"Any ideas?"

Ed Valentine

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Ed Valentine
Seems like at least once a week someone always asks the question: "What can I do to get some business, any ideas?" Now, the idea below was something my service business employed way back in the early 70's and it worked like a charm. I got the idea one day when I emptied a large bag of dry dog food in a bin for my prized Labrador; loved that dog. A coupon fell out in the look of our dollar bill showing that the customer could qualify for $1.oo off their next purchase. (Happened thereafter for years btw.) Well, I gave this to my Better Half and guess what? My prized Labrador ate that same dog food for the rest of his life!



So, here goes:



I think going out shaking hands and/or giving the customer magnets which either competes for space on their frig or ends up buried in a messy drawer somewhere, is certainly a great idea.

However, --in addition---to that, I suggest something that worked every time for my service business years ago: Leaving a Dollar Bill.

Now, these are naturally mock ups (fakes) of course but who throws away money? There fun just to hand around even as a joke. But, there will always be someone who will keep it for service. On the inside, you print your name, promotion, etc... These can be made up in $5--$10 increments. I have left these in restaurants at the table; in malls...Ooops, they accidently fell out of my pocket (!!), at the Pub with my buddies, ....anywhere and everywhere, and so on.

There is a web page where you can order them! (Think I still have that link)

Worked terrifically for us!

best to all;
Ed Valentine
cross-american.com
 

GCCLee

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C. Lee
In the Trash If I picked one up!


Stuff like that ticks me off. Here I am all excited to find a Free Buck only to be left feeling hoodoo'd by some smartazz advertising gimmick.


Now I'll have your number alright : )



Sorry, but advertise yourself or your family before gimmicking people, be real!





Arrrgg


Sent from da parking garage of dee detention center
 

Desk Jockey

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That's a drop card that would fake you.

You can get Club cards and business cards that look like money too.

304834d7-0607-439f-add3-9f2922a01bd4_zpsdc7fe29a.jpg
 
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Lyon
You can put $25 off on the back of your business card, I made some "Moser Bucks" a few years ago and would had a few to each client and ask them to pass a couple out and keep a couple for themselves, I quit giving them out cause repeat customers would call with $100 in Moser Bucks


....
 

PrimaDonna

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I think this type of offer/marketing caters to a certain demographic. This is not would I would choose to do in our market or to attract our ideal demographic. But, that being said if it's working for many, then it is great.

The message/offer/marketing piece has to appeal to your ideal client base. There are lots of folks out there that respond to this sort of thing.
 

hogjowl

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I was sitting at the gas station sipping coffee this morning when I spotted a young black dude in an unmarked CC van pull up to a pump. Never seen him before , so walked over and introduced myself. He was running a DooDaddy rig and was a new Sears franchise owner.

Those dollar bill thingys would probably interest him.
 

Desk Jockey

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Fook you Porkchop. But have a nice day! :p
_
We clean middle to upper class and they've done a decent return. Nothing to jump up and down about but not bad for the minimal investment. We give them out at home shows and have them as a part displays at carpet retailers.

We've gotten better response with an EDDM with the same offer but targeted to our clientele demographics. I think it's more a numbers thing. At home shows you see a large number of people but not all are your targets. Many are from surrounding towns others are remodeling and more the clients of budget cleaners.
 
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hogjowl

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The City left City Hall open tonight as a shelter for all trailer park people to come to. Unless you have pets.

I guess pet owners deserve to die.
 

WillS

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Will
I like the money looking coupon with your information on it. We tried "Gift Certificates" and would give and send them to business owners and for their employees. We got a good response on these. Only problem was our graphic artist didn't put one per person on them. :) Good thing we only had one issue with it, better than re printing how ever many we ordered.

We use magnets and give them to the customer at the end of the cleaning. Had a couple of customers call at the beginning of 2014 asking when they were getting their new calendar since they only had the 2013 one. :)

The other thing we are doing that has been getting us quite a bit more business is in our thank you cards we mention a referral program. Every person you refer it $20 in services for your next cleaning. 5 referrals = $100. We include a few business cards as well. People love this because they refer 5 people, $100 gets them 3 rooms/hallway/closets cleaned free. In the mean time we are booking over $500 from there referrals. It's been working well. In the future I'd like to have a log in on our website so people can view how many referral credits they have gotten.
 

Desk Jockey

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We also did the credit card one's several years ago. It was good up to four time and we just punched a hole in the $25.00 circle at the bottom. Worked about as well as the dollar bill. EDDM has still reached more people and driven more business not only for carpet cleaning but rugs and air duct cleaning.
 

Desk Jockey

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No but it will get you an old portable with a fractured roto waste tank.

Better hurry and claim it before Willy or Frank. :winky:



I like Frank, such a good sport........for a portable guy. :eekk:

Usually they have no sense of humor, like William. :p :lol:
 

ruff

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Ofer Kolton
No but it will get you an old portable with a fractured roto waste tank.

Finally!!!!!
You admit that your employees are not perfect and are rough with equipment.

I knew it!
You knew it!

and now everybody knows it.

Another myth busted :winky:

Chavez water damage and equipment restoration- We got the dudes.
 

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