Doing EDDM with other service business

[Connor]

Who wrote that book Chris? I saw a couple with similar titles.

Just kidding. Actually the book is called Brainfluence and it's by Roger Dooly. I think there's a book called Neuromarketing, too, but I can't remember if I read it, there are so many books with similar titles and the same materials. I have Brainfluence as an audiobook that I listen to regularly.

 

[Bee Busy]

BTW...my comment about wondering why I come on here for advice was tongue in check to the fearless admin Mike here's comments about a colorsealed rat, thanks for all of the advice and critiques

 

[Desk Jockey]

I always hate to put something here to get critiqued because it can get beat up.

But I also love it because you guys find things that I overlooked or never thought about.

 

[Bee Busy]

Okay, well the results are in: I got no calls and my friend got 2 calls for exclusion work totaling $4000. Yes it was a loss, I'm sure the "I told you so" comments will come, but hey you have to try something to see if it will work or not, trusting everything that people say will work on the internet is a 50/50% shot in my mind, I will try my own ads again and see how it does.

 

[Desk Jockey]

As you said its never a total loss, you got some exposure. You won't really know how bad a flop it potentially is or isn't until you run solo.

I'd also review who that mailing went to. Could there be better target neighborhoods out there?

 

[Shane Deubell]

Okay, well the results are in: I got no calls and my friend got 2 calls for exclusion work totaling $4000. Yes it was a loss, I'm sure the "I told you so" comments will come, but hey you have to try something to see if it will work or not, trusting everything that people say will work on the internet is a 50/50% shot in my mind, I will try my own ads again and see how it does.

Thats not really the intent of most posters. They just want to warn you off from things they have done in past.
Better to learn from the mistakes of others.

Direct Mail is a pretty tough racket, could be many things. The design, offer, message, target, combination of all.
Only thing you can do is test a couple routes. Good idea to go drive the routes and see what type of homes are on route so you have some context.

If i see lots of large custom built homes then i know they have a lot of tile and probably even stone. A good target for tile.

On the other hand if i see vinyl villages, usually the kitchens are small and very little tile.
Good carpet targets.

In general...

 

[PrimaDonna]

With a lot of marketing it's trial and error.
There is not one magic bullet or we'd all know how to do it successfully.

The value you got from this is learning what NOT to do next time. The only real way to know if there was a negative impact from the pest ad next to yours is to run this again, but with just your info. And if you realize some jobs from it, then you've tested and proved that what other suggested was a negative connotation, was right.

Or just test a new marketing effort. Do you do specials on Facebook or email to your clients offering special or promo? We just tested one out this week (totally new for us) and it was wildly successful. But, that doesn't' mean that it will be the next time around.

 

[Ivan Turner]

Busy Bee - I agree with what Donkey Jockey said about the exposure. Hey listen, I've squandered more money through the years on ideals regarding acquiring customers than I will publicly admit. Because frankly, it's too damned embarrassing. However, like you had stated; nothing venture, nothing gained.

 

[Desk Jockey]

"Donkey"?

 

[Ivan Turner]

Oooops. that was an accident desk jockey

 

[Desk Jockey]

LOL Something tells me it wasn't!

 

[Ivan Turner]

No seriously Desk Junkie I didn't have my readers on, lol

 

[Connor]

Okay, well the results are in: I got no calls and my friend got 2 calls for exclusion work totaling $4000. Yes it was a loss, I'm sure the "I told you so" comments will come, but hey you have to try something to see if it will work or not, trusting everything that people say will work on the internet is a 50/50% shot in my mind, I will try my own ads again and see how it does.

A couple of weeks ago, I started looking at the direct mail that I received. One postcard was glanced at, then I turned it over and read the opposite side and then I turned it back to the first side to critique overall work. Then it hit me, one side was a pizza place and the other side was an HVAC company. I don't remember either of them, except to say that both were junky and too busy. I'm a busy person, I don't have time to "figure out" the message. Neither of these companies had any hype about them that I recognized, so I only remembered the incongruous pairing because we discussed it here on this thread.

A local gym has been sending me postcards for over a year, but I can't remember the name, I only remember the chick on the postcard because I went to high school with her, I keep trying to remember the name, but another newer gym has TOMA because I have seen a/some/many of their billboards.

 

[Shane Deubell]

Not a good idea to make marketing/sales decisions based on what you like or are motivated by.

Plus how many cleaners can afford a billboard campaign?

 

[Desk Jockey]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/marketshare/2011/10/10/does-outdoor-advertising-still-work/