[proclene]

Dear All,
Had my creative head on this week and designed a new leaflet, could you please give me any feedback negative or positive. Also changed website, not a definite but still working on it.
I'm a bit of an amatuer when it comes to designing leaflets but this was done on open office and looks good to me.

Cheers
Derek
Masterclene

[Dan Williams]

Hey Derek

Leaflet is fine:) When I do my leaflets I get them done by a pro. The results to me where really good. Check this site out, you can get student to design for you for next to nothing and they have all the software to do it with. www.studentgems.com

Dan

[Barry Livingstone]

Sorry but it wont get you loads of work have you put this one out beore? what was your response?
leaflets work with offers......of they wont get a good response ........fact...

sorry but am just telling you the truth.

[clinton]

Have a look on the cheap leaflets/design and print website.

There are a few samples for carpet cleaning leaflets on it.

Some of the samples are the ones a few guys from the forum have used and printed,

Good luck

[markpowell]

Derek,
I agree with james, i have found that a leaflet has to have some type of offer on to work well.
Is there a reason why you dont clean upholstery?
Mark

[garry22]

Derek,

As carpet cleaners, we all might know about allergy treatments etc but the general public doesn't.

This needs to be explained to them. In particular you need to tell them how they will be (adversely) affected  and how you will solve this problem for them. You are not a carpet cleaner.... You are a problem solver (solving a problem that many people don't yet know they have!

You've got two sides to your leaflet, so use both sides to to inform them. The delivery costs the same but you can do twice as much selling with a double sided ad.

As for the offer, that is probably the most important bit apart from the headline (which IMO needs a lot more oomph). You have to give them a really good reason to get off their backsides and pick up the phone.

Garry

[COLIN BRIGHT]

why dont you get 1000 out there and see what responce you get, thats the best way of testing if it will work or not

[Mike Halliday]

as bad as the last one, go read the advice given there and take it, it will save you some time.

[proclene]

Thanks for the advice everyone.
Mike as bad a reply as last time, try giving good advice instead of putting folk down or don't post at all. It will save YOU time!

[Mike Halliday]

I'm sorry did I hurt your feelings by giving an honest answer?, Ok if you just want someone to tell you how clever you are to design such a fantastic leaflet I can do that as well, but I  just thought you'd prefer honesty.

 I could continue with the sarcasm but I'll admit my last reply was a little curt so as  a peace offering ( if you want them) I can send you 20-30 professionally designed  leaflets so you can see were I think you are going wrong, it might give you some ideas

whats your email address? ( they will be in PDF)

mike

[Barry Livingstone]

Derek
did you do your own web site?

And take mike upon the offer........

[proclene]

James, Yes i did the website myself. Pretty new to computers so doing my best.
Mike,
My email is derek@masterclene.co.uk

Just looking for some good inspiration instead of sarcasm. We're all in the same biz at the end of the day. If we can't help each other then why bother.

Cheers

Derek

[garyj]

I don't think the leaflet is that bad. It isn't finished or polished but it is half way there.

If you feel you know your customers and what they want they why not give it a go.

Get rid of 'Safer' and try 'Hygienic' and play around with it a bit more, think like your customers and not a carpet cleaner.

Stick with it and don't give up. You don't have to follow the herd.

As Colin said, try a 1000 and see how you get on.

[markpowell]

You will never tell if a leaflet is going to work or not by dropping a 1000.
Try 10,000 then you might have a good idea.
I have been doing these drops since i started many years ago.
YOU NEED TO GIVE A SPECIAL OFFER OF SOME KIND, OTHERWISE THEY DONT WORK !!!!!!!!!!!!
These seem to be the customers 3 favourite offers:
1. 3pc suite & lounge carpet for £****
2. 3 carpets for the price of 2 (smallest carpet cleaned free)
3. spend £** get £** off.
Good luck
Mark

[garyj]

I didn't do any of those things Mark and mine worked.

You can test the market and test the leaflet with a 1000 run, I admit it is not ideal but again it's a start.

Maybe you guys that are delivering 1000s a month for years have got it wrong.

[Mike Halliday]

Derek how are you going to get these printed? if you are going to do them yourself on your home printer then it might be a little expensive but if you are then the leaflet can be very specifically aimed, eg;

target a small area or village near your home and make the leaflet specific to them  use a headline like;
 
We give all our Sudbury residents a local person discount of £12!!

then explain that you live in Sudbury so it saves you money to work in the local area, so you can pass this saving on to the customer.

the more specific to the reader the leaflet is, the more successful it will be. and when they are home printed they can be very specific (even down to the name of the street).

[carlton care]

What Mike just posted is one of the best suggestions on leafleting you will get. Psychologically, if something is adressed to to you personally you are more likely to read it, keep it, act on it, if it's relevent to your current situation.

Carphone warehouse are very good at this!

Robert m

[Mike Osbourne]

Over the last 100 years or so people have put a lot of thought, effort and testing into the 'science' of direct marketing.

So why re-invent the wheel?

Your title is by far the most important thing in your communication

It should have a prominent call to action.

Offers massively improve response.

Stirring up emotion by highlighting a problem then providing a solution works well.

Testimonials with real names and adde.

etc etc

But at the end of the day you need to test your copy in your market. I think 3-6k is ideal with only one change split between two versions.

[Jim_77]

I'm curious, which leading carpet manufacturers recommend you?

I've never heard of a company like Axminster or Victoria picking up the yellow pages and finding themselves a random, independent one man band to recommend!  Do you get enquiries from all over the country then?  How does it work?

[ianharper]

Hi Guys

with the downturn in credit I think that we can position ourselves for the future now. all prospects are looking for cheap, cheap, cheap. what we need to to is show them its all about value.

Putting in your sales message that all prices are not the same and that you must compare what you are getting for your money.

for example your service might offer from a free bottle of spotter to say free stain protection. or may be a free room?

This way when it all turns around our market will hopefully be more aware that all carpet cleaning services are not the same. and start to look for value.

by doing this we don't have to go on that downward path of lowering prices to get the work. in these times people know that they have the power and look for the cheapest price. we on the other hand can say well that's fine but you will be missing out. and i think that's a big motivator.

respect

ian harper