible ) Anyway here is my top 5, just wondered if its pretty much the same for us all,
1/ Repeat business
2/ Recommendations
3/ Internet
4/ Local monthly mag
5/ YP
I'm not shy when it comes to advertising, I advertise in any different ways, but this is my top 5.
Cheers
Justin
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Justin, how long have you been in bussiness?
1)leaflets
2)existing customers
3)yp
Mike
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Hi
1 Repeats
2 Recommends
3 Leaflets
4 YP
Dave
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I starting in 1988, but I did leave it for a few years. I kept all my old customer list which helped when I returned. I must admit I was suprised at how it worked out. I'm going to keep a monthly record to see how it works out. Very interesting me thinks.
Cheers
Justin
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I don't really do that many leaflets, but I am increasing that now.
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Actually Mike I was talking to Mark at DP the other day about doing an A4 leaflet, he said he didnt think it makes much difference, but he said to ask you about your thoughts on it.
Cheers
Justin
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I switched to an a4 4 months ago, it doesn't make any difference so is not worth the double in price they cost, I use them because my leaflet gets put out with a A5 booklet so if I used a A5 leaflet it would be put inside and not seen unless they open the booklet, a A4 is twice as big so sticks out of the booklet.
also I put pressure washing on the back with 'before & after' photos, so you need A4 to show the pictures good and clear.
I also don't pay full price for my leaflets so can use A4. if I did I would use single colour or 2 colour A5
Mike
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Thanks Mike, thats pretty much what mark said, its so tempting though I printed out my leaflet onto A4 and it looks fantastic! but possibly only to me?
Cheers
Justin
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carrying on from this , When do you decide when a leaflet is not working , Ive had about 8000 put out in the last couple of weeks about 10 calls upto now. What I notiched is that when Im out working on a job. I get people asking me for quotes I go into the house I see my leaflet on the side, why do they wait to see me working why dont they phone?
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its called positive reinforcement!
they see your van,
then they see your leaflet,
then they see you working down the street,
then they see your van again
then a month later they get another leaflet
then they see your van in the supermarket carpark
then they see you while taking the kids to school
then they get another leaflet
then you are working next door
then!!! finally.............................................
they call Chemdry ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Mike
Nice one, but only with the ones with a TM I’ve got some new competition going by YP. :o
Len
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So Mike the leaflet is working, I just need to keep ploughing them out. When does positive reinforcement start getting on peoples nerves, ie how often should I get them delivered in the same area?
PS, Thanks Mike your last post made a lot of sence. I have just found my self a leaflet distributer that I can trust what is a fair price to give her per thounsand
Thanks John PS its cash in her hand , she already does it for a distibuter
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i cannot for the life of me understand why people feel the need to shove out several thousand leaflets a month to generate work, you do a good job at a customers house, leave a couple of business cards and they pass them on thereby generating more work, so it goes on, sorry, but if your not getting repeat/referal work your doing something wrong, most customer will re-use you because of YOU, you are your best advert, be polite, be well dressed, don't cuss or smoke and they will have you back because they like YOU. i have cleaned carpets that to be honest i have thought could have come up better but the customer has had me back because they like ME! it's not the leaflet, it's you that generates the work. i
f you employ numpteys to do the work for you then that is why you need to pump out the leaflets!!
colin
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An interesting point 'cbt'. Do you do ANY advertising at all?
If so, what works best for you?
Andy
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Your bang on there cbt , but to get referals you need that first job in a particuler area / family. I did a £ 240 job on Thursday for a really nice older gentleman He was delighted , Monday Im quoting for his daugher. The £240 job came from a leaflet.
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yes i advertise, local free paper, village mags etc, never done leaflets, i'll get slated for this but i think leaflets are the bottom line, can't get work, put out a leaflet, drag in what you can by offering special offers etc. my price is what what i charge, take it or leave it and i am always busy, be bold but mostly do a great job and the customer will come back and refer you.
colin
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proberly just as well you dont do leaflets , cbt When Will finds with youre have no Knee Kaps
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What happens if you do your very best work all of the time but for Trappist Monks!
How do you get word of mouth referals?
