Direct mail

[Jtuseo]

What do you all think of it? What do you think about Valpak type of direct mail services, is it worth a shot? What is the best type of direct mail services?

 

[danpauselius]

There are 2 ways to make Val-Pal advertising work for you, and only 2 ways.

1. Be the low-price leader.

2. Make yourself something completely different than your competition. (Your USP) I don't mean that you should become a plumber, I mean you really need to be something so different than the average carpet cleaner in your area that the prospect doesn't even compare your ad to any other carpet cleaning ad in that mailing.

 

[Royal Man]

The direct mail that is guaranteed to pay for itself, is to mail every month to some or all of your customer base.

Keep your company top of mind.

Your current clients will clean more often, have larger invoices, they can be informed of your new or other services and it's a great time to ask for referrals on a regular basis to bring in new clients.

Direct mail with valpak ect using "shot gun" approach can be quite a gamble.

Target your mail, have a very strong call to action and track your results.

Start small and test to see what works in your area.

 

[asupremeclean]

Any one looking into Bridgepoints new postcard marketing system.
It sounds pretty good. You can use your own database to target return clients or You can do searches for a specific area and send out specific postcards to draw them in.


I remember at connections Jon Don was working on this but it seems Bridgepoint beat them to the punch.

I think the addy is www.bridgepointdirect.com

It is pretty impressive.

If it is cost effective or not is the question.

Let me know what you think.

 

[Guest]

You put money in savings for the future? Direct mail is a investment in your business! I'm going on my 3rd year here in Charlotte and have been doing direct mail. I hate to write that check every month but now I'm glad I did it has made my business a whole lot easier. My repeat business is great and it all came for direct mail

 

[Magic Al]

I'm a poor example...

because I am not a cc'er, so take that for what it's worth.

I am in business now for 22 years, so I guess I am either a glutton for punishment or I am doing something right.

I have done TV, radio, magazines, newspapers, direct mail, door hangers, accosting people on the street (not really, but you get the idea), and direct mail continues to be the BEST way to reach old and new clientele.

I could (should?) write a book about it, because there is so much to learn. The advice above was excellent. I don't use ValPak, but understand the value of it for cc people. There are, to my amazement, always at least 2 cc'ers in each one of those. I can't imagine why you would want to be in one where there were others, but what the ding dong do I know?

Understand, for those who don't know me, that I am in Stone Restoration (visit our web site at www.groundfloor.org) and there are far fewer prospects in my business than yours. Plus, we don't discount or do coupons, and that is what people are looking for in ValPak.

We DO, however, do a lot of our own post card direct mail, and it DOES work, big time.

PLEASE, don't forget to send out reminder cards to your existing customers. We do it twice a year, even though we have a HUGE retention rate and our repeats are around every 3-5 YEARS. But it is NOT a waste of money and energy, as people move, add more flooring, re-do their kitchens, any number of reasons why they need our services before their floors wear out.

Again, too much of a subject here to go on about.

Bottom line? The way to go.

 

[XTREME1]

My mail permit and postcards do more but I did Val-Pak in Sept, Oct, November and December and on top of my other advertising Val-Pak was #2. I made a ton of money. I didn't do it Jan and not going to in Feb.. I am going back to my postcards and letters instead but when I am balls to the wall I will do Val-Pak again to keep the flow it is so easy.

 

[asupremeclean]

To you ValPak users.

How do you do it? Do you use package deals? Money off coupons? % off coupons? Or do you just advertise your business.
How do you target those big money jobs and avoid the price shopping, ball breakers?

I advertised in a local coupon shopper magazine when I started my business and I advertised package deals. That worked so good that in 6 months time I had to get another van just to keep up with the calls coming in. I was booking probably 90% of calls coming in.
We were working our asses off and the money was okay,but not great.

I have since changed the way I do business. I raised my prices, pimped the vans, and changed the ads to the "The Most Thorough Cleaning Ever Or it is FREE"
The calls slowed down, the job ticket went up, the clients changed from mobile homes to single family nicer homes. I lost alot of clients but also alot of headaches.

I am now getting ready to embark on a full assault of my client list through direct marketing. Postcards and the like. I really need to separate my business from the competition.

Is there anything I can do in addition to keep the big dollar clients coming in?

 

[Jim Williams]

Find a mailing company in your area and mail half page postcards to nice mail routes. Design them yourself or have someone do it for you.

I design mine on MS publisher and a local mail house can print them in black ink on salmon colored stock and mail them bulk rate for less than I could do it.

I usually get a 5:1 return on my $$$$. Nothing to brag about but beats the heck out of YP ads.

 

[DavidB]

Wow where is Bill Yeadon when you need him