[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Just had a sales rep sign me up for a promotion. Business cards in 2 very big Sainsbury's stores. They will print them and stock them. Full colour on front, black & white on back. Both stores have over 20,000 visitors a week.

The card holder is by the exit with space for 21 businesses. I will be the only carpet cleaner business advertised in it.

Negotiated price down from £10 per week + VAT to £7 per week including VAT. Ie total of £728 for 2 years advertising. Contract runs for 2 years. Price includes all design, printing and stocking of the cards. I can change the design upto 8 times in the two years.

What do people think?

[Glynn]

I would cancel it !.

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

Me too - did a similar thing in Homebase a couple of years ago. I thought it would be a winner.

Never got a single phone call - you would be better off putting that money into your website and internet advertising.

Just my opinion.

Steve

[John Gregory]

Rodger  , take Glynns advice and cancel it I did the same sort of thing in Debemens in the Trafford centre not a single call in 12 months

John

[derek west]

i would, go and stand there for an hour and log everyone that looked at the cards and also log how many take the cards. sounds stupid but its the only way to get a rough idea. do it at the busiest time, think thats thursday evening.
but personally i wouldn't do it, that money would get me 80,000 leaflets printed, full colour A5 front and back, think i could do more damage with them stood outside sainsburies handing them out,
just my opinion though, could be wrong.
derek

[markpowell]

I did this in 2006 and it was a total waste of money.
Mark

[Joe H]

Much to my regret Roger, I did something similar many years ago.

Not the best way (by far)  to spend your hard earned money IMO.

[Atlantic Cleaning]

I did the same once but mine went in B&Q Total calls in the 2 years =0.

 Funny thing I never heard from the rep again after that, do you think they knew something I didnt?

[garry22]

Ask for the names and phone numbers of other carpet cleaners who are successfully using it. I'll be surprised if they can give you even one.

When they say they can't due to data protection issues, then tell them where to stick them.

Garry

[maxcarpets]

Cancel it quick!

[Mike Osbourne]

Yep,

I got very excited the other day when my local Tesco rang. Some time back I'd rung them about doing their entrance matting and they had told me to GO AWAY.

Anyway thought they had remembered me, but Oh no it was to advertise in the shop. Of course I returned the favour and told them to GO AWAY.

[Jim_77]

Roger, I think there's a trend developing here

If it's not too late cancel!  I've never heard of this working.

Think psychology.  Consider the mindset of people as they use the store.

On the way in, they may be stressed from driving there in traffic, kids screaming, someone cut them up in the car park, trolley wont go the way they point it etc etc... at the point of entering the building they have got tunnel vision.... straight to the first items they want to get.  They're not going to stop and look at things like this.

On the way out... they may have got trolley rage, sore feet, backache, kids still screaming, worried about how much they've spent on the shopping, late for the school run, etc etc, you could probably think of loads more emotional turmoil people are going through as they're exiting a supermarket.  me personally, I just wanna get the hell out of there and go home.

Peoples' minds aren't in the zone to be marketed to.

[Mike Osbourne]

There too busy hiring their Rug Doctors from the Customer Services Counter to notice your puny ad.

Think about it. 2 YEARS! They know they have to sell it at that because there's absolutely no chance of a renewal.

See what they say if you said 1 month pro rata if it's so good they will let you try it.

Suprised at you Dr Carpet, intelligent bloke an all.

[mark shannon]

Yep cancel my wife signed me up to one of these a few years back 1 job in a year.

[nick p]

dont do it how many times have you used something like this when you needed a service, ive seen the one in my local tescos and never see anyone take a card from it

[spindle]

my kids take the cards by the handful and play snap with them

[COLIN BRIGHT]

CANCEL, CANCEL, CANCEL 
but if it is too late to cancel, i think you will find that the company will be obliged to make sure your cards are always stocked
so go in whenever you can and grab all your cards
that way at least you wont ever have to get more business cards printed and you may be able to salvage something

or maybe by some miracle you might get some work from it
hope your good at holding your breath

but if at all possible CANCEL

[Aquakleen Restoration Services]

CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL!

[Neil Grainger]

Why do you think the supermarkets put all the Insurance and Banking leaflets and the tills because its the only place this works.

[diamond]

ABORT. ABORT. ABORT
Never heard a good word about this form of advertisement.
Get these calls all the time.