[Spot On cleaning]

I have been prompted to write this as i have just received a call from my local paper with regard to me going into a suppliment, which gives a small amount to the special care baby unit.

I turned them down as i kinow they don't work.

My question to anyone out there is have you ever wasted money on a business card scheme in a retail outlet and regretted it, or had little work from it.

In 2002 i had a call from a rep who told me that being in a good store, lots of people would take a card. 2 people from a 2 year scheme which cost £1000 payable in 4 installments over 12 months. Waste of money!!

At the time of signing up, the rep told me that i was welcome to take as many cards as i wanted, as every 2 weeks, however many cards i took, the same amount would be replaced. I did this to at least get something out of it. Well after 12 months i got a call saying was i interested in going into a second store as i was obviously doing okay, on account of all the cards going out.

My advice to all new businesses;  Don't touch these schemes with a barge pole.
Next time you are in your supermarket/diy store, look at the number of empty spaces in the rack.  New businesses are easy pickings for advertising agencies and other so called charity donating organisations.

Anyone else have this problem?

Dave   Spot On

[John Kelly]

Get pestered all the time even after 12 years.
Advice to new starters, marketing mix and monitor what is working so that you don't continue wasting money.
Leaflets, Yellow Pages/Thomsons, newspapers depending on competition, and most importantly a refferal scheme for your customers, if they pass you a job make it worth their while, either a cash payment or future free clean.
Then keep in touch with the customers you have on a regular basis, they soon forget who you are! (fridge magnets)
Keep away from inserts in menus, school handouts, one off newspaper campaigns, fire safety booklets all this kind of crap is a total waste of money and effort.

[Timmy Boy]

Last year I got done by the menu advert
I paid £1000.00 for two years advertising. I was told that if I advertised they would give me the same money back in the restaurant. What Mr conman didn't tell me was that I could only claim a maximum back of £10.00 per week. I will never get conned by them again.

[cleaning co]

done six tescos stores few years back really bad move i had at most two calls in two years but hey i had lots bizz cards 

[allergease]

Maybe I've got the wromg end of the stick here. Do you mean that you have to pay to place your cards in the rack in places such as Tescos ? I stuck about 30 of my cards in the rack today thinking it was free 

Conrad

[John Kelly]

I wonder if they would notice. Unfortunately you would still not get a response.

[stevegunn]

They rang me today about my local tescos.Someone contacted me two years ago when the store opened only two companies cards are on the board today.

[homenclean]

Was once contacted to advertise on the back of till rolls in new local supermarket!
I didnt bother, who dreams up these schemes?
Stick to yellow pages, thomsons & church magazines. the free local newspaper is always welcome, we take it to my mums and she uses it to start the coal fire.
Some advertisers have got money to burn!

John.

[md_cleaning]

I did Homebase, never had a single job from it, but keeps me in business cards even if they do work out rather expensive. They told me they were getting rid of Rug Doctors and anyone that asked would be given my card, they lied, Rug Doctors still for hire and my cards in a rack near the exit A right rip off.
Dave

[cleaning co]

SURELY THAT MAKES YOUR CONTRACT VOID

[md_cleaning]

No it doesn't because when I read through it there was nothing written down, it was just verbal, but at the time I had no reason not to believe him, I'm not so gullable now, but there have been posts about this in the past and I'm not the only one to have fallen for it.
Dave

[Alan Brooker. Aqualink Carpet Care]

just a thought. Ever noticed that whenever these advertising companies pester you to go with them on their calender or some other completely pointless medium it's always 'The orphaned childrens association' or 'Care for homeless elderly charity' or 'Save the poor little puppy from the vietnamese cooking pot charity'!
They make me sick. Deliberately choosing subjects designed to make you feel like public enemy no.1 if you business minded enough to see past the facade to their profit margin.
I tell 'em to clear off.
Try asking them for the charities contact information so that you can send something directly later on and then see what they say

Regards
Alan

[Spot On cleaning]

Very true. Its always the new businesses they target though. A very old saying about being conned by someone.

Conned once,  shame on the con artist
Conned twice,  shame on me for letting it happen again.

Spot On

[Kinver_Clean]

One of these con artists was done for 12 months last week for saying that he was from the local fire service when he wasnt.
99% of these are scams-- they may give to the organization that they say they represent but it is usually so little its worthless.
As said above if you want to give to charity do it direct.

 Trevor