I think leaflets are a good way of generating work from a community where you want to work.
Shaun
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Shaun
I do a lot of work for Harry Chrishnas & they are the best refferers in the world, dont know about the Trappist monks to be honest.
Dave
PS Richard Gere is the man to advise you on that!
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I think you need to promote your business with a view to where you want to be in 5 or 10 years time, if your happy making 30,000 grand a year or so then wait for referrals, but if you are trying to create a brand and a future business to pass on, then this is very different. Your brand and the way you promote it is vital to your success, whether its leaflets, referrals, yp, local mag will all go to re-enforcing your brand and securing your businesses future security and success. Phil
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Please remember a couple of things
1. If you are advertising in a certain way and it works well it is classed as being successful.
2. If you are NOT advertising in ANY way and have very little work or it comes in waves then any CONSISTANT advertising is better than NO advertising.
There are no musts and must nots because which ever medium you use it is up to YOU to determine the customers you want and how frequently you want them.
Shaun
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I pop into DP design most weeks, 95% of their work is leaflets. At the moment the are printing leaflets for;
a local health authority reminding woman to take advantage of the free breast screening
a finance company offering equity release, aimed at the over 65s
a number-plate spray that makes your number plate invisible to speed cameras ::)
a council leaflet reminding people when they recycle bins are emptied.
plus lots of carpet & window cleaning leaflets
to say leaflets are the bottom of the pile when it comes to marketing is silly, they work and don't reflect badly on your company,
Mike
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I agree Mike, leaflets are a must for us, they are an important part of our leads generation.
1. Leaflets
2. Recomends.
3. Repeats.
4. Website/Google etc
5. Local Press
Dene
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I agree with ....... both. Leaflets do bring in some work, but I have a fast tracker near me that leaflets at least twice a month and it does drive people mad!
Cheers
Justin
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If you don't do anything you won't get anything, referals and recommendations are not mandatory.
Shaun
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Hi Guys
Mine are
Internet
Existing Customers
Recommendations
Leaflet/YP
Cheers
Doug
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i agree mike mines
repeats
reccommends
ex girlfriends
yellow pages
billy
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off the subject, but the number plate spray leaflets,
i thought that it had been banned, not versed in the law but if this was the case . Would Mark be breaking law, by printing these.
likely not I know but just a thought.
Geoff
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I hope you all track your numbers and not just guessing or you may be in for a shock.
For me referrals are at the bottom of the list. Lots of repeat work, high turnover, only Ypages advertising which gets worse every year BUT still only around 3-8 referrals a month from residential customers.
If I relied on referrals Id have to go back to using a portable :'(
Mark
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shaun, you've lost me with the trappist monk thing, things work different for different people, i used to get loads of work from a little advert in the local paper, others i know used the same advt in their local paper and didn't get one call, suck and see!!
colin
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If I relied on referrals Id have to go back to using a portable :'(
My referrals make up about 80% of my business, no YP ad, 10k leaflets twice a year, no local paper ads, no google adwords, just good service and happy customers... if things go bad, I may consider going for a truckmount but until then I'll stick to the porty.
;D ;D ;D
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well sorry but here goes, i tell customers that if a company has to put out loads of leaflets and offer discounts to generate work they are doing something wrong, if a company is doing good work to a high standard, word of mouth will generate more work, where do you ever see an advert for a plumber/electrician etc offering discounts, not where i live. in this industry we seem to have been sucked into this 'discount' game which i don't understand.
colin ???
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good for you andy!!
;D ;D
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Colin what i meant was that you can't get a referal from someine who doesn't speak.
Some customers are shy some other customers for security reasons have to keep quiet.
By the way mine come in at
1.Old custies
2.Referal
3.Van
4.Leaflets and YP (both the same believe it or not)
1000000. Internet (anybody help!)
Shaun
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Well thank god I'm getting some referrals and letters to last years custies is coming through because leaflets dried up completely.
Personally done 5k with 2 quotes.
Latest pleasant suprise is an up market clothes shop I cleaned a few weeks ago. Owner was over the moon and I asked if I could leave a leaflet dispenser. She later offered to put them in with a mail shot to 500 of her custies who are just my type of custy too.