[Jim_77]

Are you sure that the more affluent households are going to respond to bits of toilet paper shoved through their letterboxes?  (that may be their attitude to leaflets, not my opinion if you get what I mean).

I think there are different ways to market to different classes of prospects.  Perhaps direct mail is a better way to approach these clients?

I don't know if anyone's noticed but a fair amount of marketing now is using the "credit crunch" angle to sell things.  I'm currently putting together a mail shot coming from this angle, basically emphasising the financial saving of cleaning and restoring carpets, rugs, upholstery etc over replacing them.  It'll be interesting to see the response rate to this, compared to another letter I'll be testing it against which is going to focus on the other benefits and stay away from money issues.

I'm planning to do a straight 50/50 split between the two letters and see how it works.  This will initially be to my existing "most promising" list of about 1000, so 500 of each should tell a fairly accurate story.  If I see a noticeable difference I'm considering going for a rented list, new territory for me!

[Andy Hogarth]

I'm not too sure if it will work or not Jim, I'm new to this just treading the water.

Do you have any tips to offer regarding direct mail, I'm interested in your theory and always open to advice

My leaflets do seem to work better in high end areas, well in a way, they tend to come through the web site but initially find me through the flyers.


Andy

[Mike Osbourne]

Remember a leaflet can be written like a letter and if you are really keen you can go down the library and get all the names in a particular street, well most of them.


If someone is a high end customer who is happy with your service, should you be having to make them offers as opposed to offerring something new or a new package?

[*brightclean]

With the so called Credit Crunch biting hard, the economists and media circus now telling us that the Country is officially moving into recession.

What do you think the affect we be for the Carpet Cleaning Industry? 

Will it be a case of less customers, as people have less disposable income available, this generated by increased livings costs and infalation?

or

Will we get extra customers based on the potential of lots of people who were planning on purchasing new carpets deciding to save some money by keeping there carpets and getting them cleaned instaed?

Hope i got it right second time!!

regards

Paul

If you're charging exstortiante rates then you will suffer, custys wont phone you, reduce your prices, expand your customer base and in turn increase your turnover. Don't forget a business is often valued on its gross turnover, so if ever you come to sell your business the value will be far higher than probably what its worth now.