[Steve Chapman]

Hi all,

just sorting my database for last year and have totalled 500 customers, my

direct mail has been a bit haphazard of late and was just wondering how often

you guys send out reminders and marketing material to your existing customers

and how many you do a week / month ?

Cheers
steve

[David_Annable]

Hi

I send them out in the same month as the job, up to five years.

So January this year I did Jan 03, 04, 05, 06, 07.

I also weed out the ones i dont want to go back to, or areas i dont want to do.

Dave

[markpowell]

We send out letters every 9 months, if we have any offers we send these out to all our customers at the same time, we will be sending next ones out anytime now, in time for Feb.
Mark

[davep]

What programme do you use to do this (if any) my data base is all on paper but would like to transfer it onto my computer  :

[maxcarpets]

mail shot 4 times a year

[Aquakleen Restoration Services]

Yes 4 times a year too!

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Never done mailshots.

I just work out the customers who are serious about looking after their carpets and work out a frequency of cleaning with them. Then I phone them at the agreed time interval and ask them to get their diary out and agree a mutually convenient time to come and clean the carpets again.

Take up by this approach is about 80%.

[Steve Chapman]

Surely any one who has there carpets cleaned is serious about looking after

there carpets otherwise they wouldn't have them cleaned in the first place

which is why businesses keep a data base, as they are already known people

who would be interested in having it done again! 

And how could anyone say for definite they would be having there carpets done

at a certain time, surely people have there carpets cleaned when they need it

doing, so a mailshot is a good reminder to use you when they need it,  above

someone else.

Direct marketing is a proven avenue in growing your business, nearly all small

and large business employ some sort of database and mailshot campaign. - 

I think it would be difficult to guess who your potential customers would be in the future without canvassing all of them.



Regards
steve

[markpowell]

Well said Steve!!!!!!!!!

[ianharper]

direct mail give you a chance to sell

sofa cleaning
hard floor cleaning
leather cleaning
maintenance cleans
allergy cleans
spillage service
referral program
stain protection
spotter renewal


and most important, you, your professional training program, etc

how often? you should know your numbers on this, cost per customer, ROI, and how much you want to invest back in. you should know how much it costs per job for a new prospect to an old customer.

respect

Ian Harper