[gwrightson]

I have been asked by a good friend of mine if i would consider donating a carpet clean as a prize in a raffle, she is infact the organiser of a talent competion which takes place over a number of months and the finals are held at the city hall in Hull, quiet a big event really with lots of local media coverage. So of course i said yes a carpet clean to the value of £100  ,which she was delighted with to go along the usual prizes, meals at local restraunts, free hair /nail dos at salons etc etc.  in response to me saying yes she said give me around 1500 leaflets and i will put one on every chair in the city hall along with the evenings events ,great i thought it may get some responce especialy as all buisinesses donating will have a mention .
I,m not expecting much responce, but at least it gets your name out there, or do you think a complete waste of time ?
geoff

[Colin Day]

I wouldn't have said it was a waste of time, I have done similar sorts of things and one of the women who won a free carpet clean has used my services again and recommended me to her family and friends.

I think you will get a good response....

[mark joyce]

I do it quite a lot you will find when you do a great job the recommend to their friends and you get the spin offs also its for a good cause

[JandS]

Wife's friend as just persuaded me to donate
a free clean to the value of £50 in a raffle at
her church gala.
I already advertise in their monthly news letter
for £20 per year and have had 9 jobs out of it
in the last 11 months so well worth it.


John

[wynne jones]

This is a good way to get business. Has worked well for me. I usually do it so I get names and addes of everyone who enters, which probably won't be the case here but is still worth doing if the people there fit your client profile.

[Simon Gerrard]

Geoff,

Sounds like a good idea tp me, you've got nothing to lose.

Simon

[Steve. Taylor]

Geoff it works for me the one thing you need to put on the voucher is a distance in miles
people may bye tickets from outside your area. 15 miles is the norm for me

When they call to arrange a time with you ask them if there is any other areas that they feel need cleaning offer a discount for being set up on site

[Ian Gourlay]

Geoff

Its no different from giving away 200sq feet and a free carpet audit.

However you might not wish to do the upsell bit.

But I think this does your Credibility no end of good and you will be able to milk it on leaflets invoices and Web Site

[Linds Russell]

Its a great idea. I do this quite regularly and give away one free room of carpet cleaning in prize draws and auctions. I quite often get other work in the house whilst I'm there, so as well as supporting a local cause, I gain business through it.

[james roffey]

Thought about doing this myself sounds like a good idea, i am a strong believer in creating good faith as a marketing tool as well as being good for the concience.

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Bear in mind you should also put a "use by" date on the prize. you'll either not be taken up on it whilst the charity has the benefit of the monies raised or you can control when the prize it used so it doesn't conflict with other time constraints you may have eg the busy December rush.

Also ensure that if you offer £100 carpet cleaning it can only be used in one visit. So if the winner has only a carpet which will cost you normally say £70 to clean they can't call you back for a second visit to make use of the "unused" £30.

But you're right in offering such prizes to organisations which may use your services as you offer them prizes for their draws and you may get a new client, who will spend over the prize limit and who may refer you on.

Everyones a winner!

Rog

[Dean Cudd]

I did this last year for a charity organisation, and got a good response, next month I will be doing it again, but dont forget to get your local news paper people there taking pictures of you with prize winner.

[gwrightson]

A number of good points raised in the reply,s Thank you ie. use by date, distance etc , shall ensure its in the voucher they having printed .

Geoff

[stu_thomson]

I do this a few times a year for raffle prizes at charity/local events etc

I put on the leaflet free carpet cleaning up 20 x 12 anything over is charged at ? per sq ft upto a radious of 10 miles of your home town

Normally though no one takes up the free clean for whatever reason (prob think its a scam)

Last year i donated a voucher to the local pub raffle and a bloody pineapple was picked up before my voucher
Voucher made last prize and went to  a waitress who ive been to before so she was well chuffed, but a pineapple........

[Paul W Jones]

I've done it a few times.  It can't hurt anything can it!?

[derek west]

do it,

move on,

don't do it again.

and with a bit of luck, the winner will just bin the voucher.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I have done it a few times as a charity raffle and a raffle for the kids school, one just had a free carpet clean which they didn't claim (phew!) and the other is now a regular customer (phew!!) infact I did quite well out of the latter as she booked for one carpet and I sold her most of the house.

Shaun

[gwrightson]

do it,

move on,

don't do it again.

and with a bit of luck, the winner will just bin the voucher.

Well to be far  hope the wnner takes me up on 1t , persuade them to have more done amd hopefully recommend and repeat.

Geoff

[craig partridge]

If I entered a raffle and won a free carpet clean I'd be like sh*t whats this the bloody boobey prize! Give me summit decent!! Lol

Least it's for a good cause.
 

[Shaun_Ashmore]

The stupid thing about one of the winners was that she picked the prize by choice and never claimed it!

Shaun